MIAMI HEAT FRANCHISE HISTORY
Previous Franchise Names: None
Principal Owner: Micky Arison
CEO: Nick Arison
President: Pat Riley
Head Coach: Erik Spoelstra
Best Season: 2012-13 (66-16, .805)
Playoff Appearances: 18
NBA Championships: 3 (2005-06, 2011-13)
CHICAGO – APRIL 24: Dwyane Wade #3 of the Miami Heat looks towards the Heat Bench as he reacts in the second half against the Chicago Bulls in Game Two of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals during the 2007 NBA Playoffs at the United Center on April 24, 2007 in Chicago, Illinois. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)
Miami made its return to pro basketball and its first foray into the NBA when the Heat debuted as an expansion team in 1988-89.
One of four teams to join the NBA at the end of the 1980s along with the Charlotte Hornets, Minnesota Timberwolves and Orlando Magic, Miami is the only one to date that has captured an NBA title, winning in 2006 and going back-to-back in 2012 and 2013.
Miami’s only other pro basketball experience was with the ABA’s Miami Floridians—later called just The Floridians—for four seasons from 1968-69 through 1971-72.
The Heat made the playoffs for the first time in their fourth season, 1991-92, and posted their first winning season two years later, but emerged as an Eastern Conference contender in the mid- to late 1990s behind a cast led by Alonzo Mourning and Tim Hardaway.
But Miami could never get past either the Chicago Bulls or their major nemesis, the New York Knicks, during that run.
The arrival of Dwyane Wade in the 2003 NBA Draft and of Shaquille O’Neal in a 2004 trade took the Heat to new heights, culminated by a championship run in 2006, when Finals MVP Wade led Miami to four straight wins after falling behind the Dallas Mavericks 2-0 in the NBA Finals.
The Heat shocked the NBA in the summer of 2010, re-signing free agent Wade along with superstars LeBron James and Chris Bosh to form a “Big Three” that led Miami to four straight NBA Finals from 2011-14, a run that included championship wins over the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2012 and the San Antonio Spurs in 2013.
James returned to the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2014 and the Heat missed the playoffs in 2015 for the first time in seven years.
In all, Miami has reached the postseason 18 times in 28 years.
Pat Riley, currently the team’s president and primary personnel decision maker, is also the winningest coach in franchise history, going 454-395 in two stints as head coach. He led the Heat from 1996-97 through 2001-02 and resumed the position 21 games into the 2005-06 campaign, stepping down again after the 2007-08 season.
His teams were 34-36 in the playoffs.
Miami Heat Career Leaders (as of 3/9/2016)
- Games, Dwyane Wade, 840
- Points, Dwyane Wade, 19948
- Rebounds, Udonis Haslem, 5649
- Assists, Dwyane Wade, 4881
- Steals, Dwyane Wade, 1400
- Blocks, Alonzo Mourning, 1625
(10) and Alonzo Mourning exchange words near end of the Eastern Conference semifinals against the New York Knicks., (Photo by Keith Torrie/NY Daily News Archive via Getty Images)Miami Heat Retired Numbers
- 10, Tim Hardaway
- 13, Dan Marino
- 23, Michael Jordan
- 33, Alonzo Mourning
Miami Heat Official Links
Official Team Site: nba.com/heat
Official Twitter Handle: @miamiheat
Official Facebook Page: Miami Heat
Official Instagram Page: Miami Heat
Official Arena Page: American Airlines Arena
Miami Heat Beat Writers
Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, @iraheatbeat
Shandel Richardson, Sun Sentinel, @shandelrich
Manny Navarro, Miami Herald, @manny_navarro
Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, @flasportsbuzz
Ethan Skolnick, Miami Herald, @ethanjskolnick
Jason Lieser, Palm Beach Post, @pbpjasonlieser
Tim Reynolds, Associated Press, @bytimreynolds
Related Miami Heat Blogs and Links
Miami Heat Logo History, courtesy of Chris Creamer’s Sportslogos.net
Salary Page: Miami Heat Salaries at Spotrac
FanSided Miami Heat: All U Can Heat
SB Nation Miami Heat: Hot Hot Hoops
HoopsHabit Miami Heat Archive: Miami Heat
Bleacher Report Miami Heat Team Stream: Miami Heat
RealGM Miami Heat Page: Miami Heat
Stats and retired number information courtesy of Basketball-Reference.com and NBA.com
