The Miami Heat first stepped on the NBA court for a regular-season game 30 years ago on Nov. 5, 1988 with an opening night line-up of Rony Seikaly, Kevin Edwards, Billy Thompson, Rory Sparrow, Pat Cummins, and promptly lost their first 17 games, before finally defeating the same Los Angeles Clippers for their first win on Dec.14, 1988.
Meanwhile in Motor City, the Detroit Piston’s “Bad Boys” began their march to the NBA titile with Isiah Thomas, Bill Laimbeer, Adrian Dantley (later traded for Mark Aguirre), Joe Dumars, Rick Mahorn starting and Dennis Rodman coming off the bench.