|
 |
|
| Gary Payton Miami Heat Career Photos |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Gary Payton Miami Heat Biography |
|
(2005-2006)
Gary Payton signed with the Miami Heat in the summer of 2005, after playing just one season for the Boston Celtics. By signing with the Heat, Payton was reunited with his former Celtic teammate Antoine Walker, who was traded to Miami from the Boston. He was also reunited with former Laker teammate Shaquille O'neal to once again fullfill his dream of winning a championship. Miami boasted an All-Star lineup of Shaq, Dwayne Wade, Jason Williams, Gary Payton, Antoine Walker, Alonzo Mourning, as well as high quality role players in James Posey and Udonis Haslem. The heat won the Southeast Division and earned the second seed in the 2006 Playoffs. The heat beat the Bulls 4-2 in the first round. After a blowout loss to New Jersey in game one of the second round, Miami swept the next four games to win the series 4-1. In the conference finals, for the second year in a row the Heat played the Pistons, Miami won game one in Detroit, getting a solid performance from Payton and the rest of the role players, while Wade and O'neal played through foul trouble. Miami won the series 4-2, winning all three of their home games. For the first time in franchise history, the Heat made it to the NBA Finals, facing the Dallas Mavericks. Dallas easily won the first two games in Dallas and many people thought Miami would have a hard time winning one game, but in game three down by 13 with just over 6 minutes, Wade single handily turned the series around, scoring 12 points in the final 6 minutes. With 9 seconds left and the game tied, Payton hit his only shot attempt of the game, giving Miami the lead and the win. Miami easily won game 4 and in game five Payton stepped up once more. This time in overtime with the Heat trailing by 1 with 29 seconds, he hit a left-handed running layup as the shot clock expired, giving Miami a 1 point lead. Wade finished off Dallas with free throws and Miami swept the middle three games at home.
Miami traveled back to Dallas for game five leading the series 3-2, with a chance to win their first championship, and a chance for Payton to earn his first ring. Dallas got off to a hot start and a 13 point lead, but Miami went on a 13-2 run and had the lead at the half. The second half was very close and the game came down to a desperation shot by dallas which missed giving Miami a 3 point win and Payton's first championship.
PAYTON'S TIME: Gary Payton has six baskets in this series. He's certainly making the most of them.
Payton, who hit a key jumper in the final seconds of Miami's win in Game 3, came up big again in Game 5, his left-handed layup in overtime helping the Heat hold off Dallas 101-100.
"I'm just there and in the situation at the time," Payton said. "I have the ball and I want to win, so the clock will be winding down and I get the wide open shot or I get a look, you know, I'm going to take it. So I've been taking them and fortunately for me, they've been going down."
His clutch layup toward the end of Game 5 came on a bit of a broken play. Payton was supposed to swing the ball to James Posey, but that was thwarted, so he looked to give the ball to Dwyane Wade in the left corner.
Dirk Nowitzki jumped into Payton's passing lane, so the 16-year veteran guard drove to the basket and -- with four Dallas defenders all within two feet of him -- he sent a left-handed layup high off the glass and through the hoop with 31 seconds remaining.
"It was a heck of a shot by GP. Old school GP," Posey said. "Guys were giving him a hard time about it. Hey, we'll take it."
Payton resigned with the Heat for one more year, but his second season didn't go as well as the first. Miami struggled through most of the season with a rash of injuries, including a groin and calf injury to Payton, causing him to miss the most games in one season in his career. Payton struggled through most of the season with his injuries, but he did pass Larry Bird for 21st on the NBA All-Time Scoring list and finishing with 21,813 points in his career. Though Miami struggled through the 06-07 season, they did manage to with the Southeast Division and the 5th best overall record in the Eastern Conference. The meet the Bulls in the first round of the playoffs for the second consecutive year, however this time Chicago had home court and a healthy roster leading to a sweep of the Heat and the end of Payton's career. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Gary Payton Miami Heat Career Achievements |
|
• Scored team high 21 points (9-11) vs. Lakers Dec. 25, 2005
• Scored season high 21 points vs. Wizards Dec. 11, 2005
• Scored 20 points vs. Bucks Dec. 14, 2005
• Reached double-digit figures in scoring for 1,000 time in career vs. Denver Dec. 9
• Hit the game winning jumper, his only shot of the game in Game 3 of NBA Finals.
• Won his first NBA Championship
• Passed Larry Bird for 21st on the NBA All-Time Scoring List (finished career with 21,813 points) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Gary Payton Miami Heat Career Stats |
|
Year |
GP |
FG% |
3PT% |
FT% |
PTS |
REB |
AST |
TO |
STL |
BLK |
05/06 |
81 |
- |
- |
- |
7.7 |
2.9 |
3.2 |
|
.88 |
- |
06/07 |
68 |
- |
- |
- |
5.3 |
1.9 |
3.0 |
- |
.06 |
- |
Playoffs |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
vs. - |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
|
|
|
|
|
