After a 9-8 start, the Miami Heat (18-8) is currently on a nine-game winning streak and in first place in the Southeast Division. What makes this streak more impressive is they have won in double figures each time.

What’s been the secret of team who people were writing off and said they needed a coaching?

Playing good defense has allowed the Heat to get out on the break and play an uptempo style, which suit LeBron James and Dwyane Wade. They have also held their opponents to under 100 points in each of their last nine games. 

Head coach Erik Spoelstra is doing a better job of managing this team and by starting 7’3” center Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Miami has more size to compete. Anyone who said Spoelstra was incapable of coaching this team is being proven wrong. The Heat has chemistry and is definitely playing better.

The schedule looks favorable for the Heat’s upcoming games and it is possible the team could go into its game against Kobe Bryant and the Lakers on a 14-game winning streak. They may not be playing the best teams, but the mark of a good team is winning games against teams you should beat.

Most importantly, they have been playing together longer and now have a better idea of how the big three (Wade, James and Chris Bosh) can complement each other.

They have shown that when they are playing in sync they are a formidable force. James and Wade cause matchup nightmares for opposing coaches and this team has bought into the idea of playing good defense, which makes them even more dangerous.

No one is crowning them champions yet, but if they continue to play like this, there’s no reason they can’t be. ...