After LeBron James joined the Miami Heat after the 2009-10 season, the Heat were immediate title contenders after getting eliminated in the first round the year before. They started the season rough with a 9-8 record, but they finished the season with a 54-28 season. They cruised past the eastern conference to make it to the NBA Finals against the Dirk Nowitzki-led Dallas Mavericks. LeBron had one of the worst performances of his career as the Heat lost and Dallas emerged as NBA Champions.
Dwyane Wade, while talking to Shannon Sharpe on ‘Club Shay Shay,’ revealed that after their loss in the 2010-11 NBA Finals, he and his wife went on a trip with LeBron James and Savannah James. During the trip, they had a conversation about why they lost, and Wade pointed out that LeBron had been feeling hesitant on the court during the finals.
After their trip, back at the gym with their coach, Dwyane Wade spoke to LeBron James. He told LeBron not to worry about helping him or Chris Bosh maintain their stats but to focus on playing freely without concern for who had scored last. Wade emphasized that their main goal was winning championships, not accumulating individual awards or endorsements.
LeBron appeared somewhat taken aback by Dwyane Wade’s selfless approach. However, Wade’s ability to adapt to playing alongside other star players, which he had learned from his earlier experiences, made it easier for him to embrace a similar dynamic with LeBron and Chris Bosh in the revamped Miami Heat team. His past experience, including playing alongside a star like Shaquille O’Neal early in his career, had equipped him with the skills and mindset needed to thrive in such situations.
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What happened after the Heat’s 2011 NBA Finals loss to the Mavericks?
Following their disappointing loss to a Dallas team, which wasn’t considered a championship team by many, the Heat were devastated. The Heat were fired up for the next season and expectations from them were the highest than ever.
That season marked the Miami Heat’s peak, with a franchise-best 66 regular-season wins and an astonishing 27-game winning streak. Their playoff run was equally dominant, culminating in a five-game victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder in the 2012 Finals, securing them the championship.
The Miami Heat made it to the NBA Finals in both 2013 and 2014, squaring off against the San Antonio Spurs on both occasions. In 2013, they clinched the title in a thrilling seven-game series, thanks in large part to Ray Allen‘s iconic clutch shot, widely regarded as one of the greatest in NBA history. However, in 2014, the Spurs, led by the emerging star Kawhi Leonard and their championship core, decisively defeated the Heat, bringing an end to the era of the Big Three in Miami.
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