Welcome to NBA.com's The Finals Blog, the first and last word on The Finals. This is your space to interact with hoopsters and entertainers, as well as get a real feel for what's happening in Dallas and Miami. 
 Wade, Shaq win their first title in only their second year together. (Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE/Getty) |
The Heat doesn't have the Coach of the Year. It wasn't chasing its conference's best record. Heck, it didn't even look like it would survive the first round vs. Chicago because it just couldn't seem to get along.
But the team has a battle-tested coach. It stormed through the Atlantic Division champion Nets and then the Pistons, the team with the league's best record. It, then, overcame long odds after falling behind 0-2 to the Mavs.
And, now, it has its first Larry O'Brien Trophy.
So, while the Heat celebrate tonight and hold a victory parade in the near future, much will be said about how the Dallas Mavericks lost the championship as much as the Heat won it. And that's true to an extent, but give credit where credit is due.
"Miami deserved to win," Mavs coach Avery Johnson said after his team's season ended in disappointing fashion. "They had an incredible year. So take your hats off to them."
In the end, we're taking our hats off to a group of crafty veterans, who came together and knew how to execute and get it done when it mattered most. Despite falling behind, they kept clawing their way back. When they held a lead, they weathered Mavs runs. They executed down the stretch to come out on top in three games decided by three or fewer points. In short, they earned it.
Guiding the team's incredible run to the title was Pat Riley, a man with nearly three decades of coaching experience. Riley made the adjustments necessary after two series-opening losses. Finding a solution to the double-teams the Mavs threw at Shaq and an answer for how to spring Dwyane Wade, Riley showed his coaching genius was still sharp despite being away from the sidelines since 2002.
The tactician's magic was on display right up until the final horn sounded. With 2:05 to play in Game 6 and the Mavericks' willingness to send Shaquille O'Neal to the free throw line fresh in his mind, Riley yanked his three-time Finals MVP so Dallas couldn't close the deficit. He re-inserted him into the lineup 18 seconds later, when intentional fouling results in free throws and the ball.
Riley's counterpart, Avery Johnson, with a mere 15 months' coaching experience but a wealth of fire and brimstone, gave it his best shot. It wasn't long ago Johnson was on the winning side of the ball as a player on the 1999 Spurs team. It took him 10 years to reach that point. It might not take him that long to win his first as a coach, but the wait goes on for the young coach.
Until then, he will have to learn from this experience and try to put that knowledge to use when -- if? -- he makes a return trip to the game's biggest stage.
One of the key things Avery could have learned in this series is to have his best player on the floor, taking the final shot at a win. In Game 3, Dirk Nowitzki threw an inbounds, lob pass to Josh Howard. The two failed to connect and the Heat walked with its first win of the series. Many -- me included -- wondered why the team's best player wasn't in position to catch and shoot.
Tonight, Johnson had Dirk on the floor for the last play.
"Well, we tried to get him the ball," Johnson explained. "You know, in that last play there, we really didn't want Shaq in the play, but he got in the play."
So, instead, it was Jason Terry getting a look at the bucket. Again, the team lost at the buzzer. For all the criticism players like LeBron James take for deferring to their teammates with the game on the line, Dirk has to be the guy to take that shot. And his coach has to be the guy drawing up that play. Given a few more years' experience, Avery probably would have found a way to free Dirk for that shot.
Just like on the sidelines, there was a major experience gap on the floor leading to the Heat's win. Counting the games that led to Shaq's fourth championship ring, O'Neal has played in 194 Playoffs games. The Mavs starting five in for the tip of Game 6 have a combined 205 games experience.
One of those inexperienced Mavs, Josh Howard, who has now played in 41 postseason contests, may have youth to blame for one of the largest errors in recent Finals memory. It's plausible that missing two free throws which could have put the Mavs up three with less than a minute to go in Game 5 could have clouded Howard's mind and caused him to inadvertently call a timeout between Wade's free throw attempts. A tested pro shakes off the misses and keeps cool under the pressure.
Wade, a member of the 2003 Draft class along with Howard, played like a seasoned veteran. Learning by watching his boyhood idol Michael Jordan, Wade went through the same growing pains as M.J. -- finding a way to get past the Detroit Pistons. Once past, he, like Jordan, carried his team to the title.
"I remember when the Bulls won their first championship," Wade said, seated beside his Finals MVP trophy, "sitting at home on my floor watching the games. And then Jordan did his shot, famous shot, I went right in the backyard, turned the lights on and couldn't do it myself. I had no athletic ability, I was young."
While Wade is still young, he certainly has that athletic ability -- no question. In his first three years in the league, Wade has scored 1,272 postseason points -- more than any other player in NBA history scored in his first three seasons. Elgin Baylor scored 1,089; Jerry West, 1,046; and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, 1,040.
Wade collected 208 of those in The Finals. He was simply unstoppable once the series shifted to Miami. After struggling in Dallas in Games 1 and 2, Wade figured out the Mavs defense and learned he couldn't be stopped. Finding success at getting to the rim, Wade continually took over everytime his team needed a bucket.
Wade didn't do it alone, however, as he looked to his teammates -- the same ones who were accustomed to having the ball earlier in their own careers. But ultimately, those veterans put their championship aspirations in the hands of their young star.
"They trusted that he was all about winning," Riley said, "and that a team of veterans can turn over something to him that's valuable to them because they know he's going to deliver."
One player who's delivered his entire career, struggled in this series. But Shaq knew better than to force anything and, instead, deferred to his younger "sidekick" and outside shooting mates, who weren't always so hot.
"Shaq told us, 'Don't settle for jump shots,'" Wade said after the Heat made an improbable comeback in Game 3. "'Take the ball to the basket strong.'"
O'Neal's wisdom, more than his statistical contributions, helped the Heat players swing the series in their favor as they got shots to drop while the Mavericks continued to misfire from outside.
We still haven't mentioned the contributions from veterans like Antoine Walker, Alonzo Mourning and Gary Payton. Payton had experienced the ups and downs of playing -- and losing -- in The Finals; Mourning in the Eastern Conference Finals. This time, they wanted it more than the Mavericks -- perhaps none more so than Mourning. In 11 1/2 minutes, 'Zo tallied eight points, six boards and five blocks. That, folks, is desire, the kind created by having been thisclose to winning it all. The kind the Mavs know after tonight.
But tonight, it's all that experience on the Heat side of the ball that led to the ultimate experience: kissing that golden sphere while champagne rains down.
***
That's a wrap. We're out. Dallas and Miami, you've been gracious hosts and we thank you. We also thank you for following along throughout The Finals. We've enjoyed having you along for the ride. Please join us again as we come live to you from the 2006 NBA Draft on June 28.
Just after the final buzzer, the Heat started its celebration by donning championship caps and tees. Log on to NBAStore.com now and get the same cap and tee worn by Wade, Shaq, Walker, Haslem, Williams and the other Heat players. Other great championship gear, like the Heat championship basketball and DVD are available as well. Check it all out now at NBAStore.com.
