LeBron has become Public Enemy No. 1 in many NBA cities.

BY PAUL JONES
sportsnet.ca

The Miami Heat is now one of those teams. With the addition of LeBron James and Chris Bosh to go along with Dwyane Wade, the Miami squad has polarized basketball fans across the globe.

Some will cheer for the new-look Heat hoping three of the game's best players can come together to win multiple championships and create a dynasty in Miami; not unlike those that have come before in places like Los Angeles, Boston and Chicago.

On the other hand, some folks will cheer only in support of any team who can beat Miami on any given night. So with that, let's look at some of the burning questions surrounding the Heat.

What kind of "chemistry" will the new Big 3 have and what kind of team chemistry will exist?

Some have made the observation that there is only one ball and three stars that are used to handling the ball. But remember, they have played together before, at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing (where some think this whole idea of playing together in the NBA may have been hatched). True, it was a different scenario where they only had to co-exist for a few weeks, but over the course of their respective careers, all have shown that they can be team players and give up the ball when they have to do so. Wade and James have career assist numbers of 6.6 and 7.0 respectively during the regular season with very little change in the playoffs. But what will it be like over the course of a season, particularly if the ball doesn't come back or they don't get the chance to be the main decision makers consistently?

As for the team chemistry, as long as the rest of the players do what is asked of them, it should be just fine.

Who takes the shot in a close game when an important basket is needed or in a game-winning shot situation?

This is where opponents will have to, as the NBA vernacular goes, "pick their poison." Any of James, Wade or Bosh is capable of making a game winner but in the past they may have been forced to give it up. In this case, giving it up won't be an issue. Bosh is probably the third option as he doesn't create on the perimeter but he may eventually end up with the ball if Wade or James start with the ball and have to give it up due to a double-teaming defence. It's more likely that you will see James or Wade handling the ball, depending on the match-up, with shooters on the floor in the event the other team is able to stop the ball handler or force him to pass. If that's the case, rotations had better be unbelievably good or the Heat could end up with an easy drive, a drive and dish for a lay up or an uncontested, possibly short jumper.

Will Pat Riley eventually come out of the front office and replace Erik Spoelstra to coach this team?

If they don't win a championship in two years, then yes. Riley had no qualms about tapping Stan Van Gundy on the shoulder and "cutting in" on him to lead the Heat to a title in 2006, and don't for a second think this is any different. We've heard the rhetoric from Miami saying that Riley is the club president, he's done with coaching, and blah, blah, blah. You know what: He's a lifer, a coach, and once it's in your blood, it never leaves you. The same way Shaquille O'Neal didn't go to Miami to be coached by Van Gundy, who do you think recruited James and Bosh to South Florida? Who do you think lay championship rings out on the table and said, "Fellas, come here and you too can have one of these." If they win, all will be fine but just remember, when you are losing, everybody has an answer. As the joke goes, if the time comes when a coaching change involving Riley does happen, Spoelstra (who is unmarried) may resign to spend time with Stan Van Gundy's family.

Can the Heat win 70 games or eclipse the Bulls 72-10 mark?

The better question for the Heat is, if they are close to the magic 70-win barrier, is it worth it? The Bulls won 72 in the 1995-96 season and 69 the following campaign. Some of the players on the 69-win squad were adamant that it was not worth trying to win 70 and they should have instead opted for some "down time" in the regular season before gearing up for the playoffs. The answer for Miami is possibly. There will be a buzz about it early on, particularly with a favourable home schedule (the Heat having eight of its first 12 at home) and no back-to-back road games until early December. But in the end, it says here they won't and it's not worth it.

What can one discern from isolated games?

When the Heat travel to play in Cleveland or to Los Angeles for the Lakers on Dec. 25 or to Boston on opening night, you'll be able to tell what stage they are at in team development. What is the chemistry like amongst team members? Are guys really accepting their roles when it's most important to play within those confines? You will also be able to figure out what the coaching staff is thinking by watching who handles the ball, who gets important fourth quarter minutes, especially in games where there is a big man to defend at the centre position.

There will be a huge spotlight on this team during the 2010-11 season and its every move will be debated and discussed. Whether they win a title or not, there will always be questions surrounding a team with such high expectations.