In the early 2010s, the Miami Heat assembled one of the greatest Big 3s in the NBA’s history, starring LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. In what many allude to as the beginning of the superteams era, Pat Riley’s management pulled off a heist, leaving the opposition stunned.
What served as the perfect recipe for success had a generational talent in “King James” mixing with the championship DNA of D-Wade and the big man’s prowess of Bosh. With all eyes on them, “The Heatles” made the Finals in all four years, putting up a 2-2 record on the biggest stage.
Enduring their fair share of hurdles, the Heat faced heavy criticism for losing to the Mavericks in the 2011 Finals. Winning back-to-back titles thereafter, Coach Eric Spoelstra and the crew had the San Antonio Spurs put the stops on them from clinching a three-peat.
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The summer of 2014 had James enter free agency, at which time he decided to return to Cleveland. Many feel that if the four-time MVP had stayed in Miami, they could have added a couple more banners. Interestingly, “The Flash” isn’t completely buying that narrative.
“I don’t know. That Golden State team was right on our heels. I really don’t know. I wasn’t in my prime anymore. I was outside of my prime about 2014. So, that would have made it hard for us to really win if I was still going to be a big part of it. Chris Bosh, not knowing what he was going to be dealing with later, he was in his prime, and LeBron was in his, but I wasn’t in mine anymore. And it would have made it tough to keep going, so I would have really had to find health in a big way very quickly to keep competing at that level, and because my body was going through so much,” said Wade during a 2021 “Jalen Rose: Renaissance Man” podcast episode.
Health setbacks for Wade and Bosh
After Bron left in 2014, both Wade and Bosh re-signed with the Heat, but signs of decline soon followed. “Flash,” the 2006 Finals MVP, began battling nagging hamstring injuries, signaling that he was nearing the end of his prime.
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Meanwhile, CB faced health concerns of his own, making it clear the duo’s dominance was fading. The recurring nature of Chris’ blood clot condition left the eleven-time All-Star with no choice but to retire. All of the above occurrences took place in less than a year after James decided not to re-sign with Miami.
The upcoming Golden State Warriors
As the Heat’s Big Three era was nearing its end, the Golden State Warriors were on the verge of changing the game’s landscape. “The Splash Brothers” took the league by storm with their laser three-point shooting. Coach Steve Kerr’s fast-paced offense, which primarily included floor spacing and ball sharing, rendered most defenses helpless.
Stephen Curry had become the NBA’s newest sensation, thanks to his unmatched shooting and a playing style fans could easily connect with. Facing the Warriors in the Finals would’ve brought serious pressure on the “Heatles.”
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After returning to Cleveland, James would go on to battle the Bay Area powerhouse in four straight Finals. Despite his 1-3 Finals record against the Dubs, Bron’s 2016 comeback to win the chip for the Cavaliers etched his legacy as an all-time great.