After a Chris Bosh dunk that tied the game 87-87, Lebron James would go on to score the next four baskets for Miami, two threes, a steal which lead to a dunk, and a teardrop to put the final result etched in stone.

James would finish with 33 points on 11-20 shooting. He and Dwyane Wade (34 points) set the tone throughout the game while the Heat’s bench struggled to provide any offense and the Celtics did not go quietly leading for most of the game behind 49.3% shooting on the night.

At the end of the game, James was asked if Philadelphia was breakfast, how did lunch taste? Instead of taking the bait, James paid homage to the Boston Celtics, confessing they established the blueprint and the reason why Run DLC was formed with James teaming up with Wade and Chris Bosh in Miami.

In a hard fought series, that saw the fresh-legged Heat drive and outrun the Celtics for stretches, it was the grind out possessions at the end of these past few games that determined the outcome. Critics were very skeptical of the Heat winning a game on the road, despite having an amazing road record. They also questioned whether or not the Heat could make plays down the stretch to close out games – they did this on back to back games against arguably one of the best defenses in the entire league.

The Celtics did not go quietly. Nor should they – they are proud champions who over the past few years dominated the East behind their Big Three +1. Tonight, they witnessed another Big Three overmatching them when it mattered and the Heat did it from a half court set and with Lebron James leading the way in the clutch. It would seem all the phantoms and doubts have been laid to rest – but there is another series to be had in order to represent the East in the Finals. And just getting out of the conference is not enough.

This series feels good, so wear it well Miami while the Bulls and Hawks battle for the right to be the next Heat meal. Just remember, that this was only lunch, dinner will be served and if the Heat are still hungry, they can go for dessert.

The keys for the Heat in this series are going to be playing their hallmark team defense while creating as many fast break opportunities as possible. Getting higher percentage shots helps the Heat’s defense as they get set into their half court formation.

Well, things aren’t that simple. The Heat and the Celtics each had 10 fast break points. They each had 39 total rebounds and each team has 26 points in the paint. They even had similar turnover rates, the Heat has 16 while the Celtics had 13. Both teams also shit around 50% from the land of three, too.

The Heat did earn more trips to the free throw line. The Heat had 32 to the Celtics 18.

All these stats don’t really tell the story though. Dwayne Wade came out about three hours early so that he would be ready for the game. He has faced a lot of criticism over his performances against Boston. Maybe this is the story of this game?

Or maybe it was James Jones hitting his three point shots to give the Heat an initial offensive lift? The bench scoring for the Heat is another source of criticism.

Or will it be the toss of Paul Pierce? Boston fans will surely cite this as the reason why the Celtics couldn’t steal the game back. Truth be told, Pierce brought it on himself. After his attempt to make out with James Jones after a hard foul, Pierce proceeded to get dunked on by Lebron James on an ally oop from Dwyane Wade. Then, in frustration set a hard baseline screen on Wade. After which he proceeded to flex his scrawny arms as if to send a message to Wade. He tried to taunt him and send a message. And that was your story for this game. Right there in the feeble attempt of the Celtics to try to intimidate the Heat with their physical presence.

I’ve got news for you – you can’t intimidate guys like Wade and James. These guys have faced adversity before and all you are likely going to do is get them angry.

The Celtics better embrace for a longer fight. The Heat are better and perform better behind Wade’s leadership. Even Lebron followed; the reason he took his talents to South Beach was to team up with someone who he could work and win with.

Yet this series is far from decided. The Heat have to win game 2 just to hold serve. If Boston wins game 2 the momentum would shift. Let’s see what kind of mettle this Heat team is composed of.

Tonight, James was honored in the Home Strong program by the very same franchise that drafted him for his service in Iraq.

Tim James, however, was also the definition of Miami basketball. He was an exciting player; he could score, block shots, grab rebounds. He was a leader; quiet, stoic, and humble but his game was loud. James was recognized as a blue chip prospect in basketball, coming out of Miami he helped put the city’s young talents on the map. Udonis Haslem, James Jones, Steven Blake, and many other young players filled with basketball hopes would find more opportunities to play ball in other colleges around the country because, in part, of James’ recognition coming out of high school.

