A proud effort by the Heat. I can't believe they did it. 13 points down in the 4th quarter! The Mavs will still take the series if they keep their chemistry.
Interviewing SHAQ after he only scores 16 points, and wasn't even playing the last 2 minutes, is the biggest reason why the perception of Shaq as a DOMINANT player persits... the media just can't get enough of him. Meanwhile, Dwayne just waits quietly for sloppy seconds, after scorind FORTY ONE points, carrying the team for the fourth quarter, and single-handedly breaking up the final attempt by Dallas. But wait... Shaq made 2 FREE throws... that will be the lead story for the next 2 days.
Do you have any idea how sad you sound? I dont think anyone questions Wades ability. But theres no denying Shaqs impact, but if the Heat win the series Wade WILL WIN MVP, would you quit your bitc#ing then?
Great game. I was wondering why Dirk was making the inbounds pass, great set play by Avery and great athleticism by Wade to get a hand on that ball.
Yea... but he hit it off a pass from Wade... not by him doing his patented back down his man, spin, and do an up-and-under circa 1995. Same goes with Walker. If they stick to hitting high-percentage/TIMELY shots, they'll fit the ROLE-player role just fine. If they try to force it, and attempt 12 three-pointers each... that's not helping anybody.
I don't think they should have bothered to interview Shaq first after the game... that's all. Wade deserved it.
You don't think Payton has accepted his role as a role player??? How many shots did he actually take? You're right, this isn't 1995. Payton is older, not as quick, not as confident. You and I didn't watch the same game if you don't think Payton acted like anything other than a role player. Hell, he doesn't even start.
Key "play" of the game is the 2-pointer hit by Gary Payton as the shot clock was winding down. The play is in quote because it was actually a pretty awful sequence -- Wade had to pass the ball to someone else since he had nowhere to go and couldn't get his own shot. Payton got the ball and sank it calmly. He sure earned his check in Miami. Gotta give Payton credit.
Actually, that argument was more directed to Walker... Payton is just old, and his game has slipped so far away from his former self (more-so than Antoine's or Alonzo's)... but he did hit a HUGE shot.
when will people stop throwing lobs to the front of the basket in situations like that? can anyone remember the last time it worked? i can't ****ing stand that play. yeah it came close to working, but that's why it's a crappy play, b/c it has to be so perfect it's ridiculous. especially when you don't have the highest flier on the court (which is wade). stackhouse was wide open in the corner for the win (and basically the series). of course, there's no guarantee he hits it but i'm guessing he had a lot better chance than zero percent. one of my big pet peeves about basketball coaches, that play right there. and having dirk inbound really seemed weird. i know maybe you're thinking you want a tall guy to see over the defender, but i'd have him on the court no matter what. and i'd have had nowitzki shoot a 3 for the win anyway. or use him as the decoy to get a guy open like they had stackhouse open. and what an unbelievable choke by dallas and great comeback by wade. if shaq gets another title off another team's choke like portland back in 2000 i'll be pissed. he had almost nothing to do with this comeback (except for shoving dampier and not getting called for the obvious foul) and little to do with the portland comeback. dammit. if the mavs lose game 4, the heat will win the series, which didn't seem possible with 6 minutes to go in this game. 13 points in 6 minutes? that's hard to blow. they just let wade get any shot he wanted once he started being aggressive and played so far off him he had easy shots. and they slowed it down way too much on offense. they are not very good at wasting 19-20 seconds on the shotclock and still getting a decent shot. they always get terrible shots. i know you wanna run clock, but they have to start only taking the first 15 or 16 when running clock or they just kill themselves. of course if nowitzki hits those 2 free throws maybe all of this is moot. but he has hit huge free throws earlier in the playoffs so it's not as if he's a choker. f'ing mavs better pull this damn series out b/c they are obviously better.
