MIAMI — An otherwise unassuming fixture on the 2015-16 NBA calendar proved to be a season savior for the resilient Miami Heat.
It was Feb. 19, and they had a road stop against the Atlanta Hawks. When the Heat took the floor, they were without leading scorers Chris Bosh (blood clots) and Dwyane Wade (knee soreness), plus intimidating defensive anchor Hassan Whiteside (suspended).
But the short-handed Heat flashed two traits that have since come to define them: fight in the face of adversity and a high-octane offense. They not only secured a 115-111 win, but they also found the blueprint for many victories to come.
"We had to adjust and figure out who was going to score and how we were going to do that," Goran Dragic later told Bleacher Report. "I think that was the moment we decided to run more."
The Heat haven't let off the accelerator since. Despite missing their heaviest hitter, Bosh, who's officially out for the postseason, they're trading punches with and have stolen home-court advantage from the East's second-seeded Toronto Raptors.
Miami's systematic overhaul is equal part ...
Read Full Article at Bleacher Report - NBA
Article written by Zach Buckley
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