The Miami Heat didn’t exactly start the preseason with a bang.
Despite two of their first four preseason games heading into overtime, the Heat started out 0-4. Luckily for Miami, they were able to finish out the exhibition schedule by winning their last four games, including wins over playoff teams in all four contests.
Though the Heat did end their preseason slate with a .500 record, it’s not the wins and losses that are important during this time of the year–it’s the play and development of the young players and newcomers to the roster. For the Heat, it was their most important preseason since 2010 when the ‘Big Three’ formed for the first time.
Fast forward to present-day, and the team is in a ‘reconstruction’ mode. While the franchise is still a heavy contender in the Eastern Conference, they will have to adjust to life without the four-time MVP, LeBron James. Not only did James leave, but so did key players such as Ray Allen, James Jones, Michael Beasley, Shane Battier and Rashard Lewis.
Plugged in their voids are newcomers and young players such as Josh McRoberts, Luol Deng, Danny Granger, James Ennis and Shabazz Napier.
For the first time since before the ‘Big Three’ came together, Miami will lean heavily upon its young faces in order for the team to remain contenders in the East.
Of the 15 players on the Heat’s active roster, here are the five players who impressed most during the preseason starting with number five. (Continue on next page!)
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5. Norris Cole
Mario Chalmers has been the Heat’s starting point guard since his rookie season of 2008-09.
That likely won’t be the case when the Heat open the regular season versus the Washington Wizards. Though ‘Rio did start Miami’s first preseason game, it was Norris Cole who started at point guard for the remaining seven contests.
Though he didn’t post spectacular numbers–7.5 points and 3.1 assists per game–he solidified his hold on the position with his steady play and ability to set up teammates for easy baskets.
Erik Spoelstra complimented Cole’s play at the point, via Jason Lieser of The Palm Beach Post:
“He really focused on organizing us in training camp — getting us into our offense and being the loudest guy in the gym. He’s been taking that message to heart and he’s finding ways he can be aggressive.”
The most impressive stat concerning Cole’s preseason was the fact he turned the ball over just eight times while appearing in all eight contests.
The Heat don’t need Cole to be spectacular. They just need him to be steady, and that’s exactly what he provided the team in the preseason.
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4. Shawne Williams
A month ago, Shawne Williams wasn’t even a lock to make the opening day roster. Now, he’s likely to suit up for the team as its opening night starter.
A low-radar signing at the beginning of August, Williams was merely seen as a training camp body. After all, he’s played with six teams in seven seasons in the NBA.
However, McRoberts’ toe injury at the beginning of October gave the journeyman forward a chance to shine during the preseason. Spoelstra had Williams start at power forward for most of the preseason, and he did not disappoint–he averaged nine points per game on 44 percent shooting from three-point range. This included a performance in which he went 5-for-5 from beyond the arc in a preseason victory over the Golden State Warriors.
While Williams is not the all-around player that McRoberts is, he fills the Heat’s power forward void until McRoberts returns from injury. Since Chris Bosh will be playing more in the post, Williams will stretch the floor for the offense while playing heavy minutes.
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3. Dwyane Wade
With all of the chatter and hoopla regarding Dwyane Wade’s demise as an elite player, ‘Flash’ still showed he has some game after all.
While it took awhile for Wade to have a breakout performance, he did just that in the second-to-last preseason game when he scored 26 points on 65 percent shooting in a victory over the Houston Rockets. He followed up that performance by starting 7-of-7 from the field in the Heat’s victory over the Memphis Grizzlies in the preseason finale.
Overall, Wade was the Heat’s second-leading scorer in the preseason, averaging 14 points per game on 51 percent shooting in 24 minutes a contest.
In regards to his goals this upcoming season, Wade had the following to say, via Israel Gutierrez of ESPN.com: “My goal this year is to be available as much as possible.”
So far, so good.
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2. Chris Bosh
As far as the Heat’s most consistent player throughout the exhibition slate, that award would go to none other than Chris Bosh.
Bosh not only showed he was ready to take on a bigger role in life without LeBron, but he also may have proven he is ready to be the Heat’s No. 1 offensive option.
In 29 minutes per contest, Bosh averaged 19 points and 7.3 rebounds on .495 shooting from the field. Over the last four preseason games, the 6’11” center scored over 20 points in each game.
In regards to his increased role with the Heat in the absence of James, Bosh stated the following, via Gutierrez:
“I’ve had to play a role the past four years, but moving forward, I can show the city and the organization what value I can bring, how much I can turn up the intensity, how much I can put more weight on my shoulders and really hold that load and bring more wins to Miami.”
If CB4 plays in the regular season the way he did in the preseason, the Heat will remain one of the teams to beat in the Eastern Conference.
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1. James Ennis
While Ennis wasn’t the Heat’s most consistent player throughout the preseason, he was the most impressive.
No one will mistake Ennis for LeBron anytime soon, but the undrafted free agent’s athleticism and ability to make plays on the fastbreak mirror the four-time MVP in many ways.
The 24-year-old small forward averaged 10.9 points per game while shooting 50 percent from the field. On a game-to-game basis, Ennis electrified crowds with his fastbreak dunks.
The 6’7″ forward figures to be a key part of Miami’s rotation during the 2014-15 season. So much so, that he will likely come off of the bench as the Heat’s sixth man.
Bosh stated the following in regards to what Ennis brings to the table, via Shandel Richardson of The Sun Sentinel:
“We needed an injection of young talent. I think with James we’ve found a diamond in the rough. His athletic ability, his shooting and his playmaking ability are second to none. He has a tremendous upside. He’s going to help us a lot as long as he continues to develop.”
Due to the void created by James’ departure, the Heat have found a guy capable of becoming a key rotation player for many years to come.
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