There is no match in the league for Shaq and DWade.
The two titans of their respective positions have no equal when it comes to court presence and courage in clutch situations.
But can the rest of the Heat step up to give Miami another title?
Let's look at a few wild cards first.
Jason Kapono, in his fourth season, is shooting the lights out with a near 56 percent clip from three. If this Bruin continues on his streak Riley will have to seriously consider starting him full time after already jacking up his minutes from 13 to 23 a game. Kapono also takes care of the ball well as one turnover a game is testament, and he plays tough in the team D concept although 1-on-1 he will get beat.
His ony drawbacks now are proving himself in the playoffs, which he has not done, and the fact that he is a streaky shooter - with Heat fans hoping their team's namesake will last for Kapono the rest of his career.
The flip side of this is Antoine Walker, who is making Chris Dudley cringe somewhere by shooting a horrid 38 percent fromt the foul stripe, and is probably struggling with a loss of status due to the emergence of Kapono.
Still, 'Toine's eight points and solid help defense are noteworthy, and Riley knows that this man has come through in game-breaking Spring games that are the true test of a champion.
While the Heat have been up-ended this year, another player to come out of the rubble is third-year forward Dorell Wright, whose mid-range jumper and solid play has eased the load of Shaq's sabbatical.
After starting 19 games, it is not for sure whether Wright will continue his stay there the closer the playoffs get, but he has impressed Riley who doesn't seem to favor players with no college experience.
With Shaq just days from coming back, the Heat have to be in an optimistic mindset nearing the All- Star break.
And no one is more amped than Alonzo Mourning, who has had to carry the burden of Shaq's absence in the middle.
Without Shaq the courage of Mourning has shown through like never before as the fearless big man has controlled the middle with an inhuman-for-a-36-year-old three
blocks a game, as well as 10 points and six boards. Also, Mourning has displayed the same intensity that is the trademark of his career.
Haslem has also been playing stellar, a “dirty-work” player who is nabbing nearly nine boards a game, and will have to continue his strong inside play as O'neal will need many games to get back to Shaq-form.
The Heat's play the last few games shows that even without O'neal the chemistry and without-Shaq-know-how has grown tremendously.
Wade and Williams are playing their best ball of the season and are synching as well as both players play point at times. Injuries aside, and Nash not on the court, Wade is probably the best point/shooting guard in the league, and Jwill is a top-three passer in this league.
The Miami bench is coming along slowly but surely as players like veteran Payton, steady Doleac and lengthy defender James Posey anchor the team's second unit.
Although the Heat stand at 17-20, they are not out of playoff contention due to the parity of many Eastern conference teams.
With the title theirs-to-lose, the Heat will show their mettle in the coming months, and as defender/underdogs they are in a good position to turn heads and make believers out of those who disgraded them when Shaq went down.
So can Miami win the title?
Yes they can, and I predict a Suns/Heat matchup, but Miami must get through the normal incongruence's that occur when a superstar returns to a team mid season.
Of course this is not LA, and Shaq won't have to worry about bickering with another on-court superstar.
And as Charles Barkley points out, “In this decade a team has to have Shaq to win the championship.”