As for the Larry O'Brien Trophy and the Finals MVP trophy, no amount of money can buy them.
You need to earn those.
As for Armani suits, my apologies, Mr. Riley. Seems you were right after all.
After getting 36 points from the man they call Flash, the Heat mounts the stage set up at center court to receive the Larry O'Brien Trophy -- the first for the organization in its 18-year existence. Very few in Dallas will watch as the fans stream out of this building. Only a handful are hanging around, with most casting boos in the direction of the celebration. It certainly doesn't matter to the Heat players, embracing at center court.
Any guesses who will be named MVP?
Wade just missed the first of two freebies. He backrimmed the second but Udonis Haslem got the board. He promptly travelled. Dallas ball.
At a crucial moment, the Mavs made another miscue. Really, how do you dump the ball inside to Erick Dampier when you need a score? No, really? Damp is 0-1 in the game and has scored one point. At the other end D-Wade hit two to stretch the lead to five with 17.7 to play. Believe it or not, fans are headed for the exits. No, really.
As is the case when a game draws near the end like this, celebratory preparations are in place. That means champagne is ready, as is the trophy for presentation. The Mavs have 26.2 seconds to close that three-point gap and put the party on hold.
Hack-A-Shack isn't allowed in the final two minutes of the game, but, with 2:05 left, it is. With the Heat in possession of the ball, Riley called timeout to get Shaq out of the lineup for the play to avoid sending the big fella to the stripe. Shaq came back at the next whistle -- the 1:47 mark.
Historically speaking, only two teams have ever come back to win The Finals after dropping the first two: The 1969 Celtics and the 1977 Blazers. Soon to be added: the 2006 Heat. There's only 3:41 on the clock here and the Heat has a six-point edge.
Ever think you'd see a the final minutes of a decisive Finals game with Shaquille O'Neal on the bench? That's the case with five minutes remaining here in Game 6. The teams both have small lineups in. For the Mavs: Howard, Nowitzki, Terry, Harris and Stackhouse. For the Heat: Walker, Haslem, Wade, Williams, Posey.
O'Neal has five fouls, so we probably won't see him for another minute or two of game time. Wait, here he comes now. The Mavs would be wise to drive right at him on this next possession. He's not a guy you want on the floor with the game on the line.
At the 7:06 mark of the fourth quarter, the Mavs have zero team fouls, while the Heat has five. That means Dallas is shooting on every foul here on out.
Thank you Mr. Stackhouse for telling me otherwise with that triple. Play on.
Usually, you hear a team shouting that on the playground when up by two. Here, I'm issuing a cease-fire to both teams. Enough already. You can't hit them tonight. The Mavs are 3-for-13 on the night; the Heat, 1-for-14. Take a step closer, gents, you'll find a little better success.
With the Heat up three heading into the final period of Game 6, you have to start thinking the team could clinch its first NBA title. The fans back in Miami believe. They're assembled at the AmericanAirlines Arena in South Florida to watch -- and, they hope, celebrate. The Mavs fans here believe, too. Twelve minutes remain between a long, painful summer and a decisive Game 7. Which will it be?
Another question: If the Heat wins, who will be named MVP? You still have a chance to cast your vote. Hurry, time's running out.
That last post ... yeah, go ahead and forget that. The crowd still didn't like 'Zo much, but Marquis Daniels sparked a Mavs run that's closed the gap to two. And for the record, the kid has two mean stuffs on the night. He really can explode off the ground when attacking the hoop.
Alonzo Mourning's two blocks on back-to-back Mavs possessions were certainly music to Pat Riley's ears, but the hometown crowd was none too thrilled. The Heat has opened a nine-point lead and unless Dallas does something quick, this city's going to witness a championship celebration -- just not the one it had hoped.
Notice a change in the Mavs game here in the third quarter as the Heat has opened up its largest lead of the game at seven points? They've completely stopped sharing the ball -- not that they ever do much of that anyway -- and they're not active on the offensive glass. Basically, they're one and done each time down the court. If they can't find a way to spark some life into their offense and find the bottom of the net, they really will be done.
Booing that blocking call on Jerry Stackhouse, like the fans here at the AAC? It clearly was a block, however, as Stack planted his right foot well within the circle. That's four on the reserve, to go with four for Josh Howard. DeSagana Diop and Devin Harris each have three. For the Heat, Udonis Haslem has three.
The misery continues for Josh Howard, the goat of Game 5. Howard has connected on only three of his 12 attempts tonight, picked up an offensive foul in the second half -- his third personal of the game -- and has hit the deck hard twice on Alonzo Mourning screens. The good news is that he has five boards, but at what cost?
We mentioned the first-quarter-lead stat shared by Fred Carter last night, which tells us that the Mavs have about a 65 percent chance of winning because they claimed the first quarter. What, then, do we make of the fact that the Heat has won its last 25 Playoffs and Finals contests when it leads at halftime, as it does 49-48 tonight? We have no idea. As they say, "That's why they play the game." Some thoughts to chew on for the next 10 minutes before play resumes:
-- Somebody explain to me exactly when Dwyane Wade scored those 19 points. It's been a quiet, but successful, outing for him tonight. He's hit all seven free throw attempts and is 6-of-10 from the floor in 21 minutes of action.
-- Nowitzki is coming through when his team most needs him. He's 8-of-12 and leads the team with 17 points.
-- Turnovers, turnovers, turnovers. The Heat has 12 of them already, resulting in 14 points.
-- The Mavs have 28 points in the paint compared to the Heat's 16. Dirk has 10 of those 28; Shaq six of those 16.
-- The Heat is getting to the stripe again, taking 15 free throws compared to Dallas' two.
A Posey free throw gives the Heat a 47-46 lead, the team's first of the night. That 'Zo slam extends the Heat's lead to three.
With 1:00 left in the half, Udonis Haslem was led back to the locker room. Not sure the reason, but we'll try to find out.
If you're a Mavs fan, you have to love the fact that Dirk is 4-of-5 at the rim. It means he's aggressive, he's running the floor and getting rewarded, he's driving hard to the goal and he's finishing. It also means he's shooting 50 percent from everywhere else -- shooting 7-of-11 for the game.
That last bucket by Josh Howard shouldn't have happened. Well, not in a sense. You see, Howard had missed at the other end and just stood around shaking his head never really making it down the court. So, the Heat players completely forgot about him as he was taking thee play off. When the Heat passed the ball back out to the top, Howard had just so happened to sneak in to swipe it.
With the Heat only five points back of the Mavs, 36-31, a new NBA Champion could be crowned tonight. That means two trophies would be presented: the Larry O'Brien trophy to Micky Arison, owner of the Heat, and the Finals MVP trophy. Act now and you can help select the MVP. Click here to cast your vote on NBA.com.
A cold spell settled over North Texas. The Mavs have gone 1-for-6 in the second quarter. Make that 2-for-7 with that Terry breakaway slam. The team needed an easy bucket, because it couldn't buy one in the face of the Heat defense.
