The Miami Heat should have fallen out of the Eastern Conference playoff race given the prolonged sidelining of Chris Bosh. However, they have received some fine play from creaky Dwyane Wade and revitalized Goran Dragic in the backcourt, added gunner Joe Johnson for (virtually) free, and are a formidable opponent.
We haven’t seen a win-now starting lineup like this one in ages. Dragic is the youngster, and he’s nearly 30! Luol Deng turns 31 in April, Amar’e Stoudemire is 33, Wade and Johnson are 34…remarkable. Yet they are leading a 38-27 team comfortably ensconced in fourth, and tapping on the shoulders of the third-place Boston Celtics.