Pat Riley: Miami Heat Similar to ‘Showtime’ Lakers

Pat Riley coached Magic Johnson and company during the glorious “Showtime” days in Los Angeles (winning 4 titles in the ’80s), and when recruiting free agent Shane Battier to Miami, Riley made the claim that the Heat remind him of those legendary Laker teams. From ESPN: “He’s had some good times in South Florida over the years, adding a ring to the portfolio and making loads of cash. But Pat Riley’s glory days will always be those jet-black hair and thin tie years in L.A. He found himself pondering Showtime again recently when sorting through what he should do with his Heat roster heading into his second season with his Big Three. Riley was putting the full press on Shane Battier and getting LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh to recruit via text messages. Part of the sale was stories about those old Lakers. In signing Battier, which the Heat finalized over the weekend, the Heat have become a team loaded with wing players. Coach Erik Spoelstra said that he envisions playing James, Wade, Battier and Mike Miller (when he recovers from hernia surgery) together at times. That’s a rare style seen more in college than the NBA. And a type that Riley often used to perfection when racking up titles with the Lakers. ‘It reminded me a little bit of what I had for nine years in Los Angeles,’ Riley said. ‘I had Magic (Johnson) and (Michael) Cooper and (Byron) Scott and (James Worthy). Basically perimeters that played all different positions. I see Shane and Mike Miller and I see Dwyane and LeBron in almost the same kind of thing. (Spoelstra) has the same opportunity.'”