Miami Heat: The 15 Most Memorable Moments in Two Decades of Heat History

From Rony Seikaly winning 15 games to Alonzo Mourning winning 61. From Tim Hardaway putting on a show on a nightly basis with his explosive driving and exceptional crossover to Dwyane Wade's electricity and ambition that continues to surprise and entertain us game after game.

The Miami Heat have given Heat and NBA fans in general an infinite number of reasons to watch basketball in South Beach.

The Heat joined the league as an expansion team, along with the Charlotte Hornets, Minnesota Timberwolves, and Orlando Magic, and have done what many other teams in the league cannot yet boast and that includes an NBA championship and a 60 plus win season.

The players that have suited up for the Heat are worth mentioning as well as the significant amount of talented players that have stepped onto the court of the Miami Arena or American Airlines Arena have dazzled us over for over two decades now.

The Heat started out slow as a 15-67 embarrassment, but through sheer determination they made a name for themselves within a decade and became an instant championship contender. They would follow up the 1990's with a few mediocre years before once again turning into a powerhouse as they secured their first championship in the 2005-'06 season thanks in part to the tremendous athletic ability of Dwyane Wade.

While the past three seasons have been tough, the Heat now have a brighter future to look forward to with the recent acquisitions of superstars in LeBron James and Chris Bosh joining forces with Wade.

Another championship(s) could be on the horizon for the Heat who are once again ready to make a name for themselves as contenders and as a powerhouse.

For 22 years now, the Heat have entertained us and there appears to be nothing stopping them from entertaining us even more than they already have. They have given us memorable moments that will be implanted in our minds for years to come and with the new era approaching, the team is certain to only give us more.

15. The First Season

The city of Miami got their wish when it came down to securing a basketball franchise in the 1988-'89 season as they were granted a team that will forever be known as the Heat.

The team was met with great support in their November 5th debut as fans packed the stadium to see what kind of team they would be watching for the next number of decades. Rory Sparrow scored the first points for the Heat, but the team would eventually lose to the Los Angeles Clippers 111-91 at home.

Despite the loss, Heat fans would soon become prominent as the team was met with great support even though they had a terribly poor record. They set an NBA record for most consecutive losses to start a season with 17 losses in a row before a December 14th road game with the same Clippers squad that had beaten them by 20 points in their home and season opener nearly two months prior.

The game went down to the wire with the Clippers given a chance to win at the buzzer. Luckily for the Heat, Los Angeles failed to convert and the Heat would secure their first win in a thrilling one point win. Even though Miami would only win 14 more games the rest of the way, they received a tremendous amount of support from their fan base just as they do now.

14. Glen Rice Scores 56 Points.

It's hard to believe, but Dwyane Wade doesn't actually own every Miami Heat record yet.

In a game against during the 1994-'95 against an Orlando Magic squad that featured the likes of Shaquille O'Neal and Penny Hardaway, Glen Rice decided that he needed to take the game into his own hands if the team was going to beat the Eastern Conference powerhouse.

Set up on the national stage at home, Rice lit up the defensive-minded Magic to the tune of 56 points on an absurd 20 of 27 shooting from the field. Eight of the 20 made shots came from beyond the arc as he only missed one from deep. The 56 points was not only a league high for the season, but is still the mark to beat as far as a Miami Heat milestone goes.

Dwyane Wade recently scored 55 in a win against the New York Knicks before being taken out with five minutes remaining. Coach Erik Spoelstra had decided that not every single Heat record should be Wade's yet. For now, Glen still reigns supreme with 56 points, but with Wade and now LeBron James on the team, that milestone could be toppled over within the next season.

13. The Decision

"This fall, and this is very tough, in this fall I am going to take my talent's to South Beach to join the Miami Heat."

Arrogance? Maybe. Cocky? Probably. A winning mentality that will net the Miami Heat a few championships in the next five years? Possibly.

The 2010 Summer was one to never forget for the NBA world which is saying a lot considering not one game was played, yet it was still considered one of the most important and intense seasons in NBA history.

With big name players like Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh, Amare Stoudemire, and LeBron James on the free agent market, every team threw their name in the sweepstakes to obtain any of these players to come help and join the team for the next few years.

The Heat were the only team capable of signing three maximum-contract free agent's and got their wish after re-signing Dwyane Wade, signing Chris Bosh, and shortly after LeBron James announced his franchise of choice on a nationally televised event, "The Decision."

