Lebron James "The Cramps"
Lebron had a dominating performance while he was in the game, putting in 26 points and 10 rebounds, but could have had much more if he did not have to leave the game early with cramps. He was in "Lebron mode" for most of the game, and was dominating anyone who tried to guard him. He used his athleticism on drives, made some great shots and pulled down 10 rebound en route to a double-double. Lebron was 10-of-16 shooting, and provided a centerpiece for the rest of Spo's explosive squad. Lebron's role is already well-defined, just to be Lebron. If Lebron can play like Lebron, the Heat are unstoppable.Dwayne Wade "Mr. Clutch"
After losing Lebron early in the second half, someone needed to step up in order for the heat to keep their lead. Wade was the one to do so. Wade struggled through the first 3 quarters, taking ill-advised shots and missing key opportunities. Once Lebron was out, however, Wade kicked into another gear, scoring at will, accumulating a team-leading 29 points. Wade was a big part of the team's ability to bounce back from Lebron's injury, and Wade will continue to play the robin role throughout this year, stepping up when Mr. MVP is down or is in a slump.
Chris Bosh "True BIG Man"
Chris Bosh is being asked to do something this year that he has rarely been called upon to do. Bosh is being asked to evolve from the finesse shooting PF to the rebounding, blocking, while still shooting C. In the first game, Bosh showed that he had the ability to play like a true 5-man. He pulled down 10 rebounds, and had a few key blocks to go along with his typical 19 points. If Bosh can keep evolving his game into the role of the true center, the Heat will have their missing piece. In addition, his shooting ability will prove valuable, as it did against the Celtics in the playoffs, by forcing the big, dominating defenders to leave the paint in order to pay attention to him.
Ray Allen "6th Man of the Year?"
Ray Allen was on money all game while playing off the bench. He provided the bench scoring that the Heat looked for, but didn't find, in Mike Miller and James Jones. However, it remains to be seen if Allen's scoring ability stays, or if he becomes plagued by inconsistencies like Miller and Jones were.Allen was money on 3-pointers against his former team, and even showed some spurts of youth by driving to the basket and scoring. Allen is still a weakness on the defensive side of the ball-game, but his great scoring makes him a valuable asset for a Heat team that surprisingly sports one of the league's better benches.
Mario Chalmers "Super Mario"
Mario Chalmers showed his growth as a player over the last few year in that game. Chalmers was seen as a risky ball-hogging scorer, but not as much of a facilitator in recent years. Chalmers showed how complete of a player he really is against the Celtics. Not only was his defense great, but he showed his playmaking ability by racking up 11 assists to go along with his 8 points. Chalmers brings a fiesty attitude that can both help and harm him. However, his growth as a player is helping justify his cockiness. While he may serve as Wade and Lebron's friendly punching bag, he was Chris Bosh's best friend against the Celtics, with the duo becoming unstoppable on the two-man pick-and-rolls. Chalmers, Bosh and Allen all provide great trio of playmakers behind Lebron and Wade, and Chalmers' role will be just that this season, to be a facilitator and scorer for the Heat when they are in need.
Rashard Lewis, Shane Battier and Udonis Haslem all also saw extended minutes against the Celtics, but neither of them were as significant as the above 5 players in achieving that win. The Heat look like a dangerous, deep team moving forward, and we'll see how the season goes for them.
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