Vegas doesn’t think the Miami Heat are back to contender status but ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith sure does, believing a chunk of Riley’s rejuvenated motivation can be connected to the departure of LeBron James last summer.
“I personally believe that the Miami Heat can easily be in the Eastern Conference Finals going up against the Cleveland Cavaliers next year,” Smith said on the Freeman and Fox Show. “I don’t think they would win that matchup. I would give Cleveland the edge if Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving and LeBron James — all three of them — are healthy but it’s a match I would crave to see.