I mentioned earlier in The Finals that the Mavs organization is quite clever with the big screen. One of the funny things they do is have Mavs man waving his arms and body in front of a Heat free throw shooter. While Wade and Co. never actually see Mavs man, it can't hurt to try, right?
That's the second time Josh Howard has run into a Mourning screen at the top of the three-point arc and landed on the floor. This time he appeared to plead his case to the officials but they were having none of it. And neither are we. Mourning was a wall.
One quarter in the books and the Mavs hold a 30-23 lead. If you're just checking in, take a look at what Fred Carter told us last night at dinner. If that's indeed the case, there's only about a 20-35 percent chance of champagne being uncorked tonight.
Stats to note at the end of one quarter:
-- The team are tied on the boards at 11 apiece.
-- The Heat have four turnovers leading to four points. The Mavs are two for two.
-- Wade is only two-of-four from the field for seven points.
-- Dirk is five-of-seven from the field and leads all scorers with 11.
Zo's not going to give you a solid 48 minutes these days, but he can bring life to a struggling team in short bursts. Witness his two minute run here in the first. He's been everywhere: Swatting away a Josh Howard dunk attempt, setting a wicked screen up top on Howard, grabbing a board and throwing down a dunk.
If you've noticed a Dallas slant to this blog since 9:00 p.m. ET, there's a good reason: The Mavs are blowing out the Heat at this point 26-12. Mr. Riley, give NBA.com's John Schuhmann a call. He can show you a good warehouse-type place you can pick up another suit for Thursday's game. Not sure they carry Armani though.
Note: that dunk by Dirk ... yes, it was with power while going lefty.
Speaking of power, see that block by Shaq? Good thing he didn't catch Devin Harris with that right meat hook.
That's what a clever sign read, held aloft by a fan sitting behind the basket when Shaq shot those two freebies.
As NBA.com's Rob Peterson has been saying for a few days now, Dirk's been in the the 'Nowitzness Protection Program' ... he was nowhere to be found through five games. He's come out of hiding here in this do-or-die game, hitting three of his four tries including a wide-open trey to give the Mavs an 18-10 lead midway through the first.
Yes, tonight, we are all Nowitznesses.
With eight points in the first 180 seconds, the Mavs already bested their fourth quarter performance in Game 4 in Miami. Yes, good to be home. Meanwhile, a quick glance in the shooting column: Dirk is 2-for-2; Howard, Terry and Harris have all hit their only attempt.
The tip and Dirk's basket to start Game 6 got us thinking back to what Fred Carter was telling us last night. In addition to winning the first quarter, usually the team that scores first in overtime wins the game, which is why winning the tip in the extra session is so critical. Just a thought. Back to the action. The Mavs have a quick 4-2 lead with Jason Terry hitting a bit of a circus shot we thought had no chance of going in. He got a friendly roll, however, that you can only find at home. Ah, the Mavs look happy to be home.
I still can't get enough of that ABC intro to The Finals. More please ... Click on that link there to watch for yourself.
Jerry Stackhouse is in the building after serving his one-game suspension for his hit on Shaquille O'Neal. Looks like that extra rest he got laying around his Fourt Lauderdale hotel watching Game 5 has translated to a little extra spring in his legs. During the team's warmups just now, Stack got the ball in the layup line, drove baseline and threw down a 360o jam.
Speaking of warmups, Dirk's always the last one shooting before the game. As the teams line up along the free throw line for the national anthem, Dirk continues hoisting jumpers from the left wing until right before the performer starts. Then, immediately when the performance is over, Dirk breaks line for a few extra shots.
Welcome back to the American Airlines Center in Dallas for Game 6. If Pat Riley has anything to say about it -- well, he does -- The Finals end here tonight. How confident is Riley in a building where his team hasn't won in four years? Read for yourself:
"I'm not even thinking about (losing). I packed one suit, one shirt and one tie."
Of course, such bold talk is nothing new with Riley. He made a guarantee of a repeat after his Lakers won the title in 1987, one which almost didn't pan out when his team headed home, down 3-2 against the Pistons. Detroit was in the same position as Riley's current team, the Heat, but couldn't muster a single victory in two tries.
Six years later, Riley was on the other end, dropping Games 6 and 7 on the road when his team was up 3-2. The backup shooting guard on that team was none other than current Mavs assistant coach Rolando Blackman. Blackman never got off the bench in that Finals series.
It all makes for a few exciting sub-plots as play gets underway in less than 20 minutes. Stay tuned for more.
Last night, the NBA.com staff had the pleasure of dining with NBA TV's Fred Carter. Fred, on assignment at The Finals with ESPN Radio, averaged 15.2 points per game over his eight NBA seasons as a player before a short stint as head coach of the Philadelphia 76ers in the early 1990s. So, it was good to get a little insight from Fred on these Finals.
One of the key stats you've heard tossed around is the Heat's record when leading or trailing at halftime. Currently, the Heat has won 25 straight Playoffs and Finals games when it's up at the break, but is 1-7 when down. That's a significant trend, but Fred told us we could predict the winner even earlier in a contest. He said that about 60-65 percent of the time, the team that wins the first quarter wins the game.
Thinking back, we agreed. In fact, based on what we recalled from this year's Playoffs alone, it almost seemed a rule with the Heat. So, we dug through the boxscores to see how it held up. In the Heat's three Playoffs series before The Finals, the team that won the first quarter won 14 of 16 games. That's 87.5 percent of the time.
So, how do games involving Dallas turn out? In the three series vs. Memphis, San Antonio and Phoenix, the team that won the first quarter went on to win 10 of 16 games -- 62.5 percent. Looks like Fred was spot-on.
But, what happens when Dallas and Miami meet? As you'll recall, the Mavericks have been getting off to a slow start often in this series, only leading after one once -- 18-17 in Game 2. Take a look at the chart below and you'll see that, with their title hopes in the balance, the Mavs need to get out to an early lead.
| GAME | END OF ONE | RESULT |
| 1 | Miami 31, Dallas 23 | Dallas 90, Miami 80 |
| 2 | Dallas 18, Miami 17 | Dallas 99, Miami 85 |
| 3 | Miami 29, Dallas 21 | Miami 98, Dallas 96 |
| 4 | Miami 30, Dallas 25 | Miami 98, Dallas 74 |
| 5 | Miami 24, Dallas 21 | Miami 101, Dallas 100 |
In four of the five Finals games played, the team that won the first quarter won the game. The one time it didn't was in Game 1 when Miami jumped out to an eight point lead early, but Dallas held the Heat to only 13 second-quarter points to take the advantage into the locker room. So tonight, when 12 minutes pass, you'll know the team with the lead has a pretty good chance of holding it.
The only question remaining: Will it lead to a Game 7 or a Championship?
Greetings from Dallas, site of tomorrow's Game 6 -- an elimination game. Not ready for that yet? Understandable, given last night's thriller.
After the game last night, we were sitting around the office wondering why Dallas didn't call a timeout after Dwyane Wade's second free throw. Nope, we're not completely forgetting they called their final one in between freebies -- much like Avery Johnson was hoping would happen. We were thinking like Westphal in 1976, in what was perhaps the greatest game ever played.
