10 Sickest Plays from the Miami Heat's Opening Week

At 5-1, the Miami Heat are off to their best start in franchise history.

Even with a disappointing loss to the Atlanta Hawks on their own floor, the Heat still have five quality wins to look back on.

Their drubbing of the Dallas Mavericks on opening day proved to give the Heat quite the feeling of redemption after falling to the team in the NBA Finals only a few months back. On the day the Mavericks raised their banner, the Heat led by as much as 36 points and won by 11.

They continued the trend a few nights later in their home opener against the Boston Celtics. The Heat pulled out to a big lead before a late run by the Celtics closed the gap. It took some heroics from the Heat's latest draft pick to give Miami an eight-point win.

It was expected to get easier for the Heat as they went on the road to play the Charlotte Bobcats and Minnesota Timberwolves. Both second halves were down to the wire, but Dwyane Wade came to life at the end to hit the game winner in both instances.

Miami recently had their biggest victory of the season, a 39-point victory over the same Charlotte team they needed a game-winner to beat earlier, before suffering their first defeat of the season.

Nothing to be disappointed by so far. As much as we'd like to see the Heat win every game, losses are going to happen, especially in this congested season where breaks are rare to see.

It's not an excuse, but the Heat's loss to Atlanta was their sixth game since Dec. 25 to end a run of six games in nine nights.

In celebration of the Heat's hot start, we bestow upon you the 10 best plays of the early season from Miami.

10. D-Wade and James Doing What They Do Best

Not much to see here; you've seen it far too often for it even to be explained.

The Miami Heat caused a turnover, sent an outlet to Dwyane Wade and then sent an alley-oop pass to LeBron James, who spends the majority of his game living above the rim anyway.

It made it so much sweeter for the Heat that it came against their dreaded rivals in the Boston Celtics, who they defeated by eight points after staving off a frantic fourth-quarter rally.

9. Norris Cole Joins the Fast Break

The Miami Heat's rookie sensation decided that he wanted a piece of the action when it came to running fast breaks.

Following a turnover by Kevin Love, the ball was passed off to Dwyane Wade to initiate the fast-break sequence. It was given that it was going to end up as two easy points, but the only question was how that was going to happen.

Wade then passed it off to point guard Norris Cole, who quickly threw off the alley-oop pass to LeBron James. The pass, of course, was completed as James threw it down with one hand.

8. LeBron James Gives Gerald Henderson a Concussion

It might not have been worth two points, but it's still a poster dunk nonetheless.

We're not exactly sure how the referees missed counting this dunk. The ball clearly goes through the rim, until it is met by Gerald Henderson's head near the bottom of the net.

This play could have easily determined the game, as what was supposed to be an 84-80 game turned to an 82-82 affair after an easy layup by Corey Maggette on the other end.

In a game that was decided by a game-winner with three seconds left, missing out on two points like this could have decided the game.

Even if it may not have counted, this could be recognized as one of the top posters of the year.

Mario Chalmers found LeBron James and delivered an excellent bounce pass to the cutting James. LeBron proceeded to dribble baseline and throw down the dunk with such force that it slammed off of Henderson's head and directly popped out of the rim.

7. Dwyane Wade Sends Back Vladimir Radmanovic

One of the best shot-blocking guards in NBA history, Dwyane Wade decided to make his presence felt on his shot blocking-targets: players who are much larger than him.

Given that it is Vladimir Radmanovic, it's still an unbelievable threat as to what Wade did. Take note that Wade is a 6'4" guard and that Radmanovic is a 6'10" forward when viewing this play and realizing just what exactly took place.

Wade showed no fear in meeting the much larger forward at the rim, and it resulted in a blocked two points as he sent back Vladimir's dunk attempt.

6. The Big Three All Get in the Act

When you see the Miami Heat run a fast break, it usually involves Dwyane Wade, LeBron James and perhaps one of the teams' point guards.

This time, however, you see Wade, James and Mario Chalmers, joined by Chris Bosh.

After an excellent block by Wade on Dirk Nowitzki, all four players ran the floor as Wade dribbled down and passed it off to James. LeBron would then touch-pass the ball to the trailing Bosh, who then threw it down over the defending Shawn Marion.

