After a thrilling 105-103 victory over the Boston Celtics on Monday night, the Miami Heat move a step closer to the elusive NBA-record 33-game win streak, as they are now 10 games away from that mark at 23 games.
"It means a lot," LeBron James said. "I know the history of the game. To be sitting in second place right now ... for us to be there and doing it the way we want to do it, it means a lot."
Heat coach Erik Spoelstra added:
"It's a special opportunity that we have with this group and you don't want to take it for granted," he said. "You want to treat every day as a special opportunity to be with this group, to share these moments together, but more importantly to take a step closer to going after our goal and every day that we improve puts us in a better position in a quest where nothing is guaranteed for anybody."
As the Heat flaunt their dominance in the Eastern Conference, this year's Lakers team hasn't lived up to the reputation that of the historic franchise.
Still, the Lakers franchise currently holds the record, and according to ESPN, Lakers star Kobe Bryant has little to say on the defending champion's current streak:
Bryant, who is nursing a sprained ankle while his Lakers make their push for a Western Conference playoff berth, said he couldn't care less about Miami's winning ways. When asked in a text whether he thinks the Heat will break the Lakers' record, he responded: "Did you really ask me that?? Lol"
The Lakers and Heat will not meet again in the regular season, meaning the only possible matchup will be in the NBA Finals.