I mentioned yesterday that we had watched a re-airing of that game on NBA TV, so the scenario was fresh in our minds. Wondering why Avery and Co. didn't try it? A look at the current rule book (PDF file) shows the result would have been a free throw and possession for the Heat. See page 92. So, strike that idea.
Even so, that one gaffe by Josh Howard got a lot of ink today. Some are even saying it may replace Chris Webber's error at the University of Michigan.
Avery says it never should have happened.
Of course, blame for the loss can't be placed entirely on that one mental miscue. Some are thinking had Dirk showed up for the entire game -- a first in this series -- Howard wouldn't have been in such a positiion.
Just call the big German a big bust.
Howard, though, could still have been the goat, missing key free throws late in the game.
Had none of the above occurred, the Heat still likely would have won. Did you see the sheer determination by Dwyane Wade? He was nothing short of wonderful. He was simply too dominant.
Now the scene shifts to Dallas, where the Heat seeks its first win in four years, the one that will award it its first NBA Championship.
The Mavs, meanwhile, are trying to forget the nightmarish last week and hoping they can extend this to a seventh game.
But first, they have to survive Game 6, tomorrow at 9 p.m. ET, on their own floor.
 Wade hit two from the stripe to ice the Heat's third straight home win in The Finals. (Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE/Getty) |
There's an old adage that states: A series doesn't really start until a team wins a road game.
I guess, then, The Finals don't tip off until Tuesday -- at the earliest.
Right. Try telling that to Avery Johnson or Pat Riley.
Their teams have gone head-to-head five nights now, looking to steal away homecourt advantage. So far, both sides have only been successful at "holding serve" in their own gyms.
But, before you look down at either the Heat or Mavs for their road failures, consider their home successes.
Tonight marks the first time in 30 years that The Finals has gone five games without a road team claiming a victory. Thirty years! Eight Mavericks and nine Heat players weren't yet born. It was so long ago that the Heat's head coach Pat Riley was in his final season as a player; Riley was on the 1976 Phoenix team that lost at Boston in Game 5 and then The Finals at home in the next contest.
Before that, the 1969 Celtics and Lakers needed a seventh game to get the series started -- and ended. While the teams matched home wins through the first six contests, an aging Boston team, led by player-coach Bill Russell, upset the West's top team on its home court.
The 2006 NBA Finals -- most certainly started, with a conclusion yet to be written -- closely mirrors that of the 1955 Finals between the Syracuse Nationals and Fort Wayne Pistons.
Back then, the format of The Finals from 1953-1955 was 2-3-2. Syracuse captured the first two games at home; Fort Wayne the next three despite staging its "home" contests on the road in not-so-nearby Indianapolis because their arena was unavailable.
With the scene shifting back to Syracuse, the Pistons needed only one victory. No easy task considering the team was winless there in six years.
Tuesday, the scene shifts back to Dallas, where the Heat is winless the past four years. Miami's last win in north Texas came on a 109-95 decision on March 2, 2002.
Back to those Pistons ... they didn't get the win they needed to capture their first championship. Syracuse used every bit of its homecourt advantage, winning Games 6 and 7 at home and making it the first, and only, time the home team has won every game in a Finals series.
But that was more than 50 years ago. The same can't be true two generations later, can it? The Heat is thinking no, confident it can take one game before Dallas gets two.
"I'd much rather go down there this way," Riley said after his team took Game 5, "one game away from the championship, instead of having to win two in a row."
History, however, isn't on the side of the Heat. In the modern era -- the NBA went back to a 2-3-2 Finals format in 1985 -- only two other teams have taken a 3-2 lead on the road looking for that one win. The 1988 Detroit Pistons and the 1994 New York Knicks went home empty handed.
Avery Johnson and his Mavericks, meanwhile, are hoping to channel the spirit of the '88 Lakers and '94 Rockets.
"It will be good to get a little home cooking," Johnson said Sunday night. "We play pretty good basketball at home. We've got homecourt advantage. So we know we have to play well and win Game 6. There's no tomorrow, and I like that 'no tomorrow' feeling for our team."
Technically, Avery, tomorrow's a travel day and Continental says my flight is 'on time.' The day after tomorrow is still on the calendar, too, just like the day after the day after tomorrow.
The latter will be a somber one in Dallas if the Mavericks can't find a way to regroup at home.
But, with two more wins, they'll party like it's 1955.
*****
Middle Three: The above mentioned 1955 Fort Wayne Pistons were the first to take the middle three home games of The Finals. The only other team, aside from them and the 2006 Heat, was the 2004 Detroit Pistons.
Halftime Deficit: Sunday's win marked the Heat's first of these Playoffs when they trailed at halftime. Miami had lost its previous seven such contests.
Final score: Heat 101, Mavs 100. Wade, despite all the talk about poor free throw shooting by the Miami Heat, stepped up and swished two crucial free throws to seal the game for Miami. The Heat become only the third team ever to capture the three middle games on its own floor. The others were the 1955 and 2004 Pistons teams. We'll be back to recap the night in a short while. Until then, enjoy the post-game press conferences streamed live here on NBA.com and watch the video highlights, which should be available soon.
The Mavs just called their final timeout. Right about the time they were realizing it was their last, they wanted it back. Too late. Problem is, Wade's on the stripe for one more freebie, game tied. If Wade misses, the Mavs can't stop the clock and advance the ball. There's only 1.9 seconds remaining, so we'd likely go to double-overtime. If Wade sinks it, the Mavs have to go the length of the floor. Not a smart play on the part of the Mavs.
There's an old saying in hoops circles: The first team to 100 wins. It holds a little less weight when your opponent is sitting on 99 and has the ball for the final shot with 9.1 seconds on the clock, but still... On that last play to hit 100, the Mavs really had no business finding the basket. Josh Howard looked lost. Dirk Nowitzki threw up a prayer. And yet, the ball trickled through the net.
Okay, those last comments ... I amend those. The only time anybody else should be taking a shot is when there's a highway paved to the basket as was the case on that go-ahead scoop by Gary Payton. Getting Wade would clearly have been the wrong play, as he was pinned in the corner by Josh Howard.
The Heat had found success giving the ball to Wade and getting out of his way. So why did Gary Payton and Antoine Walker just combine to give the ball back to the Mavs? See? Give the ball to Wade and move out of his way.
With Dwyane Wade dribbling the ball at the top of the three-point arc, we couldn't help but notice Avery Johnson jumping around like the soles of his shoes were on fire. He was waving and motioning for Adrian Griffin to get up on Wade and pressure him before he could attack. Dallas is intent on making somebody other than Wade burn them in this extra period.
The Heat survived one last heave by Jason Terry to get to extra innings. The Mavs withstood a furious finish by Dwyane Wade to get five extra minutes to seal their first win of the trip to Miami. The fans here, well, they get one more reason to stay up late on a school night. Here's just a guess that nobody in the building minds seeing these teams battle for a few more minutes.