As everybody is aware of now, LeBron James joined the Heat.

This came shortly after a few tumultuous weeks that made many Heat fans cringe at the thought of Wade leaving for Chicago before he finally decided to remain in Miami for another six years.

With the addition of Bosh, James, and a number of other role players, the Heat have become the newest NBA powerhouse and have even been considered a favorite to win the NBA title despite not even playing a game yet.

The team has also been recognized as one of the most hated since James joined the team as a number of fans and players from across the country have spoken out against LeBron and the rest of the Heat.

The 2010-'11 campaign certainly will be an interesting season.

12. Dwyane Wade's First Post Season Game Winner

Do you think the Heat organization realized what talent they had on their hands following the 2004 post season?

The 2003-'04 Miami Heat weren't expected to do much after starting the season 0-7 and boasting a subpar starting lineup that consisted of veterans in Lamar Odom, Brian Grant, and Eddie Jones and two young stars in the making in Caron Butler and Dwyane Wade.

However, despite losing their first seven games, the Heat finished strong and ended the season at 42-40 while taking the fourth seed in the process.

A date with the New Orleans Hornets was made and as expected, it was a tight, hard fought match up.

In game one with the game tied at 79-79, coach Stan Van Gundy elected to have rookie Dwyane Wade inbound the ball to win the game. With the confidence that was instilled in him by the coaching staff and his supporting cast, Wade blew past Baron Davis into the lane and threw up a floater over the long, outstretched hands of former Heater P.J. Brown before finally seeing it drop to give the Heat an eventual 81-79 win.

Miami would go on to win the series 4-3 as Wade would average 18 points and six assists in his first post season.

11. Dwyane Wade Dunks On Anderson Varejao

It's difficult for a dunk to make a most memorable list for any team. For a dunk like this however, we'll make an exception.

The Miami Heat and Cleveland Cavaliers had become rivals since James joined the Cavs and Wade joined the Heat in the 2003 draft and every time the two would play each other, a shootout was in store between the two superstars. When the Cavaliers came to Miami in a game during the 2009-'10 season, expectations were high as Wade and James were both playing up to their usual talented standards.

The game would end up in a Cavs victory, but the moment most remembered would no doubt be Dwyane Wade's unforgettable dunk on Anderson Varejao that shook the roof of the American Airlines Arena. Following a James blocked dunk on one end, Wade received the deflection and ran with it all the way to the other end with no one his way besides the 6'11" Brazilian.

Wade decided not to go around Varejao, but instead over him and throw down one of the meanest dunks in recent NBA history over the top of Anderson, sending him to the ground in a heap that had him head over heels by the time he came to.

Everybody that has watched Wade, except Varejao apparently, knows that he is a notorious poster dunker. This was the icing on the cake for Wade who will now forever be in the annuls of poster history.

Mike Epps in the background only adds to how truly amazing this moment was.

10. The 61 Win Season

Following an impressive 42 win outing that was a result of the Alonzo Mourning for Glen Rice trade prior to the beginning of the season, the Heat knew it only took a few more pieces to complete the puzzle of making a championship worthy team.

With Pat Riley at the helm, he wisely surrounded Mourning with talent by trading for sharpshooter Dan Majerle and big men in P.J. Brown and Jamal Mashburn.

The team would go out and win a franchise high 61 games, a record that still stand stoday, as well as clinching their first division championship.

The road to the finals was more difficult than expected as they were nearly shocked by the eighth seeded Orlando Magic before pulling off a 3-2 series win. The next series against the New York Knicks was even more nerve racking as the Knicks took a 3-1 series lead before deteriorating, due to a number of suspensions following a brawl between Brown and Charlie Ward, and eventually losing the series 4-3.

Unfortunately for the Heat, they had to face the defending champion Chicago Bulls who still boasted the best player in the NBA at the time in Michael Jordan and a number of key role players in Scottie Pippen and Dennis Rodman. The Heat would give a good effort, but eventually lost the series 4-1.

Despite the disappointment in their first Eastern Conference finals, the Heat established themselves as a powerhouse for the next five years. If not for a number of embarrassing defeats to the Knicks, the Heat might be contesting for their third championship this upcoming season.

9. Dwyane Wade Scores the Heat's Last 17 Points.

This was Dwyane Wade at his finest.

