It’s been awfully quiet in Miami as of late. That’s not to say that the Miami Heat have been playing poorly, actually quite the contrary.

In lieu of Miami winning 17 of its last 20, the media craze, the fan frenzy and the insatiable appetite for the ‘Heatles’ has dissipated.

Something’s not right.

Could it be that Lebron has toned down his diva act? No, it’s still very much alive.

Or could it be that head coach Erik Spoelstra is no longer coaching in fear of getting whacked by Don Riley? Nope, that’s not it either.

Is it because the Heat have finally worn out their welcome?

If only.

Despite the Heat’s current dismantling of the Philadelphia 76ers, the attention is nowhere to be found.

Because while Lebron and co. were holding the league, media and fans hostage, Derrick Rose, Kevin Durant, Chris Paul, Dwight Howard, and Russell Westbrook were sweating out hours upon hours in the gym, methodically perfecting their games, continuously motivated by the appalling amount of attention the Heat were commanding.

The opening games of the playoffs have been a long awaited spectacle, and by no accident have been riveting. Between the acrobatic finishes of Derrick Rose and Kevin Durant to the unrelenting grind, grit and ferocity of Memphis, the NBA rejects – not the attention craving Heat – have caught our eye.

Lost in the free-agent frenzy during last years playoffs was the energetic youth of the league – Rose, Westbrook, Durant, Noah, Paul – patiently awaiting their time in the spotlight, defying the laws of experience with a fearless bravado.

Once an afterthought, this season’s invasion of youth has caused an upsurge of excellence on the court. No longer must we rely on the Lebron’s and Carmelo’s of the league with their mind-numbing diva antics for our entertainment.

The NBA’s talent is at an all-time high, and the beauty of it all is each player, each team, plays with an original and imaginative style.

We have the electric duo of Durant and Westbrook who play with the energy of an NCAA mid-major advancing deep into the tournament, attempting to dethrone Kobe Bryant and the two-time defending champion Lakers.

We have Derrick Rose and the undaunted Chicago Bulls striking terror into the assembled powers of the Eastern Conference.

And the Boston Celtics – a culmination of young, hungry talent and the hall of fame careers that once were, reborn for one last run.

Kevin Durant is not the next Michael Jordan, he’s the first Kevin Durant – Westbrook, Howard and Rose alike. They are not shadows of former greats, but their own players, forging their own paths with their teams on their backs.

Today is not an aberration; it’s the present and future.

Gone are the days of reluctantly watching Stephon Marbury, Tracy McGrady and Vince Carter crash and burn when the games get physical. Better yet, when the games matter.

Sadly, these players were just as – if not more – talented than the youth of today.

Unfortunately, they were caught in and plagued by the transition out of the Jordan-era.

Think about it. Growing up watching Jordan explode, float and glide gracefully through the air while effortlessly sinking game winning shot after game winning shot left an imprint on the up-and-coming, hopeful stars of the league.

Left to carry the burden that every 6-2 guard with athleticism and a half decent jumpshot – Marbury, Steve Francis and Allen Iverson etc. – had to be Jordan. They thought they had to win every game to be considered among the upper-echelon of the league.

This illusion couldn’t be further from the truth.

Did Tim Duncan or Shaq ever take the last shot? Because they are two of the top 15 players of all-time.

How many game winners has Lebron hit? (Two in seven years if you weren’t counting) Magic Johnson was often the fourth option in crunch time (Worthy, Kareem and Scott were much more effective), making his distribution skills legendary.

Jordan’s immediate legend resulted in the ‘the lost years’ of the league. Well, welcome back to the golden age. Our golden age, because these players are history in the making.

Despite this era, and much like the NFL, NBA management and ownership can’t open their eyes and see they’re crushing their own product.

Unbeknownst to the majority of its fan base, there are many underlying problems behind league doors – labor, agendas, officiating– diminishing the game on the court.

The NBA, like no other sport is a game of politics, everyone having their own agenda.

The league fined Portland coach Nate McMillan $35,000 for speaking out against its refs after Portland’s game one loss to Dallas Sunday night.

Nonetheless, first thing Monday morning was http://refcalls.com/ circulating the Internet with a message loud and clear: Our refs stink. There it was, the NBA’s front office publicly ripping itself to its fans.

Do they think we’re stupid?

More so, the same young talent that’s showcasing the NBA’s true potential will be the victims of the owner’s new collective bargaining proposal of cutting current contracts and future earnings by 20 to 25 percent.

Many of the leagues young stars – Derrick Rose and Russell Westbrook for instance – are nearing the coveted opportunity to earn their first max contract, an opportunity to sign a deal for $85 million.

Why do so many collegiate players, with an uncertain draft stock leave college seemingly ‘too early?’ Because unlike the NFL, there is a rookie wage scale – limiting their earnings – in the NBA, meaning, the sooner a player enters the league the closer he is to that first max contract.

With the lockout looming on June 30, there is a good chance we may be without our two favorite sports this fall.

Can SportsCenter survive as a program for an entire year with a Blake Griffin-less Top 10? More importantly, can we survive as a human race?

Despite the obvious (and a possible human extinction), ownership fails to recognize that the NBA has reached this pinnacle of success not because of excellence in the front office, but on the court.