Wow, way to silence the crowd, Erick Dampier. The Heat sent three men to stop Dirk Nowitzki. The team should have kept an eye on the Mavs center, Dampier, camping out all alone under the basket. That puts the Mavs up two with 10.1 seconds to go.
With one more attempt from the free throw line, Dwyane Wade will tie Bob Pettit for the second-most attempted (24) in a single Finals game. The record holder? Shaq. He tried 39(!) vs. Indiana on June 9, 2000.
Think the Heat wants this win? They just sent four defenders to follow Dirk Nowitzki's drive on the last trip down the floor. The Mavs weren't able to get a clean look at anything and the result was a shot-clock violation. The Heat, meanwhile, are riding Dwyane Wade into the sunset. He struggled much of the game to find his shot, but has drained the last two looks. Wade leads all scorers with 35 points and has the Heat ahead by two with 1:40 to go.
Diop wrapped up Shaq on that trip down the floor, wrapping up his sixth foul and a ticket to the bench. Shaq says he hits the freebies when they matter most ... well, how's now, Mr. O'Neal? Down two with 2:44 to go, Shaq clanked both, but there was a lane violation on the Mavs on the second. The result: a third brick. Guess we'll have to re-think that hitting-them-when-they-matter theory.
The Heat just gave up another offensive board which led to that Jason Terry floater. See how crucial those are now? That last Heat bucket would have given the Heat the lead. As it is, the team was still down one. Another Jet bucket at the other end and a free throw keeps the Heat down four. Every time the Heat manages to close the gap, Dallas answers.
You've seen how fans tussle over the t-shirts tossed into the stands like it's a milestone home-run ball? Here's more incentive for fans here in Miami to jump extra high to snag one of the cotton tees Burnie is firing into the crowd: One contains two tickets to an Eric Clapton show. Not a bad haul.
Just a historical note: Since the NBA went to the 2-3-2 format for The Finals in 1985, only the 2004 Pistons have ever been able to take the middle three contests on its own floor. The Heat are six minutes and four points away from accomplishing the feat.
If the Heat has any hopes of winning this game, it has to attack the defensive glass in addition to the good work it's doing in defending Mavericks shooters. On that last possession, the Mavs got two offensive boards, which ultimately led to a Jason Terry triple. This late in the game, you can't be giving up those second-chance opportunities.
Josh Howard's been on, for the most part here tonight, but that last shot he tossed up, which hit the board and pegged the rim was the very definition of ugly. At the other end, D-Wade's used a pretty J to give the Heat the lead once again.
After that triple by James Posey, this place erupted. It was so loud inside the AmericanAirlines Arena that the players standing only a few feet from Joey Crawford couldn't hear him blow the whistle to stop play because of a James Posey foul. As we believed, this game is going down to the wire. He head cut the Mavs' lead to a single point at the end of three quarters.
In the Game 4 loss, the Mavs managed to post only 74 points. They're at 71 right now, with 1:30 left in the third quarter. Dirk is still stinking up the joint, hitting only five of his 13 attempts, but Josh Howard and Jason Terry are having big nights to keep the Mavs on top.
The Heat has been getting to the free throw line with regularity tonight, and it's only going to increase from here until the end of the quarter. Picking up three quick personals, the Mavs are now in the penalty, which means the Heat are shooting the rest of the quarter. The lead is down to five.
The Mavs' big men are just wrapping up Shaq every time he gets the ball deep on them. With the extra six fouls provided by Mbenga being back in the lineup, the Mavs could open a lead here if Shaq can't connect from the free throw line. He's 1-for-8 on the game. Meanwhile, Dirk Nowitzki is looking like he might be about to shake that slump. He's drained his last two jumpers, after opening the contest 3-of-10.
Avery Johnson certainly disagreed with that last call, earning him a tech. The Heat -- and Jason Williams, namely -- couldn't capitalize, however. From the stripe, the Heat is 65.2 percent for the game. D-Wade has hit eight of his 10.
One half down, one half to go here in Miami. Jason Williams canned a triple with under 30 seconds remaining in the half to cut the Mavs lead to eight. A few key stats to chew on before we get underway in the third quarter:
-- Points off turnovers: The Heat has given up 15 points on its eight turnovers. The Mavs, however, have only allowed five off its nine turns.
-- FG percentage: The Mavs are knocking down jumpers tonight, something they couldn't do Thursday night. The Mavs are shooting 50 percent, with Josh Howard hitting six of his 12 attempts and all seven of his freebies. The Heat are only connecting on 37.1 percent of its tries. Dwyane Wade, in particular, is struggling, hitting only three of his 13. Wade's been good from the stripe, however, hitting seven of eight.
-- Five deep: The Mavs have used five bench players not named Stackhouse: Dampier, Daniels, Griffin, Van Horn, Mbenga.
-- Mavs Rebounding: Dallas again is controlling the boards. They have 23 caroms to the Heat's 14.
We'll be back to start the second half in a few moments.
The Mavs have now made 10 of their last 11 shots, leading to a 21-12 run.
Make that 11 of the last 12 for a 24-12 run as Howard got the bucket and the foul. Remember that last post about double-digit deficit? It's now 11. Heat ball.
We'll keep pointing it out, because it's somewhat significant. In each of the Mavs wins, they made a strong surge at the end of the halves to stretch a lead. They've taken the lead here late in the first half, but the Heat are matching them bucket-for-bucket so far. Okay, so as I type this the lead's been stretched to five thanks to a Jason Terry triple. The Heat has to get this under control in a hurry or it could be down by double-digit points heading into the locker room.
You didn't think the Mavs would leave Jerry Stackhouse back at the hotel, did you? Okay, well, they didn't bring him to the game physically, but in spirit he's here with the squad. Mavs owner Mark Cuban is decked out in Stack's No. 42 jersey. In case you're wondering, Cuban isn't eligible to check into the game...
Looks like the Mavs forgot Wade when he ended up on photographer row. Wade -- who only fell down once and picked himself up once -- casually walked back onto the court where everybody paid him no mind there in the paint. Easy two points for Mr. Wade.
Get the feeling this game's going to be a tight one? The Heat take a 24-21 lead after 12 minutes of action. I, for one, am pulling for a thriller; I spent a good chunk of a beautiful Sunday afternoon watching one of the best Finals games of all time, re-played on NBA TV. In case you don't click on that little link there, the 1976 Game 5 between the Suns and Celtics went three extra periods. The C's won that and the next game to take the title, but there was some good strategy by then-Suns coach McLeod and a huge bucket by Gar Heard. Now, back to action with the second quarter.
We have our first Mbenga sighting of these Finals. The Mavs big man gives Avery Johnson a little extra bulk -- and six extra fouls -- to throw at Shaq. Mbenga, as you'll recall, served a six-game suspension for going into the stands in Phoenix.
Maybe the Matrix is just doing a little research for next season. The Suns fell short of a trip to The Finals, losing to the Mavs in the Conference Semifinals. That didn't stop Shawn Marion from making the trip the Finals. He's here in Miami tonight. No word on who he wants to see win. I have a guess it might not be the team directly responsible for him holding an actual ticket.
