Miami Heat: 10 Greatest Single-Season Performances

LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and other Miami Heat players might have come up weak in the latter games of the NBA Finals, but it can still be counted as the second NBA Finals appearance.

Likewise, James entered himself into Heat lore in his first season—just by playing in the style of his own superb play.

Here is a look at the 10 best individual season performances in the 22-year history of the Heat.

10. Glen Rice, 1994-95

22.3 PPG, 47.5% FG, 41% 3FG, 85.5% FT

Rice was the top scorer for the Heat for the fourth straight season in 1994-95. 

He attained his highest scoring average in his Heat tenure a year before being traded to the Charlotte Hornets.

9. Alonzo Mourning 1999

20.3 PPG, 9.5 RPG, 3.9 BPG, 55.1% FG

Mourning was the leading force for the Heat in the second half of the 1990s. 

In 1999, Mourning led the league in blocks with his career high in the category. 

His blocks per game mark is a franchise record, and no NBA player has matched the mark since then.

8. Tim Hardaway 1996-97

20.3 PPG, 8.6 APG, 41.5% FG, 79.9% FT

Tim Hardaway had his best season with the Heat in 1996-97, scoring 20 points per game for the last time in his career. 

He led the team in scoring.

7. Shaquille O'Neal 2005-06

20 PPG, 9.2 RPG, 2.8 BPG, 60% FG

Shaquille O'Neal had some fire in him late in his career, although he was not the guiding force for the team that Wade was in their championship season. 

In 2005-06, he led the league in field goal percentage.

6. Alonzo Mourning 1999-2000

21.7 PPG, 9.5 RPG, 3.7 BPG, 55.1% FG

Mourning had his highest field goal percentage in 1999-00. 

He had the most total blocks in his career and in Heat history in 1999-00.  No one has matched the block total in any season since then.

5. Shaquille O'Neal 2004-05

22.9 PPG, 10.4 RPG, 2.3 BPG, 60.1% FG

At the age of 32, O'Neal had his best season with the Heat in his first season there. 

O'Neal led the league in field goal percentage for the eighth time in his career. 

He also led the team in rebounding.

4. Alonzo Mourning 1995-96

23.2 PPG, 10.4 RPG, 2.7 BPG, 52.3% FG

On November 3, 1995, the Heat acquired Mourning and two other players from the Hornets in exchange for Rice and three other players. 

In his first season with the Heat, Mourning had the best Heat season to date.  He set franchise records in rebounds and blocks per game. 

In the following years, he would become the most prodigious player in Miami before they drafted Dwyane Wade.

3. Dwyane Wade 2005-06

27.2 PPG, 6.7 APG, 5.7 RPG, 1.9 SPG, 49.5% FG

Wade rose meteorically in his first three seasons, improving in almost every statistical category in his second and third seasons. 

He capped his great rise by leading the Heat from a two-games-to-none margin in the 2006 NBA Finals against the Mavericks to their first title. 

Due to the constant hype surrounding O'Neal, Wade did not receive the credit he deserved for leading the Heat to the championship. 

Nonetheless, he had capped one of the three best season performances in Heat history.

2. Dwyane Wade 2008-09

30.2 PPG, 7.5 APG, 5 RPG, 2.2 BPG, 49.1% FG

In 2008-09, Wade had a banner year. 

He led the league in points per game, field goals attempted and made, and usage percentage (36.2 percent of plays run by the Heat). 

Wade had little help, with no other player averaging 14 points per game. 

He carried the Heat well, scoring 29.7 points per game in the first-round series against the Atlanta Hawks, but Atlanta took it to seven games for its first series win in 10 years.

1. LeBron James 2010-11

26.5 PPG, 7.5 RPG, 7 APG, 1.6 SPG, 51% FG

James didn't set any franchise records in his first season, nor did set any career highs, but he led the team to the NBA Finals. 

When Wade came up lame, James usually picked up the slack. 

James led the league in field goals made (758).  Even when he doesn't play like a champion, he's the most talented player in Heat history.

Honorable Mentions

This article does not end without a tip of the hat to Rony Seikaly and other notable Heat performances.

Rony Seikaly, 1992-93:  17.1 PPG, 11.8 RPG, 48% FG

Tim Hardaway, 1997-98:  18.9 PPG, 8.3 APG, 1.7 SPG

Glen Rice, 1991-92:  22.3 PPG, 5 RPG, 46.9% FG, 39.1% 3FG

Dwyane Wade 2006-07:  27.4 PPG, 7.5 APG, 2.1 SPG, 49.1% FG, 80.7% FT