Miami Heat vs New York Knicks
The Heatles: Four seasons, four Finals, two championships.
The Big Three, also known as the Heatles, were a trio of professional basketball players – LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh – who formed the core of a superteam for the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association (NBA) from the 2010–11 season to the 2013–14 season.
- Era of Peak Intensity
- 1990s
- Key Heat Figures
- Pat Riley, Alonzo Mourning, Tim Hardaway, Kevin Willis
- Key Knicks Figures
- Patrick Ewing, John Starks, Charles Oakley, Allan Houston
- Defining Style
- Physical Defensive Battles and Hand-Checking Era
Lore & Background
All three players were part of the 2003 NBA Draft class, with James selected first to the Cleveland Cavaliers, Bosh fourth to the Toronto Raptors, and Wade fifth to the Miami Heat. Wade quickly became a star with the Heat, teaming with Shaquille O'Neal to lead the team to the 2005–06 NBA championship. James led the Cavaliers to the 2007 NBA Finals but was swept by the San Antonio Spurs. Bosh earned All-Star and All-NBA nods on middling Raptors teams. The trio began discussing a potential team-up as early as 2006. In the summer of 2010, Bosh chose to sign in Miami, Wade re-signed, and James announced his decision to sign with Miami in the television special The Decision. James first referred to the trio as 'the Heatles' after a road victory over the Charlotte Bobcats on January 3, 2011.
In Their Own Story
The air inside Madison Square Garden was thick with humidity and hostility. It wasn't just the crowd noise; it was the weight of history pressing down on the hardwood. Alonzo Mourning wiped sweat from his brow, staring across the court at Patrick Ewing. The referee blew the whistle, but neither center moved immediately. They knew what came next: a grapple for position, a shove to the ribs, and the silent agreement that no inch of paint would be given without a fight. As the ball was inbounded, the crowd roared, not for a basket, but for the inevitable collision that would define another chapter in their war.
Reader's Guide
The trio led the Heat to the NBA Finals in each of their four seasons together, winning two NBA championships. In 2011, they were defeated by the Dallas Mavericks. In 2012, they defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder in five games, marking James's first NBA title and Bosh's first. In 2013, they defeated the San Antonio Spurs in seven games. The following season, the Spurs finished with the NBA's best record and marched back to the Finals for a rematch.
Did You Know?
- James, Bosh, and Wade were selected as the 1st, 4th, and 5th picks in the 2003 NBA draft.
- James won NBA Most Valuable Player awards in 2012 and 2013 and was named to the All-NBA First Team in all four seasons with the Heat.
- All three of Bosh, Wade, and James were NBA All-Stars during all four seasons together.
- Wade is two years older than both Bosh and James.
- James's announcement 'I'm going to take my talents to South Beach' became an Internet meme.
More in Key Rivalries
Elsewhere in the Miami Heat universe
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