2010–11 Miami Heat season
Encyclopedia
The 2010–11 Miami Heat season was the 23rd season of the Miami Heat
in the National Basketball Association
(NBA). In the regular season, the Heat finished first in the Southeast Division
with 58–24 record, and made the NBA Playoffs
for the 3rd consecutive year as the Eastern Conference's #2 seed (behind the Chicago Bulls).
With the acquisition of free agents LeBron James
and Chris Bosh
in the off season, the Heat opened up the season with extraordinarily high expectations, with many expecting a championship in the first year of the new lineup, and with team stars Chris Bosh
, Dwyane Wade
and LeBron James
predicting an NBA championship in their first season together. However they fell just short by losing to the Dallas Mavericks
in the NBA Finals.
Even though the Heat's season ended in disappointing fashion, they enjoyed a successful season, despite a slow 9–8 start to the regular season. They finished the regular season with 58 wins, their third-most in franchise history, won the Southeast Division, and were second in the Eastern Conference. Pat Riley
was named NBA Executive of the Year. Dwyane Wade, LeBron James, and Chris Bosh were all selected to the 2011 NBA All-Star Game
, the most Heat players in an All-Star game in franchise history. LeBron James earned All-NBA First Team
honors, while Dwyane Wade earned All-NBA Second Team honors.
In the NBA Playoffs
, Miami defeated the Philadelphia 76ers
in the First Round, Boston Celtics
in the Eastern Conference Semifinals,and Chicago Bulls
in the Conference Finals all in 5 games. However they lost to the Dallas Mavericks
in the Finals
in 6 games.
space, with the ability to re-sign free agent Dwyane Wade, and add two of the NBA's top players, LeBron James
and Chris Bosh
. According to Fox Sports Radio
's Stephen A. Smith
, speaking on his show just days after the NBA Draft
, the Heat were "highly likely" to sign all three players. The New Jersey Nets
, New York Knicks
, Los Angeles Clippers
, Chicago Bulls
, Cleveland Cavaliers
, Dallas Mavericks
and the Miami Heat were in negotiations to sign LeBron James
. On July 7, 2010, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh agreed to terms with the Miami Heat. Then on July 8, 2010, LeBron James held an hour-long special to announce his decision on ESPN to commit to playing with the Heat. Later that evening, the Heat announced the trade of Michael Beasley
to the Minnesota Timberwolves
for a pair of second round picks and cash considerations. The three are called the SuperFriends by many sportswriters and commentators, most notably those for ESPN, because all three were taken in the top five of the 2003 NBA Draft and because they have become good friends over the years.
On July 8, 2010, it became official that NBA superstars and gold medal winning Beijing Olympic teammates LeBron James
, Dwyane Wade
, and Chris Bosh
would be joining Miami. The Heat completed sign-and-trade deals, sending a total of four future first-round and two second-round picks to the Cavaliers and Raptors for James and Bosh (both signing 6 years and $110.1 million contracts). Dwyane Wade re-signed with the Heat for $107.59 million for six years. All three stars have early termination clauses in their contracts, allowing them to become free agents again in the summer of 2014. The final year on all three deals, for 2015-16, is a player option. The three made their debut at the 2010 Summer Heat Welcome Party at the American Airlines Arena on July 9, where they were introduced as The Three Kings by Heat play-by-play announcer and event co-host Eric Reid
. Howard Beck of The New York Times
described the national fan reaction to the party: "Everyone saw something: greatness, arrogance, self-indulgence, boldness, cowardice, pride, friendship, collusion, joy, cynicism, heroes, mercenaries."
By taking less than maximum salaries, Wade, James and Bosh opened the door for the Heat to further continue its roster makeover with the resigning of Udonis Haslem
and signing of veteran swingman and teammate of Haslem at the University of Florida
, Mike Miller for dual 5 year deals worth a combined $45 million. In order to fill the voids at forward and center, the Heat signed James's former teammate in Cleveland, Zydrunas Ilgauskas
to a two year deal for the veterans minimum at $2.8 million, resigning Joel Anthony
, and signing power forward Juwan Howard
. In the guard department, the Miami Heat resigned guard Carlos Arroyo
and signed former Celtics player Eddie House
to a two-year contract for the veteran minimum of $2.8 million. Rookies Dexter Pittman
and Da'Sean Butler
, along with NBA Summer League
standouts Patrick Beverley
and Kenny Hasbrouck
, also signed contracts.
The Miami Heat began the regular season with much hype going into their first game against the Eastern Conference Champs, the Boston Celtics. Many considered the Miami Heat as the team to break the single season record of 72 regular season victories set by the Chicago Bulls
.
. The game earned a 4.6 rating, delivering 7.4 million total viewers and 5.3 million households, beating the Chicago Bulls vs. Los Angeles Lakers on February 2, 1996.
The Heat lost the opening game 88-80 and got off to a 9-8 start due in large part to inconsistent play and injuries to key role players Mike Miller (thumb) and Udonis Haslem
(foot). After losing four out of five games, including a Saturday night loss to the Dallas Mavericks on November 27, the team called a players-only meeting with the intent to get players to communicate with each other. Much of the speculation was that Spoelstra could lose his job and that Heat president Pat Riley
would return as coach, especially after a well publicized incident when James "bumped" into Spoelstra during a timeout.
After the players-only meeting, the team pulled together a 12-game win streak (10 of them by double-digits) and limited the opposition under 100 points in all those games. During the winning streak, James led the Heat to defeat his former team by scoring 38 points (tying a Heat record for points in a quarter with 24 in the third) in a game that drew nearly 7.1 million viewers and earned a 25.4 rating in Miami. ESPN 3D
aired its first NBA game in the third dimension
on December 17, 2010 when the Heat defeated the New York Knicks
at Madison Square Garden
.,,. The Heat set a franchise record for wins in December with 15 and set an NBA record for consecutive road victories in a calendar month with 10 (including the Christmas Day match-up with the reigning two-time champs, Kobe Bryant
's Los Angeles Lakers
which the team won 96-80).
During a postgame chat with Sun Sports
' Jason Jackson
on January 3, 2011, LeBron James joked "I see we sell out 99.1 percent on the road, so we call ourselves the Heatles off the Beatles
, so every time we take our show on the road we bring a great crowd", giving the Heat's famed trio the unofficial nickname.
On January 27, 2011, via fan voting, LeBron James (forward) and Dwyane Wade (guard) were selected to be starters for the Eastern Conference at the All-Star Game
, becoming the second pair of teammates to be selected as All-Star starters in franchise history (Shaquille O'Neal
and Dwyane Wade; 2006
and 2007
). A few days later, forward Chris Bosh
was selected as a reserve, marking the first time in Heat history the team had sent three players to the All-Star game in a single season.
Like the 2005–06 championship season, the Heat were criticized for being unable to beat the top-caliber teams of the NBA. This criticism though would just grow more and more as the regular season was beginning to wind down. Despite beating their division rival Orlando Magic
two of three games, sweeping the Lakers
2–0, and beating both the San Antonio Spurs
and the Thunder
once, they lost to the defending Eastern Conference champion Boston Celtics
three times, were swept by the Chicago Bulls
and Dallas Mavericks
who swept the season series and continued their regular season dominance against Miami for their 16th straight victory dating back to the 2004-05 season.
In order to improve for the playoffs, the Heat signed guard Mike Bibby
, who agreed to forfeit the $6.2 million he was owed by the Washington Wizards for the next season so that he could become a free agent and sign a league minimum contract with a contender. In the process, the Heat released Carlos Arroyo
. In Bibby's first game on March 3, the Heat were leading the Magic by 24 points in the third quarter before the Heat were outscored 40–9 and lost 99–96. The following night against the Spurs, who held the NBA's best record (51–11), the Heat lost 125–95, their most lopsided loss of the year and their fourth loss in five games. In their next game against the Bulls, the Heat had a 12–point lead in the first half, but ended up losing 87–86 after two failed shots by James and Wade in the last 6 seconds of the game. It was the Heat's 12th and 13th consecutive missed shots with a chance to tie or lead a game in the final 10 seconds of regulation or overtime. James had missed four in the four-game losing streak. It was the Heat's fourth straight loss, and the fourth time since February 24 they had lost after a double-digit lead. The Heat were 2–5 since the All-Star break, 5–13 in games decided by five or fewer points and 14–18 against teams with winning records. After the game, there were reports of players crying in the locker room afterwards. On March 10, the Heat beat the Lakers, 94–88, and ended their five-game losing streak while also ending the Lakers' eight-game winning streak.
On March 27, Wade, James, and Bosh became the second trio in NBA history to have at least 30 points and 10 rebounds in the same non-overtime game (a home win against the Houston Rockets
), matching Oscar Robertson
, Wayne Embry
and Jack Twyman
for the Cincinnati Royals in a loss to the Philadelphia Warriors on February 2, 1961. Additionally, it was the first time that a team's trio recorded 20 points and 10 rebounds in consecutive games since Sidney Wicks
, Lloyd Neal
and John Johnson
accomplished the feat with the Portland Trail Blazers
in March 1975. It was also the first time in Heat franchise history that three players scored 30 points in the same game.
The 2011 Heat finished with a 58–24 record, third best in team history and a second overall seed, behind the Chicago Bulls, who had the NBA's best record. Additionally, the Heat finished 5th in the NBA in attendance with 810,930 behind Mavericks, Cavaliers, Trail Blazers, and Bulls in that order (100.9% capacity). The Heat faced the Philadelphia 76ers
in the first round of the NBA Playoffs and eliminated them in five games. In the Eastern Conference Semifinals, the Heat defeated their rival Boston Celtics
in five games, winning a dramatic overtime Game 4 in Boston and a come-from-behind Game 5 victory at home to finish the series. In the Eastern Conference Finals, the Heat faced the Chicago Bulls. After being blown out by 21 points by the Bulls in Game 1, the Heat took home-court by defeating Chicago in Game 2, and winning their home Games 3 and 4, the latter of which came in overtime. In Game 5 in Chicago, the Heat made a historic comeback; after being down 77–65 with 3:14 left, the Heat went on an 18–3 run to win, 83–80, capped by a key four-point play from Dwyane Wade and clutch shooting from LeBron James. The Heat advanced to the 2011 NBA Finals
to face the Dallas Mavericks, who had defeated the Portland Trail Blazers, Los Angeles Lakers, and Oklahoma City Thunder. The series was a rematch of the 2006 NBA Finals, in which Dallas won the first two games and then lost four straight to Miami. The Heat won Game 1 in Miami, 92–84, but in Game 2, the Heat were leading the Mavericks by 15 points with 6:20 left in the fourth quarter before the Heat were outscored 22–5 and lost, 95–93. The Heat won Game 3 in Dallas 88–86 with the game-winning basket scored by Chris Bosh. The Mavericks won Game 4, 86–83, holding LeBron James to a career playoff-low 8 points. The Mavericks won Game 5 and took a 3–2 series lead with a 112–103 victory. That was the first time since March 6 that the Heat had lost two consecutive games, including the regular season, playoffs, and the NBA Finals. In Game 6, Dallas defeated Miami, 105–95, to win the 2011 NBA Finals in six games, 4–2.
Lead team
Lead team
space, with the ability to re-sign free agent Dwyane Wade, and add two of the NBA's top players, LeBron James
and Chris Bosh
. According to Fox Sports Radio
's Stephen A. Smith
, speaking on his show just days after the NBA Draft
, the Heat were "highly likely" to sign all three players. The New Jersey Nets
, New York Knicks
, Los Angeles Clippers
, Chicago Bulls
, Cleveland Cavaliers
, Dallas Mavericks
and the Miami Heat were in negotiations to sign LeBron James
. On July 7, 2010, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh agreed to terms with the Miami Heat. Then on July 8, 2010, LeBron James held an hour-long special to announce his decision on ESPN to commit to playing with the Heat. Later that evening, the Heat announced the trade of Michael Beasley
to the Minnesota Timberwolves
for a pair of second round picks and cash considerations. The three are called the SuperFriends by many sportswriters and commentators, most notably those for ESPN, because all three were taken in the top five of the 2003 NBA Draft and because they have become good friends over the years.
On July 8, 2010, it became official that NBA superstars and gold medal winning Beijing Olympic teammates LeBron James
, Dwyane Wade
, and Chris Bosh
would be joining Miami. The Heat completed sign-and-trade deals, sending a total of four future first-round and two second-round picks to the Cavaliers and Raptors for James and Bosh (both signing 6 years and $110.1 million contracts). Dwyane Wade re-signed with the Heat for $107.59 million for six years. All three stars have early termination clauses in their contracts, allowing them to become free agents again in the summer of 2014. The final year on all three deals, for 2015–16, is a player option. The three made their debut at the 2010 Summer Heat Welcome Party at the American Airlines Arena on July 9, where they were introduced as The Three Kings by Heat play-by-play announcer and event co-host Eric Reid
. Howard Beck of The New York Times
described the national fan reaction to the party: "Everyone saw something: greatness, arrogance, self-indulgence, boldness, cowardice, pride, friendship, collusion, joy, cynicism, heroes, mercenaries."
By taking less than maximum salaries, Wade, James and Bosh opened the door for the Heat to further continue its roster makeover with the resigning of Udonis Haslem
and signing of veteran swingman and teammate of Haslem at the University of Florida
, Mike Miller for dual 5 year deals worth a combined $45 million. In order to fill the voids at forward and center, the Heat signed James's former teammate in Cleveland, Zydrunas Ilgauskas
to a two year deal for the veterans minimum at $2.8 million, resigning Joel Anthony
, and signing power forward Juwan Howard
. In the guard department, the Miami Heat resigned guard Carlos Arroyo
and signed former Celtics player Eddie House
to a two-year contract for the veteran minimum of $2.8 million. Rookies Dexter Pittman
and Da'Sean Butler
, along with NBA Summer League
standouts Patrick Beverley
and Kenny Hasbrouck
, also signed contracts.
The Miami Heat began the regular season with much hype going into their first game against the Eastern Conference Champs, the Boston Celtics. Many considered the Miami Heat as the team to break the single season record of 72 regular season victories set by the Chicago Bulls
. On the opening game of the season, broadcast on the TNT Network and featuring the debut of reigning two-time NBA MVP James in a Miami uniform alongside Chris Bosh, the game was the most-watched NBA contest ever on cable television
. The game earned a 4.6 rating, delivering 7.4 million total viewers and 5.3 million households beating the Chicago Bulls vs. Los Angeles Lakers on February 2, 1996.
