Heat hope "The Decision" leads to title knockout of Mavs
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}By Larry Fine
The signing of James marks the revival of a Miami team that entered the league in 1988, along with the Charlotte Hornets, and one season later the Orlando Magic and Minnesota Timberwolves were added.
The Heat lead that quartet with 15 trips to the postseason and are the only ones to claim a championship, five years ago, but it has not all been smooth sailing.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Dwyane Wade and the team's president, former coach Pat Riley, form the link between Miami's first taste of NBA glory in 2006 and a glowing future that has rivals fretting about a dynasty with the Big Three of James, Chris Bosh and Heat stalwart Wade gelling sooner than anticipated.
Riley, who won four rings as coach of the "Showtime" Los Angeles Lakers featuring Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul Jabbar, and made the New York Knicks a force with Patrick Ewing, was hired away from the Knicks 16 years ago by new Heat owner Micky Arison, chairman of Carnival cruise lines.
Riley spurred an immediate Miami turnaround. Taking over a team that had gone 32-50, Riley led them to a 42-40 mark and a sterling 61-21 record the season after and a trip to the 1997 Eastern Conference finals.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}He had six winning seasons in a row before two losing campaigns led him to leave the coaching to Stan Van Gundy while he focused on rebuilding as team president.
That team struggled to get in gear, and after an 11-10 start in 2006, team president Riley installed himself as coach in place of Van Gundy and steered them to the finals.
Dallas and 7-foot German jump shooter Dirk Nowitzki took a 2-0 lead in the championship series before the Heat swept the next four spurred on by Finals MVP Wade.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}BIG THREE
Injuries and age cost that team a long run at the top, and after an NBA worst 15-67 season, Riley turned the coaching reins over to young assistant Erik Spoelstra, 37, in 2008.
Riley shrewdly juggled his roster to create $46 million of salary cap room and open the door to corralling the Big Three.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}James, Bosh and Wade, buddies from the U.S. gold-medal winning hoops team at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, all agreed to sign for less money in order to play together.
They each signed for about $110 million for six years, accepting $15 million less apiece over the life of their contracts than what they could have earned.
"The road to history starts now," James said.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}(Editing by Julian Linden)