LOS ANGELES, 29 October 2006 — The Miami Heat are confident their blend of experience and youthful energy, epitomized by Shaquille O’Neal and Dwyane Wade, will be the recipe for a second straight National Basketball Association title.
The Heat have made no significant changes to the team that earned the franchise’s first championship last June, and if finals MVP Wade contributes as he did last season coach Pat Riley will likely be justified in downplaying the age factor introduced by 34-year-old O’Neal and 38-year-old Gary Payton.
“I don’t think we are as old as everyone thinks,” Riley said as teams geared up for the start of the season on Oct. 31.
That means that Miami’s most likely challengers in the East — the Cleveland Cavaliers, Detroit Pistons, New Jersey Nets and Chicago Bulls — will have their work cut out for them. “I think there’s been significant improvement from virtually every team in the East,” said New Jersey Nets coach Lawrence Frank. “Who eventually closes the gap? Who knows. I hope people didn’t forget that Detroit did win 64 games despite not winning the championship.” Frank also pointed to the Chicago Bulls, who bolstered their already formidable defense with the acquisition of free agent center Ben Wallace and to the Cavaliers and their young superstar LeBron James.
Western Conference champions Dallas, who lost to Miami in six games in their first finals appearance, are also hoping that minor changes will be enough to keep them a step ahead.
The Mavericks have improved dramatically on defense under Johnson and should get even better in that regard with the additions of Greg Buckner, Devean George and Anthony Johnson.
The Mavericks’ Southwest division rivals San Antonio are hoping two-time Most Valuable Player Tim Duncan will be back at full strength after battling painful plantar fascia last season.
Complementing the methodical Duncan are quick-thinking All-Star guards Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker. While the Spurs won the division last season, their bid to repeat as NBA champions ended in with a seven-game loss to Dallas in the first round of the playoffs.
Any contender in the West, however, will face a formidable challenge in the Phoenix Suns, who won the Pacific Division last season but lost to Dallas in the conference finals. With two-time reigning Most Valuable Player Steve Nash directing coach Mike D’Antoni’s run-and-gun offense, the Suns led the league in scoring for the second straight season. Forward Shawn Marion led the team in scoring and France’s Diaw posted career highs in every category en route to nabbing the Most Improved Player award. This season the Suns welcome back forward Amare Stoudemire, who sat out most of last season recovering from micro-fracture surgery. If he can return to his 2004-05 form, he could be the key in a run to the finals.
“I think we’re there at the top with other teams,” D’Antoni said. “We still have some major question marks. We have to fit Amare back in and get him back to 100 percent because anything less, than we’re not going to be as good as we were last year.
“If he does get to 100 percent, and if we can integrate him into the team, we should be better than last year. I think we’ll eventually get there.” Elsewhere in the West, the Houston Rockets need Chinese center Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady to stay healthy if they want to reach the playoffs from the tough Southwest division.
Health will also be a key factor for the Utah Jazz as they bid to overtake Denver and win the Northwest Division.
And the Los Angeles Lakers headed into the season just trying to get healthy, superstar Kobe Bryant still recovering from off season knee surgery.
Bryant’s stellar 2005-06 season included an 81 — point effort against Toronto — the second highest total in NBA history.
Coach Phil Jackson would like to see Bryant share more of the offensive load with his teammates.
Significant contributions from forward Lamar Odom and free-agent acquisition Vladimir Radmanovic could make the Lakers a bigger factor in the Pacific Division.