The Heat lost the opening game 88–80 and got off to a 9–8 start due in large part to inconsistent play and injuries of key role players Mike Miller (thumb) and Udonis Haslem
(foot). After losing four out of five games, including a Saturday night loss to the Dallas Mavericks on November 27, the team called a player's only meeting with the intent to get players communicate with each other. Much of the speculation was that Spoelstra could lose his job and that Heat president Pat Riley
would return as coach, especially after a well publicized incident when James "bumped" into Spoelstra during a timeout.
Since the players-only meeting, the team had pulled together a 12 game win streak (10 of them by double-digits) and limited the opposition under the century mark (100 points) in all those games. During the winning streak, James led the Heat to defeat his former team by scoring 38 points (tying a Heat record for points in a quarter with 24 in the third) in a game that drew nearly 7.1 million viewers and earned a 25.4 rating in Miami. ESPN 3D
aired its first NBA game in the third dimension
on December 17, 2010 when the Heat defeated the New York Knicks
at Madison Square Garden
.,,. The Heat set a franchise record for wins in December with 15 and set an NBA record for consecutive road victories in a calendar month with 10 (including the Christmas Day matchup with the reigning two time champs Kobe Bryant
's Los Angeles Lakers
which the team won 96–80).
During a postgame chat with Sun Sports
' Jason Jackson
on January 3, 2011, LeBron James joked I see we sell out 99.1 percent on the road, so we call ourselves the Heatles off the Beatles
, so every time we take our show on the road we bring a great crowd, giving the Heat's famed trio the unofficial nickname.
On January 27, 2011, via fan voting, LeBron James (forward) and Dwyane Wade (guard) were selected to be starters for the Eastern Conference at the All-Star Game
becoming the second pair of teammates to be selected as All-Star starters in franchise history (Shaquille O'Neal
and Dwyane Wade; 2006
and 2007
). A few days later, forward Chris Bosh
was selected as a reserve, marking the first time in Heat history the team has sent three players to the All-Star game in a single season.
Like the 2005–06 championship season, the Heat were criticized, for being unable to beat the top caliber teams of the NBA. This criticism though would just grow more and more as the regular season was beginning to wind down. Despite beating their division rival Orlando Magic
two of three games, sweeping the Lakers
2–0, and beating both the San Antonio Spurs
and the Thunder
once, they had lost to the defending Eastern Conference champion Boston Celtics
three times, swept by the Chicago Bulls
and Dallas Mavericks
who swept the season series and continued their regular season dominance against Miami for their 16th straight victory dating back to the 2004–05 season.
In order to improve for the playoffs, the Heat signed guard Mike Bibby
, who agreed to forfeit the $6.2 million he was owed by the Washington Wizards for the next season so that he could become a free agent and sign a league minimum contract with a contender. In the process, the Heat released Carlos Arroyo
. In Bibby's first game on March 3, the Heat were leading the Magic by 24 points in the third quarter before the Heat were outscored 40–9 and lost 99–96. The following night against the Spurs, who held the NBA's best record (51–11), the Heat lost 125–95, their most lopsided loss of the year and their fourth loss in five games. In their next game against the Bulls, the Heat had a 12-point lead in the first half, but they ended up losing 87–86 after two failed shots by James and Wade in the last 6 seconds of the game. It was the Heat's 12th and 13th consecutive missed shots with a chance to tie or lead a game in the final 10 seconds of regulation or overtime. James had missed four in the four-game losing streak. It was the Heat's fourth straight loss, and the fourth time since February 24 they had lost after a double-digit lead. The Heat were 2–5 since the All-Star break, 5–13 in games decided by five or fewer points and 14–18 against teams with winning records. After the game there were reports of players crying in the locker room afterwords. On March 10, the Heat beat the Lakers, 94–88, and ended their five-game losing streak while also ending the Lakers' eight-game winning streak.
On March 27, Wade, James, and Bosh became the second trio in NBA history to have at least 30 points and 10 rebounds in the same non-overtime game (a home win against the Houston Rockets
), matching Oscar Robertson
, Wayne Embry
and Jack Twyman
for the Cincinnati Royals in a loss to the Philadelphia Warriors on February 2, 1961. Additionally, it was the first time that a team's trio recorded 20 points and 10 rebounds in consecutive games since Sidney Wicks
, Lloyd Neal
and John Johnson
accomplished the feat with the Portland Trail Blazers
in March 1975. It was also the first time in Heat franchise history that three players scored 30 points in the same game.
The 2011 Heat finished with a 58–24 record, third best in team history and a second overall seed, behind the Chicago Bulls who had the NBA's best record. Additionally, the Heat finished 5th in the NBA in attendance with 810,930 behind Mavericks, Cavaliers, Trail Blazers, and Bulls in that order (100.9% capacity). The Heat faced the Philadelphia 76ers
in the first round of the NBA Playoffs and eliminated them in five games. In the Eastern Conference Semifinals, the Heat defeated their rival Boston Celtics
in five games, winning a dramatic overtime Game 4 in Boston and a come from behind Game 5 victory at home to finish the series. In the Eastern Conference Finals, the Heat faced the Chicago Bulls
. After being blown out by 21 points by the Bulls in Game 1, the Heat took home-court by defeating Chicago in Game 2, and winning their home Games 3 and 4, the latter of which came in overtime. In Game 5 in Chicago, the Miami Heat made a historic comeback, after being down 77–65 with 3:14 left, the Heat went on a 18–3 run to win, 83–80, capped by a key four point play from Dwyane Wade and clutch shooting from LeBron James. The Heat were selected to face the Dallas Mavericks in the NBA Finals who had defeated the Portland Trailblazers, Los Angeles Lakers, and Oklahoma City Thunder. This series would be a rematch of the 2006 NBA Finals, in which Dallas won the first 2 games and then they lost 4 straight to Miami. The Heat won Game 1 in Miami, 92–84 but in Game 2, the Heat were leading the Mavericks by 15 points with 6:20 left in the fourth quarter before the Heat were outscored 22–5 and lost, 95–93. Heat won Game 3 in Dallas 88–86 with the game-winning basket scored by Chris Bosh.
Miami Heat
The Miami Heat is a professional basketball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. The team is a member of the Southeast Division in the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . They play their home games at American Airlines Arena in Downtown Miami...
in the National Basketball Association
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
(NBA). In the regular season, the Heat finished first in the Southeast Division
Southeast Division (NBA)
The Southeast Division is one of the three divisions in the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . The division consists of five teams, the Atlanta Hawks, the Charlotte Bobcats, the Miami Heat, the Orlando Magic and the Washington WizardsThe division was created at the start of...
with 58–24 record, and made the NBA Playoffs
NBA Playoffs
The National Basketball Association Playoffs is a best-of-seven elimination tournament among sixteen teams in the Eastern Conference and Western Conference , ultimately deciding the final four teams who will play in the NBA Conference Finals.-Format:Following the NBA regular season, eight teams in...
for the 3rd consecutive year as the Eastern Conference's #2 seed (behind the Chicago Bulls).
With the acquisition of free agents LeBron James
LeBron James
LeBron Raymone James is an American professional basketball player for the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association . Nicknamed "King James", he was a three-time "Mr. Basketball" of Ohio in high school, and was highly promoted in the national media as a future NBA superstar while a...
and Chris Bosh
Chris Bosh
Christopher Wesson Bosh is an American professional basketball player who plays power forward for the Miami Heat in the National Basketball Association ....
in the off season, the Heat opened up the season with extraordinarily high expectations, with many expecting a championship in the first year of the new lineup, and with team stars Chris Bosh
Chris Bosh
Christopher Wesson Bosh is an American professional basketball player who plays power forward for the Miami Heat in the National Basketball Association ....
, Dwyane Wade
Dwyane Wade
Dwyane Tyrone Wade, Jr. nicknamed Flash or D-Wade, is an American professional basketball player for the Miami Heat. Awarded 2006 Sportsman of the Year by Sports Illustrated, Wade has established himself as one of the most well-known and popular players in the league...
and LeBron James
LeBron James
LeBron Raymone James is an American professional basketball player for the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association . Nicknamed "King James", he was a three-time "Mr. Basketball" of Ohio in high school, and was highly promoted in the national media as a future NBA superstar while a...
predicting an NBA championship in their first season together. However they fell just short by losing to the Dallas Mavericks
Dallas Mavericks
The Dallas Mavericks are a professional basketball team based in Dallas, Texas. They are members of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association , and the reigning NBA champions, having defeated the Miami Heat in the 2011 NBA Finals.According to a 2011...
in the NBA Finals.
Even though the Heat's season ended in disappointing fashion, they enjoyed a successful season, despite a slow 9–8 start to the regular season. They finished the regular season with 58 wins, their third-most in franchise history, won the Southeast Division, and were second in the Eastern Conference. Pat Riley
Pat Riley
Patrick James "Pat" Riley is an American professional basketball executive, and a retired coach and player in the NBA. Currently, he is team president of the Miami Heat. Widely regarded as one of the greatest NBA coaches of all time, Riley has served as the head coach of five championship teams...
was named NBA Executive of the Year. Dwyane Wade, LeBron James, and Chris Bosh were all selected to the 2011 NBA All-Star Game
2011 NBA All-Star Game
The 2011 NBA All-Star Game was an exhibition basketball game that was played on February 20, 2011 at Staples Center in Los Angeles, California, home of the Los Angeles Clippers and the Los Angeles Lakers. This game was the 60th edition of the National Basketball Association All-Star Game and was...
, the most Heat players in an All-Star game in franchise history. LeBron James earned All-NBA First Team
All-NBA Team
The All-NBA Team is an annual National Basketball Association honor bestowed on the best players in the league following every NBA season. The voting is conducted by a panel of sportswriters and broadcasters throughout the United States and Canada. The team has been selected in every season of the...
honors, while Dwyane Wade earned All-NBA Second Team honors.
In the NBA Playoffs
2011 NBA Playoffs
The 2011 NBA Playoffs was the postseason for the National Basketball Association's 2010–11 season. Eight teams from each of the league's two conferences qualified for the playoffs, all seeded 1 to 8 in a tournament bracket, with all rounds in a best-of-seven format. The 2011 NBA Playoffs began on...
, Miami defeated the Philadelphia 76ers
Philadelphia 76ers
The Philadelphia 76ers are a professional basketball team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . Originally known as the Syracuse Nationals, they are one of the oldest franchises in the NBA...
in the First Round, Boston Celtics
Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which...
in the Eastern Conference Semifinals,and Chicago Bulls
Chicago Bulls
The Chicago Bulls are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago, Illinois, playing in the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1966. They play their home games at the United Center...
in the Conference Finals all in 5 games. However they lost to the Dallas Mavericks
Dallas Mavericks
The Dallas Mavericks are a professional basketball team based in Dallas, Texas. They are members of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association , and the reigning NBA champions, having defeated the Miami Heat in the 2011 NBA Finals.According to a 2011...
in the Finals
NBA Finals
The NBA Finals is the championship series of the National Basketball Association . The series was named the NBA World Championship Series until 1986....
in 6 games.
Key dates
- June 24 – The 2010 NBA Draft2010 NBA DraftThe 2010 NBA Draft was held on June 24, 2010 at the Theatre at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. The draft, which started at 7:00 pm Eastern Daylight Time , was broadcast in the United States on ESPN. In this draft, National Basketball Association teams took turns selecting amateur...
was held in New York CityNew York CityNew York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. - July 1 – The free agencyFree agentIn professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
negotiation period began. - July 9 – Dwyane WadeDwyane WadeDwyane Tyrone Wade, Jr. nicknamed Flash or D-Wade, is an American professional basketball player for the Miami Heat. Awarded 2006 Sportsman of the Year by Sports Illustrated, Wade has established himself as one of the most well-known and popular players in the league...
was re-signed, while Chris BoshChris BoshChristopher Wesson Bosh is an American professional basketball player who plays power forward for the Miami Heat in the National Basketball Association ....
and LeBron JamesLeBron JamesLeBron Raymone James is an American professional basketball player for the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association . Nicknamed "King James", he was a three-time "Mr. Basketball" of Ohio in high school, and was highly promoted in the national media as a future NBA superstar while a...
were signed and traded to the Heat. - October 26 – The Heat started the regular season on the road with a 88–80 loss to the Boston CelticsBoston CelticsThe Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which...
. - October 29 – The Heat defeated the Orlando MagicOrlando MagicThe Orlando Magic is a professional basketball team based in Orlando, Florida. They play in the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association and are currently coached by Stan Van Gundy...
96–70 in the home opener. - February 24 – Trade deadline.
- March 10 – The Heat clinched a playoff berthNBA PlayoffsThe National Basketball Association Playoffs is a best-of-seven elimination tournament among sixteen teams in the Eastern Conference and Western Conference , ultimately deciding the final four teams who will play in the NBA Conference Finals.-Format:Following the NBA regular season, eight teams in...
for the 2011 NBA Playoffs2011 NBA PlayoffsThe 2011 NBA Playoffs was the postseason for the National Basketball Association's 2010–11 season. Eight teams from each of the league's two conferences qualified for the playoffs, all seeded 1 to 8 in a tournament bracket, with all rounds in a best-of-seven format. The 2011 NBA Playoffs began on...
with a 94–88 win over the Los Angeles LakersLos Angeles LakersThe Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
. - March 18 – The Heat matched their victory total of the previous season with a 106–85 win against the Atlanta HawksAtlanta HawksThe Atlanta Hawks are an American professional basketball team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are part of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association .-The first years:...
. - April 3 – The Heat clinched the Southeast DivisionSoutheast Division (NBA)The Southeast Division is one of the three divisions in the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . The division consists of five teams, the Atlanta Hawks, the Charlotte Bobcats, the Miami Heat, the Orlando Magic and the Washington WizardsThe division was created at the start of...
with a 108–94 win over the New Jersey NetsNew Jersey NetsThe New Jersey Nets are a professional basketball team based in Newark, New Jersey. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
and a Orlando Magic loss. - April 10 – The Heat defeated the Boston Celtics for the first time all season 100–77, in their last regular season home game.
- April 11 – The Heat clinched the 2nd seed for the Eastern Conference with a 98–90 win against the Atlanta Hawks and a Boston Celtics loss.
- April 13 – The Heat regular season concluded with a 97–79 victory against the Toronto RaptorsToronto RaptorsThe Toronto Raptors are a professional basketball team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was established in 1995, along with the Vancouver Grizzlies, as part of the NBA's re-expansion...
