Sports

In a most unlikely play-off, has the Miami Heat’s magic finally run out?

news7g06/10/2023

1 4 minutes read

In a most unlikely play-off, has the Miami Heat's magic finally run out?

Melissa Rohlin

FOX Sports NBA Writer

MIAMI – It’s hard to count them all Heat Miami.

Every time they were fired, they miraculously revived themselves. Jimmy the butler will bring up a masterpiece. Bam Adebayo will turn into a beautiful two-dimensional performance. Or one of the team’s untrained players will make his name known to millions.

But the Heat’s unlikely season may have hit its wall.

Afterward fell to the Denver Nuggets in Game 4 of Friday’s Finals, 108-95, Heat is currently leading the series 3-1. Only one team in NBA history recovered from such a hole in the championship round, 2016 Cleveland Cavaliers do LeBron James.

This season has been spectacular for the Heat, who have overcome overwhelming odds at every turn. It’s almost become their trademark: The more they are left to die, the more they shine.

But now they’re on the edge of the biggest cliff they’ve ever faced, with a larger and stronger team of Nuggets pushing them closer to the edge.

Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said on Friday: “I told you guys, ‘Feel whatever you want to feel tonight, it’s okay’. “You probably shouldn’t sleep tonight at any time. I don’t think anyone will.

“…We’ve done things the hard way. And that’s how it’s going to have to be done now, again. All we’re going to focus on is getting this back to 305. [Miami’s area code]. Bring this back to Miami. And things can change very quickly.”

This is an unexpected post-season period. After losing a play-in game to AtlantaHeat advanced to the knockout round by defeating Chicago in their second play-in game. Then they stunned the NBA world in the first round by beating the top seed Milwaukee Bucks in five games. And after passing New York Knicks in the second round, they took a 3-0 lead first Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference finals, eventually defeating them in Game 7.

In doing so, the Heat became only the second eighth seed to reach the NBA Finals.

For Butler, this is just the latest challenge for the team – and he intends to face this challenge the same way he has led the Heat past all of their others.

Butler, who had 25 points, 7 rebounds and 7 assists on Friday, said: “I think we really believe in each other and in ourselves as individuals. “We’ve also done some tough things throughout the year in this playoff. And now it’s like the hardest of all the hard things. But like we always say, you know, those what you want is on the other side of the problem.”

In a sense, Heat seems to be built for the moment.

The team not only overcame a lot of difficult situations, but many of the most important members of the organization also had their own incompetent stories.

Spoelstra went from being the team’s video coordinator to being a two-time champion coach. Jimmy Butler went from being selected 30th in the NBA Draft to becoming a six-time All-Star and a post-season legend. Adebayo goes from considered one-way to become one of the top two-way players in the game. And the Heat have come this far with nine underdogs, more than any team in the league.

“We’re not giving up,” Butler said. “We will continue to fight,”

The Heat showed that mentality in Game 4. Being 17 points behind, they reduced their deficit to 5 points in the fourth quarter. But the Nuggets ended up falling too deep and their defense around the 3-point line was too strong.

When asked what the players’ message was after the game, Adebayo described an oppressive but hopeful dressing room.

“A lot of people were upset,” said Adebayo, who finished the game with 20 points, 11 rebounds and seven turns. “But the biggest thing is, first to four [wins]. That’s the biggest thing, first to four. We take it one game at a time. And we found this out.”

Regardless of how this plays out, the Heat’s season is sure to be considered a success.

Moments like Butler’s 56-point performance against the Bucks in Game 4 will become playoff legends. Adebayo has taken his attacking play to the next level this season, while also being one of the top defenders in the league. Guys like Caleb Martin, Max Strus And Gabe Vincent name themselves. And Heat has reached the final stage in basketball despite not having Tyler Herro And Victor Oladipo for the majority of knockout matches.

The Heat shouldn’t be here. But after losing both games at home to the Nuggets, perhaps they ended up digging a hole too deep to get through.

But of course, they don’t see it that way.

Butler said: “We’re going to go into Monday and do what we said we’re going to do all this time and win. “We had to. We had no choice. If not, we would have done all this for no reason.”

Melissa Rohlin is an NBA writer for FOX Sports. She has previously covered the tournament for Sports Illustrated, the Los Angeles Times, Bay Area News Group and the San Antonio Express-News. Follow her on Twitter @melissarohlin.

ACCORDING TO Follow your favorites to personalize your FOX Sports experience