Patriots persist in Heat memory

MINNEAPOLIS — As the Super Bowl wound down, and as the Miami Heat’s viewing party at a downtown Minneapolis sports bar thinned out, memories returned in living color for two members of the Heat traveling party.

“It certainly reminded us that have been around the yellow ropes,” coach Erik Spoelstra said.

As in the Heat trailing the San Antonio Spurs 94-89 with 28 seconds left in Game 6 of the 2013 NBA Finals, already trailing 3-2 in the best-ofseven series. As in security cordoning off the court at AmericanAirlines Arena for the Spurs’ championship coronation. As in Ray Allen forcing overtime with a dramatic 3-pointer and the Heat ultimately winning that game and that championship.

As in the New England Patriots trailing 28-3 before storming back to win Sunday in overtime.

“Yeah, it crossed my mind,” said forward Udonis Haslem, the only remaining player on the Heat roster from that 2013 title team. “I saw the [Falcons] owner down there on the sideline getting ready to celebrate.”

Still, the study in playoff perseverance was not quite a study in stamina.

“I didn’t stay until the end of the game,”

guard Goran Dragic said sheepishly, as the Heat prepared for Monday night’s game against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Target Center. “I stayed until halftime. I was sitting there and then they were what, down 28-3? I said, ‘Oh, this is boring man.’ Then I went to my room, I was talking to my family and I still had the game on and it was an unbelievable game.”

It turns out, despite the entire Heat roster attending the viewing party, only Haslem remained for the finish.

“I was still engaged in the game,” Haslem said. “I still was hoping that Atlanta was going to pull it out.”

For Haslem, it was personal, with former high school teammate and fellow University of Florida product Marquand Manuel coaching the Falcons’ defensive backs.

“It’s always fun for us to get together, even though you want to be with your family at these types of events,” he said. “For us to always get together and still create that relationship and build that atmosphere, I think that’s part of building a winning foundation.”

Spoelstra said it beat another monotonous night in a hotel room.

“It just makes this life more memorable and more enjoyable,” he said. “You can get whatever you want out of it. It’s not necessarily to try to cultivate more wins. But we’re going to be on the road. We’re going to be out there together. And you want to make memories, make the season memorable and not just go through it like a robot and just live to the schedule, and here’s another NBA season.

“It’s fun being around a group of guys that like being around each other, like being at the gym and working together.”

Asked if he saw similarities between the Patriots’ championship achievement and the Heat’s three titles over eight seasons starting in 2006, Spoelstra smiled about secrecy and success.

“I would love to know what’s going on in those buildings, and that’s what’s similar, is you don’t know,” he said of the Patriots’ executive suite. “You know a little bit, but you don’t know everything. But you absolutely respect organizations and pros that have been able to do it for a long period of time.

“There’s no accident to that. There’s been a tremendous amount of consistency from the top, and that filters down. And they have the best in the business doing it, too, from staff on to players.”

Heat center Hassan Whiteside said having Tom Brady meant never losing hope.

“I had the Patriots winning,” he said of his prediction. “I hadn’t even watched them play this year, but if I didn’t learn anything, don’t bet against Brady.

“I thought it was going to take a miracle, and Tom Brady showed himself.”

AP/FILE Miami Heat forward Udonis Haslem was the only member of the team who watched the Super Bowl to completion at the team’s viewing party.