The 1998-99 Miami Heat season was marked by the NBA lockout, which shortened the regular season to 50 games. Under the leadership of head coach Pat Riley, the Heat ended the season with an impressive 33-17 record, securing first place in the Atlantic Division. This performance was driven by the formidable play of center Alonzo Mourning, who averaged 20.1 points, 11.0 rebounds, and 3.9 blocks per game, earning him the NBA Defensive Player of the Year award.
Alongside Mourning, point guard Tim Hardaway contributed significantly, averaging 17.4 points and 7.3 assists per game. The Heat’s defensive prowess was a key factor in their success, as they allowed the fewest points per game in the league, leveraging Riley’s emphasis on a strong defensive strategy. Miami’s roster also featured solid contributions from Jamal Mashburn and P.J. Brown, providing depth and versatility to the lineup.
In the playoffs, the Heat entered as the top seed in the Eastern Conference. However, their postseason run was cut short in a dramatic first-round series against the eighth-seeded New York Knicks. Despite holding home-court advantage, the Heat lost the series 3-2. The decisive Game 5 was a nail-biter, ending in a 78-77 defeat for Miami, a result that underscored the intense rivalry between the two teams. This disappointing finish highlighted the unpredictability of the playoffs and left the Heat looking to regroup for the following season.
- Regular Season Record: 33-17
- Playoff Result: Eastern Conference First Round: 2-3
Miami Heat Roster and Stats for 1998-99 Season
| Regular Season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | GP | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3P% | GP | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | 3P% |
| Alonzo Mourning | 46 | 20.1 | 11.0 | 1.6 | 0.7 | 3.9 | 0.0 | 5 | 21.6 | 8.2 | 0.8 | 1.6 | 2.8 | 0.0 |
| Tim Hardaway | 48 | 17.4 | 3.2 | 7.3 | 1.2 | 0.1 | 36.0 | 5 | 9.0 | 2.8 | 6.4 | 1.0 | 0.2 | 20.0 |
| Jamal Mashburn | 24 | 14.8 | 6.1 | 3.1 | 0.8 | 0.1 | 43.3 | 5 | 10.0 | 2.6 | 2.0 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 42.9 |
| P.J. Brown | 50 | 11.4 | 6.9 | 1.3 | 0.9 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 5 | 10.2 | 6.2 | 1.0 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.0 |
| Terry Porter | 50 | 10.5 | 2.8 | 2.9 | 1.0 | 0.2 | 41.1 | 5 | 9.0 | 3.8 | 3.0 | 0.6 | 0.0 | 25.0 |
| Terry Mills | 1 | 9.0 | 4.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 50.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Clarence Weatherspoon | 49 | 8.1 | 5.0 | 0.7 | 0.6 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 5 | 5.8 | 4.2 | 0.4 | 1.4 | 0.2 | 0.0 |
| Dan Majerle | 48 | 7.0 | 4.3 | 3.1 | 0.8 | 0.1 | 33.5 | 5 | 4.0 | 5.8 | 1.2 | 1.0 | 0.4 | 22.7 |
| Voshon Lenard | 12 | 6.8 | 1.3 | 0.8 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 34.3 | 4 | 9.3 | 0.3 | 0.8 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 64.3 |
| Mark Strickland | 32 | 3.7 | 2.4 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 2 | 2.0 | 1.5 | 0.0 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Blue Edwards | 24 | 3.2 | 1.4 | 1.3 | 0.7 | 0.2 | 40.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Rex Walters | 33 | 3.1 | 1.5 | 1.8 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 31.6 | 3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Duane Causwell | 19 | 2.3 | 1.8 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.6 | 0.0 | 4 | 1.5 | 0.5 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Mark Davis | 4 | 2.3 | 1.8 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Keith Askins | 33 | 1.6 | 1.3 | 0.3 | 0.5 | 0.1 | 27.6 | 4 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.5 | 0.3 | 0.0 |
| Marty Conlon | 7 | 1.1 | 0.7 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
| Jamie Watson | 3 | 0.7 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |
Miami Heat in the 1999 NBA Playoffs
Playoffs First Round vs. New York Knicks
In the first round of the 1999 NBA Playoffs, the Miami Heat faced a fierce battle against the New York Knicks. The series, marked by intense defense and physical play, culminated in a dramatic Game 5 where the eighth-seeded Knicks edged out the top-seeded Heat with a one-point victory, thanks to Allan Houston's memorable game-winning shot. This upset not only highlighted the unpredictability of the playoffs but also intensified the rivalry between the two Eastern Conference powerhouses.
