The Miami Heat proved once again to the basketball world why the big three got together.
Do you remember back in the summer of 2010, when Lebron James and Chris Bosh joined Dwyane Wade in Miami.
Do you remember the prep rally at the triple A ? LeBron James saying not only to the HEAT fans but to the world “Not 1…Not 2…Not 3…Not 4…Not 5…Not 6 and Not 7 championship.”
It will always haunt the Miami Heat, because they have to fulfill those expectations, while the “naysayers and doubters” will clearly remember it.
As the 2011 NBA Finals rolled in and Miami lost to the Mavericks. everyone knew that it poured fueled on the the fire for “the naysayers” who said this wouldn’t work.
As the 2011 NBA Finals rolled in and Miami lost to the Mavericks. everyone knew that it poured fueled on the the fire for “the naysayers” who said this wouldn’t work.
While last year they proved why they are not your typical big three, being down two to one in the Eastern Conference Semifinals against the Pacers, without Chris Bosh they over came the first hurdle and advancing.
Then on the brink of elimination against the Boston Celtics down 3-2 in the Eastern Conference finals and heading back to Boston for game six. Lebron James put on the greatest performance of his life, by scoring 45 pts and 15 rebounds, forcing a game seven back to the sunshine state. Which they ended up winning.
Then in the 2012 NBA Finals, the Miami Heat played against the Oklahoma City Thunders, they lost game one and that fueled “the naysayers” once again. That wouldn’t last long because the Miami heat never lost again and ended up winning that series 4-1.
Also, that would be the first championship in the big three era and “the doubters” weren’t silent.
This year was a different story because the headline was “Could Miami repeat?” While in the offseason Miami lured Ray Allen from Boston who took less money to play for a title. Everyone could clearly see that Miami had gotten better but a lot of questions still surrounded this team for what some would say was no reason.
The 2012-2013 season was the best one in Miami Heat history with a record of 66 wins including a 27 game winning streak, which is ranked second in NBA history behind the 71-72 Lakers with a 33 game winning streak and overall best record in the NBA.
While in the NBA Playoffs the Heat had an easy first round matchup against the Milwaukee Bucks, even after Brandon Jennings made a bold prediction stating the Heat were to be defeated in six games. You could feel that it motivated Heat players even more.
After sweeping the Milwaukee Bucks, they would face the physical Chicago Bulls team in the Eastern Conference Semifinals. While that would become a dramatic series, one of the headlines of the series was regarding all star point guard Derrick Rose, who suffered a torn acl last year in the first round of the NBA playoffs. The Bulls made a statement in game one beating the Heat and giving “the doubters” ammo. It wouldn’t go that far because the Heat didn’t lose another game in that series and earning them a third Eastern Conference Finals appearance.
The Heat next round opponent was another physical team in the Indiana Pacers with a 7”2 center in Roy Hibbert and future superstar in Paul George. This was a great series which included the Indiana Pacers taking home court advantage from the Heat by winning game two.
This team would not back down, by winning game three in Bankers Life Fieldhouse, meanwhile regaining home court advantage. But it wouldn’t matter as this series went to distance to a game seven.
While the Miami Heat went on to wingame seven and head back to their third straight NBA Finals appearance against the veteran San Antonio Spurs.
A lot of “the doubters” were happy that the Heat were going against the Spurs, “the naysayers” saw the Heat lose game one of the NBA Finals on a miraculous shot by Tony Parker in the fourth quarter. The “naysayers and doubters” were firing at Heat fans and knowing that the next game wouldn’t be two days after game one.
The Heat responded in game two by tying the series at 1-1 and we were witnessing a battle between two great teams.
In game three of the NBA finals, the Spurs were on fire shooting 16-32 from three-point range 50 % from the field. Gary Neal and Danny Green were destroying the Heat perimeter defense a combine 13 of 19.
While the Heat and Spurs split the next two games, which gave the Spurs a 3-2 advantage in NBA Finals heading back to Miami for Game six and gave “the doubters” had even more ammunition.
One of the best games in NBA Finals history was game six why? The Heat were trailing by five points with less than a minute to go in the fourth quarter and security was beginning to take out the ropes for the Larry O’bien Trophy ceremony. It motivated the Heat in a way that trailing by three with 16.7 seconds remaining in the game Lebron James takes a three pointer, which clank off the rim Chris Bosh soared in the hour to grabbed the rebound kick back out for a Ray Allen three pointer which made through the net making Heat fans jump in joy and “naysayers” in disbelief.
The Heat went on to win game six in over time and game seven, which Lebron James had a double-double with 37 points and 12 rebounds and was named finals MVP once again.
The Heat won back-back championship last team to do that was the 2009 and 2010 Los Angeles Lakers and making a mark in NBA history.
This is why Lebron James and Chris Bosh joined Dwyane Wade in Miami not to compete for a playoff berth or second round appearance. It’s about making it to the NBA Finals and contending for a championship. “Naysayers and doubters” are running out of ammo, because the Heat have won two out of three NBA titles. The only thing they got left is Lebron James in prep rally saying not 7 NBA titles, but let’s just say Miami has five more title to silent “the naysayers and doubters”.
