Sun Sports producer Kristen Hewitt and series host Eric Reid have spent the last few weeks talking with players and coaches to get their personal memories on the HEATs very first NBA Championship. Viewers will hear from some of the players/coaches who played a key role in the teams victory, including NBA Finals MVP Dwyane Wade, veterans Alonzo Mourning and Udonis Haslem, and assistant coaches Keith Askins and Ron Rothstein. Those comments will be included in very special, one-time only replay presentations of all six 2006 NBA Finals games, airing October 1-6 across South Florida on Sun Sports. Fans can listen in as the players/coaches remember what they were feeling on those memorable nights last June and what it meant to be a part of such an exciting time for the HEAT organization and the entire South Florida community.
Games 1-6 will air at 8:00pm on six consecutive nights on Sun Sports beginning Sunday, October 1 through Friday, October 6. Game replays will be preceded and/or followed by encore presentations of INSIDE THE HEAT, culminating with a replay of Sun Sports coverage of the Championship Parade and Celebration on Saturday, October 7 at 3:30pm.
Sun Sports worked with the team and NBA Entertainment to create White Hot HEAT Week as a way for fans to re-live that special time on six consecutive nights in early October, just as training camp opens.
As the new season approaches, we wanted to let fans experience all the emotions and excitement they felt last June when the South Florida community was consumed with pride watching their hometown team make history, said Cathy Weeden, VP/GM of Sun Sports and FSN Florida. From the HEATs two-point win in the final few seconds of Game 3, to Dwyane Wades record 43 points in the thrilling Game 5 overtime win, to the final seconds of Game 6 as the team and its fans celebrated their first NBA title its all there. Plus, weve put together some fascinating new interviews with players and coaches to accompany the replays.
Sun Sports special presentation of White Hot HEAT Week includes a promotional campaign incorporating website, outdoor billboard, newspaper, radio and television advertising, and joint marketing efforts with the team and Sun Sports South Florida cable system affiliates.
This coming season, Sun Sports will once again be the network of record for Miami HEAT basketball in South Florida. Coverage begins Oct. 23 with the Miami HEAT Preseason Special at 8pm, followed on Oct. 24 (7pm) with a preseason matchup at the Orlando Magic. Regular season action gets underway on Sun Sports Nov. 3 as the HEAT host the Nets (7pm), with the first 2006-07 edition of INSIDE THE HEAT premiering that night at 6:30pm. Eric Reid (play-by-play), Tony Fiorentino (analyst) and Jason Jackson (host/courtside reporter) return as Sun Sports HEAT telecast team.
Sunday, October 1
A strong defensive effort in the 2nd half coupled with a hot shooting night by Jason Terry resulted in a 90-80 win by Dallas over Miami. Dwyane Wade got the HEAT going early, scoring 13 of his team-high 28 points in the first as Miami led 31-23 after one. The Mavericks trailed 38-27 with just over eight minutes left in the second but Terry got them back into the game and Dallas led 46-44 at the break. Wade re-asserted himself in the third, scoring 10 of the HEATs 24 points but the Mavericks kept pace and led 70-68 entering the fourth. Early in the fourth, Terry scored eight straight points in a span of just over a minute to give Dallas an 82-72 lead and the Mavericks held on the rest of the way. Terry finished with a game-high 32 points on 13-of-18 shooting. The HEAT shot 48.7% in the first-half but 38.5% in the second-half. The Mavericks made 20 free throws while the HEAT attempted 19, making seven. Miamis bench accounted for just two points while Jerry Stackhouse had 13 by himself.
Monday, October 2
Jerry Stackhouse provided an explosive finish to the first-half which set the tone for the rest of the game as Dallas cruised to a 99-85 win. The Mavericks and HEAT combined to shoot 11-of-35 in the first quarter and Dallas led 18-17 heading into the second. The game remained tight until the five-minute mark of the second quarter when the Mavericks began to pull away. Stackhouse helped increase the lead to 50-34, by scoring 10 consecutive points in the final 80 seconds of the half. Miami never came within double-digits in the second-half and trailed by as many as 27 points. Dirk Nowitzki led all players with 26 points and 16 rebounds. Stackhouse scored 19 off the bench and knocked down 4-of-5 from 3-point range. Dwyane Wade led the HEAT with 23 but Shaquille ONeal scored just five. Dallas outshot Miami 48.6% to 41.4% and dominated the boards 46-32.
Tuesday, October 3
Gary Paytons go-head jumper with 9.3 seconds remaining lifted the Miami HEAT over the Dallas Mavericks, 98-96. The HEAT overcame a 13-point fourth quarter deficit, the largest comeback in franchise postseason history, led by Dwyane Wades 15 fourth quarter points. The HEAT, who led by 10 early in the second quarter, entered the fourth trailing by nine, 77-68, and appeared to lose control of the game as Dallas took its largest lead of the night, 89-76, with 6:34 left. But Wade would take over from that point, scoring nine points during the HEATs 12-2 run that cut their deficit to 91-88. After Nowitzki made both of his free throws moments later, Shaquille ONeal knocked down both of his free throws to pull the HEAT back to within three, 93-90, at the 1:48 mark. On the HEATs next possession, Wade knocked down a 20-footer to pull the HEAT to within one and Haslem gave Miami the lead, 94-93, by knocking down his first two free throws of the series. Devin Harris responded quickly with a driving layup that tied the game at 95 apiece before Paytons jumper gave Miami the lead for good. Dallas had one last chance to tie the game with 3.4 seconds left, but Nowitzki missed the backend of his free-throw set. Wade finished the game with 42 points, tying a postseason career-high while establishing a new playoff high with 13 rebounds. ONeal also had a solid outing, recording 16 points, 11 rebounds, five assists and two blocks. Nowitzki finished with 30 points for the Mavs. Miami out-rebounded Dallas, 49-34, on the boards.