When Tim James was drafted by his hometown Heat, a lot was expected of him locally – maybe, unfairly. The kid showed solid promise for the next level. He could shoot the ball, was athletic, and showed that he could defend well enough to earn his keep. The Heat gave him some good looks, but ultimately, Tim James bowed out of the NBA soon after his name was called for the draft – in 2001. He would go on to score 11 points for the Heat in 4 games, then would be traded and finish out his NBA days for Charlotte and Philadelphia, ultimately playing overseas in professional leagues and retiring in 2007.

Yet it is James’ legacy that cannot be overlooked. James Jones attended “the U” because of Tim James. The Hurricanes started winning games and become something of an exciting team to go out and root for. Being built by then-coach Leonard Hamilton, the Canes had a strong defensive identity that eventually got Hamilton to be Michael Jordan’s hand picked coach for his Washington Wizards. Miami basketball was coming up. Then there is Udonis Haslem, another local kid who played against James, who would go on to win titles at the collegiate level for the Florida Gators and has also helped bring home an NBA championship to his hometown Heat. Haslem wears #40 to this day, in part, because Tim James wore that number.

Tim James will be honored for his military service – and that is commendable, to say the least. He signed up on September 12, 2008 to honor his country – the stuff of legend for a kid who rose out of the troubled neighborhoods of Liberty City. But there is an untold story about how much James affected Miami basketball, and helping to create more opportunities for young players to get out of troubled neighborhoods and onto college campuses.

Tim James may not be remembered for his professional basketball career, and will surely be honored for his dedication and sacrifice to the principles that are inherent in our society as Americans, but his leadership should not be overlooked in all aspects of his life. He has inspired other kids from South Florida to think big and find other opportunities to play basketball and get access to better lives. He also has chosen to put himself in harm’s way, despite all the money he has made as a professional basketball player, his selflessness and dedication to protect the way of life that he has enjoyed makes him a hero. With the Heat honoring Tim James tonight, they not only honor the soldier serving his country, but the local kid who helped to create more opportunities for other kids like him coming out of tough neighborhoods.

Read More:

Dan Le Batard’s story of how Tim James ended up in Iraq

By the way, congrats to Jones becoming the 4th player in Heat franchise history to hoist the trophy for the Land of Three. Glen Rice won it in ’95, Jason Kapono in ’07, Daequan Cook in ’09, and now Jones. (TNT got it wrong, leaving off Cook’s accomplishment.)

And then there was the practices. According to some, the Heat’s Big 3 were being made fun of by the Celtics’ Big Three and coach Doc Rivers. The fun revolved around the Celtics running “Heat” plays. The Heat all stars took exception, only mildly though, and the fact is that these teams all know each others plays more or less so no big surprise there. The fact is that the Celtics were visibly challenged by the mere presence of the Heat at All Star Weekend, which says a lot. Sure, the Celtics are on their way out – less days in front of them then the Heat have. Which is why it is all the more crucial that they beat the Heat in regular season match-ups – to make that statement that they are the “beasts” of the East.

Now, with the Carmelo Anthony deal looming, the East is getting thicker. So, another rivalry is brewing for the Heat, of course. For now, the focus will be on the Celtics and the Heat. Oh, and don’t forget about those Bulls, too.

Mike Miller goes down with a thumb injury, requiring surgery, and he won’t return until January. Shrug, no problem. The Heat just go out and add Jerry Stackhouse.

Now, there is no way that you can compare the two. Miller is in his prime while Stackhouse is, well, out of it. Sure, he can still play and he is reportedly in good shape. That said, he hasn’t practiced with the team yet so expect a slow transition for him in regards to working him into this rotation. In fact, this is a move made to secure a bit of insurance and some depth. The Heat did release Patrick Beverley and Da’Sean Butler – two young players the Heat brass could help them out in the long run.