In a mid-season game against then Eastern Conference rival Detroit Pistons, the Heat were nearly given a certain loss as they came into the fourth quarter down by double-digits in their own arena. That all changed though when Wade decided that he had seen enough and scored the team's next 17 points en route to the game winning jumper over Tayshaun Prince with two seconds remaining.

From point 83 to point 100, it was all Dwyane Wade who had led the team from a certain loss to a thrilling win. The game proved just how much of a superstar Wade is as he showed off his desire to win and ambition that only a number of NBA players in the history of the league can boast. Not to mention, the 17 points came in the fourth quarter when it matters most.

It became obvious that pressure was not a large factor to Wade who single-handedly decided the game and gave Heat fans a reason to watch a game for the full 48 minutes because the impossible just might happen when you least expect it.

8. Dwyane Wade Dunks on Jermaine O'Neal

There is no doubt that the dunk on Anderson Varejao was legendary, but it was Dwyane Wade's dunk on Jermaine O'Neal that led us to believe that the Heat had a legend in the making.

Following a seven game series win in the 2003-'04 post season against the New Orleans Hornets, the Heat were given a match up against the number one seeded Indiana Pacers that was led by defensive specialists in Jermaine O'Neal and Ron Artest and scorers in Reggie Miller and Stephen Jackson.

The Pacers were coming off a 61 win season and were considered championship favorites. The Miami Heat was merely a stepping stone for the Pacers and it appeared that way as the Pacers took the first two games at home.

Coming back to Miami however, the Pacers saw a completely different team as the Heat took game three 94-87 and then won game four 100-88 to tie the series. The most memorable moment of the series would have to be a rookie Wade dunking on the 7' defensive player of the year nominee in Jermaine O'Neal on a cut in the paint that shocked the NBA world.

The 6'4" Wade made a name for himself in his first post season with the dunk even though the Pacers would go on to win the next two games and take the series 4-2. The thunderous slam made the Heat realize that they had a superstar in the making in their hands and knew that the other 29 teams had missed out on the chance to secure one of the future's best player

7. Alonzo Mourning Returns

Before there was LeBron James. Before there was Dwyane Wade. Even before there was Eddie Jones, the Heat had a superstar to call their own and that was Alonzo Mourning.

Mourning was drafted into the league as a Charlotte Hornet in the 1992-'93 season, but would be traded after only three seasons with the team to the Miami Heat in return for Glen Rice.

Even though the Heat had lost Rice, they received a truly special acquistion in Mourning who quickly established himself as a perennial All-Star and defensive standout. In his first season with the team, he averaged a career high 23 points, 10 rebounds, and three blocks and led the team to the post season.

Alonzo stuck with the team through thick and thin as he suffered a number of depressing post season defeats to the New York Knicks before eventually seeing his career cut short due to a rare, life-threatening kidney ailment that forced him to reture. Following a short comeback with the New Jersey Nets, Zo would once again join the Heat in the 2004-'05 season and would make his second debut with the team in a game against the Sacramento Kings.

With the game already won, Zo was put in to wind out the clock and give the fans something to cheer for. What people didn't expect was that Alonzo appeared to have not lost a step as he blocked the Kings first shot attempt in the paint and grabbed the rebound in the process.

Alonzo would go on to win the title that had eluded him for so long the next season before seeing his career cut short once again due to an injury in the 2007-'08 season that forced Zo to retire for good. His jersey would eventually be retired by the team and a spot in the Hall of Fame is certainly reserved for Mourning who has seven All-Star game appearances and two Defensive Player of the Year awards to his name.

6. The Miami Heat and New York Knicks Brawl.

The Boston Celtics and the Los Angeles Lakers was a classy NBA rivalry. It has been going on since the inception of the NBA and the two teams have duked it out for nearly 50 years with a number of championships being decided in the process.

While no championships were really decided between the New York Knicks and Miami Heat, the two teams had created one of the nastiest rivalries in sports history. The two teams would meet up in four consecutive post seasons as the Knicks took three of them, but it was a game four altercation between former teammates in Alonzo Mourning and Larry Johnson that would make NBA fans remember forever just how much these two teams despised each other.

Zo and Johnson were never friends as it was Johnson that caused Alonzo's departure in Charlotte. With no love lost, the two got into a physical confrontation at Madison Square Garden that was capped off by former Knicks coach Jeff Van Gundy hanging onto the leg of Mourning at the bottom of the pile.

This would be one of two fights as P.J. Brown and Charlie Ward would also get into an altercation that resulted in a number of suspensions.

