The Miami Heat enter the 2013-14 NBA season with their two-time championship core not only intact but also largely healthy.
Heat president Pat Riley challenged his team after its grueling title run to stay fit during the offseason, and many of them arrived at the Bahamas for training camp in the best shape of their lives.
For some, it was a friendly wager between Ray Allen and Mario Chalmers over who could lose 10 pounds in one week soon included LeBron James and Dwyane Wade as well. For others, such as veterans Chris Andersen and Rashard Lewis, it was a commitment to the Heat’s work ethic that culminated in what many Heat players deemed their favorite training camp of all time.
For the win-now Heat, though, it’s not how they start the season but how they end it as they face a fourth straight deep run in the postseason. Health is arguably the biggest X-factor on a team that relies largely on thirty-something veterans outside of LeBron, Bosh, Chalmers and Norris Cole.
While Greg Oden’s comeback bid is certainly a fascinating subplot, the bigger question is if Wade can truly recover from his injury woes and be hea ...
Read Full Article at Bleacher Report - NBA
Article written by Surya Fernandez
Complete Health Status for Each Miami Heat Player at Start of 2013-14 NBA Season
October 22nd, 2013 by Surya Fernandez Leave a reply »
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