Heat Looking for 4th Straight Finals Trip

Any time an NBA franchise is trying to do something only previously done by the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers, that's rarefied air.

That's what the Miami Heat is trying to reach this season.

After going to the NBA Finals in each of the past three seasons — winning the last two titles — the Heat now aim to join an exclusive club. Only the Celtics, from 1957-66 and again from 1984-87, and the Lakers, from 1982-85, have made at least four consecutive trips to the championship series.

"It would mean everything, man," Heat forward LeBron James said. "First of all, it means that I'm doing my part and I'm helping our team get better. It would mean everything to our team. That's what we're here for. We work our tails off every day. If it can pay off with another Finals appearance, we'd represent the Eastern Conference the best way we can."

Miami was taken to the limit twice in last season's playoffs, needing to prevail in Game 7s to beat Indiana in the East finals, then topple San Antonio in the NBA Finals.

Ray Allen's dramatic 3-pointer to save the Heat in Game 6 against the Spurs is the stuff of highlight lore. They put together a 27-game winning streak in the regular season a year ago, the second-longest in NBA history. All that, the Heat say, is pretty much pushed aside now.

"This has been a very competitive camp," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. "Guys are in here, working, every single day."

They're doing so with a singular goal of winning it all.

"When you put this kind of talent together, there's always people on the outside trying to figure out ways why it shouldn't work," Heat guard Dwyane Wade said. "When you're on the inside and can put it together and show them that it can work, it's a great feeling. For us to be able to go to the Finals three straight times and hopefully go again, what more can you ask for?”