Now more than ever, fans and onlookers of the NBA take pride in rings, in trophies, and overall dominance. Somehow, the Miami Heat have created a culture that, while still earning their hardware, values cohesion and pride over individual achievements.
Earlier this season, before the Miami Heat had a chance to prove their worth on the court, I predicted that their season would be average.
I likened them to the 2018 Minnesota Timberwolves; a talented group of young players led by a proven NBA star. Yet, through all of the speculation on Jimmy Butler‘s ability to lead a locker room and encourage his teammates to succeed, the Miami Heat have decidedly displayed their worth as a contender in the East. It all comes down to one thing.
Culture.
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Since their inauguration in 1989, the Heat have failed to reach the postseason only 11 times, only three times each under the tutelage of Pat Riley and Erik Spoelstra. From their time as the aptly named ‘Road Warriors in the 1997 season, notching 61 wins, good for third in the NBA, players like Alonzo Mourning and Tim Hardaway Sr. solidified the Heat as more than an expansion team, but a group that deserved to be in the league since the start.
Then came the early 2000s, known best for the 2003 draft and subsequent selection of Dwyane Wade, as well as Heat icon Udonis Haslem. Wade was nothing short of a superstar upon his debut and returned attention to South Beach as a team to watch for. With the addition of Shaquille O’Neal in 2005, attendance in AmericanAirlines Arena soared, leaping from 24th to 4th. The Heat’s championship run in 2006 put them in the history books, and Miami never looked back.
Between Dwyane Wade’s MVP-caliber play throughout the late 2000s, the arrival of the Big 3, and their back-to-back championships, Miami was roaring. So, when LeBron James left, the playoffs fell out of reach, and Chris Bosh‘s services were made unavailable due to medical complications, many questioned the mettle of Miami’s roster, and their ability to retain the attention of their fanbase.
Yet, throughout the ups, the downs, the wins, and the losses, Miami stayed true to what made them and would keep them relevant. Regardless of the composition of their roster, Pat Riley has instilled a confidence in his players, one that helps retain the allure of a hard-headed and relentless organization. Even in 2015, when Miami went from Eastern Conference champions to the lottery, the fans continued to pour in. Where many thought the winning culture established in Miami would leave with the greatest player in franchise history, the Heat found a new awakening.
The success thus far for the Miami Heat are by far, barring the impressive play of Oklahoma City, the most surprising team of the year. Jimmy Butler’s focus has shifted from being the man to emphasizing cohesion as a team, prioritizing his versatility on both ends of the floor over scoring.
Miami’s young stars have proven the competence of their front office, headlined by first-time All-Star Bam Adebayo, Rising Stars participants Kendrick Nunn and Tyler Herro, and 3-Point Shootout participant Duncan Robinson. Goran Dragic has become a nightmare for the opposing teams’ bench, Derrick Jones Jr. has shown impressive growth as a multi-talented forward, and Meyers Leonard and Kelly Olynyk have served as substantial backups at the 4 or 5.
The only sub-par aspects to Miami’s out-of-nowhere success have been Justise Winslow and Dion Waiters, both missing substantial time this season, each for their own reasons. So, where Pat Riley and the Heat front-office saw an opportunity to resolve an issue, they acted quickly. They moved Winslow, Waiters, and Johnson, who had actually performed well for Miami, to Memphis in exchange for Andre Iguodala, Jae Crowder, and Solomon Hill.
Iguodala and Crowder boast defensive awareness and playoff experience attributes integral to the development of the young players around them. Hill, who was used to facilitate the trade rather than being Miami’s target, brings shooting, giving the Heat their sixth 38 percent-plus shooter from deep.
Standing decisively at 4th in the East, looking to lock-in homecourt for the postseason, where the Heat are 25-3, Miami looks to further impose their will on the rest of the NBA, reminding the basketball world that they are not only contenders but that their work is far from over.