Last night the Miami Heat racked up its 20th straight win, which now puts the team in a tie for the NBA's third-longest winning streak. They're just two wins away from taking second place, but can the Heat own the record outright?
It's a tough task. They'd have to win their next 13 games to tie for the record and 14 to own it.
The record currently belongs to the Las Angeles Lakers, who racked up 33 straight games in the 1971-72 season. That's not only an NBA record but also the longest winning streak of any American professional sports team in history.
That streak, by the way, was ended by the Milwaukee Bucks, who just happen to be the Heat's next opponent. It's also a team the Heat has struggled with this season. They lost to the Bucks in December, and their narrow win against the team in November came in overtime. This Bucks game is also the second in a five-game road trip that will conclude with games against Toronto, Boston, and Cleveland.
Over the Heat's next 13 games, it is perhaps the San Antonio Spurs who pose the biggest challenge. They have the second-best record behind only the Heat, and we're guessing unlike last time, Coach Popovich won't be sending his starters home for the night for their game on March 31.
We're not holding our breath that the team could break that longstanding record, but hey, until the team actually loses, anything could happen. In any event, at least this team has more than made up for the Heat notching the NBA's 22nd-longest losing streak in its inaugural season.
Follow Miami New Times on Facebook and Twitter @MiamiNewTimes.