Wednesday, October 4
Dwyane Wade scored 36 points to help the HEAT defeat the Dallas Mavericks, 98-74, to even the series, 2-2. The HEAT started to take control of the game in the second period when they held the Mavs to just 27.8 percent shooting from the field in the period, taking a 54-44 lead into halftime. Miami outscored Dallas, 18-8, over the first six minutes to stretch the lead to 20, 72-52, but the Mavericks ended the half on an 8-0 run to head into the final period trailing 78-67. Devin Harris three-point play cut the lead to 80-70 at the 10:35 mark, but the HEAT held the Mavericks to just one field goal from that point to cruise to the win. Shaquille ONeal posted 17 points, 13 rebounds, and two blocks. James Posey grabbed a double-double from the bench with 15 points and 10 boards. Dirk Nowitzki was held to 16 points on 2-for-14 shooting. The HEAT shot 51.5 percent from the field and held the Mavericks to 31.6 percent. The 24-point win is the third best margin of victory in postseason franchise history.
Thursday, October 5
Dwyane Wade hit two free throws with 1.9 seconds remaining in overtime to lead the HEAT past the Mavericks, 101-100, to take a 3-2 series lead. Wade finished with a HEAT postseason record 43 points and helped the HEAT overcome an 11-point deficit. Miami trailed 71-70 entering the fourth period before Wades 20-footer gave the HEAT its first lead since midway through the second period. The Mavs scored eight of the games next 10 points, capped by Dirk Nowitzkis bank shot that put Dallas up 79-74. The two teams traded baskets before Wade took over. Wade, who scored the HEATs final 11 points in regulation, put the HEAT up one on a turnaround jumper with 1:40 left. Nowitzki hit one of two free throws on the next possession to tie the game and found Erick Dampier on the ensuing possession for an uncontested dunk that put the Mavs up two, 93-91, with 10.1 remaining. Wade forced the extra period on a driving bank shot and both teams played a tightly contested overtime. Up 98-97 in OT, Josh Howard had a chance to give Dallas a three-point cushion with 54.0 seconds remaining but missed both free-throw attempts. Gary Payton reclaimed the lead for the HEAT with 29.8 seconds remaining on the following possession with a driving, left handed lay up with the shot clock expiring, but Nowitzki answered at the other end to put the Mavs back up one, 100-99. On the HEATs last possession, Wade drew a foul on Nowitzki while driving to the basket and hit one free throw before Dallas called its final timeout. Wade put the HEAT back up one after knocking down his second free throw and Devin Harris desperation shot from half court came up short. Wade finished the game going 21-for-25 from the free-throw line, establishing a new NBA Finals record for free-throws made. Shaquille ONeal added 18 points and 12 boards. Jason Terry scored 35 points and Josh Howard added 25 points for Dallas. The Mavericks lost the game despite going 21-for-25 (84 percent) from the charity stripe, while the HEAT went 32-for-49 (65.3 percent).
Friday, October 6
Dwyane Wades 36-point performance helped the HEAT capture their first-ever NBA Championship with a 95-92 victory over the Dallas Mavericks on June 20. Dallas started off the game strong shooting 54.2 percent from the field while leading by 14 with 2:30 left in the quarter while getting 11 points from Dirk Nowitzki. The second quarter would belong to Miami with Wade leading the way with 12 points as they outscored Dallas, 26-18, to take a one-point halftime lead. Dallas came out in the third quarter shooting only 26.3 percent from the field, but Miami would have their own troubles as they shot 38.1 percent. The HEAT built their one-point halftime lead to nine with 1:47 left with the help of Antoine Walkers 10-point, eight-rebound quarter, but Dallas would finish strong, cutting the lead to three heading into the fourth and final quarter. Both the HEAT and Mavs would exchange baskets throughout the fourth quarter until Dallas tied the game at 79 apiece with 7:06 remaining. A Udonis Haslem jump shot and a pair of Wade free throws gave Miami a four-point advantage with 5:09 remaining until Jerry Stackhouse cut the HEAT lead to two on Dallas next possession with a driving finger roll. After exchanging free throws and a pair of three-point baskets, Miami held a three-point lead after a Haslem jumper with 1:21 left. Josh Howard would answer with a jumper of his own, cutting the HEAT lead to one with 42.4 seconds to play. Nowitzki would then pick up his fifth foul sending Wade to the line for a pair of free throw attempts. On Dallas next possession, Wade would steal the ball then be fouled by Erik Dampier for another pair of free throw attempts. With the HEAT leading by five with 17.7 seconds to play, Howard would be fouled by Wade. Howard would make both from the line to cut the HEAT lead to only three with 11.5 seconds to play. On Miamis next possession, Wade would be fouled with 10.3 seconds left. At the line Wade would miss the first one, then go on to miss the second. On the second miss, Haslem would secure the rebound, but then be called for a traveling violation. Dallas would regain possession with 9.1 seconds, down by only three. As they dribbled up court, the ball was passed to a wide open Jason Terry who missed the game tying three-point attempt as the buzzer sounded. Wade controlled the fourth scoring 11 points, grabbing six rebounds while dishing out three assists. Wade finished with a game-high 36 points while shooting 10-of-18 from the field helping him win the NBA Finals MVP award. Miami came back from a 14-point deficit to win, the most ever in their postseason history. Miami closed out the series, 4-2, on Dallas home court to win the franchises first-ever NBA Championship.
Saturday, October 7
Schedule Subject to Change.