Feeling The Heat

"We went through a tumultuous first month -- they were pointing fingers at everybody," says Heat coach Erik Spoelstra of the many slings and arrows his players endured this season. "My point to the team was, 'We're in this together. The only way we'll get out of it without embarrassing ourselves is to do it collectively.' "

BY Chuck Salter | April 20, 2011

Infographic: Feeling the Heat

"The newest Team America Loves to Hate" -- USA Today

"There's no way, with hindsight, I would've ever called up Larry, called up Magic, and said, 'Hey, look, let's get together and play on one team.' " -- Michael Jordan

"They are pretty impressed with themselves." -- Magic coach Stan Van Gundy

"The Whore of Akron" -- Esquire

"His little one-hour special was a punk move." -- Charles Barkley

"Shameful display of selfishness and betrayal…" -- Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert

"Chris Bosh is too soft to be the third wheel of the 'big three.'" -- Jason Whitlock, Fox Sports

"I thought he was, I guess, more of a competitor." -- Magic GM Otis Smith

"Erik Spoelstra Must go." -- Miami New Times

"Eventually these guys that were recruited -- Bosh and James -- by Pat Riley and Micky Arison, the owner, are going to come in and say, 'We feel you (Riley) can do a better job coaching the team.'" -- Lakers coach Phil Jackson

"The Lyin' King" -- T-shirt in Cleveland

Infographic by Walter C Baumann

A version of this article appears in the May 2011 issue of Fast Company.

From Issue 155 | April 2011