Bill Sharman, Legendary Celtics Player, Lakers Coach, Thinks Heat Can Break Win Streak Record

by NESN Staff on Fri, Mar 15, 2013 at 2:30PM

Bill Sharman pretty much collected NBA championship rings, so if he has some thoughts on the Miami Heat’s current winning streak, he is probably worth listening to.

Sharman, who won four championships as a player with the Celtics and another as a coach with the Lakers, offered his thought’s on the 20-game win streak LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh and the rest of the gang have going in South Beach. Sharman was the coach of the 1971-72 Lakers, whose record of 69 regular-season wins stood for 24 years and whose 33-game win streak still stands as the longest in NBA history.

But Sharman does not sound confident that it will stay that way.

“It is certainly possible that the Heat could break our 33-game winning streak,” Sharman told Chris Tomasson of FOX Sports Florida. “The record has held for 41 years, and all of us that participated in it are very proud to have been part of that season. However, [Heat president] Pat Riley has put together an amazing team, and I have to admit this one makes me a little nervous.”

The closest any team has come to the Lakers’ record is the Rockets’ 22-game streak in 2007-08. Four other teams have reached 20 straight but The 1995-96 Bulls, who surpassed the Lakers’ record with 72 wins, are not one of them.