The Heat at 30
The ten all-time best Heat games.
Throughout this 30thanniversary season, the Sun Sentinel will look back at three decades of the Miami Heat, at the men and the moments that have made this an exhausting, exhilarating and enduring ride. Today, Ira Winderman looks at the 10 greatest games in franchise history.
10. Dec. 14, 1988 first victory in franchise history: No, it was not easy at the inception, with the Heat losing their first 17 games. And then ecstasy, the franchise’s first victory, an 89-88 decision over the Los Angeles Clippers at the L.A. Sports Arena, secured only when Clippers forward Ken Norman missed a 17-foot jumper from the right side with two seconds to play. It ended with players mobbing coach Ron Rothstein, on a night Grant Long, Pat Cummings and Billy Thompson each scored 15 to lead the Heat.
9. Nov. 5, 1998, first game in franchise history: Yes, it was a 111-91 loss that featured names on the Heat side of the box score such as Sylvester Grant, John Shasky and Anthony Taylor. But that didn’t matter, nor did Norman leading the Clippers with 22 points. What mattered was that for the first time since 1966, South Florida had a major-league sports team other than the Miami Dolphins.
8. June 19, 2012, Game 4 NBA Finals: Up 2-1, the Heat faced the possibility of falling into a tie in the best-of-seven series, which would assure a return to Oklahoma City for a Game 6 in the 2-3-2 scheduling. But that’s when, with 2:51 to play, after previously being forced out of the game due to cramps, a hobbled LeBron James nailed a tiebreaking 3-pointer. The Heat went on to win 104-98, securing the franchise’s second championship two nights later.
7. Feb. 23, 1996, the Rex Chapman Game: In the middle of his first season with the Heat, Pat Riley decided to blow up his roster at the Feb. 22, 1996, NBA trading deadline. Problem was, after a pair of transactions involving 11 players, the Heat had only the NBA minimum eight players against a Chicago Bulls team that would go 72-10 that season. Rex Chapman to the rescue, with the guard shooting 9 of 10 on 3-pointers for 39 points to stun Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen and Dennis Rodman in a 113-104 Heat victory.
6. May 24, 2012, Game 6 Eastern Conference semifinals: With Udonis Haslem suspended after a flagrant foul in the Heat’s Game 5 victory and Chris Bosh sidelined, Dwyane Wade and James step up with arguably their most significant 1-2 punch as Heat teammates. Wade scored 41 points and James 28 in the 105-93 victory in Indiana that prevented the need for a Game 7 in Miami.
5. May 18, 1997, Game 7 Eastern Conference semifinals: The torment against the New York Knicks would follow, but in Riley’s first playoff series against his former team, one that left both rosters ravaged by suspensions at the end, Tim Hardaway stepped up with 38 points. The 101-90 victory made the Heat just the sixth team in NBA history to overcome a 3-1 playoff deficit.
4. April 18, 2004, Game 1 Eastern Conference first round: So when exactly did the legend of Wade begin? With 1.3 seconds left in his playoff debut, when coach Stan Van Gundy turned to his rookie phenom, who drained the winning shot to give the Heat an 81-79 win over New Orleans and a 1-0 lead in the series they eventually won in seven games. It was the Heat’s first playoff victory in four years.
3. June 7, 2012, Game 6 Eastern Conference finals: Down 3-2 in the best-of-seven series, the Heat faced the daunting return to Boston after a four-point home loss ... and James simply took over. Forty-five points and 15 rebound later, James nearly single-handedly evened the series with the 98-79 win. Then the Heat won Game 7 at home and eventually the 2012 championship.
2. June 13, 2006, Game 3 NBA Finals: Already down 0-2 to the Dallas Mavericks in the best-ofseven series, the Heat found themselves trailing by 13 with 6:34 to play, well aware that, to this date, no team has overcome a 3-0 deficit in an NBA playoffs series. That’s when Wade said enough was enough. “I kept looking up at the score thinking, ‘I ain’t going out like this.’ ” He didn’t, ending the game with 42 points. The Heat won that game 98-96 then the next three for the franchise’s first championship.
1. June 18, 2013, Game 6 NBA Finals: Heat down three to the San Antonio Spurs, shot clock off, James off with a 3-pointer from the left wing, Bosh rebound, and then ... with 5.2 seconds remaining in regulation — Bang! — a backpeddling 3-pointer from Ray Allen in the right corner. A 103-100 victory in overtime follows, as does a Game 7 victory and the Heat’s second consecutive NBA championship.