A Look at the Losers: Miami Heat

Well, our very own Brett Edwards called it, and this afternoon it came true. The Miami Heat, reigning world champions, were swept out of the first round by the Chicago Bulls. If you're wondering, that makes them the first defending champs to go out this way since 1957. Fittingly, they began this season with disgrace at the hands of the Bulls. Maybe you remember: right after receiving their rings, Miami lost to Chicago by 42 points on their home floor

But this wasn't the same team that won the title last June. Dwyane Wade clearly wasn't himself, no matter how out of their way the announcers went to praise his "facilitating." While Shaq carried the team during Wade's mid-season absence, he's just not reliably dominant anymore. He wasn't last spring, and he's aged a year since then. Gary Payton and Jason Williams barely showed up in this series, leading to speculation that the Heat might chase Chauncey Billups.

The real question, though, is whether one tweak is all that's necessary, or the Heat is on the verge of a rebuilding scenario. With Payton and Mourning most likely retiring, Williams and Walker looking tired and useless, and O'Neal not long for this league, what are they left with? Dwyane Wade, Udonis Haslem, Jason Kapono and Posey. In the East, Wade alone gives them a shot at the Finals. But contending? Ask LeBron about that.

Then there's also the small matter of Pat Riley, who after much speculation announced last week that he planned to return. Though my guess is that, given the state of his team, he won't be. Riley flaked out the last time the Heat were looking at a middling season. And that was when he hadn't recently won a ring--or gotten that much older. Though at least one FanHouser thinks they have a capable successor waiting in the wings.