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Dear Miami; Really is Now or Never

June 10, 2011 By Leave a Comment

A lot of hulabaloo over losing Games 4 and 5 in Dallas, huh?

Well, the stats say 73% of teams that win Game 5 win the series. So, it is the Mavs series to win. Then again, wasn’t Dallas up 2-0 heading to Miami back in 2006? That team just needed one win in Miami to take control of the series, too.

Something to ease our minds:

“Dear Miami, you’re the first to go

Disappearing under melted snow

Each and everyone turn your critical eye

On the burning sun and try not to cry…”

Seems applicable to the way things are going these days for the Heat. The time is now or never truly, Lebron. But this isn’t all about Lebron, despite the media’s outcry. This is a game in which they have to defend better and get back to spreading the floor and generating free throws. Erik Spoelstra has been able to avoid strong criticism, but he is definitely failing his team at this point in making seemingly winning adjustments. Everything Rick Carlisle has done to this point has worked and the Heat, under Spo’s guidance, have been avoiding making any changes maybe out of a lack of confidence.

Then again, everything can change back in Miami. We’ll see Sunday.

Oh, and if you think it can’t be done, just look at the Lakers/Celtics finals in 2010. Boston had a 3-2 edge then went back to LA…

Filed Under: Postseason Tagged With: , , , , ,

Lebron’s Legacy a Hot Topic; Everyone Needs to Chill

June 8, 2011 By 1 Comment

Michael Jordan’s legacy was not formulated in one Finals game, let alone one Finals loss. Sure, he didn’t ever have a game where he only scored 8 points, but Larry Bird did – a few times.

Greatness is not measured in one game alone. If that was the case, the list would be much longer than it currently is, impacted by names that are as recognizable as Robert Horry or Derek Fisher. Really, people? Let’s calm it down a bit.

Sure, Lebron never showed up last night. That is different than saying he choked or is overrated. His lack of presence was felt because had he been in this game the Heat may have won Game 4 and not, instead, had a chance to steal it like they did last night. Face it, the Mavs needed that win. They were sleeping in their own beds that night and feeling the need for a win to even up the series. The Heat? They were playing with house money and even though Lebron was on camera saying how important that game was, it was manufactured desperation. The Mavs had tangible, real desperation. It was coursing through their veins, their fans’ twittersphere, and through the local media outlets. Lebron? He might as well yawned in that pre-game speech because that was the effect the game seemed to have on him – barely enough to keep him awake.

That isn’t excuse making or spin-doctoring. The rhetoric doesn’t matter and the games are won on the court. No matter how many ridiculous statements the Deshawn Stevensons or Jason Terrys of the world make, they have to come to play on the court. The Heat held their heads high, didn’t get caught in any mudslinging but instead tried to win a game and let the result do the talking for them. Only Dwyane Wade, and a cameo by Chris Bosh, was the illustration of this possibility from the Heat while Lebron didn’t hold up his usual end of the bargain.

This is just one game though, folks. If you think Lebron is not going to bounce back and have a better Game 5, your drinking from some strange kool aid. Guaranteed Rick Carlisle is not betting on Lebron having another flunked out game. Nor is Lebron’s teammates and coaching staff. He’ll put it back together again because the issue, if you look at the tape, was Lebron was not putting any effort or energy into his game. Dwyane Wade has a pretty good relationship with his teammate and will get him right and find out what happened. Lebron, because he brought this pressure on himself, knows what he needs to do – and is capable.

Everyone else needs to chill with this hourly legacy discussion though. Lebron’s legacy can’t truly be weighed until after, like Shaq, he retires.

Filed Under: Featured, Heat Index, Postseason Tagged With: ,

Dirk Has Cold, Heat Goes Cold in Game 4

June 8, 2011 By Leave a Comment

If you told me that the Heat would shoot 42% and get very little production – on either end of the floor – from one of their best players in Lebron James and still have a chance to win, I would have laughed in your face. No way. You would add that the game would be won in the low 80′s and the Heat would only lose by 3 on the road, in Dallas, with the Mavericks backs against the wall playing for all the marbles in this series – and still, I would say you’re crazy.

