Of course, the Miami Heat won Game 2.
They lost Game 1.
The Heat are 13-0 following their last 13 playoff losses – forming a streak of 47 straight postseason games without consecutive losses. That ranks third all-time, and Miami could tie for second by the end of the 2014 Finals against the Spurs:
- 54, Boston Celtics (1962-66)
- 52, Chicago Bulls (1990-93)
- 47, Miami Heat (2012-14)
How do you explain Miami’s success after losses?
“You do have a healthy dose of fear, and that makes you focus more,” Chris Bosh said. “It makes you play better, play harder. When your back is against the wall, it’s a very unique feeling.”
There is definitely truth in Bosh’s statement. Nothing rallies a team like facing a playoff exit, especially when the team – like the Heat – knows it’s capable of winning.
But I think there’s a bigger factor at play.
Boston went 37-17, Chicago 40-12 and Miami 34-13 during their streaks. Those just aren’t many losses – i.e., few opportunities to drop a second straight game. If you don’t lose once, you can’t lose twice in a row.
Are the Heat especially resilient? Possibly.
Are they just better than most of their opponents? Definitely.