. - April 27 – The Heat advanced to the Eastern Conference Semifinals with a win in Game 5 of the First Round against the Philadelphia 76ersPhiladelphia 76ersThe Philadelphia 76ers are a professional basketball team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . Originally known as the Syracuse Nationals, they are one of the oldest franchises in the NBA...
with the final score 97–91. - May 11 – The Heat advanced to the Eastern Conference FinalsNBA Conference FinalsThe National Basketball Association Conference Finals are the Eastern Conference and Western Conference Championship series of the National Basketball Association , a major professional basketball league in North America. The NBA was founded in 1946 as the Basketball Association of America...
with a win in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals against the Boston CelticsBoston CelticsThe Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which...
with the final score 97–87. - May 26 – The Heat advanced to the NBA Finals2011 NBA FinalsThe 2011 NBA Finals was the championship series of the 2010–11 season of the National Basketball Association and the conclusion of the season's playoffs. The Western Conference champion Dallas Mavericks defeated the Eastern Conference champion Miami Heat, 4–2, to win their first NBA title...
for the first time since 20062006 NBA FinalsThe 2006 NBA Finals was the championship series of the 2005–06 National Basketball Association season. The Miami Heat won the championship in six games over the Dallas Mavericks, winning the final game at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, and becoming the third team to win a championship...
with a comeback win in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Chicago BullsChicago BullsThe Chicago Bulls are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago, Illinois, playing in the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1966. They play their home games at the United Center...
with the final score 83–80. - June 12 – The Heat lost to the Dallas MavericksDallas MavericksThe Dallas Mavericks are a professional basketball team based in Dallas, Texas. They are members of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association , and the reigning NBA champions, having defeated the Miami Heat in the 2011 NBA Finals.According to a 2011...
in Game 6 of the NBA Finals and failed to capture their 2nd NBA Championship.
Offseason
The Miami Heat entered NBA Free Agency in 2010 with nearly $46 million in salary capSalary cap
In professional sports, a salary cap is a cartel agreement between teams that places a limit on the amount of money that can be spent on player salaries. The limit exists as a per-player limit or a total limit for the team's roster, or both...
space, with the ability to re-sign free agent Dwyane Wade, and add two of the NBA's top players, LeBron James
LeBron James
LeBron Raymone James is an American professional basketball player for the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association . Nicknamed "King James", he was a three-time "Mr. Basketball" of Ohio in high school, and was highly promoted in the national media as a future NBA superstar while a...
and Chris Bosh
Chris Bosh
Christopher Wesson Bosh is an American professional basketball player who plays power forward for the Miami Heat in the National Basketball Association ....
. According to Fox Sports Radio
Fox Sports Radio
Fox Sports Radio, abbreviated FSR, is an international radio network consisting of sports talk programming. The network is a service of Premiere Networks...
's Stephen A. Smith
Stephen A. Smith
-Early years:Smith was raised in the Hollis neighborhood of the New York City borough of Queens. He lived with his parents and four older sisters.He attended Winston-Salem State University, a historically black university in Winston-Salem, North Carolina...
, speaking on his show just days after the NBA Draft
NBA Draft
The NBA Draft is an annual event in which the thirty teams from the National Basketball Association can draft players who are eligible and wish to join the league. These players are usually amateur U.S. college basketball players, but international players are also eligible to be drafted...
, the Heat were "highly likely" to sign all three players. The New Jersey Nets
New Jersey Nets
The New Jersey Nets are a professional basketball team based in Newark, New Jersey. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
, New York Knicks
New York Knicks
The New York Knickerbockers, prominently known as the Knicks, are a professional basketball team based in New York City. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
, Los Angeles Clippers
Los Angeles Clippers
The Los Angeles Clippers are a professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California, United States. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association...
, Chicago Bulls
Chicago Bulls
The Chicago Bulls are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago, Illinois, playing in the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1966. They play their home games at the United Center...
, Cleveland Cavaliers
Cleveland Cavaliers
The Cleveland Cavaliers are a professional basketball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They began playing in the National Basketball Association in 1970 as an expansion team...
, Dallas Mavericks
Dallas Mavericks
The Dallas Mavericks are a professional basketball team based in Dallas, Texas. They are members of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association , and the reigning NBA champions, having defeated the Miami Heat in the 2011 NBA Finals.According to a 2011...
and the Miami Heat were in negotiations to sign LeBron James
LeBron James
LeBron Raymone James is an American professional basketball player for the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association . Nicknamed "King James", he was a three-time "Mr. Basketball" of Ohio in high school, and was highly promoted in the national media as a future NBA superstar while a...
. On July 7, 2010, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh agreed to terms with the Miami Heat. Then on July 8, 2010, LeBron James held an hour-long special to announce his decision on ESPN to commit to playing with the Heat. Later that evening, the Heat announced the trade of Michael Beasley
Michael Beasley
Michael Paul Beasley, Jr. is an American professional basketball player for the Minnesota Timberwolves of the National Basketball Association . He plays both forward positions, and shoots his jump shot left-handed, though he is also ambidextrous...
to the Minnesota Timberwolves
Minnesota Timberwolves
The Minnesota Timberwolves are an American professional basketball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . Founded in 1989, the team is currently owned by Glen Taylor...
for a pair of second round picks and cash considerations. The three are called the SuperFriends by many sportswriters and commentators, most notably those for ESPN, because all three were taken in the top five of the 2003 NBA Draft and because they have become good friends over the years.
On July 8, 2010, it became official that NBA superstars and gold medal winning Beijing Olympic teammates LeBron James
LeBron James
LeBron Raymone James is an American professional basketball player for the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association . Nicknamed "King James", he was a three-time "Mr. Basketball" of Ohio in high school, and was highly promoted in the national media as a future NBA superstar while a...
, Dwyane Wade
Dwyane Wade
Dwyane Tyrone Wade, Jr. nicknamed Flash or D-Wade, is an American professional basketball player for the Miami Heat. Awarded 2006 Sportsman of the Year by Sports Illustrated, Wade has established himself as one of the most well-known and popular players in the league...
, and Chris Bosh
Chris Bosh
Christopher Wesson Bosh is an American professional basketball player who plays power forward for the Miami Heat in the National Basketball Association ....
would be joining Miami. The Heat completed sign-and-trade deals, sending a total of four future first-round and two second-round picks to the Cavaliers and Raptors for James and Bosh (both signing 6 years and $110.1 million contracts). Dwyane Wade re-signed with the Heat for $107.59 million for six years. All three stars have early termination clauses in their contracts, allowing them to become free agents again in the summer of 2014. The final year on all three deals, for 2015-16, is a player option. The three made their debut at the 2010 Summer Heat Welcome Party at the American Airlines Arena on July 9, where they were introduced as The Three Kings by Heat play-by-play announcer and event co-host Eric Reid
Eric Reid
Eric Reid is the television play-by-play announcer for the Miami Heat and college football on Sun Sports.Reid has been with the Heat since the team's inaugural season. He was the Heat's color analyst for three seasons before taking over play-by-play duties in 1991, and has been their play-by-play...
. Howard Beck of The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
described the national fan reaction to the party: "Everyone saw something: greatness, arrogance, self-indulgence, boldness, cowardice, pride, friendship, collusion, joy, cynicism, heroes, mercenaries."
By taking less than maximum salaries, Wade, James and Bosh opened the door for the Heat to further continue its roster makeover with the resigning of Udonis Haslem
Udonis Haslem
Udonis Johneal Haslem is an American professional basketball player who is currently a power forward for the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association . Haslem played college basketball for the University of Florida, where he was a key member of four Florida Gators NCAA tournament teams...
and signing of veteran swingman and teammate of Haslem at the University of Florida
University of Florida
The University of Florida is an American public land-grant, sea-grant, and space-grant research university located on a campus in Gainesville, Florida. The university traces its historical origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its present Gainesville campus since September 1906...
, Mike Miller for dual 5 year deals worth a combined $45 million. In order to fill the voids at forward and center, the Heat signed James's former teammate in Cleveland, Zydrunas Ilgauskas
Žydrunas Ilgauskas
Žydrūnas Ilgauskas , or "Big Z" , is a retired Lithuanian professional basketball center who played for the Cleveland Cavaliers and Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association...
to a two year deal for the veterans minimum at $2.8 million, resigning Joel Anthony
Joel Anthony
Joel Vincent Anthony is a Canadian professional basketball player in the NBA who is currently a member of the Miami Heat. He is also a key member of the Canadian national men's basketball team.-High school career:...
, and signing power forward Juwan Howard
Juwan Howard
Juwan Antonio Howard is an American professional basketball player who last played for the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association . The Heat were his eighth different NBA team. He was drafted fifth overall in the 1994 NBA Draft by the Washington Bullets...
. In the guard department, the Miami Heat resigned guard Carlos Arroyo
Carlos Arroyo
Carlos Alberto Arroyo Bermúdez is a Puerto Rican professional basketball point guard who last played for the Boston Celtics. Arroyo is the fifth player from Puerto Rico to play in the NBA...
and signed former Celtics player Eddie House
Eddie House
Edward L. House II , commonly referred to as Eddie House, is an American professional basketball player in the NBA for the Miami Heat.-Early life:...
to a two-year contract for the veteran minimum of $2.8 million. Rookies Dexter Pittman
Dexter Pittman
Dexter Jerome Pittman is an American professional basketball player with the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association.-High school:...
and Da'Sean Butler
Da'Sean Butler
Da'Sean Butler is an American professional basketball player for the San Antonio Spurs and was on assignment in the NBA D-League for the Austin Toros. In November 2011 he joined for trial period to Latvian Basketball League club Rīgas VEF...
, along with NBA Summer League
NBA Summer League
The NBA Summer League is a period during which NBA teams come together to try out different summer rosters instead of their regular season line-ups. Typically, there is a mix of rookies and some of the younger bench players to see how well some players work with others...
standouts Patrick Beverley
Patrick Beverley
Patrick Beverley is an American professional basketball player who currently plays for Spartak Saint Petersburg in Russia. He was selected by the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2009 NBA Draft and then traded to the Miami Heat for a future 2011 second round draft pick and an undisclosed amount of cash...
and Kenny Hasbrouck
Kenny Hasbrouck
Kenny Hasbrouck is an American basketball player who currently plays for EWE Baskets Oldenburg in Germany. He formerly played at Siena College. The six-foot-three Hasbrouck played point guard, shooting guard, and small forward for the Saints. He was named a co-captain at the start of his junior...
, also signed contracts.
The Miami Heat began the regular season with much hype going into their first game against the Eastern Conference Champs, the Boston Celtics. Many considered the Miami Heat as the team to break the single season record of 72 regular season victories set by the Chicago Bulls
Chicago Bulls
The Chicago Bulls are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago, Illinois, playing in the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1966. They play their home games at the United Center...
.
Season
On the opening game of the season, broadcast on the TNT Network and featuring the debut of reigning two-time NBA MVP James in a Miami uniform alongside Chris Bosh, the game was the most-watched NBA contest ever on cable televisionCable television
Cable television is a system of providing television programs to consumers via radio frequency signals transmitted to televisions through coaxial cables or digital light pulses through fixed optical fibers located on the subscriber's property, much like the over-the-air method used in traditional...
. The game earned a 4.6 rating, delivering 7.4 million total viewers and 5.3 million households, beating the Chicago Bulls vs. Los Angeles Lakers on February 2, 1996.
The Heat lost the opening game 88-80 and got off to a 9-8 start due in large part to inconsistent play and injuries to key role players Mike Miller (thumb) and Udonis Haslem
Udonis Haslem
Udonis Johneal Haslem is an American professional basketball player who is currently a power forward for the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association . Haslem played college basketball for the University of Florida, where he was a key member of four Florida Gators NCAA tournament teams...
(foot). After losing four out of five games, including a Saturday night loss to the Dallas Mavericks on November 27, the team called a players-only meeting with the intent to get players to communicate with each other. Much of the speculation was that Spoelstra could lose his job and that Heat president Pat Riley
Pat Riley
Patrick James "Pat" Riley is an American professional basketball executive, and a retired coach and player in the NBA. Currently, he is team president of the Miami Heat. Widely regarded as one of the greatest NBA coaches of all time, Riley has served as the head coach of five championship teams...
would return as coach, especially after a well publicized incident when James "bumped" into Spoelstra during a timeout.
After the players-only meeting, the team pulled together a 12-game win streak (10 of them by double-digits) and limited the opposition under 100 points in all those games. During the winning streak, James led the Heat to defeat his former team by scoring 38 points (tying a Heat record for points in a quarter with 24 in the third) in a game that drew nearly 7.1 million viewers and earned a 25.4 rating in Miami. ESPN 3D
ESPN 3D
ESPN 3D is a television network part of the ESPN family of networks that launched June 11, 2010. The network broadcasts in the 3D television format. The channel simulcasts live games from ESPN on a semi-regular basis. It began broadcasting 24 hours a day on February 14, 2011...
aired its first NBA game in the third dimension
3D television
A 3D television is a television set that employs techniques of 3D presentation, such as stereoscopic capture, multi-view capture, or 2D-plus-depth, and a 3D display – a special viewing device to project a television program into a realistic three-dimensional field.- History :In the late-1890's,...
on December 17, 2010 when the Heat defeated the New York Knicks
New York Knicks
The New York Knickerbockers, prominently known as the Knicks, are a professional basketball team based in New York City. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
at Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden, often abbreviated as MSG and known colloquially as The Garden, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in the New York City borough of Manhattan and located at 8th Avenue, between 31st and 33rd Streets, situated on top of Pennsylvania Station.Opened on February 11, 1968, it is the...
.,,. The Heat set a franchise record for wins in December with 15 and set an NBA record for consecutive road victories in a calendar month with 10 (including the Christmas Day match-up with the reigning two-time champs, Kobe Bryant
Kobe Bryant
Kobe Bean Bryant is an American professional basketball player who plays shooting guard for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association . Bryant enjoyed a successful high school basketball career at Lower Merion High School, where he was recognized as the top high school...
's Los Angeles Lakers
Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
which the team won 96-80).
During a postgame chat with Sun Sports
Sun Sports
Sun Sports is a Florida sports broadcasting network, with its headquarters in Orlando. Launched in 1988 as Sunshine Network, the station is now affiliated with virtually every cable company throughout the state of Florida and can be picked up by some satellite providers around the United...
' Jason Jackson
Jason Jackson
Jason Jackson is an American sportscaster and writer. He worked for ESPN from 1995 until 2002, best known as the host of NBA 2Night. Jackson was fired from ESPN in May 2002 for violating company policy...
on January 3, 2011, LeBron James joked "I see we sell out 99.1 percent on the road, so we call ourselves the Heatles off the Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
, so every time we take our show on the road we bring a great crowd", giving the Heat's famed trio the unofficial nickname.
On January 27, 2011, via fan voting, LeBron James (forward) and Dwyane Wade (guard) were selected to be starters for the Eastern Conference at the All-Star Game
2011 NBA All-Star Game
The 2011 NBA All-Star Game was an exhibition basketball game that was played on February 20, 2011 at Staples Center in Los Angeles, California, home of the Los Angeles Clippers and the Los Angeles Lakers. This game was the 60th edition of the National Basketball Association All-Star Game and was...