The Heat just gave up their fifth turnover. The Mavs were unable to score on that extra opportunity, but still have nine points off turnovers already. And we still have three minutes to go in the first quarter.
An early look at foul trouble shhows three players with two apiece. For the Heat, Haslem and Walker are strapped early, while Diop has picked up two trying to hold off O'Neal. The Heat's woes has afforded Shandon Anderson an early run again.
The Mavs are evidently planning on stopping Shaq in this outing. While Diop is assigned to the Big Fella, Josh Howard completely left Antoine Walker alone on the wing to stick with O'Neal.
The Heat's two field goal attempts have been nowhere near close as Udonis Haslem and Dwyane Wade badly misfired. On the other end, Josh Howard has the team's first four points -- two coming at the stripe.
Walker's triple-try just now was just a big closer ... he found nothing but net to get the Heat on the board.That confidence, though, caused him to immediately jack another shot. Not wise, Mr. Walker. Share with the others.
After a couple last-minute chin ups by Dwyane Wade on his team's rim, we're underway. The Heat controlled the opening tap, but turned over the ball without a shot attempt.
Maybe Dwyane Wade was just getting ready to posterize a Mavs player tonight. In pre-game layup lines, Wade took off from the left side and threw one down over teammate Michael Doleac. Guess that knee isn't an issue, much like it wasn't in Game 4. Maybe the Mavs took note that he has a little extra spring in the legs tonight.
We're ready for the tip and have to stand for the anthem now. We're in for a treat as the E Street Band's Clarence Clemmons stands at the ready with his sax.
Before the game in the Mavs locker room, Jason Terry was asked if relocating to Fort Lauderdale and rooming together has allowed the team to focus more on the task at hand.
"If you roll over and you land on another man next to you, that's kind of tough," Terry said. "You have no choice but to focus."
For the record, Terry roomed with Erick Dampier. Other pairings were Dirk Nowitzki and Darrell Armstrong, Josh Howard and Adrian Griffin, and Devin Harris and D.J. Mbenga.
When the sun sets here in Miami tonight, the Heat is hoping its title aspirations don't go with it. Tonight's Game 5 could be the most important contest in the series. The winner needs only one more, while the loser has to win its way out. No easy task for either team, but the Heat should ride the momentum it's built at home.
Leaving Miami tomorrow morning will be no easy task for me. Being it's our last day and all here in South Florida, I get a bit weepy. It's a feeling maybe Dwyane Wade experiences every time he hears the home crowd chant "Da-vid Hassel-hoff" as Dirk Nowitzki takes target on another free throw attempt. You see, Wade's a fan of Hasselhoff, too. Listed on his official website is his favorite television show when he was growing up: Knight Rider. No word on if Wade has collected one of those Hasselhoff-heads-on-a-stick items they're handing out here at the arena.
 Avery is not happy with two losses in Miami. (Isaac Baldizon/NBAE/Getty) |
Just back in from practice and things have gotten interesting. Remember we were telling you the team had moved out of the Four Seasons in Miami for an undisclosed location in Fort Lauderdale? It doesn't just stop at the new hotel. The players now have roommates -- each other.
"I got a roommate now," Josh Howard remarked, comparing the experience to being back in college.
The change may not be so hard for a youngster like Howard or Devin Harris to adjust to, but how about a guy like Dirk Nowitzki? He made no mention of sharing a room when asked how were the new digs, but only responded, "It's really nice."
It had better be, because that's all the players are allowed to see on a Friday and Saturday night in South Florida.
"We don't really have anything to do," Harris said when asked about Fort Lauderdale. "(There's) no leaving the hotel."
Wow, Avery Johnson must really have been mad. On a scale of 1-10, where would the Little General's anger rank?
"I don't think that scale will hold his anger," Harris said to laughter from the assembled media. Harris, however, wasn't laughing. Neither was any other Mavericks player or their coach.
Just what was it that caused that vacation mentality, that caused Avery to pack up and move?
"It feels like we're not focused in the first two games. Maybe there's too many distractions at the hotel with the family and stuff and whatnot. The change in scenery, hopefully that will do us justice and allow us to focus in on the next game."
Avery's anger didn't stop at his team's lack of focus, he was unhappy he has to play Game 5 without his top reserve.
"Everybody's so amazed that I disagree with the decision," Johnson said. "I mean, what am I supposed to do, go out and have a parade and have a party? Because the league comes down with a certain ruling, what are we supposed to do as coaches? Say, Amen? I disagree with the ruling, all right."
So, how will the team make up for the absence of Stack?
"We've been adjusting all year," Johnson continued. "We've been injured all year. We've had more players suspended in the playoffs than any team, right. Anybody else had three guys suspended? Who else? Who else?"
Okay, so maybe they know how to play with a man down. But one final question, how long is the bus ride now, Mr. Johnson?
"Longer than it was three days ago."
Yesterday was a quiet one in Miami, right? Yeah, right. Despite the players having the day off from facing the media members -- probably a good thing for the Mavs who were trounced in Game 4 -- the coaches had their say, Stu Jackson had his, and Avery Johnson made more noise when he moved his team.
No, not "moved" as in a motivational type of speech. "Moved" as in get the hell out of dodge. After meeting with the media at the AmericanAirlines Arena and saying his team was on vacation, Johnson apparently had it pack up and move to Fort Lauderdale, some 45 minutes away from Miami.
It was uncertain what Johnson might to do end the "vacation mentality" he mentioned in Friday's media session. When asked later how to end that, Johnson simply answered, "Next question."
Guess we know now. Anybody up for a rousing game of Bingo Saturday night?
That now brings the question, what is Johnson going to have his team do in practice today? We're heading over to the arena in a short while and will let you know what we find out, as well as what the players and coaches are saying.
Until then, let's look at what some writers are saying this morning:
Avery aired his frustrations over Jerry Stackhouse's suspension.
Some Dallas writers don't like it, either.
Neither do some as far away as the Rocky Mountains.
Meanwhile, in Miami, some fully support a one-game shut down. Shocking.
And while Shaq likened the hit to one lighter than his daughters deliver, Miami's other bruiser was longing for days of yore when he could "touch someone".
But like the suspension or not, Stack's presence means little to the Mavs title hopes if Dirk's nowhere to be found.
Or the team's youngsters don't recover from growing pains.
Speaking of Dirk, he's nowhere to be found in the German papers. Maybe they don't want to claim him given his play and the fact the German team is 2-0 in the World Cup.
Speaking of Zo, he does yoga? Taught to him by the Chief?
Shandon Anderson is no stranger to playing time, but it has come less often for the Heat in the Playoffs.
Time for practice, we'll be back shortly.
The party continues through Sunday for a group from Texas that rented the yacht docked near the AmericanAirlines Arena. That's right, as Mark Cuban said, it's not his boat. But that doesn't mean he hasn't had a hand in the whole shakeup. Read on ...
