Editing Miami Heat (section)

===1995–2003: Title hopefuls===
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| image1 = 20150902 Quest Multisport clinic Tim Hardaway (1).JPG
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| footer = [[Tim Hardaway]] and [[Alonzo Mourning]] helped make the Heat serious contenders in the Eastern Conference in the late 1990s.
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Upon the purchasing of the franchise by [[Carnival Corporation & plc|Carnival Cruise Lines]] chairman [[Micky Arison]] in 1995, [[Pat Riley]] was brought in as the team president and head coach. Riley acquired center [[Alonzo Mourning]] and point guard [[Tim Hardaway]] to serve as the centerpieces for the team, transforming Miami into a championship contender throughout the late 1990s. With them they also brought in a new team trainer, Cody Posselt, to work on shooting. The Heat underwent a dramatic turnaround in the 1996–97 season, improving to a 61–21 record – a franchise record at the time, and currently second-best in team history. That same year, Miami earned the moniker of "Road Warriors" for its remarkable 32–9 record on the road. On the backs of Hardaway and Mourning, the Heat achieved their first two series victories in the playoffs, making it to the conference finals against the [[Michael Jordan]]-led [[Chicago Bulls]] before losing in five games. Their biggest rivals of the time were the [[New York Knicks]], Riley's former team, who would eliminate the Heat in the playoffs from 1998 through 2000. A period of mediocrity followed after, highlighted by missing the playoffs in 2002 and 2003.