Did You Know...

The Miami Heat ended the 2008-09 season in third place in the Southeast Division, a significant improvement from the previous season’s last place finish, and they made it into the playoffs (though they exited in the first round). The offseason was mostly quiet as the team saves cap space to land a worthy sidekick for Dwayne Wade next summer, though they traded Mark Blount for Quentin Richardson and drafted Patrick Beverley and Robert Dozier. Much will depend on Michael Beasley’s improvement and Wade’s health, but the pundits are predicting a return to the playoffs for the Heat. So, do you wanna watch it on TV, or experience it live and in person? If you pick the latter, then go ahead and score your American Airlines Arena tickets and get ready to cheer the Miami Heat on to a winning 2009-10 season!

The Miami Heat came into the NBA in 1988 as part of the league's expansion program that included the Orlando Magic, the Minnesota Timberwolves, and the Charlotte Hornets. The team, like most expansion teams, struggled at the onset. The Heat failed to have a winning record in their first five seasons. In 1989, the Miami Heat struggled on the court, but they did see success that season. A productive draft left them with the rights to Glenn Rice. Rice became the all-time scoring leader in Big Ten Conference history en route to leading his Michigan Wolverines to the NCAA Championship. The Heat would struggle, but not for long.