While the two have gone separate ways since then as far as a rivalry goes, it could be renewed this season as the Knicks have finally taken a turn in the right direction and now look to challenge the Heat once again in the Eastern Conference.

5. The Miami Heat Trade For Shaquille O'Neal

As a member of the Los Angeles Lakers, Shaquille O'Neal had already established himself as one of the most dominant, powerful figures to ever play the game of basketball. His extraordinary large frame, agility, and post moves allowed him to win three NBA championships and an MVP prior to joining the Heat in the summer of 2004.

The Heat were an up and coming team that had nearly just upset the number one seeded Indiana Pacers in the 2003-'04 post season and the organization quickly knew that they had to surround their young star in Dwyane Wade with a significant amount of talent. Meanwhile, 3,000 miles away on the West coast, Shaq was getting in a number of verbal altercations with Kobe Bryant and Jerry Buss and demanded a trade.

Shaq needed a new team and the Heat needed a talented big man. Looks like the pieces fit.

O'Neal would join the team as Riley would give up Lamar Odom, Brian Grant, and Caron Butler in return. The fact that he kept Wade in the process is still considered one of the best deals in NBA history. Shaq impressed Heat fans right away averaging 23 points and 10 rebounds while leading the team to a number one seed and winning 59 games in the process. The team would lose in game seven of the Eastern Conference finals that year, but they would get to their desired destination of the NBA finals the next season.

While O'Neal didn't contain the same athletic ability that he had in Los Angeles and Orlando, it was the mere presence of Shaq that would draw double teams on offense and affect shots on defense. His presence allowed Wade and his teammates to find easier shots and therefore allowed Dwyane to go off in the Heat's 2006 NBA Finals win.

Even though Shaq left the team on bad terms, his role on the team will not be forgotten as he entertained us on and off the court for three memorable years.

4. Dwyane Wade's Game Winner Vs The Chicago Bulls

Dwyane Wade has hit his fair share of clutch shots since joining the league.

He has a number of buzzer beating game winners against the New York Knicks and Utah Jazz and has stepped up in the waning minutes of games when he is needed most. However, there has been no moment bigger in Dwyane's career than that of the game winner he hit against the Chicago Bulls in a double overtime thriller.

Wade and the Bulls Ben Gordon had been going shot for shot for nearly 58 minutes as Wade was at 45 points with the Bulls inbounding and only 10 seconds left to play and the game tied at 127. Wade denied Derrick Rose getting the ball and instead John Salmons took the pass in an attempt to win the game for Chicago. While trying to complete a spin move however, Salmons was stripped by Wade who anticipated the move perfectly.

With only a few seconds remaining, Wade ran to the Heat's three-point line and while still on the run, leaned back and took the shot. As if anyone expected anything else, the shot went in giving the Heat an amazing 130-127 victory after two overtimes. Dwyane immediately ran to the announcers table where he jumped on it and stood triumphantly while yelling his new catch phrase, "this is my house."

The American Airlines Arena will forever be known as Wade's house thanks in part to all that he has accomplished while as a prominent member of the Heat. His game winner against the Bulls is easily one of the most memorable amongst anyone that is or isn't a Miami Heat fan.

3. With The Fifth Pick In The 2003 Draft, The Miami Heat Select...

When it comes to the NBA today. There are three players that stand out more than every other player in the league. They are Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, and Dwyane Wade. While each player has their own argument on who is truly the best in the league, there hasn't been a player more important to their team than Dwyane Wade.

Wade entered the league as an unheralded rookie out of Marquette and was passed on by the Cleveland Cavaliers, Detroit Pistons, Denver Nuggets, and Toronto Raptors before being taken with the fifth pick in the draft by the Miami Heat. While he did not come into the league with the same hype as James and Carmelo Anthony, he led his team to the second round of the post season before eventually being ousted in six games.

The organization would immediately provide Wade with help as they traded for Shaquille O'Neal who would make the team a contender. They would win 59 games in O'Neal's first season with the team, but Wade would succumb to injuries in the late stages of the Eastern Conference finals against the Detroit Pistons as the team would fall short.

The next year would be different as the Heat would gain their revenge on the Pistons by winning in six games and earning the Heat's first berth to the NBA finals against the Dallas Mavericks. Wade and the Heat would go down 2-0 and faced the potential of going down 3-0 when down by 13 points with six minutes to play in the fourth quarter. It was then that Wade became the superstar that we know today.

