April 26: vs New Jersey Nets

Dancer Gallery Seventeen

April 28: vs New Jersey Nets

East Rutherford, April 29 - The drama, emotion and intensity of the NBA Playoffs was clearly on display, Thursday night, in Game 3 of the Heat’s first-round series with the New Jersey Nets.

Miami’s exhausting, double-overtime, 108- 105 win, was a game for the ages, for all ages. It not only gave the Heat a commanding 3-0 series lead, this was a basketball marathon, that gave Heat fans a game they will never, ever forget. It was an instant, Miami Heat playoff classic.

For Miami it was only their seventh road playoff win ever and their first in nearly five years. The Heat’s last road playoff win, happened across the river, at Madison Square Garden in New York, on May 12, 2000. Do you remember the 77-76 overtime win against the Knicks? It also came in a Game 3 and was delivered by Anthony Carter’s improbable baseline shot from behind the backboard.

Last night was just the second playoff overtime game in Heat history and the first post-season game to go to two overtimes. The win ended a nine game road-losing streak in the playoffs for Miami and the Nets best chance to get back in this series.

In the series first two games in Miami there were a total of two ties and four lead changes. Game 3 saw twelve lead changes and twelve ties and brought us the first real dose of what playoff basketball is all about. The emotional pendulum kept swinging, back and forth, between agony and ecstasy.

“The intensity of that game was incredible,” said Stan Van Gundy. “It was an incredible battle by two teams. I know this is easy to say as the winning coach, but nobody deserved to lose that game.”

The game featured so many twists and turns, so many magnificent performances. Twice in the final 3:08 of regulation Miami trailed by four points. Eddie Jones fourth trey of the game cut the lead to one. His fifth, three-ball tied the game at 90 with just under a minute left and forced overtime.

In the first OT, Miami led 99-97, when Eddie Jones was fouled and sent to the stripe for two shots, with only 11 seconds left. He missed them both and the Nets would get not one but three more shots in a bizarre sequence. Vince Carter missed a triple, Nenad Kristic missed a tip in but another Nets rebound and timeout with 2.3 seconds to go, left all of us breathless.

It reminded me of the prelude to Allan Houston’s heartbreaking, buzzer beating, runner at Miami Arena in the 1999 first round, that gave New York a 78-77, Game 7 victory, that still hurts to this day.

“I was disappointed that in key situations we could not get a rebound when we needed it most,” said Van Gundy after the game. “That was troubling to me.”

The Nets did out-rebound Miami for the first time this season, 57-51 and crashed the glass for 18 offensive rebounds.

So down two the Nets had one shot left at the end of the overtime. Vince Carter, got free on the inbounds, got the ball in the right corner and released a 22-foot jumper as time expired. The ball tap-danced on the rim, bouncing in and around before dropping in. It tied the game at 99 and forced double-overtime.

“I thought it was coming off,” said Van Gundy.

The Heat literally took New Jersey’s best shot of the series and bounced right back. That mental toughness, that road warrior mentality is the kind of quality that can make you an NBA Champion. Last night it made Miami a winner. The Heat became the first team in the 2005 Playoffs to take a 3-0 lead. It is also the first time Miami has ever led a best-of-seven series, 3 games to none.

“We expected exactly what they gave us,” is what Dwyane Wade told the Miami Herald after the game. “Tonight, we just reached down and found some stuff inside of us. We didn’t play our best game by any means, especially myself, but we really dug deep and got this victory.”

Wade finished with 22 points, 10 rebounds, 8 assists and tied a Heat playoff record with 9 turnovers. He played 50 of the possible 58 minutes. Shaqulle O’Neal had 25 points in 47 minutes and Eddie Jones finished with 20 points, marking just the second time ever that the Heat had three players each get 20 plus points in a playoff game.

There was more. For the second time in this series all five Heat starters scored in double figures. A sixth double-figure man was Keyon Dooling. In just his third career playoff game, he scored 13 points on 6 for 7 shooting all in the second quarter.

“Without Keyon in the first half, we’re done,” said Van Gundy.

Udonis Haslem was at his playoff best. He finished with 14 points and 19 rebounds. It was the second best rebounding effort in the 67 game Playoff history of the Heat. Second only, to Rony Seikaly’s 20- rebound game, against Atlanta in May of 1994. It was Haslem’s second double-double of this series. Remember last year, as a playoff rookie, he averaged just 3.6 points and 3.9 rebounds. He’s averaging 10 points and 12 rebounds in this series. Like his more celebrated, second year teammate, Dwyane Wade, his game has grown.

“We continue to destroy the notion that we are a two-man team every game,” said Alonzo Mourning.

The Nets got their best game of the series from their two best players. Vince Carter and Jason Kidd combined for 52 points, 25 rebounds and 23 assists. Kidd notched his 8th career playoff triple-double. Carter scored 36 points and took 37 shots. But in the end, it wasn’t enough. Miami took New Jersey’s best shot and still won.

“We need to be in games like that,” said Van Gundy. “We have to win games like that.”

The Boston Redsox may have overcome a 3-0 deficit to beat the Yankees in last years American League Championship series, however, no NBA team has ever come back to win a 7 game series after falling behind, 3 games to none.

Game 4 is set for Sunday afternoon at 3:30 (ABC) here in New Jersey, with the Heat one win away from round 2. There is so much more to come but Game 3, last night, is one we will always remember.