"People down here did not like it one bit," said NBC 5's Brian Curtis, in town from Dallas to report on the Mavs, "especially since they assumed it was Mark Cuban's boat."
Among those whose feathers were ruffled the most: Miami City Manager Joe Arriola.
"I was ready to go with Chief (John) Timoney to tear it down myself," Arriola said on camera. "I figured I'd send my inspectors out first and they took it down. Then they came back -- I got another call that he put it back on on the other side of the boat. So we went out there and told him, 'Listen, take it down or he's going to lose his permit.' And he finally took it down. But there's no way he's going to come to our town with that 'Go Mavs' baloney."
Apparently, the Heat shares that sentiment as it looks to be a completely different team when playing on home soil. The Mavs, however, hope to crash the city's party when it tries to take a victory in Game 5 on Sunday. Despite two straight Dallas losses, this group of Mavs fans will be on the waterfront again, cheering on their team.
As for Cuban's role in the situation, his father was among those celebrating prior to Game 4 and that giant banner that had to be taken down was provided to the fans by none other than Cuban himself.
 In Miami, the Mavs haven't been able to keep Wade from getting to the rim. (Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE/Getty) |
Two wins by the home team. Two more by the current home team. Series tied, 2-2. Each team won big once on its own floor. Each team eeked out another. Now it's a best-of-three series with Dallas still holding home court advantage.
Given that the Mavs appeared on their way to a sweep less than a week ago but now looks to be on their way to four straight losses, let's commence with a collection of the words you're likely to read in tomorrow's column inches:
Rejuvenated. Momentum. Rebounded. Rhythm. Swagger. Disappointment. Hold serve. Wallop. Road kill.
Want more? Well, let's pen a few lines for the writers around the country. Help me out here: Fill in the blanks on the following sentences, a la Mad Libs:
"In Game 4, the visitors were timid, sloppy and played with no apparent sense of urgency," the Washington Post's Michael Wilbon wrote. "And (their opponent), darting and bouncing around like a 6-year-old on a sugar high, were happy to wear their butts out.""(Losing team's coach) knows how I felt after the first two games and I know how he felt," read a quote from the winning coach printed in the Houston Chronicle.
"It's not that (losing team's All-Star) didn't dominate last night. He didn't even show up," Mitch Lawrence wrote in the New York Daily News.
"While (the home team) hit every shot imaginable, guards for (the road team) missed driving layups," a Washington Post scribe stated.
"It's not that the (home team) won Game 4 and it's not that the (road team) lost, it's how completely helpless the (road team) looked in the process," the L.A. Times J.A. Adande wrote.
Actually, none of the above lines will be written verbatim in tomorrow's fishwraps. They've been taken from stories written a year ago when the Pistons blew the Spurs out of The Palace to even the series after looking dead in the water in the first two games in San Antonio.
That series went the distance; We know this one is headed for six, if not seven, games.
Last year's Finals really didn't start until Game 5, as the home team won in blowout fashion in each of the first four games.
This year, we haven't truly seen both teams play their best games -- or even good games -- at the same time. Sure, we've gotten flashes from both, but that's been paired with what can only be described as the other team's worst.
Much like we witnessed through the first four games a short 12 months ago.
Now the pressure's on both teams to be on top of their games. There's very little time for error. For Miami, the pressure might be slightly greater; it must to win one, if not two, games on the road if it is to claim the Larry O'Brien Trophy.
Meanwhile, history is working against Dallas if it loses Game 5 in Miami. Only the 1955 Syracuse Nationals have ever won The Finals without taking a single game on the road. That was back when the series was in a 2-3-2 format, as it is now. The final score of Game 7: 92-91, Syracuse.
Of course, why think ahead to Game 7? Some didn't think we'd ever see a Game 6.
Not even a week ago, some were mapping parade routes and scheduling sick days.
That same writer may be feeling sick after watching the Mavs so completely fall apart over the last five quarters.
Another writer believed the Heat could turn it around and get back in the series, despite being routed.
Think those tables will be turned when the two file columns for tomorrow's papers?
The point of all this is, we're back where we were when this series got underway. After leaning heavily one way, then shifting back the other, come game time on Sunday nobody will really have any idea what to expect as the teams take the floor.
That's it, the Heat has tied the series at two games apiece by winning Game 4, 98-74. Dwyane Wade was pretty much outstanding again. Shaquille O'Neal turned in a solid performance, scoring 17 points and grabbing 13 boards. On the Mavs side of the ball, nobody did much of anything. We'll be back in a short bit to recap the evening. Be sure to check NBA.com for complete coverage of Game 4 and The Finals.
With three minutes to play, the Mavs five on the floor are: Darrell Armstrong, Marquis Daniels, Josh Powell, Adrian Griffin and Keith Van Horn. On the other side it's Gary Payton, Shandon Anderson, Antoine Walker, James Posey and Alonzo Mourning. If the Mavs reserves can't find a way to score four points in the next 2:20, the team will go down in history with the fewest points in any quarter in Finals history. The record in nine by Utah vs. Chicago in 1998. The Mavs have five in the fourth.
Either Avery Johnson has waved the white flag or he's desperate for anybody to hit a bucket. Marquis Daniels and Keith Van Horn are getting their first run of the night. It didn't change much as Van Horn promptly left his first shot short. This just isn't Dallas' night. On the bright side for the Mavs, they'll either celebrate a championship on their own court or have a short drive home if the Heat pull off a victory in North Texas.
Time's running out on the Mavs. In Game 3, the tables were turned and the Heat had just begun its big comeback -- 13 points down at the 6:34 mark. The big difference in this game is that the Mavs have no business winning this contest. Howard's 1-for-8 with four fouls. Nowitzki is 2-for-14 with a twisted ankle and tweaked wrist. Jerry Stackhouse is only 6-of-18. It would take a monumental collapse on the part of the Heat for them to lose this game.
You had to assume Dirk wasn't going to spend too much time on the bench because of a little ankle injury. The seven-footer's already back out there on the floor banging with Shandon Anderson.
On that last trip down the court, Dirk Nowitzki twisted his left ankle when he came down on the left wing. He immediately took a seat on the bench and was clutching at it. Nobody paid him any attention, however, so it appears he may be determined to play through the injury.
Notice D-Wade using the glass more often? Who does he think he is, Tim Duncan? Right, that's not a bad thing. There really isn't much Wade can't do, including knocking down the catch-and-shoot bankshot with only one tick remaining on the shot clock. Mavs, take note. They could have used that play at the end of Game 3.
Despite the Heat leading big much of this game and the Mavs having trouble throwing it in the Atlantic much less the small red cylinder, this game isn't yet over. The Mavs are down only 11 and the Heat is coming off it's worst quarter of this game. Miami gave the ball up six times and there were a few ill-advised shots taken with far too much time left on the clock near the end of the quarter. Miami went the final 3:39 without scoring. Even so, the Heat has its home crowd at its back heading iinto this final stanza.