The Heat defeated the world champion Dallas Mavericks by 11 in this game, and even led by as much as 36 points before calling off the dogs.

Aside from proving they're capable of beating the elite teams, they also showed they're still capable of running the fast break to perfection.

5. That Was Cole Blooded

Forget Kyrie Irving and Brandon Knight, it turns out that the top point guard of the NBA draft might have been taken late in the first round.

The Miami Heat may have lucked out with their rookie Norris Cole, who has taken the NBA world by storm after an unbelievable performance against the Boston Celtics.

With the Celtics staging a comeback and not appearing to start, the Heat found themselves stifled by a zone defense that prohibited Dwyane Wade and LeBron James from driving.

The Heat needed a jump shooter and they were lucky to find a rookie point guard by their side. Cole had 20 points in the game, with 14 of them coming in a pivotal fourth quarter that enabled the Heat to a 115-107 victory in their home opener.

Cole was hitting jump shot after jump shot in the game, and he was absolutely tremendous late in the game. With so much attention focused on his teammates, the Celtics might have forgotten that Cole was on the floor before it was too late.

He now has three games of 10 points or more. A starting job could be in his future if he continues to play above expectations, and if Mario Chalmers disappoints.

4. Dwyane Wade Hits the Game Winner vs. Charlotte

The Charlotte Bobcats have always proven to be quite the challenge for the Miami Heat. Their matchup early in the year was no different, as it took a last-second shot by Dwyane Wade to give the Heat a victory.

Moments after Gerald Henderson hit a three-pointer to put the 'Cats up by one point, the Heat decided to give the ball to Wade with a few seconds left to win the game. Henderson mistakenly gave Wade entrance to the lane and he took advantage.

Dwyane drove in, was met by two defenders, and shot a short banker that found itself hitting the bottom of the net to give the Heat a 96-95 lead.

D.J. Augustin would miss a wayward three-pointer at the other end, as the Heat would escape with a win after falling behind by as much as 16 points at one time.

3. Dwyane Wade and LeBron James Hook Up for the Game Winner vs Minnesota

Looks like coach Erik Spoelstra and the Miami Heat were paying attention.

A few years after Rajon Rondo and the Boston Celtics ran a similar play to tie their game against the Miami Heat, the Heat decided to try out the same thing in a tied game against the Minnesota Timberwolves.

In an unusually tight game that featured hot shooting by the Wolves, the Heat found themselves tied up at 101 points apiece with only six seconds remaining. That tie was immediately broken once Dwyane Wade used a series of screens to free himself up for an open lane to the hoop.

Upon finding himself rolling to the rim, inbound man LeBron James threw up a perfect pass to Wade, who would lay-in the alley-oop to give the Heat the 103-101 lead and the eventual victory.

2. Like a Bosh

So much for him being recognized as soft, Chris Bosh has been on a mission this season to rid himself of that misleading label.

After disappointing himself by averaging 18 points and eight boards per last season, Bosh has three games of 20 or more points and two games of 10 rebounds or more this year already.

It's clear how much more aggressive he is this year than last season. He's no longer settling on deep jumpers; he'll attempt to take it inside at all costs.

When Bosh is taking it inside, it leads to plays like the one in Charlotte when he dunked all over fellow power forward D.J. White.

The landing might have been awkward, but Bosh lifts off from the broken half-circle just in front of the free-throw line to complete the dunk and one of the league's top posters early on in the season.

1. LeBron James and Dwyane Wade Complete the Double Alley-Oop

We thought we had seen the Miami Heat's duo of LeBron James and Dwyane Wade do it all, but we were once again proven wrong.

During the Heat's opening day thrashing of the Dallas Mavericks, the Heat decided to strip Dirk Nowitzki en route to another one of their fast breaks.

Mario Chalmers led the way with LeBron James and Dwyane Wade trailing ahead of him, and James calling for the alley-oop.

Chalmers threw up the pass, but James could complete it as the pass was a little off target, as well as still being guarded by Shawn Marion.

Rather than attempting the alley-oop, James wisely tipped the pass over to the cutting Dwyane Wade, who then threw it down off the tip.