Dwyane would bring the team back from the dead as he willed the team to a 98-96 game three victory. It wouldn't stop there though as Wade continued to play like no player ever has before in an NBA finals series as he would lead the team to three more victories and the team's first NBA championship averaging 35 points in the process.

While the team's success has deteriorated over the past three seasons, Wade's determination hasn't as he is two years removed from his first scoring title. His patience has finally paid off as he has received the talent that he has desired since O'Neal was traded away. We can only imagine what Wade has left in store now that he has a team capable of winning multiple championships for the next decade.

I can bet on plenty of more highlight reel worthy plays from the Heat's superstar.

2. The Miami Heat Get Their Revenge on the Detroit Pistons.

For the first time in nearly a decade, the Miami Heat were ready to become championship contenders again. They were coming off a 59 win season and a number one seeding led by former MVP Shaquille O'Neal and sophomore Dwyane Wade. Both players had played fantastic up to the Eastern Conference finals as they swept their way through the first two series before a date with the Detroit Pistons was made.

The series was hard fought and a rivalry was certain to be made no matter what the outcome was, but it was Dwyane Wade's ailment's that caused the eventual demise of the Heat during the later stages of the series. Wade suffered a rib injury mid way through the series and would miss game five and would play not nearly at full strength in game six and seven as the team would lose 91-66 and 88-82 respectively.

The Heat knew that they had the chance to win the series. They knew what their goal was next year and they knew that the Detroit Pistons was the only team standing in their way between an NBA finals berth.

Miami clinched a number two seed next year and wouldn't have the same success early on in the postseason as they did last year. They needed six games to go through the first round and another five games to get through the second round before they finally met up with the Detroit Pistons again.

The Heat were clearly motivated as they took the first game in Detroit 91-86 before losing game two. Miami made no mistakes at home as they easily took the next two games winning both games by double digits and nearly ensuring a series victory at 3-1. The Pistons would take game five at home, but the Heat dominated the Pistons in game six to give the team their first finals berth.

Jason Williams was the hero of game six as he finished the game 10 of 11 from the field. The Heat had exacted their revenge on the Pistons and it was on to the finals where they would complete one of the greatest accomplishments in NBA post season history.

1. Dwyane Wade vs. the Dallas Mavericks.

The 2006 NBA finals was a strange one from the start. It was the first time since 1971 that two teams that had never made it to an finals before were meeting up. Dallas had swept the season series 2-0 that included a 30 point victory in Dallas that changed the philosophy of the Heat for good as they turned their season around from there.

It didn't look like that transitioned however as the Mavericks easily took games one and two in Dallas. The following three games in Miami were must win's as no team had ever come back from a 3-0 deficit and the Heat could not afford to lose a game and end up having to win games six and seven in Dallas. With the Heat down by 13 and six minutes left to play, a sweep was on the horizon as the Mavericks were already planning their championship parade.

Dwyane Wade did not care for a parade of any kind in Dallas as he decided to take over. 42 points and 13 rebounds later, Wade did the impossible and led the Heat back to an impossible comeback victory over the Mavericks who now saw the Heat at their true potential. Game four was hardly worth noting as the Heat got off to a quick start and didn't look back winning 98-74. Wade led the way with 36 points as the Heat tied the series.

Game five was where the fun really began. The game was forced to overtime thanks to Wade leading the team with a series high 43 points and putting the game away by hitting two free throws with two seconds left in the game. While the Mavericks would like to complain about the amount of free throws Wade attempted, 21, it was the free throws that Dallas took themselves that resulted in their loss. Notoriously good free throw shooter Dirk Nowitzki stepped to the foul line with a chance to send the game into another overtime, but failed by hitting only one of two giving the Heat an eventual 101-100 victory.

The Heat went back to Dallas with a 3-2 series lead and a chip on their shoulder as they controlled the tempo for the latter part of the game. The Mavericks never got too close until the later stages of the fourth quarter, but it would be Wade's offense and Mourning's defense tenacity that would will the Heat to a 95-92 victory that ended with Jason Terry missing a potential game tying three-pointer.

Dwyane would be named Finals MVP after averaging 35 points in the series. While the team hasn't seen success since, that could all change as the Heat now feature a truly championship worthy lineup once again. Whether the road will be this difficult again, we'll have to wait and see, but it does leave some amazing memories that will never be forgotten by any Miami Heat fan.