We’ve probably all seen one of those unbelievable sports movies where the unlikely nerdy kid scores in the final second of the game, to win the match. Well, the Miami Heat doesn’t have nerds on the team (they do have some characters though). They are a great team, but still there is an undisputed star within that team, their Most Valuable Player Lebron James. So, if the game hinges on one final desperate chance for a win, with less than 2,5 seconds on the clock, that’s who you pass the ball to. And he scores! The Heat beat the Indiana Pacers in the first game of the semi-finals for the NBA 2013 championship, and I was there!
My niece Naomi lives and works in Miami and she is a fan. She kindly sacrificed a load of Air-miles to fly me in from Nassau in the Bahamas and organised great tickets for the game. Naomi and I had dinner before the game together with Bella and her brother in law Peter. We then drove to the American Airlines Arena and handed the car over to the Valet Parking service. We were welcomed in the Dewar’s Club for a pre-game drink and then went to our seats for the game.
The game was pretty evenly matched for most of the time, although the Pacers lead the score most of the time. Both Naomi and Bella tried to appease me and said that the game would really start in the third period, but even throughout those 12 minutes of net playing time, the Pacers were definitely not beaten. The girls also were now starting to display signs of nerves, but felt mighty confident, that the Heat would prevail and indeed, with about a minute left in the game, they managed to score and reached a three point lead. A question of playing a clever defence and even allow the Pacers to score once more to regain possession, as long as it wasn’t a three pointer, but a three pointer it was! The game was tied and that is not acceptable, so it went into overtime. Another 5 minutes of net nail biting playing time, but the Heat finally seemed to be in control of the game and once more managed to move ahead; this time by two points. The Pacers however had possession of the ball and once more needed to score a three pointer, however this time, that would be for the win. Then Dwayne Wade fouled and the Pacers were awarded three penalty shots!
All hell broke loose in the AAArena, as 20.000 Heat fans tried to put pressure on the player from the Pacers. He didn’t flinch and all three shots went in without so much as touching the ring. The score was now 101-102 with 2.2 seconds left on the clock. We all looked at each other sadly. It had been an exciting game, but we would be denied the desired results. The Heat called a 20 second time out. However the audience had accepted defeat and it was very silent in the hall. The referee hands the ball to Battier and James moves from under the basket towards the middle of the court. The ball went directly to LeBron James, Mississippi one, who turned to his right, around his opponent and with three strides, Mississippi 2, and a jump lays up the ball and twists it with his fingers so that it drops through the net as the buzzer sounds. It was within the regular playing time and the hall erupted in sheer amazement and admiration; final score 103-102.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zaM5nMur4Tw
It was past midnight by the time we got outside, but it had been worth every minute of it. I wish the Heat every success during the remainder of this best of seven series, but I do hope for the collective blood pressure of their fan-base, that they don’t make them all just as exciting as this one. I think however I have been watching the 2013 Champions. Not just a team, a great team, until the last tenth of a second of the game.

Nassau is genoemd naar “onze” Nassaus en we hebben historisch banden met de Bahama’s waar we eigenlijk niets meer van zien. Ze rijden hier links en de politielui zien er uit als Bobbies, met witte uniformen, maar deze Dutch oven op het vliegveld is de eerste duidelijke referentie die ik zie.

Ik vlieg uitermate comfortabel met het vliegtuig van American Eagle. Het is een vlucht van minder dan 40 minuten. Helaas vliegt zo’n jet op redelijk grote hoogte. Je krijgt dan wel een idee van de schoonheid in groen en blauw van de Bahama’s, maar het mooiste is dat vanuit een propeller vliegtuigje van het soort waarmee Flamingo Air en Watermakers Air vliegen. We hebben foto’s van Blaine en Danna gezien vanuit zo’n vliegtuigje en dat is spectaculair.

We leveren de auto van Naomi bij de valet parking in, zodat we na de wedstrijd redelijk snel weg zouden kunnen zijn. We hadden toen natuurlijk nog geen idee, dat het pas na middernacht zou zijn, zodat het dubbel goed uitkwam.

Pim, Bella en Naomi

Hoog vanuit de Dewar’s club

Een meisje van negen zingt de National Anthem. Ze doet het fantastisch en beter dan de playbackende Beyonce bij de inauguratie van Obama.

De spelers van de Heat worden individueel voorgesteld begeleid door grote vlammen. Een totaal spektakel.

Mc Wrap stokken om mee te zwaaien en de concurrentie mee uit de concentratie te halen. Zouden het in Indiana Wopperstokken worden of gebruiken ze bij de Pacers gewoon dezelfde?

De Heat dancers, zijn red hot Cheerleaders.

Ook de marching band doet een dansje met veel beweging van de heupen.

Tijdens ‘halftime’ gaan we naar buiten op het terras van de American Airlines Arena voor een biertje. Er speelt een uitstekende rockband.

LeBron James neemt strafworpen. Ze hebben bij de Heat geen nerds, maar wel karakters, zoals Andersen (links) met zijn hanenkam. Hij wordt door de fans ‘the Bird’ genoemt en als hij de bal heeft of iets goeds doet, begint iedereen ,met zijn armen te doen alsof het vleugels zijn.

Pim en Naomi

De uitslag staat er al, maar LeBron wacht nog op de bevestiging. Die kwam. Wat een avond!