1995–96 Miami Heat season


The 1995–96 NBA season was the eighth season for the Miami Heat in the National Basketball Association. Under new head coach Pat Riley, the Heat would be restructured. On the first day of the regular season, they acquired All-Star center Alonzo Mourning from the Charlotte Hornets. With the addition of Mourning along with the offseason acquisition of Rex Chapman from the Washington Bullets, the Heat won 11 of their first 14 games, but won only 9 of their next 32 games.
Riley continued to make changes as he would make three more deals at the trading deadline. The club traded Kevin Willis and Bimbo Coles to the Golden State Warriors for All-Star guard Tim Hardaway and Chris Gatling, while trading Billy Owens and Kevin Gamble to the Sacramento Kings for Walt Williams and Tyrone Corbin, and then trading rookie Terrence Rencher to the Phoenix Suns for Tony Smith. The flurry of deadline deals led to one of the most remarkable wins of the season, as the Heat only had eight players available to face the Chicago Bulls on February 23, 1996, but won 113–104 thanks mainly to a 39-point game by Chapman. Other transactions included signing free agents Jeff Malone and rookie Voshon Lenard at midseason.
The Heat finished third in the Atlantic Division with a 42–40 record. In the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals of the playoffs, the Heat lost in three straight games to the Bulls. Following the season, Chapman signed as a free agent with the Phoenix Suns, Williams signed with the Toronto Raptors, Gatling signed with the Dallas Mavericks, Corbin signed with the Atlanta Hawks, Smith signed with the Charlotte Hornets and Malone retired.
Mourning became the first Heat player to appear in an All-Star Game, as he was selected for the 1996 NBA All-Star Game in San Antonio. For the season, the Heat added red alternate road uniforms which lasted until 1999.

Offseason

NBA Draft

RoundPickPlayerPositionNationalitySchool/Club Team
110Kurt ThomasPF/CUnited StatesTCU
246George BanksFUnited StatesUTEP

Roster

Regular season

Season standings

Record vs. opponents

Schedule

Player stats

PlayerGPREBASTSTLBLKPTS
Alonzo Mourning70727159701891623
Rex Chapman561451664510786
Kurt Thomas74439464736666
Bimbo Coles522012966312664
Billy Owens402861343022590
Tim Hardaway2898280586482
Kevin Willis47420341925479
Keith Askins753241214861458
Chris Gatling24175171711365
Walt Williams28112653216337
Kevin Gamble448682315305
Sasha Danilovic194647153255
Pete Myers3973971411184
Voshon Lenard30523161176
Tony Smith253968165109
Terrence Rencher344254161103
Danny Schayes328991116101
Tyrone Corbin226523163101
Ron Grandison1836108143
Stacey King152327238
Jeff Malone7873031
LeRon Ellis12842313

Transactions

July 1, 1995
September 1, 1995
September 29, 1995
October 5, 1995
October 13, 1995
November 3, 1995
December 12, 1995
December 27, 1995
December 29, 1995
January 5, 1996
February 12, 1996
February 22, 1996
March 3, 1996
June 26, 1996
The Heat would qualify for the playoffs by beating out the Charlotte Hornets by 1 game for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference with a record of 42 wins and 40 losses. In the playoffs, the Heat were swept in 3 straight games. The Heat would lose by double digits in each game to the eventual World Champion Chicago Bulls.

Awards, records, and honors

Pat Riley led the Heat to a 42-40 record which tying the franchise record for best record.
Alonzo Mourning was voted by fans to be in the All-Star Game.