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Miami Heat: A quick beginner’s guide to the NBA team

By Allana Tachauer

MIAMI, FL - APRIL 21: A detailed view of the banners hanging in American Airlines Arena during the National Anthem before Game Four of Round One of the 2018 NBA Playoffs between the Miami Heat and the Philadelphia 76ers at American Airlines Arena on April 21, 2018 in Miami, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Mark Brown/Getty Images) *** Local Caption ***
MIAMI, FL - APRIL 21: A detailed view of the banners hanging in American Airlines Arena during the National Anthem before Game Four of Round One of the 2018 NBA Playoffs between the Miami Heat and the Philadelphia 76ers at American Airlines Arena on April 21, 2018 in Miami, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Mark Brown/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** /
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A quick beginner’s guide to the Miami Heat.

The NBA’s offseason is in full swing, so there’s no better time to learn a thing or two about the Miami Heat.

Conference: Eastern

Division: Southeast

Location: Miami, Florida

Arena: AmericanAirlines Arena

Colors: Red, yellow, black

Management: Owner Micky Arison, President Pat Riley, general manager Andy Elisburg, head coach Erik Spoelstra

Championships: 3

The Start

Though the organization has been around since 1987, it’s gone through a few changes over the years. What first started off as an expansion team, became an official part of the league in 1988, going strong ever since.

Alonzo Mourning and Tim Hardaway were the Heat’s initial backbones, leading the team to a 61-21 record (32–9 on the road) in 1996-97, the second-best in franchise history. Miami made it to the Eastern Conference Finals that year, but eventually fell short 4-1 to Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls.

Wade’s World

Then came the Dwyane Wade era, as the guard was drafted in 2003.

Wade, alongside Lamar Odom, got the Heat back to title contention, after they missed the playoffs in 2002 and 2003. Things only got better once Shaquille O’Neal came aboard that summer, and Miami ended up finishing the 2004-05 season 59-23, the best in the East. And although they lost 4-3 to the Detroit Pistons in the Finals, they came back to clinch the championship (over the Dallas Mavericks) in 2006.

The Heatles

A new chapter began once more in 2010, when Chris Bosh and LeBron James joined Wade in South Florida. Known as the Big Three, the stars formed a superteam and became the talk of the league. They were able to reach the NBA Finals for the first time since 2006, but ultimately fell short to the Mavericks.

Things only went up from there though.

The three led the Heat to capture back-to-back titles in 2012 and 2013, over the Oklahoma City Thunder and the San Antonio Spurs, respectively. James also walked away with the league’s Most Valuable Player award in 2012 and 2013, the third and fourth of his career.

Unfortunately, Miami failed to three-peat that next year, with the Spurs taking the 2014 title after going 4-1 over the Heat. And that summer, James announced his decision to head back to the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Unexpected Exits

The team hit yet another bump in the road when Bosh, who stuck around even after James departed, fell victim to his first round of blood clots in February 2015. He returned to play in October 2016, only to then be sidelined by another round of clots in February. That September, Bosh failed the team’s physical due to the same condition and was ruled out indefinitely; he never returned to the court with Miami or any other team.

(In July 2017, Riley officially waived Bosh and promised that No. 1 would never again be worn by another member of the team.)

The summer of 2016 marks another important date in franchise history, as Wade took off for Chicago. After the Heat missed the 2015 playoffs and were eliminated by the Toronto Raptors in the 2016 Conference Semifinals, it was clear the organization had entered yet another stage of life.

Between the team being focused on developing young talent like Josh Richardson and Justise Winslow, and trying to land a top-tier free agent, lines were crossed and Wade felt like he was no longer a priority.

It was then that Miami first entered its current stage of life, the Culture era.

#Culture

Headlined by the likes of Goran Dragic, James Johnson and Hassan Whiteside, the Heat began to build themselves back up again. They became known for their never-give-up, grind-it-out attitude, that propelled the team to go from 11-30 to 30-11, during the 2016-17 season. And although they missed the postseason (ironically by one game to Wade and the Bulls), Miami had the league talking about them once again.

The Heat’s 2017-18 campaign was marked by inconsistency, but nevertheless had moments worth celebrating.

Miami drafted big man Bam Adebayo, who proved to be an excellent pick after a solid rookie run, even while having to fill in for a sidelined Whiteside. The team signed free agent Kelly Olynyk last July, an already reliable option who then fully blossomed during his first year under Spoelstra. Both Richardson and Winslow showed tremendous growth, leading the Heat’s youth movement.

And Wade made his return in February, after a short stint with James and the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Next: 3 reasons why the Miami Heat need to sign Trevor Ariza

Now the question is: what happens next with the Miami Heat?

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