Klask

Man of Steel (0) Team of Steal (2): Lowest play-off total ever 2-of-5 for 5 points. Game 2 was an example of what the Heat would look like without their Dynamic Duo. More credit needs to be showed to the Mavericks for Shaq’s less than impacting performance. Dallas swarmed O’Neal before and after every touch. At times it appeared that the Heat were force-feeding the “18-wheeler” instead of looking for alternatives. Dallas did a lot of things well on Sunday but the most imposing was their interior defense. They tried to keep Shaq and the Heat indecisive by defending him in multiple ways. Not only can the Mavs use multiple people but they can also deploy multiple schemes, effectively. Fronting the post and trapping from the backside on any lob pass, doubling from the second removed defender and doubling off Haslem were the main tactics used in Game 2. The chart below depicts how they defended Shaq and where they trapped him from.

Doubled from Where?	QUARTER
Coverage	1	2	3	Total	%
Trap off 2nd Removed Defender	4	1	3	8	27.5%
Trap from Backside vs. Fronts	1	0	2	3	10.7%
Trap off High/Low Player	4	4	1	9	32.1%
Trap off 1st Removed Defender	1	0	0	1	3.6%
Single Coverage	2	3	1	6	21.4%
Trap off post cutter or "Snapper"	0	0	1	1	3.6%
Zone	0	1	0	1	3.6%
Total Post Attempts	12	9	8	29

The Heat scoring conversion off Shaq’s post ups was a meager 6-of-29, for a conversion percentage of 21 percent. This concludes that not only was Shaq’s productivity diminished but also his teammates' was as well. They normally feed on Shaq or off of him and when they don’t, the term "human" starts to surface in describing Shaq. If Shaq isn’t scoring, the other players need to step up and make Dallas pay for overloading on him. Investigating how the Mavericks defend Shaq comes down to what scheme is used and who they are willing to leave. The chart below details who Dallas was able to double off of.

Doubled Off Whom?	QUARTER
From	1	2	3	Total	%
Haslem	5	4	0	9	40.9%
Payton	1	0	1	2	9.1%
Posey	0	0	1	1	4.5%
Wade	2	0	0	2	9.1%
Walker	1	0	4	5	22.7%
Williams	1	1	1	3	13.6%
Total	10	5	7	22

Notice that most of the double teams came off of Walker and Haslem (total 63.6 percent) playing at the power forward position. Most of those doubles were with Dirk Nowitzki. Doubling with Dirk makes sense because he is a seven-footer and his height really bothers Shaq’s passing attempts. Normally, when other teams double, they send a power forward that is 6-foot-8 which doesn’t disrupt Shaq’s extended arms. The Shaq of old generally displayed his vision and picked apart double teams which hasn’t been the case in The Finals. This power trapping, big-to-big, is one of the main differences in the series.

Defending Wade: No one could have imagined how neutralizing the Mavs‘ "four vs. Wade" tactic (or "three vs. Wade" in Game 2) has been. After carrying the Heat for three seasons, he too is beginning to look "human." He wasn’t dominating in any segment of the game and never really imposed his will or carried his teammates through the tough stretches. The supporting cast looks for strength from their studs, especially in times of desperation. When those opportunities are squandered, a sense of doubt begins to creep in and frustration mounts. His only field goal makes in the first half were fastbreak dunks after steals. Besides those free shots, he was rendered ineffective. To see just how ineffective, take a look at how well Dallas defended him in man to man coverage in the half court.

Defender	% Time	Points Allowed	% Points
Griffin	40.6%	1	6.7%
Harris	33.4%	8	53.3%
Howard	26.0%	6	40.0%
Total		15

The entire Mavericks team defended Wade very well and consistently made him re-adjust his shots and commit turnovers. It wasn’t just the defense but Wade was also in a funk on his own. His turnovers are critical because he is called upon to carry the offensive load.

Turnovers - Unforced and Forced: Turnovers are always costly but when your offense is struggling they become exaggerated. The chart below lists the number of turnovers committed by the Heat and is divided among forced turnovers by the defense or unforced turnovers which were not caused by the defense.

		Miami Turnovers
Player	Forced	Unforced	Total	%
Haslem	1	2	3	20%
Posey	0	3	3	20%
Anderson	0	1	1	6.7%
O'Neal	1	1	2	13.3%
Wade	2	3	5	33.3%
Walker	0	1	1	6.7%
Total	4	11	15

Wade’s unforced turnovers might be a sign of fatigue from a smothering defense or the residual affects from trying to do so much on his own. If you stretch the definition of turnovers to include additional points permissible off non-possession changing shots resulting from personal infractions (technical fouls, illegal defense or flagrant fouls), Dwyane Wade committed seven turnovers, or 41 percent of the team's total.