The Heat has done a much better job tonight in protecting the ball. The team only has eight turnovers in the game resulting in 11 points. Four of those, however, have come here in the third period.
Because, there's a ring on the line, that's why. After that flagrant foul by Jerry Stackhouse on Shaquille O'Neal the staff here played War's "Why Can't We Be Friends?"
Maybe Stack was just getting even for getting split open in the first game in Dallas. Whatever the case, Stack gets the flagrant, Antoine Walker picked up a technical for protecting his big man, and the Mavs are still down 18 points.
After shooting his two free throws, the result of that hard foul by Shaquille O'Neal, Dirk Nowitzki came back up court holding his right wrist. Something to watch as the game goes on.
Avery Johnson was just motioning for his team to run. As Jason Terry tracked down a long board off a Dwyane Wade miss from three-point range, he brought the ball up along the sideline in front of his coach, where the Little General was making wide sweeping motions for Terry to push the ball.
At the break, the Heat lead 54-44. Based on the fact that the Heat has won its last 24 games -- including Tuesday's Game 3 -- when it's led after two quarters, one could reasonably predict the Heat is on its way to evening the series. The Heat has shot 58.3 percent from the field (21-of-36), but is only 47.1 percent from the line. The Mavs, meanwhile, are 34.1 percent from the field and 73.7 percent from the line. You have to figure the shooting percentages will even out, otherwise the Heat is on the way to a rout. Other notes of interest at the break:
- Dirk Nowitzki is only two-of-nine from the field, but has hit eight of his nine free throw attempts despite the incessant chants of "Da-vid Hassel-hoff".
- Shandon Anderson played almost the entire second quarter after averaging only six minutes in 10 games in this year's Playoffs.
- Chris Maliko has watched the Glove do very little in his eight minutes of action. Payton has hit his only shot to go with an assist and a personal foul.
- Udonis Haslem and Josh Howard are the only players who can be considered in foul trouble, as each have three. It's looking like a long night for Howard, who's only 1-of-7 from the field.
- Wade is looking all-world. But I didn't really have to tell you that, did I?
We'll be back with more in the second half.
Given we've had so many close ballgames in these Playoffs and Game 3 was decided by only two points, you just can't be giving up any freebies. The Heat have given up three unnecessary points -- two on defensive three-seconds calls and one on a technical foul on Shaquille O'Neal. Of course, the Heat had the chance to get one back when Josh Howard picked up a T of his own, but true to form in this series, the Heat missed the gimme. Then again, with an 11-point Heat lead, this whole post could be rendered moot.
The chants of "M-V-P!" are ringing out in the AmericanAirlines Arena here in the second quarter as Wade took the free throw stripe. The voting media said otherwise during the regular season, but if the Heat win a title, Wade could be adding a Finals MVP award to his trophy cabinet. Don't forget, your vote counts. It's never too early to start thinking about who you'll give your vote to.
Not Worthy, but Posey, who's worthy of the title in the first half here in Miami. In 12 minutes of action, Posey is three-of-four from the field for eight points, to go along with four boards.
As the first quarter wound down and the Heat opened up a 30-22 lead, the building was as loud as it was in the final moments of Game 3. As the fans chanted 'Let's Go Heat!', Jerry Stackhouse calmly stepped up and canned a three-pointer to silence the home fans. After one, it's the Heat by five. D-Wade is on his way to an even better outing than Tuesday. He played the entire first quarter and has 14 points.
As a team, the Heat looks to be off to a better start than Tuesday. They seem to be playing more loose, are moving the ball and are preventing easy buckets at the other end.
The Mavs just hauled down four offensive boards on one possession ... and still didn't score! Missed in that trip was a Jerry Stackhouse wide-open triple, a Jason Terry contested drive and a Jet jumper from close range that richocheted off the backboard a little strong. You have to love the hustle on the glass, but you've gotta take the lid off the bucket.
Okay, so I take that back. Had Walker jacked a trey, I'd rally for him to be relieved. As it is, he got a layup -- a much higher-percentage shot than those threes he loves to shoot. Play on, Mr. Walker. Play on.
That, kids, is what we call the hot hand. Seriously, if any other Heat player hoists a shot until Wade misses two or three, they should immediately be benched. Wade is now 6-of-8, including a triple.
Only four-plus minutes into the game and already Shaq is on the bench with two fouls. Also, we're watching that all-important turnover number and the team already has two for four points.
In the early moments, the Mavs are getting boards and pushing the ball up the court to create transition opportunities -- one of the keys Charles Klask pointed to. On two straight plays, Josh Howard coralled the ball and dribbled out to midcourt, once finding Jason Terry for the breakaway dunk. The Heat, however, are looking lively in the early moments, getting at the rim and to the free throw line.
... the tip, that is. But just like in Game 3, Shaq got the Heat on the board first, in the first 20 seconds. A few seconds later, however, O'Neal picked up his first personal foul when he put Dirk on his butt in the paint.
Just minutes until game time and the Heat staff is going through last minute preparations ... like teaching the fans how to chant Da-Vid Hassel-Hoff when Dirk Nowitzki is shooting free throws. For those not aware, a while back Dirk made the comment that he sings the Baywatch star's songs to himself when he's at the stripe. Bad news for Heat fans is that Dirk knocked down a jumper from the elbow just as the fans were practicing their chant.
Okay, so the yacht with the Mavs banner turned out to have nothing to do with Mark Cuban. But there was indeed a boat anchored alongside the AmericanAirlines Arena with Mavs flags blowing in the wind when we arrived this afternoon. Now we're getting wind of a new stunt. This time it's that a plane will be circling the area with some sort of Mavericks messaging. We'll let you know if we hear more.
Dallas assistant coach Del Harris spent a few minutes with tennis great Boris Becker as the Mavs warmed up for Game 4. Harris semed to be getting some tips on his forehand as he discussed finer points with Becker courtside
Becker is back at Game 4, joining the broadcast team of Premiere in Germany. You can listen to Becker and the German audio feed by clicking on the listen live button on NBA.com when the game starts.
Bad news, Heat fans. Antoine Walker is practicing three pointers. Make or miss is irrelevant; Walker was most effective in Game 3 when he was taking the ball at the rim. He was 0-for-5 from deep. If you're a Heat fan, you don't want to see him out on the wing waving his arms for the ball. Getting a few to fall in shootaround can only make him confident from outside.
Think the Heat fans are a little crazy over their team that's playing for the NBA title? Then you haven't met Chris Maliko, who's taken craziness to a whole new level.
Maliko, who now lives in Melbourne, Australia, took two weeks of vacation time and flew "20,000 K's" just to be here to see his favorite player, Gary Payton, try to win a championship, which he believes will come Tuesday in Dallas.
"I love him; He's just my favorite player for 12-13 years now," Maliko says. "I've always wanted to see him play and he's going to retire soon, so hopefully I can see him win a championship and be happy."
Getting to Miami, however, wasn't as easy as getting on an airplane. First, there was a matter of money. Then, there was mother.
"In L.A., I thought about (attending) but I just didn't h