The longest winning streak in NBA history

In the 2012-2013 NBA season, there have been multiple hot-starting, streaky teams. With the Los Angeles Clippers pumping out a 17-game win streak, as well as the Denver Nuggets on a 14-game tear, things have been pretty intense all year. That doesn't even mention the most notable win streak of all, with the Miami Heat currently at 25 wins and counting.

While the Heat are the team to beat this year, the reigning NBA Champions and a squad hungry to repeat, the idea of putting their name in the record books on route is definitely becoming a possibility. The Heat are now firmly in the second spot for longest win streak in the NBA, and the idea of finding themselves on top is becoming a true reality. The only objects standing in their way are nine more wins.

Before the likes of LeBron James, Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh burning bridges to join forces in South Beach, there was the 1971-1972 Los Angeles Lakers squad. The team, which included all time greats Wilt Chamberlain and future NBA logo himself Jerry West, was a team built for greatness. Their regular season ended with a league high 69-13 record, which led to an NBA title.

The finals were against the New York Knicks, and in five games the Lakers won their first title since moving to La La Land. During that season, Wilt Chamberlain was the NBA leader for shooting percentage with at a 64 percent clip. He and Jerry West were both named for All-NBA defensive first time, Bill Sharman was named NBA coach of the year and West also was on the All-NBA first team. While these accolades were great, and champions will always be remembered, the most notable aspect of their season was the 33-game winning streak that still leads the NBA.

While Jerry West and Wilt Chamberlain were the standouts, the record-setting and championship-winning team also included Happy Hairston, Jim McMillian, Gail Goodrich, as well as reserves LeRoy Ellis, John Trapp, future famed coach Pat Riley, Jim Cleamons, Flynn Robinson and Keith Erickson. While Chamberlain, West and Goodrich's play was definitive for the team, the reserves and role players were incredibly important. Although their stats don’t speak too loudly, players like John Trapp, Leroy Ellis, and Flynn Robinson made monumental impacts on both the win-streak and the championship run.

Looking at the Miami Heat, the obvious trend is that LeBron James, Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh are really good at basketball. While their play is important, what makes their team so great are the talented role players picked up to back their big three. One of the most important aspects to their line up is the pick up of Ray Allen. Allen, last season, passed Reggie Miller to become the player with the most three-point buckets in NBA history. He has been one of the best guards in the game, a clutch shooter and although he may be closer to the end of his career than the beginning, he has already hit a plethora of game winners for the Heat. When Allen is found alone on the wing, he is deadly.

According to sports writer David Mayo out of Michigan, the 2013 Miami Heat make up is very similar to that of the record-setting Los Angeles Lakers. Mayo believes that, “Players like Chris Andersen, Norris Cole and Shane Battier [are] Miami’s version of the ’71-72 Lakers’ Leroy Ellis, Flynn Robinson and a long-past-prime Elgin Baylor…” Though the Lakers had West and Chamberlain and the Heat have James, Wade and Bosh (and Allen should probably be up here too), their reserves deserve a decent amount of credit for the Heat’s success.

Another aspect that makes the Heat team so scary is that, along with their talent, they are a team who still plays like they have something to prove. Throughout their win-streak, no matter how dire the situation may look, they come out to win. Even when down in games (which they have been in the last few wins), the Heat truly believe they are going to win. Along with their desire, there is no question that LeBron James is playing basketball that is completely unmatched by anyone in the league. He is setting NBA records left and right, and can’t be stopped when he has the rock. While the Heat has definitely cemented their spot as the team to beat in the East, the question remains, though, whether or not they will place themselves squarely in the NBA record books.

Photos courtesy of Palm Beach Post and Blogspot