Heat? What Heat?
LeBron? LeBron who?
No, the Heat have not exactly flown under the radar this season, but when you think back to the glare of last season, it sure seems that way.
Until now.
Until what is possibly to come next.
It would be easy enough to remain somewhat off the grid if the Philadelphia 76ers were to secure the No. 7 seed in the East. But that’s not going to happen. That’s the last thing the 76ers want.
It would have been even easier if the Orlando Magic had fallen to No. 7 in the East, but the historically bad Charlotte Bobcats were too historically bad on Wednesday night.
So it sure seems like Round 5 of Heat-Knicks, Playoffs Edition, is on the way, Miami-New York in the playoffs for the first time since 2000.
And that has Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh and LeBron James more than aware of the glare that is about to consume all things Big Three.
As if it’s July 2010 all over again.
“The lights would be as bright as they possibly could be, besides playing in the Finals, for a first round,” Wade said. “Normally, a series like this, with that kind of attention is more like an Eastern Conference finals type of first round.”
Bosh agreed.
“You know how it’s going to be,” he said. “The New York media is its own monster in itself. But just to have it back again, and have that chance, showing the old clips, the old fights, it’s just history there.”
For his part, LeBron is downplaying the glare. For now.
“I’m looking forward to it if it’s the Knicks media, Philadelphia Inquirer or the Orlando Sentinel, whatever the case may be,” he said. “I’ll be ready for it.”
No, not after this season’s grace period. To a degree, Journalism 101 only now begins for the Heat, provided it’s the Knicks this weekend.
Ira Winderman writes regularly for NBCSports.com and covers the Heat and the NBA for the South Florida Sun-Sentinel. You can follow him on Twitter at @IraHeatBeat.