, becoming the second pair of teammates to be selected as All-Star starters in franchise history (Shaquille O'Neal
Shaquille O'Neal
Shaquille Rashaun O'Neal , nicknamed "Shaq" , is a former American professional basketball player. Standing tall and weighing , he was one of the heaviest players ever to play in the NBA...
and Dwyane Wade; 2006
2006 NBA All-Star Game
The 2006 NBA All-Star Game was played on Sunday, February 19, 2006 at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas, home of the Houston Rockets. The game was the 55th annual All-Star game...
and 2007
2007 NBA All-Star Game
The 2007 NBA All-Star Game was played on Sunday, February 18, 2007 at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas's Thomas and Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada, United States. It was the 56th annual All-Star Game. It was the first time the All-Star Game was played in a city without an NBA franchise and...
). A few days later, forward Chris Bosh
Chris Bosh
Christopher Wesson Bosh is an American professional basketball player who plays power forward for the Miami Heat in the National Basketball Association ....
was selected as a reserve, marking the first time in Heat history the team had sent three players to the All-Star game in a single season.
Like the 2005–06 championship season, the Heat were criticized for being unable to beat the top-caliber teams of the NBA. This criticism though would just grow more and more as the regular season was beginning to wind down. Despite beating their division rival Orlando Magic
Orlando Magic
The Orlando Magic is a professional basketball team based in Orlando, Florida. They play in the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association and are currently coached by Stan Van Gundy...
two of three games, sweeping the Lakers
Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
2–0, and beating both the San Antonio Spurs
San Antonio Spurs
The San Antonio Spurs are an American professional basketball team based in San Antonio, Texas. They are part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association ....
and the Thunder
Oklahoma City Thunder
The Oklahoma City Thunder are a professional basketball franchise based in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association ; their home court is at Chesapeake Energy Arena....
once, they lost to the defending Eastern Conference champion Boston Celtics
Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which...
three times, were swept by the Chicago Bulls
Chicago Bulls
The Chicago Bulls are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago, Illinois, playing in the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1966. They play their home games at the United Center...
and Dallas Mavericks
Dallas Mavericks
The Dallas Mavericks are a professional basketball team based in Dallas, Texas. They are members of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association , and the reigning NBA champions, having defeated the Miami Heat in the 2011 NBA Finals.According to a 2011...
who swept the season series and continued their regular season dominance against Miami for their 16th straight victory dating back to the 2004-05 season.
In order to improve for the playoffs, the Heat signed guard Mike Bibby
Mike Bibby
Michael "Mike" Bibby is an American professional basketball player who most recently played for the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association. He is a 6'2" point guard, and he attended Shadow Mountain High School in Phoenix, Arizona and played collegiately at the University of Arizona. In...
, who agreed to forfeit the $6.2 million he was owed by the Washington Wizards for the next season so that he could become a free agent and sign a league minimum contract with a contender. In the process, the Heat released Carlos Arroyo
Carlos Arroyo
Carlos Alberto Arroyo Bermúdez is a Puerto Rican professional basketball point guard who last played for the Boston Celtics. Arroyo is the fifth player from Puerto Rico to play in the NBA...
. In Bibby's first game on March 3, the Heat were leading the Magic by 24 points in the third quarter before the Heat were outscored 40–9 and lost 99–96. The following night against the Spurs, who held the NBA's best record (51–11), the Heat lost 125–95, their most lopsided loss of the year and their fourth loss in five games. In their next game against the Bulls, the Heat had a 12–point lead in the first half, but ended up losing 87–86 after two failed shots by James and Wade in the last 6 seconds of the game. It was the Heat's 12th and 13th consecutive missed shots with a chance to tie or lead a game in the final 10 seconds of regulation or overtime. James had missed four in the four-game losing streak. It was the Heat's fourth straight loss, and the fourth time since February 24 they had lost after a double-digit lead. The Heat were 2–5 since the All-Star break, 5–13 in games decided by five or fewer points and 14–18 against teams with winning records. After the game, there were reports of players crying in the locker room afterwards. On March 10, the Heat beat the Lakers, 94–88, and ended their five-game losing streak while also ending the Lakers' eight-game winning streak.
On March 27, Wade, James, and Bosh became the second trio in NBA history to have at least 30 points and 10 rebounds in the same non-overtime game (a home win against the Houston Rockets
Houston Rockets
The Houston Rockets are an American professional basketball team based in Houston, Texas. The team plays in the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was established in 1967, and played in San Diego, California for four years, before being...
), matching Oscar Robertson
Oscar Robertson
Oscar Palmer Robertson , nicknamed "The Big O", is a former American NBA player with the Cincinnati Royals and the Milwaukee Bucks...
, Wayne Embry
Wayne Embry
Wayne Richard Embry is a retired American basketball player; a center/forward whose 11-year career spanned from 1959 to 1969...
and Jack Twyman
Jack Twyman
John Kennedy "Jack" Twyman is an American former professional basketball player and sports broadcaster.-Playing career:...
for the Cincinnati Royals in a loss to the Philadelphia Warriors on February 2, 1961. Additionally, it was the first time that a team's trio recorded 20 points and 10 rebounds in consecutive games since Sidney Wicks
Sidney Wicks
Sidney Wicks is a retired American basketball player. A native of California, he played college basketball for the UCLA Bruins and played professionally in the National Basketball Association from 1971 to 1981...
, Lloyd Neal
Lloyd Neal
Lloyd Neal is an American former professional basketball player.A 6'7" center/forward from Tennessee State University, Neal spent his entire professional career with the National Basketball Association's Portland Trail Blazers...
and John Johnson
John Johnson (basketball)
John Howard Getty "J.J." Johnson is a former American basketball player.Johnson was a 6’7” small forward who played high school basketball at Messmer High School, and collegiately for Northwest College in Powell, Wyoming and for the University of Iowa...
accomplished the feat with the Portland Trail Blazers
Portland Trail Blazers
The Portland Trail Blazers, commonly known as the Blazers, are an American professional basketball team based in Portland, Oregon. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The Trail Blazers originally played their home games in the...
in March 1975. It was also the first time in Heat franchise history that three players scored 30 points in the same game.
The 2011 Heat finished with a 58–24 record, third best in team history and a second overall seed, behind the Chicago Bulls, who had the NBA's best record. Additionally, the Heat finished 5th in the NBA in attendance with 810,930 behind Mavericks, Cavaliers, Trail Blazers, and Bulls in that order (100.9% capacity). The Heat faced the Philadelphia 76ers
Philadelphia 76ers
The Philadelphia 76ers are a professional basketball team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . Originally known as the Syracuse Nationals, they are one of the oldest franchises in the NBA...
in the first round of the NBA Playoffs and eliminated them in five games. In the Eastern Conference Semifinals, the Heat defeated their rival Boston Celtics
Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which...
in five games, winning a dramatic overtime Game 4 in Boston and a come-from-behind Game 5 victory at home to finish the series. In the Eastern Conference Finals, the Heat faced the Chicago Bulls. After being blown out by 21 points by the Bulls in Game 1, the Heat took home-court by defeating Chicago in Game 2, and winning their home Games 3 and 4, the latter of which came in overtime. In Game 5 in Chicago, the Heat made a historic comeback; after being down 77–65 with 3:14 left, the Heat went on an 18–3 run to win, 83–80, capped by a key four-point play from Dwyane Wade and clutch shooting from LeBron James. The Heat advanced to the 2011 NBA Finals
2011 NBA Finals
The 2011 NBA Finals was the championship series of the 2010–11 season of the National Basketball Association and the conclusion of the season's playoffs. The Western Conference champion Dallas Mavericks defeated the Eastern Conference champion Miami Heat, 4–2, to win their first NBA title...
to face the Dallas Mavericks, who had defeated the Portland Trail Blazers, Los Angeles Lakers, and Oklahoma City Thunder. The series was a rematch of the 2006 NBA Finals, in which Dallas won the first two games and then lost four straight to Miami. The Heat won Game 1 in Miami, 92–84, but in Game 2, the Heat were leading the Mavericks by 15 points with 6:20 left in the fourth quarter before the Heat were outscored 22–5 and lost, 95–93. The Heat won Game 3 in Dallas 88–86 with the game-winning basket scored by Chris Bosh. The Mavericks won Game 4, 86–83, holding LeBron James to a career playoff-low 8 points. The Mavericks won Game 5 and took a 3–2 series lead with a 112–103 victory. That was the first time since March 6 that the Heat had lost two consecutive games, including the regular season, playoffs, and the NBA Finals. In Game 6, Dallas defeated Miami, 105–95, to win the 2011 NBA Finals in six games, 4–2.
Draft picks
| Round | Pick | Player | Position | Nationality | College/Team |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 32 | C Center (basketball) The center, colloquially known as the five or the post, is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game. The center is normally the tallest player on the team, and often has a great deal of strength and body mass as well... |
Texas Texas Longhorns men's basketball The Texas Longhorns men's basketball team represents The University of Texas at Austin in NCAA Division I men's basketball competition. The Longhorns currently compete in the Big 12 Conference.... (Sr. Senior (education) Senior is a term used in the United States to describe a student in the 4th year of study .-High school:... ) |
||
| 2 | 41 | PF Power forward (basketball) Power forward is a position in the sport of basketball. The position is referred to in playbook terms as the four position and is commonly abbreviated "PF". It has also been referred to as the "post" position. Power forwards play a role similar to that of center in what is called the "post" or "low... |
Mississippi State Mississippi State Bulldogs men's basketball The Mississippi State Bulldogs basketball program represents Mississippi State University in Starkville, MS in men's NCAA Division I basketball. The Bulldogs play in the Southeastern Conference and are currently coached by Rick Stansbury. As of the 2010 season the Bulldogs are 1272-1056... (Sr. Senior (education) Senior is a term used in the United States to describe a student in the 4th year of study .-High school:... ) |
||
| 2 | 42 | SF Small forward The small forward, or colloquially known as three, is one of the five positions in a regulation basketball game. Small forwards are typically somewhat shorter, quicker, and leaner than power forwards and centers, but on occasion are just as tall... |
West Virginia West Virginia Mountaineers men's basketball The West Virginia Mountaineers men's basketball team represents West Virginia University in NCAA Division I college basketball competition. It is a member of the Big East Conference. West Virginia most recently reached the Final Four of the 2010 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament, led by... (Sr. Senior (education) Senior is a term used in the United States to describe a student in the 4th year of study .-High school:... ) |
||
| 2 | 48 | (traded to Oklahoma City Oklahoma City Thunder The Oklahoma City Thunder are a professional basketball franchise based in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association ; their home court is at Chesapeake Energy Arena.... ) |
SF Small forward The small forward, or colloquially known as three, is one of the five positions in a regulation basketball game. Small forwards are typically somewhat shorter, quicker, and leaner than power forwards and centers, but on occasion are just as tall... /PF Power forward (basketball) Power forward is a position in the sport of basketball. The position is referred to in playbook terms as the four position and is commonly abbreviated "PF". It has also been referred to as the "post" position. Power forwards play a role similar to that of center in what is called the "post" or "low... |
Tulsa 66ers Tulsa 66ers The Tulsa 66ers are an NBA Development League team based in Tulsa, Oklahoma and the minor league affiliate of the Oklahoma City Thunder. Their logo design is a basketball behind mountains with a road leading up to them, all on a U.S... (D-League NBA Development League The NBA Development League, or NBA D-League, is the National Basketball Association's official minor league basketball organization. Known until summer 2005 as the National Basketball Development League , the NBA D-League started with eight teams in the fall of 2001... ) |
Roster
2010–11 Salaries
| Player | 2010–11 Salary |
|---|---|
| LeBron James | $14,500,000 |
| Chris Bosh | $14,500,000 |
| Dwyane Wade | $14,000,000 |
| Mike Miller | $5,000,000 |
| Udonis Haslem | $3,500,000 |
| Joel Anthony | $3,000,000 |
| Zydrunas Ilgauskas | $1,352,181 |
| Jamaal Magloire | $1,352,181 |
| Juwan Howard | $1,352,181 |
| Eddie House | $1,352,181 |
| James Jones | $1,146,337 |
| Erick Dampier | $1,137,423 |
| Mario Chalmers | $854,839 |
| Dexter Pittman | $473,604 |
| Mike Bibby | $323,021 |
| TOTAL | $67,950,231 |
- As of March 2011.
