Debby Wong-USA TODAY Sports[/caption]18 in a row and counting. That is the number of wins the defending champions, the Miami Heat, have strung together since losing to the Indiana Pacers on Feb. 1, 102-89.
This streak represents the longest consecutive win-streak of the 2012-2013 season, and with less than 25 games to play, Miami will likely hold that title as the longest win-streak of the year, even if it does come to an end sometime in the next six weeks.
There has never been a more appropriate use of the word "dominant" than when it is used to describe how the Heat have played over the last five weeks of the season. They have manhandled some of their opponents and have beaten others tactically.
LeBron James and the whole cast of players assembled in Miami prove time and time again that they have a collective will to win and the determination to impose that will on all who stand in their way.
The latest example occurred on Sunday night when the Heat dismantled the Pacers. It seems fitting that the streak began after a loss to the Pacers and reaches its new high with a win over the same team.
The Heat came out of the gates like bulls into an arena. They played harder and wanted it more than the Pacers, and that was evident from the opening tip. Bear in mind that the Heat had already given up the season-series by losing on two other occasions to Indiana; and it seems they had no intentions of losing a third time.
This win served many purposes. Obviously it ran their consecutive win total to 18 straight, but it also showed everyone who thought the Pacers were the Heat’s kryptonite that they are not, and it sent a message to the entire league.
That message read loud and clear: “We are your defending champions and make no mistake about it; the path to the NBA title in 2013 will run through us. Find a way to beat us or you will find yourself losing a playoff-series to us in four games." This is where the streak stands currently, so now let’s venture back to where it began before we take a look at what lies ahead for the Heat.
The win that started it all came against the Toronto Raptors all the way back on Feb. 3. Just after that first win, the Heat beat the Charlotte Bobcats, Houston Rockets, Los Angeles Clippers and Los Angeles Lakers in one week’s time.
The sign of a truly talented and playoff-ready team is one that consistently beats its elite-level competition while easily taking care of their lesser competition.
The Heat followed up that first week with two more wins over the Portland Trail Blazers and Oklahoma City Thunder. Next, we saw them run through the Atlanta Hawks, Chicago Bulls, Philadelphia 76ers, Cleveland Cavaliers and Sacramento Kings to end the month of February.
As you can already see from the varying opponents, and the records they possess, nobody has stood a chance during this stretch. The Heat are on another level and, as some might even argue, another planet.
Starting off March the right way, LBJ and company beat the red-hot Memphis Grizzlies, 98-91. Two days later, they met the New York Knicks and beat them, 99-93.
The rest of the week went as follows: a win over the Minnesota Timberwolves, a win over the Orlando Magic and a win over the Philadelphia 76ers. That brings us to the 105-91 beat-down they put on the Pacers Sunday night.
Over the course of the 18-game win streak, they have managed to amass 206 more points than their opponents have had collectively. Their average margin of victory is a little more than 11 points per contest.
They have three players -- LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh -- averaging 16 or more points per game. They also have Ray Allen averaging double-figures off the bench. On a team that is so top heavy, not much offensive production is needed outside of these four on most occasions.
I must add to these already-staggering statistics are the fact that they now hold the best overall record in the NBA at 47-14, inching out the San Antonio Spurs by a few percentage points.
[caption id="attachment_23373" align="aligncenter" width="620"]
Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images[/caption]They are the first team in the league to clinch a playoff-berth with over a month to go in the season. I don’t think anyone in their right mind would bet against them retaining the No. 1 seed in the East when they enter the playoffs.
Another marvelous accomplishment by the Miami Heat is that they have now beaten all 29 teams in the NBA. They are the only team to have done so this season and only the sixth team to accomplish this feat in the last five years.
It is also a franchise-first for the Heat organization. At this point, it is hard to argue with the notion of them controlling their own destiny from now on until the NBA Finals.
A look at the road ahead reveals the month of March to be riddled with “trap games” and problematic scheduling. Between now and next Monday, they will face the Hawks, 76ers, Bucks and Raptors in that order.
Not one of these opponents is anywhere near the level the Heat play on -- even when they are not clicking -- but how these games present is what may cause some real difficulties.
First, they will face the Hawks Tuesday, March 12 and then immediately turn around and play the 76ers the next night. This is the first of three back-to-back sets of games they will encounter in the month of March before we move on to April.
Some opponents who might break the streak before the end of the month are the Boston Celtics on the second night of a back-to-back on March 18, the Chicago Bulls March 27 (especially if Derrick Rose has returns by that time) and the San Antonio Spurs on the last day of the month.
If the Heat happen to survive the rest of the month unscathed, they will have a 30-game win streak going into April. They will be tested right out off the get-go facing the Knicks on April 2.
If the Knicks can’t stop this runaway train, the only capable opponents that remain are the Celtics and Bulls. In other words, nothing stands in Miami’s way if they go undefeated through the end of March.
I guarantee the Heat wish the postseason was kicking off next week instead of in six weeks. There hasn’t been a regular season display like this one in years.
They play ferocious defense and swarm to the ball on every possession, and not to mention is their team’s unselfishness on offense. By not getting hung up on who gets the points each night, they succeed in putting aside individual endeavors and instead make it about the team and its well-being.
If the Heat survive their next five games without suffering a loss, I fully believe they will have a legitimate shot at breaking the record for the longest win-streak. The record, set by he Lakers in the 1971-1972 season, stands at 33 wins in a row. This number may seem a bit exorbitant now, but once you break it down, the Heat need to win only 15 more games.
If they finish the stretch I mentioned above undefeated, they will need only 10 more wins and all but three of those opponents have records below .500. It needs to at least be considered that they may come within striking distance of this historic record.
The Heat are well on their way to another NBA Championship. The question is will anybody stand in their way? Will any of the other 29 teams have what it takes to dethrone the almighty Heat?
The last month and a half of the regular season will certainly be one for the record books regardless of the streak’s final tally. Then the question at hand will be if the Heat repeat or will if we see a newly-crowned champion.
