Miami Heat Win Streak: Like Denzel's Train, This Team is Unstoppable

Culture
By Zak Cheney-Rice

Like Will Smith, everything seems to be going to Miami these days.

Music festivals. Championships. NBA records. It’s all becoming a bit much. But in the wake of the Miami Heat’s 23rd straight win, good for second longest in NBA history, it begs the question: who’s going to stop them?

The answer, of course, is nobody. Not the Spurs, with their grizzled core of octogenarian leadership. Not the Thunder, with their baby-faced speed demon assassins. And (as hard as it is for me to admit) probably not the Lakers, with their mismatched, overpaid, and injury-prone squad of Superfriends.

Here are the top 10 reasons why the Miami Heat will win the next two or three consecutive NBA championships:

1. Over the hump:

The hard part is over: when they assembled in 2010, the Heat’s star triumvirate was already the best core in the NBA. But everyone hated them with a passion, and Lebron was too busy being a weenie roast to stay effective.

Then, they decided the haters had had their fun. They responded to their 2011 ousting with an inspired 2012 Finals victory over the uber-talented OKC Thunder, and now they’re humming along like a well-oiled machine. Lebron is relaxed, and the team is just playing their game, sticking to the script, and absolutely demolishing everyone they come across. They even find ways to win all the close games.

Frankly, everyone should be terrified of this team.

2. The competition:

The New York Who? The Indiana What? The Heat have absolutely no competition in the Eastern Conference, ensuring a relatively easy breezy march to the Finals. From there, it’s all about the match-ups:

Photo Credit: ESPN

In the Western Conference, the Lakers are the team (on paper) with the best chance of beating the Heat. If these two teams meet, it’ll be size versus speed, and though the Heat have an edge, it’ll definitely be a battle.

Photo Credit: Bleacher Report

Problem is, the Lakers can’t beat the Thunder. Or the Clippers. Or the Nuggets. And the Thunder can’t beat the Nuggets either. And neither the Nuggets nor the Thunder can beat the Heat. Sorry, Spurs fans: you’ll be out in Round 2 just like last year.

It’s basically a major clusterf*ck that will most likely end with the Heat thrashing the Clippers, Nuggets, or Thunder into oblivion.

For Miami, it’s win-win.

3. 2 Fast, 2 Furious:

You know why Mike D’Antoni’s run and gun system doesn’t work in Los Angeles? Because it’s designed for teams like the Miami Heat. To paraphrase Daft Punk, these guys are just harder, better, faster, and stronger than everyone else. It’s kind of humiliating for opponents how quickly and easily the Heat get buckets. And they play defense.

Any questions?

4. The Harlem Shake:

If they have time to do this, you know they’re feeling good about themselves:

And that’s bad news for everyone else.

5. Pat Riley:

Photo Credit: Bleacher Report

The man has been a winner since day one, so why stop now? He assembled this team. Now he gets to sit back and bask in the glory of his own managerial awesomeness.

6. The supporting cast:

Photo Credit: Bleacher Report

Shane Battier. Ray Allen. Udonis Haslem. Rashard Lewis. James Jones. Joel Anthony. James Jones. Mike Miller. Mario ("Motherf*ckin’") Chalmers. Norris Cole. Chris "The Birdman" Andersen.

Photo Credit: Next impulse Sports

Eleven men you would never, and I mean NEVER, try building a team around. But they’re all perfect complements to the "Big Three" of Lebron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh. Sometimes, the most important part of being on a winning team is staying in your lane. And these guys definitely know how to do that.

7. Coach Spo:

Photo Credit: Associated Press

I know what you’re thinking: how could this guy NOT win championships coaching such a talented trio of stars? Well, he did it 2011. Just saying.

But in all seriousness, Erik Spoelstra deserves a lot of credit for managing his team and implementing defensive and offensive systems perfectly tailored to his squad’s skillset.

Despite what the haters say, it’s not as easy as it sounds.

8. Bosh (and his photobombs):

Sure, he runs kind of funny, and his photobombs are simultaneously hilarious, terrifying, and legendary.

Photo Credit: Slim Charles Barkley

Photo Credit: SB Nation

But Chris Bosh, the red-headed stepchild of the "Big Three," is just the kind of multiple threat big man this team needs to succeed. He can post up, rebound, play D, and spread the floor. Don’t sleep on this guy’s contribution to the team’s success.

9. Dwyane Wade:

The Artist Formerly Known as "Flash" has managed to stay healthy of late, and is consistently proving why he’s one of the three best shooting guards in the league (word to Kobe and the Bearded One).

He’s also the perfect running mate for Lebron James, a player who can literally do ANYTHING on the basketball court: shoot, dunk, rebound, steal, block shots, and (probably) cook a mean penne arrabiata (if you asked him to).

Photo Credit: CBS Sports

He’s the second most important contributor to this team’s success.

10. Lebron James:

The first, of course, is this guy.

Phot Credit: Total Pro Sports

Lebron is almost universally considered the best basketball player in the world, an athletic freak with the tactical mind of Douglas MacArthur and a “sharing is caring” attitude that would make Mother Theresa blush.

Almost every play he executes is a work of art. He’s already led the Heat to one championship, and mark my words: it’ll be the first of many.

You can hate this team all you want. But goddammit, you’d better respect it.