Dwyane Wade Shuts Down Rudy Gay’s Claim That Grizzlies Would Have Beaten Heat In 2013 NBA Finals: 'We're Smacking Y'all'

The 2013 Miami Heat were one of the most dominant teams of the modern era, led by LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh in the heart of the “Heatles” dynasty. But according to Rudy Gay, his Memphis Grizzlies had what it took to knock them off if not for a midseason trade. Wade, however, isn’t buying it.

Appearing on the WY Network podcast, Wade responded directly to Gay’s claim that the Grizzlies would have beaten Miami if he had stayed on the roster. His message was blunt.

“You’re not just going to win the Finals because you think you can. We had just been there four years in a row. We’re smacking y’all. You don’t know how to win in the Finals, bro.”

Gay’s comments came earlier this month on the Out the Mud podcast, where he reflected on his trade from Memphis to Toronto during the 2012-13 season. At the time, Gay was averaging 17.2 points per game as the Grizzlies’ leading scorer. 

He believed Memphis, which finished that season 56-26 and reached the Western Conference Finals, could have gone all the way if he had remained.

The Grizzlies certainly had a case as a tough matchup. Anchored by Marc Gasol, Zach Randolph, Tony Allen, and Mike Conley, Memphis was the definition of grit-and-grind. 

They beat the Clippers and Thunder in the playoffs that year before falling to the Spurs in a sweep. Gay believes his scoring would have given Memphis the extra push needed to reach the Finals.

But Wade made it clear: there’s a huge difference between making a deep run and actually toppling a championship-tested group. By 2013, the Heat had been to three straight Finals and were on their way to a second consecutive title. They went 66-16 in the regular season, ripped off a 27-game win streak, and had the league’s best player in LeBron at the height of his powers.

History sides with Wade here. Even if Memphis had broken through the Spurs, it’s difficult to imagine them outlasting Miami in a seven-game series. The Heat survived a grueling Finals against San Antonio, capped by Ray Allen’s iconic Game 6 shot, and proved they were built for the brightest stage.

For Gay, it’s a classic case of “what if.” For Wade, it’s simple: the Heat’s championship pedigree wasn’t something you could just wish your way past.

In the end, Wade’s fiery response put a stamp on the debate. Whatever Memphis’ ceiling was, Wade insists it wouldn’t have been at Miami’s expense.