2. 2023 Eastern Conference Finals Game 7
Although there have been bigger defeats in other games, it's only right to end off the list with two dominating victories that will be looked at as some of the most memorable moments in Miami Heat history, starting with Game 7 of the 2023 Eastern Conference Finals where the Miami Heat defeated the Celtics 103-84.
After losing three straight and dropping Game 6 in the most heartbreaking fashion with Derrick White's game-winning putback, it seemed as if the writing was on the wall for the Heat to be the first team in NBA history to blow a 3-0 lead and add another Boston team to the short list of teams that came back from a 3-0 deficit.
Miami was waiting to write their wrongs, and Erik Spoelstra echoed those sentiments in his postgame presser after Game 6. "We wish we can tip this thing off right now," Erik Spoelstra said. "We want to tip this thing off, and let's play another 48 minutes, but we will wait 48 hours and do this thing again in Boston."
In Game 7, the Heat took an early lead in the first quarter and never let the Celtics crowd get into the game. Spoelstra put together a beautiful defensive game plan to slow down the Celtics, who were funneled into hoisting threes and faced nonstop ball pressure. This resulted in 15 turnovers, eight of which came from Jaylen Brown.
Jimmy Butler was the team's leading scorer with 28 points, but Caleb Martin was the deciding factor and finished with a 26-point, 10-rebound double-double. Martin put up one of the best performances of his career, getting any shot he wanted and making shots that either halted a Boston run or pushed the lead to a huge deficit.
Most of the sports world waited for the Heat to fall flat on their face and see history occur, but for now, basketball fans will have to wait even longer and see if there will possibly be a team down the road that will blow a 3-0 lead.