- Source: Hoops World.com
Depth chart
| Pos. | Starter | Bench | Reserve | Inactive |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| C Center (basketball) The center, colloquially known as the five or the post, is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game. The center is normally the tallest player on the team, and often has a great deal of strength and body mass as well... |
Joel Anthony Joel Anthony Joel Vincent Anthony is a Canadian professional basketball player in the NBA who is currently a member of the Miami Heat. He is also a key member of the Canadian national men's basketball team.-High school career:... |
Žydrūnas Ilgauskas Žydrunas Ilgauskas Žydrūnas Ilgauskas , or "Big Z" , is a retired Lithuanian professional basketball center who played for the Cleveland Cavaliers and Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association... |
Erick Dampier Erick Dampier Erick Travez Dampier is an American professional basketball player who last played for the Miami Heat. He is a 6 ft 11 in / 265 lb. center.-Career:... Jamaal Magloire Jamaal Magloire Jamaal Dane Magloire is a Canadian professional basketball player who last played for the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association . The , center was selected out of the University of Kentucky by the Charlotte Hornets with the 19th overall pick in the 2000 NBA Draft, after withdrawing... Dexter Pittman Dexter Pittman Dexter Jerome Pittman is an American professional basketball player with the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association.-High school:... |
|
| PF Power forward (basketball) Power forward is a position in the sport of basketball. The position is referred to in playbook terms as the four position and is commonly abbreviated "PF". It has also been referred to as the "post" position. Power forwards play a role similar to that of center in what is called the "post" or "low... |
Chris Bosh Chris Bosh Christopher Wesson Bosh is an American professional basketball player who plays power forward for the Miami Heat in the National Basketball Association .... |
Udonis Haslem Udonis Haslem Udonis Johneal Haslem is an American professional basketball player who is currently a power forward for the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association . Haslem played college basketball for the University of Florida, where he was a key member of four Florida Gators NCAA tournament teams... |
Juwan Howard Juwan Howard Juwan Antonio Howard is an American professional basketball player who last played for the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association . The Heat were his eighth different NBA team. He was drafted fifth overall in the 1994 NBA Draft by the Washington Bullets... |
|
| SF Small forward The small forward, or colloquially known as three, is one of the five positions in a regulation basketball game. Small forwards are typically somewhat shorter, quicker, and leaner than power forwards and centers, but on occasion are just as tall... |
LeBron James LeBron James LeBron Raymone James is an American professional basketball player for the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association . Nicknamed "King James", he was a three-time "Mr. Basketball" of Ohio in high school, and was highly promoted in the national media as a future NBA superstar while a... |
James Jones James Jones (basketball player) James Andrew Jones is an American professional basketball player who last played with the Miami Heat.The 6'8" , 215 lb small forward who attended American Senior High in Miami was picked 49th by the Indiana Pacers in the 2003 NBA Draft out of the University of Miami... |
||
| SG Shooting guard The shooting guard , also known as the two or off guard, is one of five traditional positions on a basketball team. Players of the position are often shorter, leaner, and quicker than forwards. A shooting guard's main objective is to score points for his team... |
Dwyane Wade Dwyane Wade Dwyane Tyrone Wade, Jr. nicknamed Flash or D-Wade, is an American professional basketball player for the Miami Heat. Awarded 2006 Sportsman of the Year by Sports Illustrated, Wade has established himself as one of the most well-known and popular players in the league... |
Mike Miller | ||
| PG Point guard Point guard , also called the play maker or "the ball-handler", is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game. A point guard has perhaps the most specialized role of any position – essentially, he is expected to run the team's offense by controlling the ball and making sure that... |
Mario Chalmers Mario Chalmers Almario Vernard "Mario" Chalmers is an American professional basketball player for the Miami Heat of the NBA. He was selected 34th overall in the 2008 NBA Draft by the Minnesota Timberwolves... |
Mike Bibby Mike Bibby Michael "Mike" Bibby is an American professional basketball player who most recently played for the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association. He is a 6'2" point guard, and he attended Shadow Mountain High School in Phoenix, Arizona and played collegiately at the University of Arizona. In... |
Eddie House Eddie House Edward L. House II , commonly referred to as Eddie House, is an American professional basketball player in the NBA for the Miami Heat.-Early life:... |
Season
| Player | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3FG% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Joel Anthony Joel Anthony Joel Vincent Anthony is a Canadian professional basketball player in the NBA who is currently a member of the Miami Heat. He is also a key member of the Canadian national men's basketball team.-High school career:... |
75 | 11 | 19.5 | .535 | .000 | .644 | 3.5 | 0.3 | 0.13 | 1.24 | 2.0 |
| Carlos Arroyo Carlos Arroyo Carlos Alberto Arroyo Bermúdez is a Puerto Rican professional basketball point guard who last played for the Boston Celtics. Arroyo is the fifth player from Puerto Rico to play in the NBA... * |
49 | 42 | 20.3 | .458 | .438 | .800 | 1.6 | 2.0 | 0.29 | 0.02 | 5.6 |
| Mike Bibby Mike Bibby Michael "Mike" Bibby is an American professional basketball player who most recently played for the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association. He is a 6'2" point guard, and he attended Shadow Mountain High School in Phoenix, Arizona and played collegiately at the University of Arizona. In... * |
22 | 12 | 26.5 | .437 | .455 | .625 | 2.2 | 2.5 | 0.50 | 0.14 | 7.3 |
| Chris Bosh Chris Bosh Christopher Wesson Bosh is an American professional basketball player who plays power forward for the Miami Heat in the National Basketball Association .... |
77 | 77 | 36.3 | .496 | .240 | .815 | 8.3 | 1.9 | 0.77 | 0.64 | 18.7 |
| Mario Chalmers Mario Chalmers Almario Vernard "Mario" Chalmers is an American professional basketball player for the Miami Heat of the NBA. He was selected 34th overall in the 2008 NBA Draft by the Minnesota Timberwolves... |
70 | 28 | 22.6 | .399 | .359 | .871 | 2.1 | 2.5 | 1.09 | 0.10 | 6.4 |
| Erick Dampier Erick Dampier Erick Travez Dampier is an American professional basketball player who last played for the Miami Heat. He is a 6 ft 11 in / 265 lb. center.-Career:... |
51 | 22 | 16.0 | .584 | .000 | .545 | 3.5 | 0.4 | 0.27 | 0.92 | 2.5 |
| Udonis Haslem Udonis Haslem Udonis Johneal Haslem is an American professional basketball player who is currently a power forward for the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association . Haslem played college basketball for the University of Florida, where he was a key member of four Florida Gators NCAA tournament teams... |
13 | 0 | 26.5 | .512 | .000 | .800 | 8.2 | 0.5 | 0.54 | 0.23 | 8.0 |
| Eddie House Eddie House Edward L. House II , commonly referred to as Eddie House, is an American professional basketball player in the NBA for the Miami Heat.-Early life:... |
56 | 1 | 17.5 | .399 | .389 | .950 | 1.6 | 1.1 | 0.57 | 0.05 | 6.5 |
| Juwan Howard Juwan Howard Juwan Antonio Howard is an American professional basketball player who last played for the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association . The Heat were his eighth different NBA team. He was drafted fifth overall in the 1994 NBA Draft by the Washington Bullets... |
57 | 0 | 10.4 | .440 | .000 | .829 | 2.1 | 0.4 | 0.18 | 0.07 | 2.4 |
| Žydrūnas Ilgauskas Žydrunas Ilgauskas Žydrūnas Ilgauskas , or "Big Z" , is a retired Lithuanian professional basketball center who played for the Cleveland Cavaliers and Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association... |
72 | 51 | 15.9 | .508 | .000 | .783 | 4.0 | 0.4 | 0.32 | 0.81 | 5.0 |
| LeBron James LeBron James LeBron Raymone James is an American professional basketball player for the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association . Nicknamed "King James", he was a three-time "Mr. Basketball" of Ohio in high school, and was highly promoted in the national media as a future NBA superstar while a... |
79 | 79 | 38.8 | .510 | .330 | .759 | 7.5 | 7.0 | 1.57 | 0.63 | 26.7 |
| James Jones James Jones (basketball player) James Andrew Jones is an American professional basketball player who last played with the Miami Heat.The 6'8" , 215 lb small forward who attended American Senior High in Miami was picked 49th by the Indiana Pacers in the 2003 NBA Draft out of the University of Miami... |
81 | 8 | 19.1 | .422 | .429 | .833 | 2.0 | 0.5 | 0.36 | 0.23 | 5.9 |
| Jamaal Magloire Jamaal Magloire Jamaal Dane Magloire is a Canadian professional basketball player who last played for the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association . The , center was selected out of the University of Kentucky by the Charlotte Hornets with the 19th overall pick in the 2000 NBA Draft, after withdrawing... |
18 | 0 | 8.8 | .591 | .000 | .500 | 3.4 | 0.2 | 0.22 | 0.11 | 1.9 |
| Mike Miller | 41 | 2 | 20.4 | .401 | .364 | .676 | 4.5 | 1.2 | 0.49 | 0.05 | 5.6 |
| Dexter Pittman Dexter Pittman Dexter Jerome Pittman is an American professional basketball player with the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association.-High school:... |
2 | 0 | 5.5 | .333 | .000 | .000 | 1.5 | 0.0 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 1.0 |
| Jerry Stackhouse Jerry Stackhouse Jerry Darnell Stackhouse is an American professional basketball player who plays both shooting guard and small forward. He most recently played for the Miami Heat. He is now an NBA TV analyst but remains as an eligible free agent.... * |
7 | 1 | 7.1 | .250 | .250 | .714 | 1.0 | 0.4 | 0.00 | 0.29 | 1.7 |
| Dwyane Wade Dwyane Wade Dwyane Tyrone Wade, Jr. nicknamed Flash or D-Wade, is an American professional basketball player for the Miami Heat. Awarded 2006 Sportsman of the Year by Sports Illustrated, Wade has established himself as one of the most well-known and popular players in the league... |
76 | 76 | 37.1 | .500 | .306 | .758 | 6.4 | 4.6 | 1.46 | 1.14 | 25.5 |
Lead team
- Stats as of match played on April 13, 2011 (82 matches played)
* Stats with the Heat.
Playoffs
| Player | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3FG% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Joel Anthony Joel Anthony Joel Vincent Anthony is a Canadian professional basketball player in the NBA who is currently a member of the Miami Heat. He is also a key member of the Canadian national men's basketball team.-High school career:... |
21 | 13 | 27.4 | .367 | .000 | .710 | 4.6 | 0.5 | 0.38 | 1.81 | 2.8 |
| Mike Bibby Mike Bibby Michael "Mike" Bibby is an American professional basketball player who most recently played for the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association. He is a 6'2" point guard, and he attended Shadow Mountain High School in Phoenix, Arizona and played collegiately at the University of Arizona. In... |
20 | 20 | 20.8 | .281 | .258 | .500 | 1.8 | 1.2 | 0.55 | 0.30 | 3.7 |
| Chris Bosh Chris Bosh Christopher Wesson Bosh is an American professional basketball player who plays power forward for the Miami Heat in the National Basketball Association .... |
21 | 21 | 39.7 | .474 | .000 | .814 | 8.5 | 1.1 | 0.71 | 0.90 | 18.6 |
| Mario Chalmers Mario Chalmers Almario Vernard "Mario" Chalmers is an American professional basketball player for the Miami Heat of the NBA. He was selected 34th overall in the 2008 NBA Draft by the Minnesota Timberwolves... |
21 | 1 | 24.3 | .435 | .381 | .719 | 1.9 | 2.1 | 1.24 | 0.05 | 7.8 |
| Erick Dampier Erick Dampier Erick Travez Dampier is an American professional basketball player who last played for the Miami Heat. He is a 6 ft 11 in / 265 lb. center.-Career:... |
0 | 0 | 0.0 | .000 | .000 | .000 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.0 |
| Udonis Haslem Udonis Haslem Udonis Johneal Haslem is an American professional basketball player who is currently a power forward for the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association . Haslem played college basketball for the University of Florida, where he was a key member of four Florida Gators NCAA tournament teams... |
12 | 0 | 24.2 | .397 | .000 | .900 | 4.5 | 0.8 | 0.50 | 0.33 | 5.3 |
| Eddie House Eddie House Edward L. House II , commonly referred to as Eddie House, is an American professional basketball player in the NBA for the Miami Heat.-Early life:... |
7 | 0 | 6.9 | .235 | .300 | .000 | 0.7 | 0.1 | 0.57 | 0.00 | 1.6 |
| Juwan Howard Juwan Howard Juwan Antonio Howard is an American professional basketball player who last played for the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association . The Heat were his eighth different NBA team. He was drafted fifth overall in the 1994 NBA Draft by the Washington Bullets... |
11 | 0 | 5.5 | .444 | .000 | .692 | 0.9 | 0.1 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 1.5 |
| Žydrūnas Ilgauskas Žydrunas Ilgauskas Žydrūnas Ilgauskas , or "Big Z" , is a retired Lithuanian professional basketball center who played for the Cleveland Cavaliers and Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association... |
9 | 8 | 11.6 | .467 | .000 | .667 | 3.6 | 0.3 | 0.00 | 0.33 | 3.6 |
| LeBron James LeBron James LeBron Raymone James is an American professional basketball player for the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association . Nicknamed "King James", he was a three-time "Mr. Basketball" of Ohio in high school, and was highly promoted in the national media as a future NBA superstar while a... |
21 | 21 | 43.9 | .466 | .353 | .763 | 8.4 | 5.9 | 1.67 | 1.19 | 23.7 |
| James Jones James Jones (basketball player) James Andrew Jones is an American professional basketball player who last played with the Miami Heat.The 6'8" , 215 lb small forward who attended American Senior High in Miami was picked 49th by the Indiana Pacers in the 2003 NBA Draft out of the University of Miami... |
12 | 0 | 22.7 | .471 | .459 | 1.000 | 2.5 | 0.2 | 0.50 | 0.17 | 6.5 |
| Jamaal Magloire Jamaal Magloire Jamaal Dane Magloire is a Canadian professional basketball player who last played for the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association . The , center was selected out of the University of Kentucky by the Charlotte Hornets with the 19th overall pick in the 2000 NBA Draft, after withdrawing... |
3 | 0 | 6.0 | .400 | .000 | .000 | 1.7 | 0.7 | 0.33 | 0.00 | 1.3 |
| Mike Miller | 18 | 0 | 11.9 | .340 | .297 | .000 | 2.7 | 0.7 | 0.39 | 0.06 | 2.6 |
| Dexter Pittman Dexter Pittman Dexter Jerome Pittman is an American professional basketball player with the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association.-High school:... |
0 | 0 | 0.0 | .000 | .000 | .000 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.0 |
| Dwyane Wade Dwyane Wade Dwyane Tyrone Wade, Jr. nicknamed Flash or D-Wade, is an American professional basketball player for the Miami Heat. Awarded 2006 Sportsman of the Year by Sports Illustrated, Wade has established himself as one of the most well-known and popular players in the league... |
21 | 21 | 39.4 | .485 | .269 | .777 | 7.1 | 4.4 | 1.62 | 1.33 | 24.5 |
Lead team
- Stats as of match played on June 12, 2011 (21 matches played).
