The Beasts Of The East

Miami's future is bright thanks to that man.

Miami Heat Team President Pat Riley and the Chicago Bulls organization can add another piece of hardware to their already impressive trophy cases. Bulls general manager Gar Forman and Riley were named the Co-NBA Executives of the Year Tuesday afternoon.
  
   The award does not come as a surprise as Riley and Forman's teams finished with two best records in the Eastern Conference, this after adding key offseason additions.
  
    Riley's Heat received most of the attention this offseason with the assembly of a super team in South Beach. The Hall of Fame coach was able to lurer superstars LeBron James and Chris Bosh from their respective '10 teams and have them join All-Star Dwayne Wade in Miami with the idea of a dynasty possibly brewing right in front of them.
  
    Wade was also a free agent, but the thought of him really leaving the only organization he has ever known seemed outlandish. The three of them took less money on the open market for a chance to taste the NBA glory and bring another championship back to Miami.
  
    Wade had already carried the Heat to their first NBA championship history back in 2006, a team coached by Riley. It has been a change of James and Bosh who both played in small market teams for the first part of their careers in Cleveland and Toronto respectively. The Heat finished with the second best record in the East recording 58 wins in their first season together.
  
   With their overtime victory in Boston last night, the Heat currently hold a 3-1 series lead against the defending Eastern Conference champions and are a win away from their first appearance in the conference finals since '06.
  

Forman, left brought in Boozer, middle and
Thibodeau, right this offseason to
bring winning back to Chicago.

    Although Foreman did not make the offseason splash Riley did at the beaches in Miami, he was able to do the best with what he was given. Forman brought in three former members of Jerry Sloan's Utah Jazz and has paid big dividends. Forward Carlos Boozer and guards Ronnie Brewer and Kyle Korver were all brought in to add veteran leadership to a relatively young Chicago team. Head coach Tim Thibodeau might be the biggest pick up of the offseason leading the Bulls to the best record in the NBA at 62-20.
  
    Thibodeau has made his presence felt by bringing a defensive toughness from Boston to this team, having them ranks as the second best defense in the NBA.
  
    Foreman has seen his team turn from a .500 team a year ago to a viable contender for this years NBA title and beyond. His decisions have gone rewarded with Thibodeau being named the NBA's Coach of the Year and point guard Derrick Rose was named Chicago's first Most Valuable Player since Michael Jordan in '98. You can add another piece of hardware to the many the Bulls have received this postseason, but have their sights sets on a much more important piece.
  
    Chicago is currently in a dog fight with the Atlanta Hawks as the series is 2-2 with Game 5 tonight in Chicago. If both teams take of business they are destined to meet in what should be a thrilling Eastern Conference Finals. There the debate who really had the best offseason will be resolved and began the start of rivalry that will continue for many years to come.