In the late 80's, the NBA was looking for a change. They planned to expand their franchises by three new teams over the remainder of the decade. North Carolina and Minnesota managed to get teams, but there was one more spot to fill. Florida jumped at the opportunity to have a team, with cities from Tampa to Orlando competing for the coveted slot. Ultimately, the City of Miami was chosen and the Miami Heat was born. In its nearly 20 years, the Miami Heat has managed to prove themselves worthy of their spot, continuing to get better with time despite much turmoil.
The Miami Heat had a rough first year, despite a big name coach. They were placed in a division where their closest competitor was 900 miles away, a move that required them to travel the furthest of any NBA team for their away games. That, combined with the fact the team was made up of many rookie players, led them to lose their first 17 games, a record that has yet to be matched. Despite a move to a new division the following year, the team continued to struggle for several years with bad draft choices and injuries, keeping them from making any more then a minor improvement in their rankings.
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By the early 90's the Miami Heat was beginning to make a name for itself among Florida sports teams. A healthy 93-94 team managed to improve greatly, posting the Heat's first winning year and making a trip to the playoffs. Heat player Steve Smith even made the Dream Team, which represented the USA in the World Basketball Championships. It only got better from there, with the Heat acquiring other Dream Team members such as Shaquille O'Neal and Alonzo Mourning and an NBA championship in 2006. The past two years have been a major turning point for the Heat. They acquired new players, renewing the team's spirit. One of these players, Dwyane Wade, broke rookie records and helped lead them to victory against the New Orleans Hornets.
Despite some tough luck this season, with O'Neal out for a couple games after a death in the family, and several players unable to perform due to injury, the team managed to come back with their second best winning record in history. To get your tickets, see full season stats, and more check out www.heat.com. You can also get ticket information by calling (786) 777-HOOP. In celebration, the Heat has come up with a campaign for Miami sports fans to show their team spirit. White Hot Heat encourages fans to wear white to show their support. They are also offering fans car decals, t-shirts, pom poms and more. They also hosted pep rallies at several area schools. To see everything the team has planned, visit www.whitehotheat.com. If you are too lazy to get the tickets by yourself, you can rely in one of the best Miami concierges company in town. They can do all the arrangements for you to attend a Miami Heat's game while in Miami. |