Week/Month
- On December 13, 2010 Dwyane WadeDwyane WadeDwyane Tyrone Wade, Jr. nicknamed Flash or D-Wade, is an American professional basketball player for the Miami Heat. Awarded 2006 Sportsman of the Year by Sports Illustrated, Wade has established himself as one of the most well-known and popular players in the league...
was named Eastern Conference's Player of the Week (December 6 – December 12). - On December 27, 2010 LeBron JamesLeBron JamesLeBron Raymone James is an American professional basketball player for the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association . Nicknamed "King James", he was a three-time "Mr. Basketball" of Ohio in high school, and was highly promoted in the national media as a future NBA superstar while a...
was named Eastern Conference's Player of the Week (December 20 – December 26). - On January 3, 2011 Dwyane WadeDwyane WadeDwyane Tyrone Wade, Jr. nicknamed Flash or D-Wade, is an American professional basketball player for the Miami Heat. Awarded 2006 Sportsman of the Year by Sports Illustrated, Wade has established himself as one of the most well-known and popular players in the league...
was named Eastern Conference's Player of the Week (December 27 – January 2). - On January 3, 2011 LeBron JamesLeBron JamesLeBron Raymone James is an American professional basketball player for the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association . Nicknamed "King James", he was a three-time "Mr. Basketball" of Ohio in high school, and was highly promoted in the national media as a future NBA superstar while a...
and Dwyane WadeDwyane WadeDwyane Tyrone Wade, Jr. nicknamed Flash or D-Wade, is an American professional basketball player for the Miami Heat. Awarded 2006 Sportsman of the Year by Sports Illustrated, Wade has established himself as one of the most well-known and popular players in the league...
were named Eastern Conference's Co-Players of the Month (December). - On January 3, 2011 Erik SpoelstraErik SpoelstraErik Spoelstra is an American professional basketball coach and the current head coach of the National Basketball Association's Miami Heat...
was named Eastern Conference's Coach of the Month (December). - On January 10, 2011 LeBron JamesLeBron JamesLeBron Raymone James is an American professional basketball player for the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association . Nicknamed "King James", he was a three-time "Mr. Basketball" of Ohio in high school, and was highly promoted in the national media as a future NBA superstar while a...
was named Eastern Conference's Player of the Week (January 3 – January 9). - On January 31, 2011 LeBron JamesLeBron JamesLeBron Raymone James is an American professional basketball player for the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association . Nicknamed "King James", he was a three-time "Mr. Basketball" of Ohio in high school, and was highly promoted in the national media as a future NBA superstar while a...
was named Eastern Conference's Player of the Week (January 24 – January 30). - On February 4, 2011 LeBron JamesLeBron JamesLeBron Raymone James is an American professional basketball player for the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association . Nicknamed "King James", he was a three-time "Mr. Basketball" of Ohio in high school, and was highly promoted in the national media as a future NBA superstar while a...
was named Eastern Conference's Player of the Month (January). - On February 7, 2011 LeBron JamesLeBron JamesLeBron Raymone James is an American professional basketball player for the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association . Nicknamed "King James", he was a three-time "Mr. Basketball" of Ohio in high school, and was highly promoted in the national media as a future NBA superstar while a...
was named Eastern Conference's Player of the Week (January 31 – February 6). - On March 14, 2011 Dwyane WadeDwyane WadeDwyane Tyrone Wade, Jr. nicknamed Flash or D-Wade, is an American professional basketball player for the Miami Heat. Awarded 2006 Sportsman of the Year by Sports Illustrated, Wade has established himself as one of the most well-known and popular players in the league...
was named Eastern Conference's Player of the Week (March 7 – March 13). - On March 21, 2011 LeBron JamesLeBron JamesLeBron Raymone James is an American professional basketball player for the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association . Nicknamed "King James", he was a three-time "Mr. Basketball" of Ohio in high school, and was highly promoted in the national media as a future NBA superstar while a...
was named Eastern Conference's Player of the Week (March 14 – March 20). - On April 15, 2011 LeBron JamesLeBron JamesLeBron Raymone James is an American professional basketball player for the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association . Nicknamed "King James", he was a three-time "Mr. Basketball" of Ohio in high school, and was highly promoted in the national media as a future NBA superstar while a...
was named Eastern Conference's Player of the Month (April).
All-Star
- LeBron JamesLeBron JamesLeBron Raymone James is an American professional basketball player for the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association . Nicknamed "King James", he was a three-time "Mr. Basketball" of Ohio in high school, and was highly promoted in the national media as a future NBA superstar while a...
was voted to his 7th consecutive NBA All-Star Game as a starter (7th consecutive time as a starter). - Dwyane WadeDwyane WadeDwyane Tyrone Wade, Jr. nicknamed Flash or D-Wade, is an American professional basketball player for the Miami Heat. Awarded 2006 Sportsman of the Year by Sports Illustrated, Wade has established himself as one of the most well-known and popular players in the league...
was voted to his 7th consecutive NBA All-Star Game as a starter (6th consecutive time as a starter). - Chris BoshChris BoshChristopher Wesson Bosh is an American professional basketball player who plays power forward for the Miami Heat in the National Basketball Association ....
was selected to his 6th consecutive NBA All-Star Game (4th consecutive time as a reserve). - James JonesJames Jones (basketball player)James Andrew Jones is an American professional basketball player who last played with the Miami Heat.The 6'8" , 215 lb small forward who attended American Senior High in Miami was picked 49th by the Indiana Pacers in the 2003 NBA Draft out of the University of Miami...
won the 2011 NBA All-Star Three-point Shootout.
Season
- On May 9, 2011 LeBron JamesLeBron JamesLeBron Raymone James is an American professional basketball player for the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association . Nicknamed "King James", he was a three-time "Mr. Basketball" of Ohio in high school, and was highly promoted in the national media as a future NBA superstar while a...
was named to the NBA All-Defensive First TeamNBA All-Defensive TeamThe NBA All-Defensive Team is an annual National Basketball Association honor given since the 1968–69 NBA season to the best defensive players during the regular season. Voting is conducted by the NBA head coaches; the coaches are not allowed to vote for players on their own team...
. - On May 10, 2011 Pat RileyPat RileyPatrick James "Pat" Riley is an American professional basketball executive, and a retired coach and player in the NBA. Currently, he is team president of the Miami Heat. Widely regarded as one of the greatest NBA coaches of all time, Riley has served as the head coach of five championship teams...
was named NBA Co-Executive of the YearNBA Executive of the Year AwardThe National Basketball Association's Executive of the Year Award is an annual award given since the 1972–73 NBA season, to the league's best general managers. Before 2009, the Executive of the Year is presented annually by Sporting News, although it is officially recognized by the NBA. Since then,...
. - On May 12, 2011 LeBron JamesLeBron JamesLeBron Raymone James is an American professional basketball player for the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association . Nicknamed "King James", he was a three-time "Mr. Basketball" of Ohio in high school, and was highly promoted in the national media as a future NBA superstar while a...
was named to the All-NBA First TeamAll-NBA TeamThe All-NBA Team is an annual National Basketball Association honor bestowed on the best players in the league following every NBA season. The voting is conducted by a panel of sportswriters and broadcasters throughout the United States and Canada. The team has been selected in every season of the...
. - On May 12, 2011 Dwyane WadeDwyane WadeDwyane Tyrone Wade, Jr. nicknamed Flash or D-Wade, is an American professional basketball player for the Miami Heat. Awarded 2006 Sportsman of the Year by Sports Illustrated, Wade has established himself as one of the most well-known and popular players in the league...
was named to the All-NBA Second TeamAll-NBA TeamThe All-NBA Team is an annual National Basketball Association honor bestowed on the best players in the league following every NBA season. The voting is conducted by a panel of sportswriters and broadcasters throughout the United States and Canada. The team has been selected in every season of the...
.
Records
- On December 23, 2010 LeBron JamesLeBron JamesLeBron Raymone James is an American professional basketball player for the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association . Nicknamed "King James", he was a three-time "Mr. Basketball" of Ohio in high school, and was highly promoted in the national media as a future NBA superstar while a...
became the youngest player to have reached 16,000 career points. - On March 18, 2011 LeBron JamesLeBron JamesLeBron Raymone James is an American professional basketball player for the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association . Nicknamed "King James", he was a three-time "Mr. Basketball" of Ohio in high school, and was highly promoted in the national media as a future NBA superstar while a...
became the youngest player to have reached 17,000 career points. - On March 27, 2011 Chris BoshChris BoshChristopher Wesson Bosh is an American professional basketball player who plays power forward for the Miami Heat in the National Basketball Association ....
, LeBron JamesLeBron JamesLeBron Raymone James is an American professional basketball player for the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association . Nicknamed "King James", he was a three-time "Mr. Basketball" of Ohio in high school, and was highly promoted in the national media as a future NBA superstar while a...
and Dwyane WadeDwyane WadeDwyane Tyrone Wade, Jr. nicknamed Flash or D-Wade, is an American professional basketball player for the Miami Heat. Awarded 2006 Sportsman of the Year by Sports Illustrated, Wade has established himself as one of the most well-known and popular players in the league...
became the first trio in franchise history to each score 30 or more points and 10 or more rebounds in a single game, against the Houston RocketsHouston RocketsThe Houston Rockets are an American professional basketball team based in Houston, Texas. The team plays in the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was established in 1967, and played in San Diego, California for four years, before being...
.
Milestones
- On December 18, 2010 Chris BoshChris BoshChristopher Wesson Bosh is an American professional basketball player who plays power forward for the Miami Heat in the National Basketball Association ....
reached 5,000th career rebounds. - On December 18, 2010 Juwan HowardJuwan HowardJuwan Antonio Howard is an American professional basketball player who last played for the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association . The Heat were his eighth different NBA team. He was drafted fifth overall in the 1994 NBA Draft by the Washington Bullets...
reached his 16,000th career points. - On December 23, 2010 LeBron JamesLeBron JamesLeBron Raymone James is an American professional basketball player for the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association . Nicknamed "King James", he was a three-time "Mr. Basketball" of Ohio in high school, and was highly promoted in the national media as a future NBA superstar while a...
became the youngest player to have reached 16,000 career points. - On January 7, 2011 LeBron JamesLeBron JamesLeBron Raymone James is an American professional basketball player for the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association . Nicknamed "King James", he was a three-time "Mr. Basketball" of Ohio in high school, and was highly promoted in the national media as a future NBA superstar while a...
reached 500th career blocks. - On January 13, 2011 Dwyane WadeDwyane WadeDwyane Tyrone Wade, Jr. nicknamed Flash or D-Wade, is an American professional basketball player for the Miami Heat. Awarded 2006 Sportsman of the Year by Sports Illustrated, Wade has established himself as one of the most well-known and popular players in the league...
reached 500th career blocks. - On March 18, 2011 LeBron JamesLeBron JamesLeBron Raymone James is an American professional basketball player for the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association . Nicknamed "King James", he was a three-time "Mr. Basketball" of Ohio in high school, and was highly promoted in the national media as a future NBA superstar while a...
became the youngest player to have reached 17,000 career points. - On March 27, 2011 Chris BoshChris BoshChristopher Wesson Bosh is an American professional basketball player who plays power forward for the Miami Heat in the National Basketball Association ....
, LeBron JamesLeBron JamesLeBron Raymone James is an American professional basketball player for the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association . Nicknamed "King James", he was a three-time "Mr. Basketball" of Ohio in high school, and was highly promoted in the national media as a future NBA superstar while a...
and Dwyane WadeDwyane WadeDwyane Tyrone Wade, Jr. nicknamed Flash or D-Wade, is an American professional basketball player for the Miami Heat. Awarded 2006 Sportsman of the Year by Sports Illustrated, Wade has established himself as one of the most well-known and popular players in the league...
became only the second trio in NBA history to each score 30 or more points and 10 or more rebounds in a single non overtime game, against the Houston RocketsHouston RocketsThe Houston Rockets are an American professional basketball team based in Houston, Texas. The team plays in the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was established in 1967, and played in San Diego, California for four years, before being...
.
Trades
| June 23, 2010 |
To Oklahoma City Thunder Oklahoma City Thunder The Oklahoma City Thunder are a professional basketball franchise based in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association ; their home court is at Chesapeake Energy Arena.... Daequan Cook Daequan Cook Daequan Cook is an American basketball player and currently a shooting guard for the NBA's Oklahoma City Thunder.... No. 18 Pick (Eric Bledsoe Eric Bledsoe Eric Bledsoe is an American basketball player for the Los Angeles Clippers. He was selected by the Oklahoma City Thunder with the 18th overall pick in the 2010 NBA Draft... ) |
To Miami Heat Miami Heat The Miami Heat is a professional basketball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. The team is a member of the Southeast Division in the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . They play their home games at American Airlines Arena in Downtown Miami...
