Heat look to avenge worst loss of season against league's best

Just four days ago the season and hopes of an NBA championship were all but over for the Miami Heat. The experiment had failed. Lebron James and Dwyane Wade couldn't couldn't figure out how to play together. Chris Bosh was too soft. Erik Spolestra wasn't the man to lead the team. At least that's what you might have been conned into believing if you'd watched only five minutes of Sportscenter during a five-game losing stretch that started back on February 27 and didn't end until this past Thursday.


But funny how a measly two games can change everything.

Heat point guard Mike Bibby hit five 3-pointers and finished with 17 points against Memphis

After an encouraging 94-88 win for the second time this season against the defending champion Los Angeles Lakers Thursday and a 30-point beatdown to the Memphis Grizzlies on Saturday, the panic meter has dropped for the Heat, (there's actually an ESPN Heat panic meter) if only momentarily.


"It feels good to get some wins. The expectation of us going out and playing at a high level every night was waring on us a little bit," James responded after the Grizzlies win when asked about the significance of this particular point in the season. "We said it's just going to take one win and everybody could let their hair down and relax. We've been able to do it the last two nights."


Now the Heat look to make it three in a row Monday night against a San Antonio Spurs team that embarrassed the Heat earlier this month in a 125-95 shalacking, that only further raised doubt in the minds of Heat critics and fans alike.


When the two teams last met, the Spurs dissected the Heat's defense with ease, as the Spurs finished with eight players scoring in double digits and set a franchise record with 17 made three-pointers.


The Heat hope for a much different outcome this time around, with the Spurs entering the game with the best record in the league and riding a three-game winning streak.


Regarded as being one of the better run organizations in professional sports, Spolestra has nothing but high praise for the Spurs.


"We've always had the ultimate respect for them and what they've been able to accomplish. This year, it's probably a little bit of a surprise how well and how efficient they've played. They've already been tested through adversity. They've been through playoff battles.They've been through all the ups and downs."

You have to believe this Heat team wants some sort of revenge. They may not all come out and say it, but leave the admission to Chris Bosh, who's never short of words when it comes to talking about how he really feels.


"They beat the crap out of us and it was on national TV. Everyone saw it." said Bosh.


"We want to redeem ourselves."