The Miami Heat are scary.
Yes, their 27-game winning streak is impressive and their roster instills fear in the most unconcerned of NBA teams, but that’s not why they’re scary. They’re scary because they’ve apparently yet to peak.
Following their win over the Orlando Magic, a number of Heat players told Alex Kennedy of Hoopsworld that the team isn’t currently playing to their full potential.
Several Heat players told me the team isn’t playing to full potential. That’s what makes this team so scary and this streak so impressive.
— Alex Kennedy (@AlexKennedyNBA) March 26, 2013
Don’t pretend you didn’t just do some kind of a double-take. I know you did.
Miami hasn’t lost since February 1, nearly two months ago. In that time, they’ve won 27-straight games, equating to the second-longest winning streak in league history. How is that no their full potential?
Watching the Heat, you can see a difference between their play in the first and second half. It’s almost as if those first two quarters are warmups, and they don’t decide to channel their killer instinct until afterward. Perhaps that’s what they were referring to.
Even so, they’ve managed to rattle off 27-consecutive victories. Winning is winning. No matter how you do it. And to win that much, you need to playing you’re absolute best basketball. Unless you’re the Heat, apparently.
That this team will readily admit they’re better than even their winning streak suggests is both absurd and awesome. Complacency is obviously an issue during stretches like these, so we’ve got to credit the Heat with finding a way to remain motivated. Even if it’s only for half the game.
What is it that continues to drive them? That fuels them to be better? That constitutes them effectively shrugging off their chase for history?
The pursuit of an NBA title. Or rather, another NBA title.
#Heat LeBron James: “Our historic run is about winning championships. That is what we want to be known for. It’s part of a process.”
— John Denton (@JohnDenton555) March 26, 2013
LeBron James and the Heat didn’t form the most formidable roster in basketball to win 27, 34 or more games in a row. He left everything he knew with the Cleveland Cavaliers to take his talents to South Beach and win championships. He, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh and even Ray Allen took pay cuts for the sake of building a dynasty. That’s what matters to this team.
Not the 27 wins. Not reaching and subsequently surpassing 33 wins. Not even finishing the regular season with the Association’s best record.
It’s all about the championship, the glory that comes with hoisting the Larry O’Brien trophy over their heads for a second-consecutive year.
That’s the streak the Heat care about. That’s the promise LeBron made upon arriving in Miami.
If the Heat happen to make history in the process of making good on that pledge, then that’s merely a bonus.
Dan Favale is a firm believer in the three-pointer as well as the notion that defense doesn’t always win championships. His musings can be found at Bleacherreport.com in addition to TheHoopDoctors.com. Follow @danfavale on Twitter for his latest posts and all things NBA.