|
| June 24, 2010 |
To Oklahoma City Thunder Oklahoma City Thunder The Oklahoma City Thunder are a professional basketball franchise based in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association ; their home court is at Chesapeake Energy Arena.... Latavious Williams Latavious Williams is an American professional basketball player who plays for the FIATC Joventut in Spain. After graduating from high school, he played with the Tulsa 66ers in the NBA Development League , a minor league basketball organization owned and run by the National Basketball Association... ) |
To Miami Heat Miami Heat The Miami Heat is a professional basketball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. The team is a member of the Southeast Division in the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . They play their home games at American Airlines Arena in Downtown Miami... Cash Considerations |
| July 9, 2010 |
To Cleveland Cavaliers Cleveland Cavaliers The Cleveland Cavaliers are a professional basketball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They began playing in the National Basketball Association in 1970 as an expansion team... 2015 First-Round Pick 2012 Second-Round Pick Future Second-Round Pick Trade Exception |
To Miami Heat Miami Heat The Miami Heat is a professional basketball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. The team is a member of the Southeast Division in the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . They play their home games at American Airlines Arena in Downtown Miami... LeBron James LeBron James LeBron Raymone James is an American professional basketball player for the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association . Nicknamed "King James", he was a three-time "Mr. Basketball" of Ohio in high school, and was highly promoted in the national media as a future NBA superstar while a... (sign and trade Sign and trade In U.S. basketball, a sign-and-trade agreement is a type of contract allowed in the NBA collective bargaining agreement, wherein one team signs an unrestricted free agent to a contract and trades him to another team of the players choosing... ) |
| July 9, 2010 |
To Toronto Raptors Toronto Raptors The Toronto Raptors are a professional basketball team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was established in 1995, along with the Vancouver Grizzlies, as part of the NBA's re-expansion... Trade Exception |
To Miami Heat Miami Heat The Miami Heat is a professional basketball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. The team is a member of the Southeast Division in the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . They play their home games at American Airlines Arena in Downtown Miami... Chris Bosh Chris Bosh Christopher Wesson Bosh is an American professional basketball player who plays power forward for the Miami Heat in the National Basketball Association .... (sign and trade Sign and trade In U.S. basketball, a sign-and-trade agreement is a type of contract allowed in the NBA collective bargaining agreement, wherein one team signs an unrestricted free agent to a contract and trades him to another team of the players choosing... ) |
| July 12, 2010 |
To Minnesota Timberwolves Minnesota Timberwolves The Minnesota Timberwolves are an American professional basketball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . Founded in 1989, the team is currently owned by Glen Taylor... Michael Beasley Michael Beasley Michael Paul Beasley, Jr. is an American professional basketball player for the Minnesota Timberwolves of the National Basketball Association . He plays both forward positions, and shoots his jump shot left-handed, though he is also ambidextrous... |
To Miami Heat Miami Heat The Miami Heat is a professional basketball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. The team is a member of the Southeast Division in the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . They play their home games at American Airlines Arena in Downtown Miami... 2014 Second-Round Pick Cash Considerations |
Additions
| Player | Signed | Former Team |
|---|---|---|
| Dwyane Wade Dwyane Wade Dwyane Tyrone Wade, Jr. nicknamed Flash or D-Wade, is an American professional basketball player for the Miami Heat. Awarded 2006 Sportsman of the Year by Sports Illustrated, Wade has established himself as one of the most well-known and popular players in the league... |
Signed 6 Year Contract For $107.5 Million | Miami Heat Miami Heat The Miami Heat is a professional basketball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. The team is a member of the Southeast Division in the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . They play their home games at American Airlines Arena in Downtown Miami... |
| Chris Bosh Chris Bosh Christopher Wesson Bosh is an American professional basketball player who plays power forward for the Miami Heat in the National Basketball Association .... |
Signed 6 Year Contract For $110.1 Million | Toronto Raptors Toronto Raptors The Toronto Raptors are a professional basketball team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was established in 1995, along with the Vancouver Grizzlies, as part of the NBA's re-expansion... |
| LeBron James LeBron James LeBron Raymone James is an American professional basketball player for the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association . Nicknamed "King James", he was a three-time "Mr. Basketball" of Ohio in high school, and was highly promoted in the national media as a future NBA superstar while a... |
Signed 6 Year Contract For $110.1 Million | Cleveland Cavaliers Cleveland Cavaliers The Cleveland Cavaliers are a professional basketball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They began playing in the National Basketball Association in 1970 as an expansion team... |
| Udonis Haslem Udonis Haslem Udonis Johneal Haslem is an American professional basketball player who is currently a power forward for the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association . Haslem played college basketball for the University of Florida, where he was a key member of four Florida Gators NCAA tournament teams... |
Signed 5 Year Contract For $20.0 Million | Miami Heat Miami Heat The Miami Heat is a professional basketball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. The team is a member of the Southeast Division in the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . They play their home games at American Airlines Arena in Downtown Miami... |
| Mike Miller | Signed 5 Year Contract For $25.0 Million | Washington Wizards Washington Wizards The Washington Wizards are a professional basketball team based in Washington, D.C., previously known as Washington Bullets. They play in the National Basketball Association .-Early years:... |
| Joel Anthony Joel Anthony Joel Vincent Anthony is a Canadian professional basketball player in the NBA who is currently a member of the Miami Heat. He is also a key member of the Canadian national men's basketball team.-High school career:... |
Signed 5 Year Contract For $18.0 Million | Miami Heat Miami Heat The Miami Heat is a professional basketball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. The team is a member of the Southeast Division in the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . They play their home games at American Airlines Arena in Downtown Miami... |
| Žydrūnas Ilgauskas Žydrunas Ilgauskas Žydrūnas Ilgauskas , or "Big Z" , is a retired Lithuanian professional basketball center who played for the Cleveland Cavaliers and Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association... |
Signed 2 Year Contract For $2.8 Million | Cleveland Cavaliers Cleveland Cavaliers The Cleveland Cavaliers are a professional basketball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They began playing in the National Basketball Association in 1970 as an expansion team... |
| Juwan Howard Juwan Howard Juwan Antonio Howard is an American professional basketball player who last played for the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association . The Heat were his eighth different NBA team. He was drafted fifth overall in the 1994 NBA Draft by the Washington Bullets... |
Signed 1 Year Contract For $1.35 Million | Portland Trail Blazers Portland Trail Blazers The Portland Trail Blazers, commonly known as the Blazers, are an American professional basketball team based in Portland, Oregon. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The Trail Blazers originally played their home games in the... |
| James Jones James Jones (basketball player) James Andrew Jones is an American professional basketball player who last played with the Miami Heat.The 6'8" , 215 lb small forward who attended American Senior High in Miami was picked 49th by the Indiana Pacers in the 2003 NBA Draft out of the University of Miami... |
Signed 1 Year Contract For $1.1 Million | Miami Heat Miami Heat The Miami Heat is a professional basketball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. The team is a member of the Southeast Division in the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . They play their home games at American Airlines Arena in Downtown Miami... |
| Carlos Arroyo Carlos Arroyo Carlos Alberto Arroyo Bermúdez is a Puerto Rican professional basketball point guard who last played for the Boston Celtics. Arroyo is the fifth player from Puerto Rico to play in the NBA... |
Signed 1 Year Contract For $1.23 Million | Miami Heat Miami Heat The Miami Heat is a professional basketball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. The team is a member of the Southeast Division in the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . They play their home games at American Airlines Arena in Downtown Miami... |
| Jamaal Magloire Jamaal Magloire Jamaal Dane Magloire is a Canadian professional basketball player who last played for the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association . The , center was selected out of the University of Kentucky by the Charlotte Hornets with the 19th overall pick in the 2000 NBA Draft, after withdrawing... |
Signed 1 Year Contract For 1.23 Million | Miami Heat Miami Heat The Miami Heat is a professional basketball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. The team is a member of the Southeast Division in the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . They play their home games at American Airlines Arena in Downtown Miami... |
| Shavlik Randolph Shavlik Randolph Ronald Shavlik Randolph is an American professional basketball player. Randolph played for Duke University from 2002 to 2005.-Family and childhood:... |
Signed 1 Year Contract For $250,000 | Miami Heat Miami Heat The Miami Heat is a professional basketball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. The team is a member of the Southeast Division in the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . They play their home games at American Airlines Arena in Downtown Miami... |
| Jerry Stackhouse Jerry Stackhouse Jerry Darnell Stackhouse is an American professional basketball player who plays both shooting guard and small forward. He most recently played for the Miami Heat. He is now an NBA TV analyst but remains as an eligible free agent.... |
Signed 1 Year Contract For $210,339 | Milwaukee Bucks Milwaukee Bucks The Milwaukee Bucks are a professional basketball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States. They are part of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1968 as an expansion team, and currently plays at the Bradley Center.... |
| Erick Dampier Erick Dampier Erick Travez Dampier is an American professional basketball player who last played for the Miami Heat. He is a 6 ft 11 in / 265 lb. center.-Career:... |
Signed 1 Year Contract For $1.14 Million | Charlotte Bobcats Charlotte Bobcats The Charlotte Bobcats is a professional basketball team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. They play in the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association. The Bobcats were established in 2004 as an expansion team, two seasons after Charlotte's previous NBA... |
| Mike Bibby Mike Bibby Michael "Mike" Bibby is an American professional basketball player who most recently played for the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association. He is a 6'2" point guard, and he attended Shadow Mountain High School in Phoenix, Arizona and played collegiately at the University of Arizona. In... |
Signed 1 Year Contract For $450,727 | Washington Wizards Washington Wizards The Washington Wizards are a professional basketball team based in Washington, D.C., previously known as Washington Bullets. They play in the National Basketball Association .-Early years:... |
Subtractions
| Player | Reason Left | New Team |
|---|---|---|
| Dorell Wright Dorell Wright Dorell Lawrence Wright is an American professional basketball small forward with the Golden State Warriors. In the 2010-11 season, Wright became known for his three-point shooting.- NBA career :... |
Free Agent | Golden State Warriors Golden State Warriors The Golden State Warriors are an American professional basketball team based in Oakland, California. They are part of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association... |
| Quentin Richardson Quentin Richardson Quentin Richardson is an American professional basketball player who plays for the National Basketball Association's Orlando Magic... |
Free Agent | Orlando Magic Orlando Magic The Orlando Magic is a professional basketball team based in Orlando, Florida. They play in the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association and are currently coached by Stan Van Gundy... |
| Jermaine O'Neal Jermaine O'Neal Jermaine Lee O'Neal is an American professional basketball player for the Boston Celtics. The 6 ft 11 in , 255 lb forward-center had a successful high school career and declared his eligibility for the 1996 NBA Draft straight out of high school... |
Free Agent | Boston Celtics Boston Celtics The Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which... |
| Shavlik Randolph Shavlik Randolph Ronald Shavlik Randolph is an American professional basketball player. Randolph played for Duke University from 2002 to 2005.-Family and childhood:... |
Waived | |
| Jerry Stackhouse Jerry Stackhouse Jerry Darnell Stackhouse is an American professional basketball player who plays both shooting guard and small forward. He most recently played for the Miami Heat. He is now an NBA TV analyst but remains as an eligible free agent.... |
Waived | |
| Carlos Arroyo Carlos Arroyo Carlos Alberto Arroyo Bermúdez is a Puerto Rican professional basketball point guard who last played for the Boston Celtics. Arroyo is the fifth player from Puerto Rico to play in the NBA... |
Waived | Boston Celtics Boston Celtics The Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which... |
Season in Review
The Miami Heat entered NBA Free Agency in 2010 with nearly $46 million in salary capSalary cap
In professional sports, a salary cap is a cartel agreement between teams that places a limit on the amount of money that can be spent on player salaries. The limit exists as a per-player limit or a total limit for the team's roster, or both...
space, with the ability to re-sign free agent Dwyane Wade, and add two of the NBA's top players, LeBron James
LeBron James
LeBron Raymone James is an American professional basketball player for the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association . Nicknamed "King James", he was a three-time "Mr. Basketball" of Ohio in high school, and was highly promoted in the national media as a future NBA superstar while a...
and Chris Bosh
Chris Bosh
Christopher Wesson Bosh is an American professional basketball player who plays power forward for the Miami Heat in the National Basketball Association ....
. According to Fox Sports Radio
Fox Sports Radio
Fox Sports Radio, abbreviated FSR, is an international radio network consisting of sports talk programming. The network is a service of Premiere Networks...
's Stephen A. Smith
Stephen A. Smith
-Early years:Smith was raised in the Hollis neighborhood of the New York City borough of Queens. He lived with his parents and four older sisters.He attended Winston-Salem State University, a historically black university in Winston-Salem, North Carolina...
, speaking on his show just days after the NBA Draft
NBA Draft
The NBA Draft is an annual event in which the thirty teams from the National Basketball Association can draft players who are eligible and wish to join the league. These players are usually amateur U.S. college basketball players, but international players are also eligible to be drafted...
, the Heat were "highly likely" to sign all three players. The New Jersey Nets
New Jersey Nets
The New Jersey Nets are a professional basketball team based in Newark, New Jersey. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
, New York Knicks
New York Knicks
The New York Knickerbockers, prominently known as the Knicks, are a professional basketball team based in New York City. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
, Los Angeles Clippers
Los Angeles Clippers
The Los Angeles Clippers are a professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California, United States. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association...
, Chicago Bulls
Chicago Bulls
The Chicago Bulls are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago, Illinois, playing in the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1966. They play their home games at the United Center...
, Cleveland Cavaliers
Cleveland Cavaliers
The Cleveland Cavaliers are a professional basketball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They began playing in the National Basketball Association in 1970 as an expansion team...
, Dallas Mavericks
Dallas Mavericks
The Dallas Mavericks are a professional basketball team based in Dallas, Texas. They are members of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association , and the reigning NBA champions, having defeated the Miami Heat in the 2011 NBA Finals.According to a 2011...
and the Miami Heat were in negotiations to sign LeBron James
LeBron James
LeBron Raymone James is an American professional basketball player for the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association . Nicknamed "King James", he was a three-time "Mr. Basketball" of Ohio in high school, and was highly promoted in the national media as a future NBA superstar while a...
. On July 7, 2010, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh agreed to terms with the Miami Heat. Then on July 8, 2010, LeBron James held an hour-long special to announce his decision on ESPN to commit to playing with the Heat. Later that evening, the Heat announced the trade of Michael Beasley
Michael Beasley
Michael Paul Beasley, Jr. is an American professional basketball player for the Minnesota Timberwolves of the National Basketball Association . He plays both forward positions, and shoots his jump shot left-handed, though he is also ambidextrous...
to the Minnesota Timberwolves
Minnesota Timberwolves
The Minnesota Timberwolves are an American professional basketball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . Founded in 1989, the team is currently owned by Glen Taylor...
for a pair of second round picks and cash considerations. The three are called the SuperFriends by many sportswriters and commentators, most notably those for ESPN, because all three were taken in the top five of the 2003 NBA Draft and because they have become good friends over the years.
On July 8, 2010, it became official that NBA superstars and gold medal winning Beijing Olympic teammates LeBron James
LeBron James
LeBron Raymone James is an American professional basketball player for the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association . Nicknamed "King James", he was a three-time "Mr. Basketball" of Ohio in high school, and was highly promoted in the national media as a future NBA superstar while a...
, Dwyane Wade
Dwyane Wade
Dwyane Tyrone Wade, Jr. nicknamed Flash or D-Wade, is an American professional basketball player for the Miami Heat. Awarded 2006 Sportsman of the Year by Sports Illustrated, Wade has established himself as one of the most well-known and popular players in the league...
, and Chris Bosh
Chris Bosh
Christopher Wesson Bosh is an American professional basketball player who plays power forward for the Miami Heat in the National Basketball Association ....
would be joining Miami. The Heat completed sign-and-trade deals, sending a total of four future first-round and two second-round picks to the Cavaliers and Raptors for James and Bosh (both signing 6 years and $110.1 million contracts). Dwyane Wade re-signed with the Heat for $107.59 million for six years. All three stars have early termination clauses in their contracts, allowing them to become free agents again in the summer of 2014. The final year on all three deals, for 2015–16, is a player option. The three made their debut at the 2010 Summer Heat Welcome Party at the American Airlines Arena on July 9, where they were introduced as The Three Kings by Heat play-by-play announcer and event co-host Eric Reid
Eric Reid
Eric Reid is the television play-by-play announcer for the Miami Heat and college football on Sun Sports.Reid has been with the Heat since the team's inaugural season. He was the Heat's color analyst for three seasons before taking over play-by-play duties in 1991, and has been their play-by-play...
. Howard Beck of The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
described the national fan reaction to the party: "Everyone saw something: greatness, arrogance, self-indulgence, boldness, cowardice, pride, friendship, collusion, joy, cynicism, heroes, mercenaries."
By taking less than maximum salaries, Wade, James and Bosh opened the door for the Heat to further continue its roster makeover with the resigning of Udonis Haslem
Udonis Haslem
Udonis Johneal Haslem is an American professional basketball player who is currently a power forward for the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association . Haslem played college basketball for the University of Florida, where he was a key member of four Florida Gators NCAA tournament teams...
and signing of veteran swingman and teammate of Haslem at the University of Florida
University of Florida
The University of Florida is an American public land-grant, sea-grant, and space-grant research university located on a campus in Gainesville, Florida. The university traces its historical origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its present Gainesville campus since September 1906...
, Mike Miller for dual 5 year deals worth a combined $45 million. In order to fill the voids at forward and center, the Heat signed James's former teammate in Cleveland, Zydrunas Ilgauskas
Žydrunas Ilgauskas
Žydrūnas Ilgauskas , or "Big Z" , is a retired Lithuanian professional basketball center who played for the Cleveland Cavaliers and Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association...
to a two year deal for the veterans minimum at $2.8 million, resigning Joel Anthony
Joel Anthony
Joel Vincent Anthony is a Canadian professional basketball player in the NBA who is currently a member of the Miami Heat. He is also a key member of the Canadian national men's basketball team.-High school career:...
, and signing power forward Juwan Howard
Juwan Howard
Juwan Antonio Howard is an American professional basketball player who last played for the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association . The Heat were his eighth different NBA team. He was drafted fifth overall in the 1994 NBA Draft by the Washington Bullets...