But, no one is giving the Mavs any credit. They are saying that the Heat lost this game and point the finger to Lebron, who attempted only 1 shot in the 4th quarter. They almost steer clear of any mentioning of how the Mavs had more at stake and how Dwyane Wade made some critical mistakes down the stretch, too.

Let’s not forget the Mavs: they had quite a bit of drama heading into last night’s game 4. Dirk Nowitzki played with a 101 degree fever. Jason Terry found himself admitting that Lebron James had shut him down in Games 1 and 3, but not in Game 2 and asked if Lebron could keep it up for seven games. Deshawn Stevenson called Dwyane Wade and Lebron James great actors.

The Heat? Stayed composed. There was no fire across the bow. No diatribe to spark paper clipping collecting. Simply put, the Heat got beat. They got beat by a team that was at home, more desperate for a win, and fed off of that scenario to get it done. You tip your cap to your opponent, make no excuses, and get back to work.

Yes, the Heat were able to build up leads throughout the game, but the Mavs were able to answer and go on runs. You will hear coaches so this is a make or miss league. Some nights, with even matches, you will make a shot and you’re the hero. You miss a shot, and you’re the goat. (See Dirk Nowitzki in Game 2 then in Game 3.) The Heat made shots in Game 3, the Mavs made the shots in Game 4. Yet, even that isn’t such a strong indication of this game.

The Mavs shot 6-19, 32% in the 4th while the Heat shot 32%. Despite the horrific field goal percentages, the Mavs outscored the Heat 21-9 over the final 9:58 of the game. The Heat offense does get clunky at times, but the only player able to score consistently throughout the game was Dwyane Wade, who scored 32 points on 13-20 shooting. Chris Bosh did score 24 points on 9-19 shooting, but most of that scoring came in the first quarter.

Lebron James only put in 8 points and was largely lost in the game outside of some spectacular assists and strong defense. Deshawn Stevenson claims James “checked out”.

Realistically, a finger can be pointed at Wade, too. He did drop the ball on a possession that would have given the Heat a chance for a shot at the end of the game but also, he missed one of two free throws which would have had a larger impact on the end of the game.

Speaking of, no team seemed to have the ability to score for the final minutes of the quarter. In fact, in the final 2:16 of the game the Mavs hit 4-4 on FTs while making only 1 FG. The Heat were 3-4 on FTs while only making one field goal as well. So it wasn’t like anyone shut it down and put this game to bed at the end of the game.

The Mavs should have blown out the Heat last night. They got more production from their bench and their starters than the Heat did. Tyson Chandler, Shawn Marion, Jason Terry, Deshawn Stevenson, and Dirk Nowitzki all had double figures in scoring. For the Heat, only Wade and Bosh had double figures. The Mavs shot 39% while the Heat shot 42% but a lot of the Mavs shots were misses – not because of the Heat defense, but just because they were rimming out. Nowitzki actually should have had a lot more production, considering his 6-19 night and fever, his shots were just spinning out.

The Mavs should have won last night’s game and in truth, it was expected. The Heat really didn’t have much business being in this game with Lebron only scoring 8 points and getting very little production from the rest of their team. Outside of a 40+ point performance from either Wade or Bosh, the Heat just had too flat of an offense and defensively were not able to solve Chandler’s offensive rebounding (9) and Marion’s clean-up offense. They were at home, got more FTs and had more to play for than the Heat.

If the Heat have shown anything this year, it is their ability to play better when the drama increases. They will get their chance to do so because, statistically, the winner of Game 5 with a series tied 2-2 wins the trophy 73% of the time. If the Heat can pull it off, they will go back to Miami up 3-2 with a 9-1 record at home this postseason.

Filed Under: Featured, Hottest, Postseason Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Heat Win Game 3 With Defense; Bosh Illustrates Heat Drive

June 6, 2011 By Leave a Comment

With a swollen left eye and game seemingly in need of healing, Chris Bosh became the symbol for the Heat’s 88-86 nailbiter win over the Mavericks last night. He didn’t have a particularly good night, but he came through when his team needed him to. Bosh drained a long range jumper behind a screen from Udonis Haslem that proved to be the difference maker. Prior to that shot, Bosh was doing everything he could to pass up the chance to score for his team.

Meanwhile, on the other end, Dirk Nowitzki got the shot he wanted, although tightly defended by Haslem, but it just bounced off the rim. Game. Buzzer. Heat up 2-1.

