Division championships are starting to mean less and less in the NBA, but winning your division does guarantee home-court in the first round of the playoffs. With the Big 3, Miami's dominance in their division wasn't even a question.
But now with Washington, Charlotte, and Atlanta improving and coming off of playoff berths, the division crown might be up in the air now. How does the Heat stack up against their division rivals?
Orlando Magic
The Magic are still a few years of high draft picks away from really competing in the division, though the backcourt duo of Elfrid Payton and Victor Oladipo will provide the Heat with major headaches when Miami has the ball.
Atlanta Hawks
Atlanta was pretty good last year when Al Horford was in the lineup, and weren't good at all when he was hurt. Now that he's back from a torn pectoral muscle, the Hawks should be somewhat of a factor in the division and in the Eastern Conference yet again. However, they still lack a good wing player to match up with either Dwyane Wade or Luol Deng, so Miami should still win three of their four games against them this year.
Charlotte Hornets
Charlotte has perhaps the move even team with Miami in the division. Not only do they have the one player than all Heat fans hate (Lance Stephenson), but they match up well across the board. Kemba against Mario Chalmers or Shabazz (a UConn fan's dream), Stephenson vs. Wade, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist vs. Deng, Marvin Williams vs. former Bobcat Josh McRoberts, and Al Jefferson vs. Chris Bosh. I look for these two teams to split their season series, but Miami has more experience and will ultimately finish higher in the standings.
Washington Wizards
After last year's surprising run through the playoffs, the Wizards are everybody's darling pick coming into this season. It's easy to see why - Bradley Beal is on the verge of stardom, John Wall is already there, and Nene and Marcin Gortat have formed a tough duo down low. They're younger and more athletic than Miami, and are starting to gain experience. I expect them to split their season series as well, but Washington will take the division crown away from Miami this season.
How do you think Miami will fare this season after losing LeBron James? Tweet your thoughts to @brauf33 or leave a response in the comments!
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