Nobody would blame Heat general manager Andy Elisburg if he decided to run up the steps of AmericanAirlines Arena and raise his arms triumphantly.
Much like the fictionalized “Rocky Balboa” character, Elisburg has overcome long odds.
Elisburg — who never played competitive sports — started with the Heat from the very beginning, 30 years ago, as a public relations intern. He rose through the ranks, contributing significantly to three NBA championships, primarily as a salary-cap guru on deals worth hundreds of millions of dollars.
There were many late nights for Elisburg, 49, who can still vividly recall those days in his mid-20s when he was part of a bunch of young and ambitious Heat employees.