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 08, 1999 | vs. New York Knicks | L 95-75 | |
| May 10, 1999 | vs. New York Knicks | W 83-73 | |
| May 12, 1999 | @ New York Knicks | L 97-73 | |
| May 14, 1999 | @ New York Knicks | W 87-72 | |
| May 16, 1999 | vs. New York Knicks | L 78-77 |
Miami Heat 1998-99 Regular Season Game Log
Here is the game log for the 1998-99 season for the Miami Heat.
| Date | Opponent | Result | High Scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 05, 1999 | vs. Detroit Pistons | L 95-81 | |
| Feb 07, 1999 | @ New York Knicks | W 83-79 | |
| Feb 08, 1999 | @ Charlotte Hornets | L 94-91 | |
| Feb 09, 1999 | vs. Boston Celtics | L 108-101 | |
| Feb 11, 1999 | vs. Toronto Raptors | W 102-84 | |
| Feb 15, 1999 | vs. New Jersey Nets | W 95-72 | |
| Feb 16, 1999 | @ Indiana Pacers | W 89-78 | |
| Feb 17, 1999 | @ Detroit Pistons | W 91-80 | |
| Feb 20, 1999 | vs. Houston Rockets | W 81-71 | |
| Feb 23, 1999 | @ Washington Wizards | W 96-80 | |
| Feb 24, 1999 | @ Charlotte Hornets | W 91-83 | |
| Feb 26, 1999 | @ Detroit Pistons | L 95-93 | |
| Feb 28, 1999 | vs. Orlando Magic | W 84-78 | |
| Mar 02, 1999 | vs. New York Knicks | W 85-84 | |
| Mar 04, 1999 | vs. Denver Nuggets | W 95-87 | |
| Mar 05, 1999 | @ Philadelphia 76ers | W 89-78 | |
| Mar 07, 1999 | @ Indiana Pacers | L 85-72 | |
| Mar 08, 1999 | vs. Philadelphia 76ers | W 91-89 | |
| Mar 10, 1999 | vs. Atlanta Hawks | W 88-78 | |
| Mar 11, 1999 | vs. Toronto Raptors | W 83-73 | |
| Mar 14, 1999 | vs. New Jersey Nets | W 102-76 | |
| Mar 16, 1999 | vs. Washington Wizards | W 94-85 | |
| Mar 17, 1999 | @ Atlanta Hawks | W 86-85 | |
| Mar 20, 1999 | vs. Indiana Pacers | L 94-89 | |
| Mar 23, 1999 | @ Utah Jazz | L 84-81 | |
| Mar 24, 1999 | @ Milwaukee Bucks | W 84-76 | |
| Mar 26, 1999 | @ Minnesota Timberwolves | L 100-93 | |
| Mar 28, 1999 | @ Orlando Magic | L 94-87 | |
| Apr 01, 1999 | vs. Philadelphia 76ers | L 88-84 | |
| Apr 03, 1999 | @ New Jersey Nets | L 88-77 | |
| Apr 04, 1999 | @ Washington Wizards | W 90-79 | |
| Apr 06, 1999 | @ Toronto Raptors | W 92-70 | |
| Apr 07, 1999 | vs. Dallas Mavericks | W 93-87 | |
| Apr 10, 1999 | @ Chicago Bulls | W 82-49 | |
| Apr 11, 1999 | vs. Milwaukee Bucks | W 95-92 | |
| Apr 13, 1999 | vs. Chicago Bulls | W 90-74 | |
| Apr 14, 1999 | @ Milwaukee Bucks | L 98-86 | |
| Apr 16, 1999 | @ Boston Celtics | L 82-81 | |
| Apr 18, 1999 | vs. Indiana Pacers | W 92-88 | |
| Apr 19, 1999 | @ Cleveland Cavaliers | W 94-87 | |
| Apr 21, 1999 | vs. Cleveland Cavaliers | W 93-80 | |
| Apr 22, 1999 | @ Orlando Magic | W 75-70 | |
| Apr 25, 1999 | vs. New York Knicks | L 82-80 | |
| Apr 26, 1999 | @ Cleveland Cavaliers | W 90-65 | |
| Apr 27, 1999 | @ New Jersey Nets | W 95-76 | |
| Apr 29, 1999 | vs. Boston Celtics | L 107-96 | |
| May 01, 1999 | vs. Chicago Bulls | L 101-86 | |
| May 02, 1999 | vs. Charlotte Hornets | W 100-93 | |
| May 04, 1999 | vs. Atlanta Hawks | W 93-79 | |
| May 05, 1999 | @ New York Knicks | L 101-88 |
