Miami Heat: They Went Out In The Most ‘Heat Culture’ Way Possible
Finally, the Miami Heat never lost their identity. Sure, they made some mistakes (poor transition defense and turnovers), but they maintained their Heat Culture identity.
After having a bad start to Game 7, Erik Spoelstra managed to rally the team back into the game through their defense. Their mental toughness allowed them to keep fighting back, even when Boston matched their runs.
Nothing displayed their never back down culture more than the last few minutes of the game. They were down big, but a few big shots and great defense helped them climb back.
Again, it wasn’t enough. But most teams would have given up at that point.
The Miami Heat never did.
Obviously, this one is going to sting for a little while. There is almost nothing more disappointing than coming up one game short of an NBA Finals appearance, knowing that one or two more plays could have propelled them over the top.
Still, the Miami Heat displayed extreme mental toughness. They will be back in contention next year, hungrier than ever.
Count on it.