NBA - Main

It was supposed to be Melo instead of Bosh

Nope!

Do we assume Wade declines the same way and he and Bosh sustain the same kind of injuries? Cuz if so healthy or not, I don’t see them winning 2011 or 2014 which Heatles lost anyway.

2013 I think downgrading from Bron to Melo has them take the L there. Bron started the finals looking sus but went off in the second half. Not to mention I don’t think Melo is putting forth the defensive performance Bron had in that series. Even then, Spurs lost in 7 and nearly won in 6. Heat may not even make it out of the ECF given with Bron they went 7 with Indiana.

2012 is really the only question to me. Bosh was irrelevant for roughly half of that championship run due to injury, and Indy went 6 games with Miami, including going up 2-1. Bron put up like 30/10 for this series.

Boston won 3 straight games against them and Bron averaged something like 34/10/4 for the series and they went 7 with them. If they make it through the East this is perhaps their best bet for a ring of any year.

Thunder lost in 5 but games 2-4 were pretty competitive. Is Miami still able to successfully scheme against Harden in this scenario? Would the Thunder players besides KD and Russ play significantly worse against Miami still compared to how they performed VS SA? Either way, 2012 would be this team’s best shot

Melo doesn’t make the plays Lebron did to keep those title runs alive, especially 2010-2014 Melo. He had such a different mentality that wasn’t as focused on doing the things best for the whole team

Melo purposefully tosses every opportunity he has to win anything

Yes they’d still get a chip

People forget how dominant LeBron was defensively in those years. Switch in a poor defender for a top 3 defensive player, and you're going to win less games.

Lebron was the better player offensively as well.

No. Melo was a bonafide bucket getter yes but he doesn’t bring anything close to the playmaking and defensive acumen LeBron brought to the Heat.

Probably not

This is a great question. I think Peak Lebron arrived during the win vs the spurs. This was year 3 of the “Heatles”. That Lebron could do anything on the court when he wanted whereas the previous 2 years he was a bit passive and trying to accommodate D-Wade because it was “Flash’s” team offensively and testing the waters on defense. I think Melo steps up and also acclimates to the situation and win at least 1.

With melo they win in 2011.

Yes

I mean, maybe if they worked out unexpectedly well as a team. From just a standpoint of overall productivity, Carmelo is not comparable to LeBron. In fact, I think Carmelo is one of the most overrated players of all time.

Naaah

I think you get more out of Wade in 2011-13 but obviously less out of Melo. I think their sheer talent still wins one ring. They get more rings if Melo stays past 2014 and Bosh doesn’t get heart clots. Bosh really unlocked himself once Wade declined.

It would make the team worse, so much worse

Young Kwahi on powerhouse Prime Melo in the post? It sure as hell would have been a great matchup.

Melo is proven trash. Whichever team he join gonna be cursed.