LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh toyed with opponents during the Big 3 era of the Miami Heat.
Following the formation of the Heatles, it became abundantly clear that Miami was the favorite to represent the Eastern Conference in the NBA Finals. As expected, the Heat made four consecutive finals from 2010 to 2014, albeit winning only twice.
Although James, Wade, and Bosh’s partnership helped the Heat become a consistent threat in the NBA Finals, they still faced a few talented teams in the East. That included the likes of the Paul George-led Indiana Pacers and the Derrick Rose-led Chicago Bulls.
The Pacers vs. Heat rivalry was one of the best things to watch as an NBA fan during the Heatles era. Despite the Pacers giving it their best, Miami simply had too much star power to overcome them.
Jeff Teague, who spent a year with the Pacers during the 2016-17 season, once accused James and co. of cheating in an episode of the OG Podcast via YouTube. Teague made the comments in front of Heat legend Udonis Haslem.
“Y’all team was cheating, though,” Teague said. “Let’s keep it real. I remember when Bron came to Miami.
“Everybody was like, ‘This ____ is weak.’ I ain’t gonna lie. I don’t give a ____, I was in my third year. I was like, ‘I don’t care, I just wanna hoop. I’m trying to get paid.”
At the time, Teague was a member of the Atlanta Hawks. Evidently, he faced the wrath of the Heat in the Eastern Conference. In fact, his former teammate Joe Johnson accused James of being weak for the move to Miami.
“But I remember Joe… and he was just like, ‘Why would they do this ____?’ He’s like, ‘This ____’s weak, man! Bron, he weak for that,’” Teague concluded.
Over the years, many players have trolled the King for joining forces with D-Wade and Bosh. As they believe, he took the easy out rather than winning a ring on his own.
Regardless of that belief, LBJ ultimately did what was best for his career as almost single-handedly carried the Cleveland Cavaliers for seven years before resorting to the infamous “decision” in 2010.
The aftermath of joining Miami led to LeBron becoming by far the most hated superstar in the league.
Initially, James was showered with boos everywhere he played apart from the Kaseya Center (previously known as FTX Arena).
However, winning an NBA championship was more important for James than seeing himself painted as a villain. LBJ succeeded in achieving his goal as he won two rings during his stint with the Heat.
Since leaving Miami, James has won two more titles (2016 Cleveland Cavaliers, 2020 Los Angeles Lakers) and continues to surpass fans’ expectations.
He is gearing up for the 22nd season of his NBA career and make history by playing alongside his son, Bronny James. Making them the first-ever active father-son duo to complete this accomplishment.
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