Jamal Mashburn

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Mashburn was traded to the Miami Heat on February 14, 1997, in exchange for Kurt Thomas, Predrag Danilović and Martin Müürsepp. In the 1997 playoffs, the Heat defeated the Orlando Magic in the first round, then won a seven-game series against the New York Knicks. Miami made its first ever Conference Finals against the defending champion Bulls. The Heat lost the first three games of the series before managing a win in Miami in game four, with Mashburn scoring 17 points. The Bulls won the series in the fifth game in Chicago.

In Their Own Story

The 1996–97 season culminated in a dramatic playoff push that defined Mashburn's time in Miami. After securing the franchise's best regular-season record of 61 wins, the Heat faced the Orlando Magic in the first round. The series was difficult, stretching to five games before Miami advanced. Next came a seven-game battle with the New York Knicks, showcasing the team's resilience under pressure. The Eastern Conference Finals against the Chicago Bulls tested them further; after losing the first three games, Mashburn and his teammates managed a win in Game 4 at home, with Mashburn contributing 17 points. Despite this breakthrough, the Bulls proved too formidable, closing out the series in five games in Chicago. Mashburn averaged 10.5 points throughout his first postseason run with Miami.

Reader's Guide

Mashburn played for the Miami Heat from 1997 to 2000. He averaged 13.4 points in 30 starts in the 1996–97 season. Injuries limited him to 48 games in 1997–98 (15.1 points per game), 23 starts in the lockout-shortened 1998–99 season (14.8 points, 6.1 rebounds per game), and he averaged 17.5 points per game in 1999–2000, including a career-high 112 three-point field goals. After the 1999–2000 season, Mashburn and teammate P. J. Brown were traded to the Charlotte Hornets for Eddie Jones and Anthony Mason.

Did You Know?

• Mashburn scored 17 points in the Heat's lone win against the Bulls in the 1997 Eastern Conference Finals.
• Mashburn was traded to Miami on February 14, 1997, along with Kurt Thomas, Predrag Danilović, and Martin Müürsepp going to Dallas.
• Mashburn averaged 10.5 points in his first postseason with the Heat.