10 Best Game-Winners in Miami Heat History

The newly formed fan base of the Miami Heat this year didn't experience too many prolific game winners despite having Dwyane Wade and LeBron James in the same uniform.

Sucks for them because there have been nothing but amazing game winners in the history of this franchise with Dwyane Wade leading the forefront of these miraculous shots since 2004. For the fans that have been there since the beginning, they'll know each and every one of these shots and remember where they were exactly when it took place.

So for the new fans, take this as a course in Miami Heat clutch shots 101 because you're about to get schooled with monumental game winners, prolific buzzer beaters, and the greatest clutch performances you have ever witnessed.

These are the 10 best game-winners in the Miami Heat's 23 year history.

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10. Michael Beasley Slams in the Game Winner Versus Orlando

With the Miami Heat down by one against the division rival Orlando Magic, it was going to be up to Dwyane Wade to save the team once again.

However, with three defenders draped over him Wade airballed the potential game winner with seconds remaining. Luckily for the Heat, the massive amount of attention focused on Wade caused Michael Beasley to get freed up under the rim to collect the air ball and slam it home to put the Heat ahead with 1.6 seconds remaining.

For those arguing basket interference: the ball never even got to the rim.

9. LeBron James Completes the Comeback Against the Bulls

The Miami Heat were in good position win or lose in their Game 5 match-up against the Chicago Bulls in the recent Eastern Conference Finals.

Even with a loss, they'd still be up 3-2 in the series with a game back home at the American Airlines Arena upcoming. It seemed to appear that way as the Bulls controlled the tempo for the majority of Game 5 by taking a 12 point lead with a little less than four minutes remaining. The Bulls played solid basketball for 44 minutes, it's just too bad they forgot to perform in the final four minutes.

The Heat would finish the game on a 17-4 run with Dwyane Wade and LeBron James leading the way. James would hit 1-of-2 free throws and would see that followed up by a smooth lay up from Wade to cut the deficit to 10 points with three minutes remaining.

Wade would then hit a lay up with a foul to cut the lead to seven and it was at about this point that the Bulls began to realize they were in trouble. It only got worse for Chicago once James hit a three-pointer to cut the lead to five with two minutes remaining. After a pair of Bulls free throws, Wade doubled that up by hitting a three-pointer in the process of getting fouled.

James would then come back to tie the game at 79 apiece with a three-pointer of his own. He would then finish off the comeback with a 20 foot jumper with 23 seconds remaining to give the Heat the lead for good and the series.

8. Dwyane Wade Comes Through in the Clutch in His First Playoff Game

With the Miami Heat tied in Game 1 of their 2004 first round series against the New Orleans Hornets, coach Stan Van Gundy had a choice to make on who was going to take the final shot.

Could it go to veterans Eddie Jones or Lamar Odom? Maybe sophomore phenom Caron Butler? Perhaps they can surprise them with an inside pass to Brian Grant instead?

Or we could just give it to the rookie that's never played in a postseason game before. That sounds about right. It turned out that Van Gundy's gutsy move was the right one as Wade drove into the lane with a huge burst of confidence before throwing the floater over the outstretched hands of Jamaal Magloire and watching it fall to give the Heat an 81-79 lead with a little more than a second remaining.

The Heat would win the series in seven games and would continue giving the ball to Wade in the waning seconds any time they needed him.

7. Dwyane Wade Puts on a Show for the Garden

As an elite player, Dwyane Wade wanted to put on a show for the basketball crazy fans of New York City.

Rather than scoring 61 points or a near triple-double, Wade decided to do the next best thing by saving his theatrics until the end.

With the two teams knotted up at 96 apiece, the ball was inbounded to Wade as expected. Knicks forward Trevor Ariza was draped all over Wade, but it only took a step-back, fadeaway for Dwyane to free himself up for the open 23 footer from just in front of the perimeter.

Wade made perfectly sure not to allow any time left as he swished home another tremendous game winner at the buzzer.

6. Dwyane Wade Makes Sure the New Jersey Nets Legendary Streak Persists

The New Jersey Nets were only a few games away from breaking the Miami Heat's record of losing 17 consecutive games to start a season and the Heat of 2009 wanted to make perfectly sure that they didn't want that record to stay in tact.

After a disputed tip-in by Brook Lopez that could have easily been ruled as offensive goaltending to give the Nets a two point lead, the Heat were in trouble of giving New Jersey their first win of the season. It's just a good thing for the Heat that they had Dwyane Wade on their side to save the day once again.

Despite bobbling the ball when attempting to lose his defender, Wade was still able to recover and launch the desperation three-pointer. Like most of his other game winner attempts, the shot fell to give the Heat an 81-80 lead with 0.1 seconds remaining.