Still, the Heat don’t have to commit to Stack. His contract is not guaranteed and he would, to be sure, love to play alongside Run DLC to get some key playing time and a shot at a title. So, the incentive is all on Stack now. If the Heat don’t like what they see, they can always gamble on someone else.

In fact, I suspect James Jones is loving this. His wrist is healthy, and he was shooting pretty comfortably throughout the preseason from three point range. His shot was coming off quick, and he was getting great releases and excellent spacing to shoot. Look for him to climb into Miller’s role and really thrive here in the early on. If he plays well, he could keep the spot even when Miller returns, who will have to rehab his way and get ready just in time for the playoffs.

Here’s the latest – first they start the day off by completing deals for fellow Gators Mike Miller and Udonis Haslem. Now they are finalizing the Zydrunas Ilgauskas deal, who has opted to play in Miami over all other takers, thanks in large part to Lebron James signing here and recruiting his old friend. (See Lebron’s tweet welcoming Big Z to South Beach)

Now, the Heat are reportedly finishing up a deal for Juwan Howard to join the Heat. This is a deal 16 years in the making (recall how Howard signed with the Heat back in 1996 only to have the NBA nix the deal on account of the fact that the Heat had no cap money left).

The final phase, for now, is to see which Heat free agents will stay. The Heat have extended a qualifying deal to Joel Anthony, who should take the deal. They also have been contacted by James Jones, Carlos Arroyo, and Jamaal Magloire with interest in staying in Miami.

That puts the Heat in a pretty good position to get out of the gate with this team. Not only is getting all their ducks in a row quickly key for the team’s identity, but it creates a fervor among players looking at their options to get in with Miami now and also gets the team plenty of time to start training together. The chemistry is going to have to be molded quickly team-wide. So far, so good.

The max contract that can be offered for free agents is $16.6M. Currently, the Heat only have Michael Beasley ($4.9M) and Mario Chalmers ($847K) on the books. They had a payroll of about $72M last season, which leaves basically $66M free to field a team.

It seemed that Riley is staunchly fixed on waiting for this offseason to re-sign Dwyane Wade and add someone else to the mix. This has forced the Heat to be very crafty in regards to its financial picture, which the Heat have been able to do. They have tons of money coming off the books as only Michael Beasley and Daequan Cook are guaranteed to be on the books after this season.

So it’s audition time for this team – and the entire franchise is trying to show Wade that this is his current and future home. What to expect?

First of all, who’s in and who’s out. In: Carlos Arroyo, Quentin Richardson and Shavlik Randolph. Out: Mark Blount, and Jamario Moon. The Heat finished 43-39 last season, and lost to the Atlanta Hawks in the first round of the playoffs.

What about who’s playing when and where? Expect to see the shift is on as Michael Beasley is going to start at PF while fan favorite Udonis Haslem shifts to the bench. Also, it has been rumored that Q-Rich has jostled his way into the starting lineup at SF, where Beasley was playing last season. Rounding things out will be Jermaine O’neal at C, Mario Chalmers at PG and Dwyane Wade, as always, at SG.

The bench looks intriguing. Questions abound over the role that Carlos Arroyo, Daequan Cook and even Dorell Wright will play. What kind of minutes will they get? When Chris Quinn returns, what is the point guard situation going to look like? Haslem will try his hand at coming off the bench, but it will only be successful if Beasley can show that he can rebound and defend better. Beasley, coming off a tumultous offseason, has seemingly gotten things on track in his personal life and is looking to take the next step in his professional career. Again, the growth potential of this young team is what will be assessed, and the result will be how far they can reach into the playoffs.

This is an audition of sorts. Dwyane Wade wants to be in Miami but only if it is in his best interests – he wants to win, not just make money. If this team can show growth, perhaps get into the 2nd round or deeper, then Wade should be a lock to stay. Who will remain with him, however, will remain to be seen.

