LeBron made memories with Heat, now more to come? A look at his top 10.
· Yahoo Sports
MIAMI — Will there be more? Is there Miami Heat history still to be written by LeBron James?
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And if there is, could there possibly be another top-10 moment for the King on the Heat’s court?
To appreciate why the Heat subjected themselves to this free-agency waiting game is to appreciate how much those initial four seasons with LeBron meant to the franchise.
Yes, Dwyane Wade had his moments, as did Shaquille O’Neal, Alonzo Mourning, Tim Hardaway, Chris Bosh and Jimmy Butler.
But arguably no player created more memories as dramatic as LeBron.
Such as ...
1. 'Taking my talents to South Beach.'
In a moment, everything changed for the Heat.
This was not just the hope of the arrival of Pat Riley in 1995 or even the drafting of Dwyane Wade in 2003.
As soon as LeBron told Jim Gray on that nationally televised ESPN production of “The Decision,” the reality of championship contention was immediate.
As in, during the party that would follow in what now is known as Kaseya Center, “... not two, not three, not four, not five, not six, not seven ... and when I say that, I really believe.”
Ultimately, there were two NBA titles, but also visits to the NBA Finals all four of LeBron’s Heat seasons.
2. Statement vs. Boston Celtics
A year after being humbled in the 2011 NBA Finals by the Dallas Mavericks, the Heat stood on the brink of elimination with a 3-2 deficit to the Celtics going back to Boston for Game 6 of the Eastern Conference finals.
And in that Game 6? A sublime 45 points, 15 rebounds and five assists on 19-of-26 shooting from LeBron.
The Heat won that game, won Game 7 in Miami, and just over a week later, the franchise’s second title and LeBron’s first, taking the 2012 NBA Finals 4-1 from the Oklahoma City Thunder.
3. That Masked Man
Having worn a black mask in previous games to protect a broken nose, LeBron was forced to switch to a clear mask for a March 3, 2014, game against the Charlotte Bobcats.
And what did that masked man do? A cool 61 points on 22-of-33 shooting, a Heat record not eclipsed until Bam Adebayo scored his 83 this past season against the Washington Wizards.
Prior to that game, the Heat single-game record of 56 points by Glen Rice had stood since April 15, 1995.
4. The pre-Allen show
Forgotten in the wake of the Ray Allen 3-pointer that forced overtime in the Heat’s Game 6 victory over the visiting San Antonio Spurs in the 2013 NBA Finals was how the Heat got to that point.
With the Heat down 10 in that fourth quarter and facing elimination, LeBron scored 16 of his 32 points in that fourth quarter.,
Yes, he was off on the shot before Allen’s shot, but he almost singlehandedly got the Heat to that moment.
5. And the follow-up
With the Spurs demoralized after Allen’s dagger, LeBron seized the moment to score 37 points and secure 12 rebounds in the Game 7 victory that gave the Heat a second consecutive championship and LeBron his second consecutive Finals MVP.
A critical jumper with 27 seconds remaining settled it in the 96-88 victory, as pandemonium ensued at the Heat’s arena.
6. The winning streak
If there was any question about the Heat maintaining their focus after winning their first Big Three title in 2012, they were addressed midway through the following season, winning 27 consecutive games from Feb. 3, 2013 to March 27, 2013.
The streak, which remains second longest in NBA history only to the Los Angeles Lakers’ 33 in a row in 1971-72, was powered by James averaging 27 points, 8.1 rebounds and eight on 58% shooting during the streak.
7. Picture perfect
While it was just a mundane December 2010 road game against the Milwaukee Bucks, a blind no-look pass from Wade back to a trailing LeBron for a transition dunk led to a picture perfect moment, with both players caught in the same snapshot reveling in the chemistry that would continue to build over their four Heat seasons.
8. The dunks
There also were ample moments of remarkable athleticism over the four-year Heat run.
Two dunks were particularly frightening.
There was the leap over 5-foot-11 Chicago Bulls guard John Lucas III for a dunk in a Jan. 29, 2012, game. Then, in a March 18, 2013, victory over the Celtics, LeBron took an alley-oop pass from Norris Cole and, well, just about completely obliterated Boston guard Jason Terry, glaring at his fallen victim.
9. The block
Then there was the transition chase-down of 6-11 center Tiago Splitter at the rim for an apex blocked shot in the fourth quarter of Game 2 of the 2013 NBA Finals against the Spurs.
In Heat lore, it stands right up there with Adebayo’s block of Jayson Tatum in the 2020 bubble playoffs at Disney during the pandemic.
10. Triple-double with meaning
LeBron left no doubt about his championship impact in closing out that first title in 2012 against the Thunder, finishing that series-winning Game 5 victory with 26 points, 11 rebounds and 13 assists.
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