The Miami Heat and Charlotte Bobcats are scheduled to face off in game 2 of the NBA Playoffs on Wednesday night. This also marks the 25th anniversary for both teams, as the cities of Miami and Charlotte were awarded expansion franchises in 1988. Today's fan may look at that and say..."Wow...but the Heat are so good, and Charlotte is well....Charlotte."
And that's a fair assessment.
Since entering the league in 1888, the Miami Heat have amassed 3 World Titles, 4 Conference Titles, and 11 Division Titles. Not only has Charlotte never won an NBA Title, they have never won their own division....in 25 years!
What's really mind boggling about those stats? Any of us old enough to remember when they both entered the league would have bet the farm that Charlotte would have those titles today...not Miami.
And for good reason.
The Charlotte (Hornets) rose from expansion team to playoff prominence faster than any team that I can remember...past or present. They struck gold with back to back first round picks..Larry Johnson (#1 overall pick in 91) and Alonzo Mourning (2nd overall pick in 92)....and were off to the races. They made the playoffs that same year, and even scored a playoff series victory over the Boston Celtics. We all thought that Charlotte would be the team (and franchise) of the future.
Meanwhile in South Beach.....
Miami was a struggling franchise...with few victories and fewer fans in the stands. They only made the playoffs twice in their first 8 years...and they failed to advance both times. Miami routinely struck out on draft picks....(see Ronie Seikaly and Harold Minor)...and seemed to be stuck in expansion mode for the first near decade.
Then it happened....the trade.
In 1995, new Miami President of Basketball Operations Pat Riley acquired Alonzo Mourning from Charlotte....and the fork in the road was planted.
Miami went on to become a consistent playoff contender through the late 90's. And in 2003, they draft Dwayne Wade in the first round...then comes Shaq...then Bosh...then King James himself?
Stop playin!
Meanwhile in Charlotte....
In that same time span...The Hornets managed to trade away Larry Johnson the following year, and the rights to some kid name Kobe Bryant for...get this...Vlade Divac.
I wish I was making this up.
So it's no surprise that the team would pack up and move to New Orleans in 2002. Seriously though, I am happy that Charlotte has a team again in the Bobcats...and that the city can embrace playoff basketball again. Miami is likely to beat Charlotte and advance, and the MVP should still be....Alonzo Mourning.
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