Mario Chalmers Is X-Factor For Miami Heat In 2014-15 Season
Pool Photo-USA TODAY Sports
After the departure of LeBron James this past offseason, the Miami Heat are actively looking for someone to replace what he provided the team. Unfortunately for Miami fans, they are going to have to concede to the fact that they nobody on their team can give them what James did.
But that doesn’t mean that they are out of the Eastern Conference.
With the injury to Paul George during the summer, the Eastern Conference is wide open for either the Cleveland Cavaliers or Miami to take the top spot. Most NBA fans side with Cleveland to win it all because of the acquisition of Kevin Love. However, the player who holds the keys to Miami’s success is Mario Chalmers.
What we have seen from Chalmers has been rather productive given Miami’s skill level and what they required from him on a nightly basis. There aren’t too many guards who can say that they were on the same starting lineup as Dwyane Wade, James and Chris Bosh. And yes, while that does mean they ask less of him statistically, that doesn’t mean that they didn’t require big play from him every game. He was often the butt of jokes and shouting matches and received harsh criticism from nearly every Miami fan during the playoffs.
But his production on the court has been rather good. Last year he averaged 9.8 points, 4.9 assists and 1.6 steals per game. All of that while also being a fourth or fifth option. Sometimes his looks were so few that it seemed he wasn’t even on the court. Miami fans can gripe, but the numbers never lie. This season, Miami is requiring more of him. And considering his desire to shine and his particular aptitude to shine in big minutes, we might be seeing a new Chalmers who brings not experience, but winning experience. Not even the great Chris Paul has that. And that is something that nobody can take away from him.
Christopher Cruz is a Miami Heat writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him/her on Twitter @_chris_cruz, “Like” him/her on Facebook or add him to your network on Google
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