Which Finals Winning Miami Heat Team Was Statistically the Best?
Since the franchise was first created back in 1988, the Miami Heat have climbed the NBA mountaintop and brought home three Larry O’Brien trophies (2006, 2012, 2013). Fans may have their own personal favorite out of the three, but we’re going to take an in-depth look at which one of these championship-winning teams was actually the best.
This competition is only between the 2012 and 2013 Finals teams, especially considering 2006 was the only time the Heat were actually considered significant underdogs heading into the finals. This was also the only team out of the three without LeBron James or Chris Bosh.
Instead of the infamous Big Three, Wade’s only weapon was a 33-year-old Shaquille O’Neal. Don’t get me wrong, O’Neal still averaged 20 points and 9.2 rebounds per game that season, but he was obviously well past his prime. Besides Wade and O’Neal, no other player on the Heat roster averaged over 13 points per game.
According to ESPN’s Hollinger stats, in 2006, the Heat ranked 7th among all NBA teams in offensive efficiency and 17th in defensive efficiency. Of all three championship teams, 2006 was their worst year in both of these categories.
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Choosing between 2012 and 2013 is extremely difficult, mostly because these teams consisted of basically all of the same players. The 2013 Heat only had two different impact players, Ray Allen and Chris Birdman Anderson. Both of which played huge roles, especially in the postseason.
Anderson brought high-intensity defense, and Allen landed a game-tying three pointer in Game 6 of the 2013 Finals against the Spurs, which many fans consider the biggest shot in NBA history. To me, it’s pretty clear, the 2013 finals Heat team was probably their best all-around squad.
In the defense of the 2012 roster, they were the only Heat finals team to rank in the top five in defensive efficiency. But on the flip side, 2013 was the only year they ranked first in offensive efficiency. So basically, by these numbers, 2012 was their best defensive team, and 2013 was their best offensively.
Let’s not forget, in 2013, the Heat ran roughshod over the entire league, and won 27 consecutive games, only 6 short of the record set by the 1971-72 Los Angeles Lakers. During this streak, the Heat outscored their opponents by an average of 11.9 points per game.
The thing that really puts it over the top for me was who they beat to get to the top. The 2012 Heat had to face a young inexperience Oklahoma City Thunder team. In 2013, the Heat had to take on the three headed, soon-to-be Hall of Fame monster that is Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili and Tim Duncan. Not to mention, their master, Gregg Popovich. In 2013, the Spurs were dominant on both side of the court. They ranked third among all teams in true shooting percentage and defensive efficiency.
In 2012, the Thunder were a great team filled with young stars, James Harden, Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook, but they were simply too inexperienced. The Thunder roster had an average age of 24.8 that season.
Clearly, all three of these Heat teams were great, but the numbers show 2013 was probably their best year. Whether you look at the numbers, the streak, the roster, or their opponent, the 2013 Heat team were one of the best squads of all time.