So over the holidays I was talking with some out of towners and they seem to think the Heat are mediocre. Are they?

Am I dillusional that I think they are playing some of the best basketball I’ve seen throughout the past 20 years or is it that they are just playing well above expectations?

Joel Anthony is turning out to be a real find. Two blocked shots inside of 5 minutes.

I know the Bulls sucks, but they have always played us tough no matter what.

The Miami Heat beat the Utah Jazz somewhat comfortably and lead, I think, the entire game.

This team contends from start to finish and its just a joy to watch. The Miami Heat go 3-2 on their road trip.

So the final seconds go like this. We are down by 3 and Wade gets the inbound and heads to the baseline for a 3 point quick shot. It misses and Golden State’s Jama Crawford rebounds the ball and BAM, Chris Quinn comes flying in and causes enough disruption to where Crawford falls out of bounds. Heat ball.

Then Daequon Cook inbounds under the net to Chris Quinn on a wrap around where he nails a 3 pointer in front of the Warriors bench with 7 seconds left.

Michael Beasley is pumping his fists in happiness and looking up at the opposite scoreboard when he remembers to pressure the inbound. Andris Biedrins inbounds the ball to Crawford and Beasley shoots in front and steals the ball. He then charges the basket and rainbows the layup which gets blocked by Biedrins, but catches the blocked ball and puts it up and misses, BUT gets fouled. He makes the first and misses the second putting the Heat UP one.

Stephen Jackson inbounds to Crawford, who had been red hot all night, dribble drives and lays one up on a popper and it rims out. Heat win 130-129 in one of the best reg games I’ve ever seen.

This Heat team contests the opponent throughout the entire game. During the Shaq years we would always lag and make a huge surge in the 4th quarter. Now we play a much more balanced game and its exciting to watch.

Utah Jazz are up Wednesday.

A really nice game where Wade simply busted the Suns up, but as a Heat fan, I never put it all on Wade. This team plays excellent team ball. They are so quick and continue to push a pace on offense and defense that I haven’t seen the Heat play like this since the early days when Tim Hardaway was running the point.

Phoenix Suns have the size advantage, but they have Shaq, who is slow and doesn’t posess the same offensive power that he had at a minimum 5 years ago, which is no match for our speed. The way Spoelstra has this team rebounding is really impressive as well.

Joel Anthony again, just doing what he has to do and its enough.

Chalmers, man this guy is trouble for a lot of players every single game.

This faster team is really allowing Wade to get to the basket more, but without the kind of damage he took when we had Zo and Shaq because our new scheme takes the beef out of the paint.

All compliments and no complaints.

Wow. The Heat played unbelievably that night. Chalmers had a record 8 steals in the game. Wade was solid and scored at will when he felt like it. The team played amazing fast break basketball.

The Heat are no longer a half court team and when they play the teams that are, they will have problems, but the solution will be run them tired.

If the Heat can play like they did against the 76ers then they will be able to contend with anyone.

I was impressed with Spoelstra’s rotation of his players. Almost everyone got minutes and there was much ball sharing going on.

It was Spoelstra himself who said recently in a press conference that when we can click it will be something to see – or something like that. In that game the team clicked. Dalembert could barely keep up and had little shot blocking effect.

I know its early, but there were some glimmers of greatness during that game.

The Heat have no inside game right now and the lack of defense in the paint is going to make for depressing game after depressing game.

The new guys are REALLY slack on their perimeter defense as well.

I was impressed with Mario Chalmers offensive ability in the way he could get to basket at will and was putting up great shots, but his defense is like the boston tunnel. You could drive right through as if there wasn’t even a body standing there. Like I already said, there is no help down low. None. You think Haslem is going to do it…wrong.

Miami Heat kick off the season with an opener against the New York Knicks.

We have a complicated team this year and expectations can’t be lower.

The summer Olympics may be an early Christmas present for Heat fans. Drafting Michael Beasley was nice, but seeing Wade attacking the net like old, almost brings a tear to your eye doesn’t it? Is it enough to let us dream of a return to the playoffs? I think so. It doesn’t put the Heat at the favorites to win it all, but the competitiveness is back.

If Beasley comes as advertised, and Wade is back to this form and can give the Heat 75 games this year, then dare to dream heat fans. The supporting cast is solid, lead by Haslem and dare I say Marion. Depth at the forward position, Mario Chambliss at guard, we all know he doesn’t sweat the late shot. This is a young, talented team without Wade. But it’s not a playoff team. It’s a team that will win 35 games, show flashes but lack that one thing that can get us over the hump. Thankfully we already have that one thing. The team is built, the talent is here, the old, slow, injury prone, expensive baggage is gone, its time for Wades team. Maybe this will be a dream team for Miami fans.

I want to hear from other people what you think of the HEAT for this season. Yes they got Beasley that was good.

Spoelstra? Opinions?

What about Chalmers?

What about the rest of the team and will they gel?

How do they match up right now with the rest of the division?

When are the Heat going to get it together? Oh yeh 11-50….rough season….really rough. Champions to laughing stock inside 2 years.