March 31st, vs. San Antonio Spurs:
What would have happened if the Heat had won the NBA Finals?
That’s what Heat fans will think when they see the Spurs come back to the American Airlines Arena. The Spurs will be a constant reminder of how close the Heat came to being able to consider themselves a dynasty.
But the other thing that will come to mind is if Miami had won, would LeBron have stayed? Three consecutive championships would have been a very hard thing to walk away from, no matter how much he loves Northeast Ohio. As someone who claims to respect the history of the game, even he has to see that big picture and want to have a piece of it. Whether you believe he was always going back to Cleveland or not, one would think that the allure of being a part of something greater would outweigh any sentimental value going home might bring.
Those are just daydreams now, as the reality is that the Spurs had their way with the Heat. They were an unstoppable machine that did what they wanted, when they wanted. The last three games of the Finals didn’t even seem competitive, as San Antonio unleashed an offensive onslaught that left fans in disbelief. They made Miami look tired and old, while completely lacking in an anything resembling a threat outside of LeBron and Bosh.
As impressive as the accomplishment of being in four consecutive Finals, back-to-back titles, and being a part of the most exciting run in South Florida sports history, Heat fans will look at how the dust ended up settling. A dynasty was so close to being achieved and the best player in the world went home, all because the San Antonio Spurs were a basketball machine.