Masters of Unlocking Redux

The fifth man always ends up mattering a disproportionate amount. Rarely ones to touch the ball a ton, relative to your workhorses, but the fate of any particular lineup often comes down to the last player written on the whiteboard.

Back when the HEAT ran out the mega-talents of Dwyane Wade, LeBron James and Chris Bosh, things didn’t quite start to sing until Shane Battier was added in Year Two. He might take two shots in a quarter, but by simply spacing from the corner and defending the other team’s best wing, Battier clicked everything into place. Once Battier was added to the starting lineup full-time, the HEAT touched an offensive ceiling few teams have even had the gall to reach for.

You…