There are probably hundreds of Heat playoff moments to recall, but some rise above the rest. Let's get nostalgic and relive the five best playoff moments in Miami Heat history.
1994 NBA Playoffs: First Playoff Win
It wouldn't make sense to not include the first-ever win against the Atlanta Hawks in the 1994 playoffs. The eighth-seeded Heat pulled off a 93-88 upset win to get on the board in the postseason, and the rest, as they say, was history.Glancing at the box score and seeing names like Glen Rice, Steve Smith, and Rony Seikaly really brings you back. If we only knew what was to come over the next three decades.
2006 NBA Finals Game 6: The Final Seconds
Before there was a LeBron James/Big 3 era or Bam Adebayo/Jimmy Butler era, the Dwyane Wade/Shaq era set the tone for the success fans still enjoy to this day. While the '90s teams of Alonzo Mourning and Tim Hardaway formed the foundation of Heat Culture, Game 6 of the 2006 NBA Finals legitimized Miami as an NBA team.The final moments of the Heat's title-clinching game against the Dallas Mavericks will never be forgotten by Heat fans old enough to remember Dwyane Wade grabbing the rebound and hoisting it into the sky as the final seconds left the clock. Euphoric — and a defining moment in Miami sports.
2012 East Finals Game 6: LeBron Reveals Superhuman Powers
After losing to the Dallas Mavericks in the 2011 NBA Finals, the Big 3 era was on the ropes as the Heat entered Boston down 3-2 in the 2012 Eastern Conference Finals. As the story goes, LeBron James spent the hours prior to the game speaking to no one, seemingly in a trance as he prepared for the biggest game of his life.The result? A 45-point, 15-rebound performance that will forever rank as one of his best. And a performance that likely saved the Big 3 as we know it today. A loss against Boston probably would have meant trades, retooling, and as the rumors go, the trading of Chris Bosh. Instead, Miami went on to win back-to-back NBA titles.
2013 NBA Finals Game 2: The Block
Before the Miami Heat and San Antonio Spurs ever got into the real drama of their 2013 NBA Finals series (more on that later!) there was a play that was referred to at the time as the greatest defensive play in the history of the NBA playoffs. With the team battling for series position, Tiago Splitter drove to the basket for a thundering slam. The only problem? He was met by a brick wall named LeBron James.The block energized the Heat, who went on to win the game to even up the series as they headed back to San Antonio. While the score and situation are easy to forget, Heat fans likely remember what seat they jumped out of when this epic block transpired.
2013 NBA Finals Game 6: The Shot
It doesn't matter how much time passes, even in 2122, this moment in Miami Heat playoff history will still rank at the tippy top of the list: Ray Allen's game-tying three-pointer against the San Antonio Spurs. It will take some kind of incredible occurrence and circumstance to top one of the most heart-thumping moments in Heat history.Not only is "The Shot" one of the greatest NBA moments of all time, but it's also one of the greatest sports moments ever. All sports. Ever. It's that legendary. When a photo of the play looks like it belongs to painted on the ceiling of a church, it's sure to go down in history.