And we all know the stat. Since the change in format, teams are 11-0 when they win Game 3 in the Finals. So, the notion is basically pencil in the Heat for a championship. Not so fast. The Heat are still a team haunted by the meltdown – or the choke – they went through in Game 2 as the Mavericks roared past them with 6:22 to go to take the game by 2 points. In fact, it may have been in response to this that the Heat came out firing after halftime, starting with a 6-0 run to push their lead up.

In the end though, it was Bosh, having an off night, who was the hero and Nowitzki, scoring 34 points, who came up short. Most in the media say that the Mavs have to get more firepower around Nowitzki – yet chastised the Heat for assembling three of the best free agents on the market to get where they are. Funny how perceptions change – or are conveniently subjective.

This was a game the Heat won with their defense – despite some very questionable calls from the refs (6 straight free throws for Nowitzki from 4:56-3:03 in the final quarter). They won it with their defense, on the last possession on the road. This is a huge win for this team, especially after giving one away in Game 2.

Filed Under: Featured, Hottest, Postseason Tagged With: , , , ,

Who Peed in My Mojito? Heat Choke in Game 2

June 2, 2011 By Leave a Comment

A 16 point lead with just about 6 minutes to go. Everyone was celebrating, even the Miami Heat. And that is when the problems began.

You can’t just get apathetic in the middle of a game and think your opponent is so weak-minded they will just lay down and die. The Mavericks have a collection of old farts that don’t know when to quit. Yes, you may be faster and quicker and sexier, but there is a reason why they are representing the Western conference. Just ask OKC if a lead is safe with them.

Look, let’s not overreact. The Heat are not all of a sudden bums. The media will prop up Jason Terry and Dirk Nowitzki as if they are immortals, and overstate their heroics, but the fact of the matter is Miami choked this game away themselves – they gave it away. Who knows why they were feeling so charitable.

The problem? This was vintage Miami Heat 2010 – when they were struggling to beat good teams and everyone was dumping on them. The cause? Lebron’s Cleveland Clearout tactics resurfaced. Wade was the hot hand in this game. He was vintage 2006 – the Mavs killer. Mark Cuban was practically going into shell shock, rocking himself back and forth for most of this game – but in the end, he would be celebrating and dancing and laughing. The sad thing is, it wasn’t the Mavs that took the ball out of the Heat’s hottest hand – it was the Heat themselves. They kept going to Lebron who kept plopping his rock at the top of the key for his typical 10-15 second shot clock run off – only when the Heat play bad. This would result in containment from the Mavs zone defense and Lebron hoisting up a desperate shot to beat the final ticks of the shot clock.

Meanwhile, Wade couldn’t get around Jason Kidd’s defense. The guy he previously said he was watching on black and white TV. Really?

Miami just played bad basketball – something they were probably due for considering they have been pulling out some close ones here in this postseason in the last few. Instead, they got punked this time and played like a bunch of rookies who didn’t know how to close out a team. This one hurts. This one stings. And it should. Because Miami is the better team in this series – and still is. No matter what the media says about the Heat and the miraculous comeback of the Mavs over the next few days, it still remains that the Mavs have no answer for the Heat’s defense and can’t stop Wade and James. The only people on that court that can stop the Heat are themselves.

Maybe this is a blessing in disguise. Game 3, down 0-2, would have seen a fierce Mavs team backed into a corner with their fans heading back to AAC. Now, some of that pressure is diffused and the Mavs may be feeling pretty good about their chances. Maybe they start believing in themselves now. The Heat will have to bring it and will have to bring it from start to finish. They can’t play apathetically, they can’t be lazy. It’s a harsh lesson to learn – especially in the midst of a championship series – but learn it you must at some point. Lebron, for all his accolades of late, still only has 1 Finals win. Wade has 5 – and was the instrument of doom against the Mavs back in 2006. The Heat need to remember that and need to recall the pecking order here. Time to get back to reality and this choke-job loss in front of the world will help humble them and get the Heat back to where they need to be. Focused on the next game and nothing more. No ring-sizing just yet.

Filed Under: Featured, Hottest, Postseason Tagged With: , , , , , , ,
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