. In the guard department, the Miami Heat resigned guard Carlos Arroyo
Carlos Arroyo
Carlos Alberto Arroyo Bermúdez is a Puerto Rican professional basketball point guard who last played for the Boston Celtics. Arroyo is the fifth player from Puerto Rico to play in the NBA...
and signed former Celtics player Eddie House
Eddie House
Edward L. House II , commonly referred to as Eddie House, is an American professional basketball player in the NBA for the Miami Heat.-Early life:...
to a two-year contract for the veteran minimum of $2.8 million. Rookies Dexter Pittman
Dexter Pittman
Dexter Jerome Pittman is an American professional basketball player with the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association.-High school:...
and Da'Sean Butler
Da'Sean Butler
Da'Sean Butler is an American professional basketball player for the San Antonio Spurs and was on assignment in the NBA D-League for the Austin Toros. In November 2011 he joined for trial period to Latvian Basketball League club Rīgas VEF...
, along with NBA Summer League
NBA Summer League
The NBA Summer League is a period during which NBA teams come together to try out different summer rosters instead of their regular season line-ups. Typically, there is a mix of rookies and some of the younger bench players to see how well some players work with others...
standouts Patrick Beverley
Patrick Beverley
Patrick Beverley is an American professional basketball player who currently plays for Spartak Saint Petersburg in Russia. He was selected by the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2009 NBA Draft and then traded to the Miami Heat for a future 2011 second round draft pick and an undisclosed amount of cash...
and Kenny Hasbrouck
Kenny Hasbrouck
Kenny Hasbrouck is an American basketball player who currently plays for EWE Baskets Oldenburg in Germany. He formerly played at Siena College. The six-foot-three Hasbrouck played point guard, shooting guard, and small forward for the Saints. He was named a co-captain at the start of his junior...
, also signed contracts.
The Miami Heat began the regular season with much hype going into their first game against the Eastern Conference Champs, the Boston Celtics. Many considered the Miami Heat as the team to break the single season record of 72 regular season victories set by the Chicago Bulls
Chicago Bulls
The Chicago Bulls are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago, Illinois, playing in the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1966. They play their home games at the United Center...
. On the opening game of the season, broadcast on the TNT Network and featuring the debut of reigning two-time NBA MVP James in a Miami uniform alongside Chris Bosh, the game was the most-watched NBA contest ever on cable television
Cable television
Cable television is a system of providing television programs to consumers via radio frequency signals transmitted to televisions through coaxial cables or digital light pulses through fixed optical fibers located on the subscriber's property, much like the over-the-air method used in traditional...
. The game earned a 4.6 rating, delivering 7.4 million total viewers and 5.3 million households beating the Chicago Bulls vs. Los Angeles Lakers on February 2, 1996.
The Heat lost the opening game 88–80 and got off to a 9–8 start due in large part to inconsistent play and injuries of key role players Mike Miller (thumb) and Udonis Haslem
Udonis Haslem
Udonis Johneal Haslem is an American professional basketball player who is currently a power forward for the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association . Haslem played college basketball for the University of Florida, where he was a key member of four Florida Gators NCAA tournament teams...
(foot). After losing four out of five games, including a Saturday night loss to the Dallas Mavericks on November 27, the team called a player's only meeting with the intent to get players communicate with each other. Much of the speculation was that Spoelstra could lose his job and that Heat president Pat Riley
Pat Riley
Patrick James "Pat" Riley is an American professional basketball executive, and a retired coach and player in the NBA. Currently, he is team president of the Miami Heat. Widely regarded as one of the greatest NBA coaches of all time, Riley has served as the head coach of five championship teams...
would return as coach, especially after a well publicized incident when James "bumped" into Spoelstra during a timeout.
Since the players-only meeting, the team had pulled together a 12 game win streak (10 of them by double-digits) and limited the opposition under the century mark (100 points) in all those games. During the winning streak, James led the Heat to defeat his former team by scoring 38 points (tying a Heat record for points in a quarter with 24 in the third) in a game that drew nearly 7.1 million viewers and earned a 25.4 rating in Miami. ESPN 3D
ESPN 3D
ESPN 3D is a television network part of the ESPN family of networks that launched June 11, 2010. The network broadcasts in the 3D television format. The channel simulcasts live games from ESPN on a semi-regular basis. It began broadcasting 24 hours a day on February 14, 2011...
aired its first NBA game in the third dimension
3D television
A 3D television is a television set that employs techniques of 3D presentation, such as stereoscopic capture, multi-view capture, or 2D-plus-depth, and a 3D display – a special viewing device to project a television program into a realistic three-dimensional field.- History :In the late-1890's,...
on December 17, 2010 when the Heat defeated the New York Knicks
New York Knicks
The New York Knickerbockers, prominently known as the Knicks, are a professional basketball team based in New York City. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
at Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden, often abbreviated as MSG and known colloquially as The Garden, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in the New York City borough of Manhattan and located at 8th Avenue, between 31st and 33rd Streets, situated on top of Pennsylvania Station.Opened on February 11, 1968, it is the...
.,,. The Heat set a franchise record for wins in December with 15 and set an NBA record for consecutive road victories in a calendar month with 10 (including the Christmas Day matchup with the reigning two time champs Kobe Bryant
Kobe Bryant
Kobe Bean Bryant is an American professional basketball player who plays shooting guard for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association . Bryant enjoyed a successful high school basketball career at Lower Merion High School, where he was recognized as the top high school...
's Los Angeles Lakers
Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
which the team won 96–80).
During a postgame chat with Sun Sports
Sun Sports
Sun Sports is a Florida sports broadcasting network, with its headquarters in Orlando. Launched in 1988 as Sunshine Network, the station is now affiliated with virtually every cable company throughout the state of Florida and can be picked up by some satellite providers around the United...
' Jason Jackson
Jason Jackson
Jason Jackson is an American sportscaster and writer. He worked for ESPN from 1995 until 2002, best known as the host of NBA 2Night. Jackson was fired from ESPN in May 2002 for violating company policy...
on January 3, 2011, LeBron James joked I see we sell out 99.1 percent on the road, so we call ourselves the Heatles off the Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
, so every time we take our show on the road we bring a great crowd, giving the Heat's famed trio the unofficial nickname.
On January 27, 2011, via fan voting, LeBron James (forward) and Dwyane Wade (guard) were selected to be starters for the Eastern Conference at the All-Star Game
2011 NBA All-Star Game
The 2011 NBA All-Star Game was an exhibition basketball game that was played on February 20, 2011 at Staples Center in Los Angeles, California, home of the Los Angeles Clippers and the Los Angeles Lakers. This game was the 60th edition of the National Basketball Association All-Star Game and was...
becoming the second pair of teammates to be selected as All-Star starters in franchise history (Shaquille O'Neal
Shaquille O'Neal
Shaquille Rashaun O'Neal , nicknamed "Shaq" , is a former American professional basketball player. Standing tall and weighing , he was one of the heaviest players ever to play in the NBA...
and Dwyane Wade; 2006
2006 NBA All-Star Game
The 2006 NBA All-Star Game was played on Sunday, February 19, 2006 at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas, home of the Houston Rockets. The game was the 55th annual All-Star game...
and 2007
2007 NBA All-Star Game
The 2007 NBA All-Star Game was played on Sunday, February 18, 2007 at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas's Thomas and Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada, United States. It was the 56th annual All-Star Game. It was the first time the All-Star Game was played in a city without an NBA franchise and...
). A few days later, forward Chris Bosh
Chris Bosh
Christopher Wesson Bosh is an American professional basketball player who plays power forward for the Miami Heat in the National Basketball Association ....
was selected as a reserve, marking the first time in Heat history the team has sent three players to the All-Star game in a single season.
Like the 2005–06 championship season, the Heat were criticized, for being unable to beat the top caliber teams of the NBA. This criticism though would just grow more and more as the regular season was beginning to wind down. Despite beating their division rival Orlando Magic
Orlando Magic
The Orlando Magic is a professional basketball team based in Orlando, Florida. They play in the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association and are currently coached by Stan Van Gundy...
two of three games, sweeping the Lakers
Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
2–0, and beating both the San Antonio Spurs
San Antonio Spurs
The San Antonio Spurs are an American professional basketball team based in San Antonio, Texas. They are part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association ....
and the Thunder
Oklahoma City Thunder
The Oklahoma City Thunder are a professional basketball franchise based in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association ; their home court is at Chesapeake Energy Arena....
once, they had lost to the defending Eastern Conference champion Boston Celtics
Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which...
three times, swept by the Chicago Bulls
Chicago Bulls
The Chicago Bulls are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago, Illinois, playing in the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1966. They play their home games at the United Center...
and Dallas Mavericks
Dallas Mavericks
The Dallas Mavericks are a professional basketball team based in Dallas, Texas. They are members of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association , and the reigning NBA champions, having defeated the Miami Heat in the 2011 NBA Finals.According to a 2011...
who swept the season series and continued their regular season dominance against Miami for their 16th straight victory dating back to the 2004–05 season.
In order to improve for the playoffs, the Heat signed guard Mike Bibby
Mike Bibby
Michael "Mike" Bibby is an American professional basketball player who most recently played for the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association. He is a 6'2" point guard, and he attended Shadow Mountain High School in Phoenix, Arizona and played collegiately at the University of Arizona. In...
, who agreed to forfeit the $6.2 million he was owed by the Washington Wizards for the next season so that he could become a free agent and sign a league minimum contract with a contender. In the process, the Heat released Carlos Arroyo
Carlos Arroyo
Carlos Alberto Arroyo Bermúdez is a Puerto Rican professional basketball point guard who last played for the Boston Celtics. Arroyo is the fifth player from Puerto Rico to play in the NBA...
. In Bibby's first game on March 3, the Heat were leading the Magic by 24 points in the third quarter before the Heat were outscored 40–9 and lost 99–96. The following night against the Spurs, who held the NBA's best record (51–11), the Heat lost 125–95, their most lopsided loss of the year and their fourth loss in five games. In their next game against the Bulls, the Heat had a 12-point lead in the first half, but they ended up losing 87–86 after two failed shots by James and Wade in the last 6 seconds of the game. It was the Heat's 12th and 13th consecutive missed shots with a chance to tie or lead a game in the final 10 seconds of regulation or overtime. James had missed four in the four-game losing streak. It was the Heat's fourth straight loss, and the fourth time since February 24 they had lost after a double-digit lead. The Heat were 2–5 since the All-Star break, 5–13 in games decided by five or fewer points and 14–18 against teams with winning records. After the game there were reports of players crying in the locker room afterwords. On March 10, the Heat beat the Lakers, 94–88, and ended their five-game losing streak while also ending the Lakers' eight-game winning streak.
On March 27, Wade, James, and Bosh became the second trio in NBA history to have at least 30 points and 10 rebounds in the same non-overtime game (a home win against the Houston Rockets
Houston Rockets
The Houston Rockets are an American professional basketball team based in Houston, Texas. The team plays in the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was established in 1967, and played in San Diego, California for four years, before being...
), matching Oscar Robertson
Oscar Robertson
Oscar Palmer Robertson , nicknamed "The Big O", is a former American NBA player with the Cincinnati Royals and the Milwaukee Bucks...
, Wayne Embry
Wayne Embry
Wayne Richard Embry is a retired American basketball player; a center/forward whose 11-year career spanned from 1959 to 1969...
and Jack Twyman
Jack Twyman
John Kennedy "Jack" Twyman is an American former professional basketball player and sports broadcaster.-Playing career:...
for the Cincinnati Royals in a loss to the Philadelphia Warriors on February 2, 1961. Additionally, it was the first time that a team's trio recorded 20 points and 10 rebounds in consecutive games since Sidney Wicks
Sidney Wicks
Sidney Wicks is a retired American basketball player. A native of California, he played college basketball for the UCLA Bruins and played professionally in the National Basketball Association from 1971 to 1981...
, Lloyd Neal
Lloyd Neal
Lloyd Neal is an American former professional basketball player.A 6'7" center/forward from Tennessee State University, Neal spent his entire professional career with the National Basketball Association's Portland Trail Blazers...
and John Johnson
John Johnson (basketball)
John Howard Getty "J.J." Johnson is a former American basketball player.Johnson was a 6’7” small forward who played high school basketball at Messmer High School, and collegiately for Northwest College in Powell, Wyoming and for the University of Iowa...
accomplished the feat with the Portland Trail Blazers
Portland Trail Blazers
The Portland Trail Blazers, commonly known as the Blazers, are an American professional basketball team based in Portland, Oregon. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The Trail Blazers originally played their home games in the...
in March 1975. It was also the first time in Heat franchise history that three players scored 30 points in the same game.
The 2011 Heat finished with a 58–24 record, third best in team history and a second overall seed, behind the Chicago Bulls who had the NBA's best record. Additionally, the Heat finished 5th in the NBA in attendance with 810,930 behind Mavericks, Cavaliers, Trail Blazers, and Bulls in that order (100.9% capacity). The Heat faced the Philadelphia 76ers
Philadelphia 76ers
The Philadelphia 76ers are a professional basketball team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . Originally known as the Syracuse Nationals, they are one of the oldest franchises in the NBA...
in the first round of the NBA Playoffs and eliminated them in five games. In the Eastern Conference Semifinals, the Heat defeated their rival Boston Celtics
Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which...
in five games, winning a dramatic overtime Game 4 in Boston and a come from behind Game 5 victory at home to finish the series. In the Eastern Conference Finals, the Heat faced the Chicago Bulls
Chicago Bulls
The Chicago Bulls are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago, Illinois, playing in the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1966. They play their home games at the United Center...
. After being blown out by 21 points by the Bulls in Game 1, the Heat took home-court by defeating Chicago in Game 2, and winning their home Games 3 and 4, the latter of which came in overtime. In Game 5 in Chicago, the Miami Heat made a historic comeback, after being down 77–65 with 3:14 left, the Heat went on a 18–3 run to win, 83–80, capped by a key four point play from Dwyane Wade and clutch shooting from LeBron James. The Heat were selected to face the Dallas Mavericks in the NBA Finals who had defeated the Portland Trailblazers, Los Angeles Lakers, and Oklahoma City Thunder. This series would be a rematch of the 2006 NBA Finals, in which Dallas won the first 2 games and then they lost 4 straight to Miami. The Heat won Game 1 in Miami, 92–84 but in Game 2, the Heat were leading the Mavericks by 15 points with 6:20 left in the fourth quarter before the Heat were outscored 22–5 and lost, 95–93. Heat won Game 3 in Dallas 88–86 with the game-winning basket scored by Chris Bosh.