Expectations: This team has enough youth to create a higher ceiling. Cook, Beasley, Chalmers – all can take drastic steps forward. The bench is stronger as there are more options to play with – let’s not forget James Jones’ ability to contribute to this team. There doesn’t, however, feel like there is too much of a difference between last year and this year so it is reasonable to expect a 40+ win season and a berth to the playoffs. The difference might be once the Heat reach the playoffs – I’m expecting at least a 2nd round appearance. Can Wade play another MVP-like season? We’ll soon find out.

Miami just changed its offseason fortunes a bit by dealing center Mark Blount to the Timberwolves for Quentin Richardson, who has been shuffled around so much the guy must be dizzy.

Both Blount and Richardson are in the final year of their contracts, so financially this fits into the scheme of things Pat Riley is trying to do – keep it financially flexible for next year’s offseason. Blount was scheduled to make 7.9M this season while Richardson is due 9.4M. For Blount it is a return to the Timberwolves, the team the Heat originally acquired him from (along with Ricky Davis) before the 2007-2008 season for Antoine Walker, Michael Doleac, Wayne Simien and a first round pick. The debate on whether or not that deal worked out rages on.

It was the 4th time Richardson has been dealt this offseason – from the Knicks to the Grizzlies, to the Clippers and then the Timberwolves. The Heat, however, seem bent on keeping Richardson for the duration of the season:

“We are very excited to add Quentin Richardson,” Heat President Pat Riley said. “Over the course of his career, he has proven to be a fierce competitor, a great locker-room presence and a very prolific three-point shooter who may be one of the strongest perimeter players in the NBA. We feel that he will be able to match up well against the top scorers in the league.”

Richardson has been eyed by the Heat brass for some time now, actually. His ability to score is going to offer the Heat more punch, but where exactly he will fit remains to be seen. Richardson can play SG or SF, and will offer some depth to the Heat’s options of Dwyane Wade and Daequan Cook. Cook’s minutes seem to be potentially the most impacted of all here and with the Heat losing Jamario Moon to the Cavs, the depth at SF just regained itself a bit with Richardson adding to the rotation of Dorell Wright, James Jones, Yakhouba Diawara and an occasional appearance from Michael Beasley.

Too bad we didn’t see it against the Celtics at the start of this homestand, but then again that is the Celtics who are the defending world champs. It is hard to argue against the Heat, however, making the playoffs and perhaps making a strong showing in the postseason.

Tonight, the Heat defeated the Hawks, another team in their division ranked ahead of them. In fact, it was the 2nd contest in as many nights as the Heat dispatched the Magic only a few nights previous, Dwight Howard finding an ejection in the closing minutes rife with frustration.

The Heat went with a different look tonight, launching Jamal Magloire to start at the center spot while bringing Mark Blount off the bench to help give the Heat a more dynamic offensive presence. For Blount, it has been a re-emergence of sorts after having not played in the previous 17 games. Spoelstra had in mind to use Blount’s range and athleticism to keep Dwight Howard honest and draw him outside the painted area. Against the Hawks, a kind of athletic “tweener” team, Blount’s services were again needed.

And for Magloire, it was an arrival – getting his first start in a Heat uniform. There was a resurrection expected (and talked about) at the start of the season for Magloire who was an all-star back in the ’04 season with the Hornets (then still in the Eastern conference). Tonight, he flashed some of that skill contributing 6 points, 6 rebounds and 2 blocks in just under 17 minutes of play. One of those baskets came on a dunk, where Magloire put his hands over his eyes in a Dee Brown fit of imitation. “Just having fun”, Magloire said.

As were the Heat tonight. And it is hard not to embrace this young, brash team. They play with a quiet confidence that is best illustrated in a Daequan Cook three point shot in the clutch, or the way Mario Chalmers continues to lock down his opposition on the defensive end each night. This team is executing and with Dwyane Wade playing at such a tremendously high level right now – the kind of level we haven’t seen in these parts since July of 2006 – there is little to doubt about this team.

This team is still growing. Consider how good Michael Beasley could be in a month or two; how good James Jones is going to be in a month being back healthy.

And Miami is doing some surprising things without Shawn Marion on the floor. What if the Heat actually trade him and upgrade their roster? Where is the ceiling then?