Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
Heat streaking over next month
The Miami Heat’s cable outlet again has come up with a no-lose proposition.
After replaying the Heat’s victories — and only the victories — over the past month from the team’s three trips to the NBA Finals, Fox Sports Sun next will televise each game of the Heat’s franchise-record 27-game winning streak in 2013.
The replays begin Tuesday and are scheduled to run through June 6, a replay schedule contingent on a possible NBA return in the interim.
The NBA has been shut down since March 11 due to the new coronavirus pandemic, with a return, if possible, not expected until well after the Fox Sun Sports’ scheduling of this next wave of replays.
For Sports Sun will feature every win in consecutive order on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays.
The 27-game winning streak stands as the second-longest single-season win streak in NBA history, eclipsed only by the 33-game streak of the 1971-72 Los Angeles Lakers team that featured Heat president Pat Riley.
The only other NBA regular-season winning streak longer than the Lakers’ record and Heat’s 27-game run was a 28-game streak by the Golden State Warriors that bridged 2014-15 and ’15-16.
The Heat’s streak lasted 53 days, featuring 13 home victories and 14 road wins, with 17 victories during the streak by double digits
and seven double-digit deficits overcome during the run. The streak included victories over 20 opponents.
The streak ended with a 101-97 road loss to the Chicago Bulls on March 27, 2013, when the Bulls were playing in the injury absences of Joakim Noah, Derrick Rose and Marco Belinelli. Future Heat forward Luol Deng led the Bulls in that game with 28 points, as Chicago overcame a 32-point performance by LeBron James.
The Heat then went on to win 10 of their final 11 games, to close out the 2012-13 regular season at 66-16, on the way to the franchise’s third NBA championship.
Notable aspects of the streak led by the Heat Big Three of James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh (per NBA.com):
■ The streak featured a comeback from a 27-point deficit with 7:44 left in the third quarter against the Cleveland Cavaliers on March 20, and a 17-point comeback against the Boston Celtics on March 18.
■ There also was a game-winning lefthanded layup by James, when the Heat were down one, with 3.2 seconds left on March 6 against the Orlando Magic.
■ James averaged 27 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 8 assists during the streak, shooting .575 from the field. It helped lead to his fourth NBA Most Valuable Player award.
■ Wade averaged 22.8 points during the streak, on .536 shooting.
■ During the streak, the Heat had a leaguebest offensive rating of 114.9, with a No. 6 league defensive ranking of 102.0.
■ The Heat shot .508 from the field during the streak.