The Miami Heat, founded in 1988, is one of the most successful franchises in NBA history… and its not just the three NBA Championships. The franchise under the leadership of Pat Riley and head coach Erik Spoelstra are perhaps one of the most stable and consistent franchises in the NBA.
For us basketball fans, the Heat have been a constant presence and evoke images burned into our minds across multiple decades. Whether you love them or hate them, hoops fans all know that funky free throw routine by Alonzo Mourning, where they were when “The Decision” aired and how unstoppable “Playoff Jimmy” could be. We remember Jeff Van Gundy holding onto Zo’s leg during a 90’s brawl and we remember his brother Stan getting let go by Pat Riley right as the Heat were ripe for a championship. “Heat culture” remains a thing, and the Big 3 era probably changed sports forever. Yeah, the Heat have been darn relevant.
And we didn’t even mention “The Shot!” Ray Allen made one of the most dramatic shots in the history of basketball during the final moments of game 6 of the 2013 NBA Finals. The Heat found themselves 7 seconds away from the Spurs winning the NBA title, down 3 in a game 6 with the Spurs up 3-2 in the series. So unlikely was the shot that officials had already brought out ropes to circle the court in advance of the Spurs’ trophy celebration. Mike Breen yelled “BANG!” and the Heat would go on to win the title, securing the 2nd title of the big 3 era.
The Heat are built are grit and resilience… and stars. Lebron brought his “talents to South Beach,” but he hasn’t been the last. Miami remains an attractive destination, and we expect the Heat to remain in the championship mix for years to come.
