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nm mcmz mzm, m,z,m mzm z mDoes LeBron James Have NBA's Most Valuable Supporting Cast?
BY ZACH BUCKLEY (FEATURED COLUMNIST) ON MARCH 4, 2013 12,894 reads 21
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LeBron James is the 2012-13 NBA MVP.

The debate has been over for at least a month now.

But where does James' Miami Heat supporting cast rank among the other 29 teams?

On Monday night, they certainly impressed.

With James limited (in the way only a three-time MVP can be limited) by a sore knee, his teammates responded with a spirited effort that helped Miami set a new franchise-best with its 15th consecutive win.

James had 20 points, 10 rebounds, four assists and an uncharacteristic seven turnovers in 35 minutes of hobbled activity. Despite James' relative struggles, the Heat routed the Minnesota Timberwolves 97-81 at the Target Center in Minneapolis.

Dwyane Wade led the charge with game-highs of 32 points and 10 assists to go along with seven rebounds. Chris Bosh chipped in with 11 points and nine rebounds, and Ray Allen added 13 points in 26 minutes off the bench.

With as strong as James has played this season (perhaps as good of a season the NBA has seen since Michael Jordan left the floor), there's been a lingering temptation to undersell the strength of his running mates.

It's a temptation holding dire consequences for those foolish enough to voice it as an opinion.

Allen has given Miami another offensive weapon, and one of the premier closers in the NBA.
Rob Carr/Getty Images
The limitations of the current CBA haven't quite squeezed out the possibility of building superpowers like the one manufactured by Pat Riley over the 2010 offseason. But they haven't left a lot of room to divvy up among the remaining players.

Investing more than $30 million over the next three seasons in Udonis Haslem and Mike Miller only furthered the difficulties facing Riley.

But credit the executive for discovering the budget