Frustration: Frustration can be a good thing because it helps you realize that things are not how you would like them to be and it guides introspection in order to change the future. It can also be a bad thing if you let it mold your mood and affect your decisions. It seem like the Heat were unraveling with their emotional tirades. Emotions are a reflection of how you are feeling and thinking on the inside. Besides an altercation in Chicago, The Heat have shown great composure and poise for most of the postseason. The only way to prevent your emotions from affecting your game is to play better. It sounds simple but this is an emotional game with a lot of stake.

Smart Fouls: One basketball truism is not to foul jump shooters. It is believed that if a player can beat you with a contested jump shot, then you shake his hand because you have done all that you are supposed to do. The Heat cannot afford to hurt themselves with poor decisions on offense or defense. Miami didn’t use its fouls very wisely. Their foolish fouling of jump shooters or when the shot clock was sub five seconds, ended up giving the Mavericks opportunities for additional points or additional possessions resulting in more time winding off the clock. Additional points and lost time are the enemy of comebacks. The purpose of a foul is usually to prevent a scoring opportunity, possibly to disadvantage on defense or to gain an advantage on offense. A steal attempt with less than five seconds on the shot clock can be rather risky because the defense has already invested 19 quality seconds. If they have defended for 19 seconds, and are not about to give up a layup, they should force the offense to beat them. Teams can never afford to negate hustle with poor decisions.

Shaq-Less Heat - 4th Quarter: The Heat started out on an 8-0 run to change the tempo of the game. Most of their energy stemmed from aggressive defense that forced many tough shots, drew two charges, and resulted in four missed shots and one turnover. They were quicker in rotations, more active in closing down driving lanes and adhered to the "no layup" rule. Their offense did a better job in transition and kept the floor spread which invited driving. They also crashed the offensive glass with three or four players on every shot. The lineup consisted of their most athletic, and versatile players in Payton, Wade, Posey, Walker and Mourning. Look for a sooner introduction of this unit in Game 2, especially if Haslem’s shoulder is bothering him.

Dirk's active: Dirk did a good job of staying active and making moves throughout the game. He was able to space himself by slipping ball screens. One key to Dirk's effectiveness is his first dribble. When he is allowed to create with the first dribble the defender is at his mercy. Most of these opportunities lead to a basket or a foul. Dallas used Dirk in some other sets to increase the distance help defenders had to rotate. He also hit some tough contested shots that didn’t fall in Game 1. Miami must attack Dirk on the defensive end with Haslem or Walker. He cannot be allowed to relax and double so freely.

Free-Throw Attempts: Miami attacked the basket and put Dallas in the penalty at 8:46 in the first. Subsequently, the Heat shot 14 free throws in the quarter and finished with 32 for the game. While Dallas is playing them for mostly jumpers, they cannot rely on outside shots alone.

Stackhouse effect: Another unforeseeable wildcard makes a statement. Those 10 consecutive points to close the first half were quite extraordinary. Three big threes, two with the shot clock winding down and all three came from broken plays. Not one of his 10 points were designed for him and were produced single-handedly without the help of a screen. He has always been more than capable of scoring and proved he still can get hot in a moment's notice.

Damped up: After a week off during Round Three, Erick has supplied Dallas with a jolt of energy. His energy and tireless effort has been huge for the Mavericks. In addition to his already respectable defensive work on Shaq, he has been active on offense. Whether grabbing an offensive rebound or running the floor on the break, he is making a statement on both ends.

Walker Texas Ranger: Game 2 featured a much more fuel-efficient Walker. He displayed much better shot selection and decision making. The Heat really need his game to combat Dallas’ flexibility.

Dallas displayed great poise and composure in dismantling the eastern champs in Game 2. Everyone was waiting for Miami to respond and Dallas took their breathe away with suffocating defense and pressuring offense. Miami failed to get any rhythm and gave up numerous runs to the Mavs. Full throttle was in full control for most of the night and got solid contributions from everyone.

Unleaded Shaq: A historically low playoff night for Shaquille led to an awful game for the Heat. This lack-of-Shaq was magnified because all we heard about was the "touch factor" after Game 1 and expected a poweful performance. Dallas knew it was coming and hunkered down to stop tropical storm O’Neal and kept him at sea as he only attempted five shots.

Charles Klask is an advance scout for the Orlando Magic, holding the position the last three seasons after spending the previous three as a video scout. Prior to joining the Magic, Klask spent one season with the WNBA's Detroit Shock in the role of video coordinator.