by Marcel Mutoni / @ marcel_mutoni
Two seasons ago, after boasting that they would win something like 8 championships together, the Miami Heat wouldn’t have been able to escape Boston with the kind of big comeback victory they had last night, their 23rd in a row.
Dwyane Wade says there simply wasn’t enough trust built within the group yet. It’s part of the reason they fell flat on their faces in the 2011 NBA Finals, despite their superstar-laden team.
Now, Wade, LeBron James, Chris Bosh and company have their eyes set on making history. And it all starts with the unwavering belief they have in one another, according to Wade. (This is especially useful when games are on the line.)
Per the Boston Herald:
“I think you really see growth through tough times, when things aren’t going well on the court,” said Wade, who finished with 16 points, seven rebounds and six assists. “I think the first year when this team was put together, we didn’t know each other the way we needed to, to really get through those tough times in the game. Now, no matter what it is, we believe in each other. We believe in our system that we can do it.”
Mario Chalmers stuck a huge 3-pointer to complete the comeback from the double-digit deficit, and Shane Battier blocked (Jeff) Green with eight seconds remaining to force the Celtics into a contested shot from Paul Pierce. “We are in a groove right now,” Chalmers said. “Everyone is playing together and everyone is playing calm, and it’s about the little things that everybody is doing.” […] “It means a lot to what we’re trying to build,” LeBron James said of the win. “A tough-minded team on the road, it’s a hostile environment. We grew again tonight and that’s big for our team.”
The Miami Heat are now 10 straight wins away from matching the record set by the 1971-’72 Lakers. It won’t be easy, with a pair of back-to-backs, and stops in Chicago and San Antonio ahead.
All of those challenges await them before the real test begins — their defense of the NBA championship.