The Heat would go on to win and the Nets would lose 18 consecutive games before winning.

5. Dwyane Wade Completes the Comeback Against Detroit

When the Detroit Pistons were still a quality team and the powerhouse of the Eastern Conference, the Miami Heat were their biggest rivals during the mid-2000s.

Playing on the national level, the Pistons took a huge lead going into the fourth quarter and were up 98-83 with only a few minutes remaining before Dwyane Wade went into full takeover mode. He would net the next 15 points to tie the game at 98 apiece before taking the final shot with only two seconds remaining.

Despite having the outstretched hands and lengthy arms of Tayshaun Prince in his face, Wade drove in, pulled up, and nailed the 20 footer to give the Heat a 100-98 lead with a little over two seconds remaining. Prince would go on to miss a three-pointer on the other end to give the Heat the victory.

4 (a). Dwyane Wade Rattles It in Against the Utah Jazz

After getting his team into overtime by hitting a pair of free throws with no time left, Dwyane Wade decided to make sure that the game would end after only one session of extra minutes.

With the game knotted at 105 apiece and only five seconds remaining upon the inbound, Wade acted quickly by dribbling in, using a crossover to lose his defender for the time being, hesitating, and taking the 20 foot jump shot only to see it rattle around, bounce out and then back in to give the Heat a 107-105 victory at the buzzer.

4 (b). Dwyane Wade Rattles It in Against the Utah Jazz...again

The 2007-'08 season was one to forget considering that the Heat finished the season with a 15-67 record which was good enough for the worst record in basketball.

However, if there was one lasting memory it had to be Wade sticking a dagger into the hearts of the Utah Jazz once again with a game winner that was eerily similar to that of the one he hit a few years prior.

With the game at 102 apiece, Wade drove in to within 20 feet of the rim and pump faked to get his defender off the ground. The defender bumped him, but Wade didn't get the foul call so he had to throw up an awkward desperation shot to at least give the team a chance of victory.

The ball caromed off the front of the rim and promptly bounced in to give the Heat a 104-102 victory.

3. Voshon Lenard Hits the Impossible Game Winner Against Cleveland

Quite possibly the most difficult game winner any player has made, Voshon Lenard broke several laws of physics with this monumental shot.

Tied at 74 apiece with the Cleveland Cavaliers during the Miami Heat's glory days of the late-1990s, the ball was given to Dan Majerle to take the game winner from beyond the arc. He surprisingly missed the open winner, but saw the carom go out to another notorious shooter in Voshon Lenard.

With no time left to get off a quality shot, Lenard took a step from the perimeter towards the rim, double clutched, and banked in the shot at the buzzer to give the Heat an unbelievable 76-74 win on the road.

2. Gary Payton Finishes What Dwyane Wade Started

After Dwyane Wade brought the team back from 15 points down to tie it up at 96 apiece in Game 3 of the Miami Heat's NBA Finals series in 2006, the Dallas Mavericks obviously believed that it would be Wade taking the final shot for the Heat.

They were right and they defended it well when Wade wasn't able to get off a quality look because of the staunch defense of Eddie Griffin. Rather than forcing the shot, he dished out to the veteran point guard in Gary Payton who would promptly knock down the easy 20 footer to give the Heat a 98-96 lead with a few second remaining.

The Heat would come up big on defense on the next possession and would take Game 3 by two points. They would go on to win the next three games to take home their first NBA championship.

1. Dwyane Wade Hits the Game Winner of a Lifetime

It doesn't get any sweeter than this.

Well, it is if you're not a member of the Chicago Bulls or their fan base at least.

Taking place during Dwyane Wade's unbelievable comeback season in 2008, the Miami Heat and Chicago Bulls had exchanged blows the whole way through during a late-season match-up. Wade and the Bulls Ben Gordon had been exchanging shots seemingly the whole way through to keep the game knotted up all the way until the end of the second overtime.

Both teams had their chances to end it with no player getting a better opportunity than Wade, who had missed a point blank lay up at the buzzer at the end of the first overtime. It appeared that it was going to come back to bite the Heat in the end as the Bulls now had the advantage of taking the last shot at the end of the second overtime.

With Wade denying the ball to Derrick Rose off the inbound, the Bulls were forced to give it up to John Salmons. He had an ideal match-up with the slower Udonis Haslem defending him and he went for his chance for an easy score by crossing him over.

However, Salmons had lost control of the ball just enough for Wade to come and steal it away. With so little time to get off a quality shot, Wade ran down court and lifted off from the three-point line to attempt the game winner. While leaning backwards, Wade somehow managed to find a way to nail the three-pointer at the buzzer to give the Heat a miraculous 130-127 victory.

Still the best in Miami Heat history and will possibly be for a long time.