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Miami Heat: 5 Best Games Of The Season

By David Ramil

Oct 21, 2014; Miami, FL, USA; Miami Heat forward Chris Bosh (left) greets guard Dwyane Wade (right) during the first half against the Houston Rockets at American Airlines Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 21, 2014; Miami, FL, USA; Miami Heat forward Chris Bosh (left) greets guard Dwyane Wade (right) during the first half against the Houston Rockets at American Airlines Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports /
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Nov 9, 2014; Dallas, TX, USA; Miami Heat center Chris Bosh (1) and forward Josh McRoberts (4) and Dallas Mavericks forward Richard Jefferson (24) during the game at the American Airlines Center. The Heat defeated the Mavericks 105-96. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports /

Nov. 9, 2014 – Miami Heat @ Dallas – FINAL SCORE: 105-96

Wait … what?

To me, this game was the best moment of the season … before Whiteside, before Dragic, before the slew of constant injuries.

Miami fans didn’t know what to expect from this roster as it had been constructed. Miami’s goal had been to create an offensive scheme similar to San Antonio’s. “Small ball” and effective passing was the overall approach but, without James, who knew if it would work?

On this night, it worked to perfection, humiliating an opponent with legitimate title hopes in the process. The score would seem to indicate that it was a close game but that’s deceptive. Miami enjoyed a comfortable 20-point lead in the fourth quarter before Dallas’ bench decided to make a game of it.

Of Miami’s offensive execution, here are some highlights:

  • Three players scored 20 (Deng, Wade, Bosh) or more and a fourth (Chalmers) scored 18 — even and prolific production
  • The Heat shot 55 percent overall and 39.3 percent from 3-point range (on 23 attempts!). Miami was even leading the league in 3-point percentage early in the season.
  • Of Miami’s 42 made field goals, 31 of them were assisted.

Deng dropped 30 points while providing excellent defense and Dallas’ Chandler Parsons, the golden boy of free agency, was held to just four points.

Moreover, it was a team that hadn’t yet been beaten down by the weight of the season’s struggles. Shawne Williams was a starter! Josh McRoberts played 17 minutes off the bench! Bosh’s life wasn’t yet at risk …

For a brief moment, this season, not next, was full of promise. And that’s why this game, just a blip on the radar of an 82-game season, was undoubtedly the best game of the year.

Stay tuned later in the week for my review of the five worst games of the year.

Next: The 30 Best Point Guards of All-Time

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