Impressive back-to-back home victories against the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Cleveland Cavaliers propelled the Miami Heat to first place in the Eastern Conference standings and renewed respect around the league and from the experts.
On paper, Pat Riley had assembled over the offseason an intriguing collection of returning veterans and hungry youngsters eager to prove themselves. There was still everything to prove; from whether or not Chris Bosh would be the same player he was before his medical setback, or if Hassan Whiteside could continue to build upon his dazzling first season in Miami.