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Miami Heat tickets are available today so order now and see Shaquille ONeal do his best! The Miami Heat are based in the 19,600 seat American Airlines Arena. Even their uniform, in Red, Black, Flame orange and Yellow, is hot. This team gives a whole new meaning to the phrase sports fan. Cmon out and find out why they call it The Heat Experience. Are you experienced? Purchase your Miami Heat tickets today from Front Row USA. A brief history of the Miami Heat The Miami Heat are a National Basketball Association Team based out of Miami Florida. The Heat currently play in the Southeast Division and have won one NBA Finals Championship with eleven playoff appearances in only 18 seasons in the league. The Heat are currently owned by Micky Arison and led by legendary head coach, Pat Riley. The Heat play their home games at the American Airlines arena. The American Airlines arena was opened in 1999 in downtown Miami and can seat over 19,000 basketball fans. The Miami Heat were an expansion team, along with the Charlotte Hornets, and began playing in the 1989-90 season. Ron Rothstein was the Heats first head coach and they made Ron Seikaly from Syracuse University their first draft pick. The Miami Heat played their home games at the Miami Arena from 1988 through 1999. The Heat finished their inaugural season in 1989 in last place with a league low 15 wins. The Heat gradually improved over the next few seasons and made their first playoff appearance in 1992 with Kevin Loughery as their head coach and stars like Glenn Rice, Rony Seikaly and Grant Long.. Loughery led the Heat to the playoffs again in 1994 with a similar cast of players that included Steve Smith. The Heat lost in the first round of the playoffs in 1992 to the Chicago Bulls and in 1994 to the Atlanta Hawks.. Pat Riley, legendary Los Angeles Lakers and New York Knicks head coach, took over the Heat coaching job in 1996. Riley led the Heat to six straight playoff appearances from 1996 through 2001. During this span, the Heat won the Atlantic division four times in a row. They advanced as far as the Eastern Conference Finals once, loosing to Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls in 1997. The Heat slipped back to the back of the pack in 2002 and 2003, missing the playoffs both seasons. In 2004, Pat Riley moved up into a Heat Management position and Stan Van Gundy took his place as the Heats head coach. Van Gundy quickly turned the Heat around leading them back to the playoffs in 2004 and 2005. The Heat lost to the Indiana Pacers in the 2004 Eastern Conference Semifinals and then they lost the 2005 Eastern Division Finals to the Detroit Pistons. After their resurgence, the Heat entered the 2005-06 season as one of the favorites to win the NBA Finals. The Heat started the 2005-06 season with Van Gundy as head coach. After a disappointing 11-10 start, Van Gundy stepped down and Pat Riley resumed his role as head coach. Riley led the Heat to a fist place finish in the Southeastern Division, winning 41 of their remaining 60 games. The Heat cruised through the first two rounds of the Eastern Division playoffs with wins over the Chicago Bulls and New Jersey Nets. The Heat faced the Detroit Pistons in the Eastern Conference Finals and this time beat the Pistons for their first Eastern Division title and a trip to the NBA Finals. The Heat faced the Dallas Mavericks in the 2006 NBA Finals and were down 2 games to 0 before turning up the HEAT and winning the series in six games. The 2006 NBA Champion Miami Heat are led by Superstar Guard Dwayne Wade and All World Center Shaquille ONeal. ONeal and Wade have a great surrounding cast that includes Antoine Walker, Gary Payton and Alonzo Mourning. The Heat are an easy favorite to return the 2007 NBA Finals so get your Heat tickets fast before they are all gone.
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