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LeBron James and Dwyane Wade are going to get all the credit for the third quarter in Game 4. But let's not forget about James Jones, the man who sparked the Heat's fourth-quarter rally with a failed dunk attempt. That Jones even attempted this slam sent Ronny Turiaf into a swinging, celebrating fit on the Heat's bench.
Just like that, everything seems OK. Amazing what a pair of Hall-of-Fame worthy performances will do to a series.
LeBron James and Dwyane Wade combined to score 70 points on Sunday night in the Heat's critical Game 4 victory. Was it the turning point in the series for the Heat or is this second-round series against the Pacers destined for seven games? This much I know, the Heat will be tough to beat if James and Wade play like that on Tuesday in Miami.
IT WAS OVER WHEN...
LeBron muscled his way for a put-back dunk with 8:12 left in the game. James played with a killer instinct on Sunday that could carry the Heat from the edge of despair back to The Finals. Can he keep it up?
LINE OF THE NIGHT
LeBron James: 40 points, 14 of 27 from the field, 12 of 16 from the three-throw line, 6 offensive rebounds, 12 defensive rebounds, nine assists, two steals, two blocks, five turnovers and a one personal foul. One assist shy of a triple-double. Could someone have helped this man out in the fourth quarter and made a shot!
BACK IN THE PAINT
The Heat scored 50 of its 101 points from the paint, the most allowed by the Pacers in the 2012 postseason. Indiana had 32 points in the paint. The Heat also out-rebounded the Pacers 47-38.
SECOND LINE OF THE NIGHT
Roy Hibbert: 10 points, nine rebounds, three blocks, three turnovers, five personal fouls. Limited by foul trouble, Hibbert was less effective than in Game 3.
THREE-POINT SALVATION
The Heat was 5 of 12 from three-point range, matching its total number of three-point field goals of the last three games.
DOUBLE TROUBLE
James and Wade combined for 19 of the Heat's 29 rebounds and nine of the Heat's 11 assists in the second half.
TRIVIA TIME
Name the Heat player who scored in the second half besides the trio of James, Wade and Udonis Haslem? Answer: Joel Anthony had two points. James, Wade and Haslem accounted for the rest of the Heat's 55 points in the second half.
HOW DID MY KEYS TO VICTORY HOLD UP?
Pretty good, I guess. James had 18 rebounds, or one fewer than his postseason career high. It was definitely one of the differences in the game. The Heat had five three-pointers, which is one fewer than I thought Miami needed. So...that's good. Wade, of course, was no where near average. He had a tremendous game and the Heat won by eight points.
It's not yet time to jump off the cliff of despair, Heat fans.
Yes, the Heat suddenly feels like the underdog in this series. (That was the theme of today's preview of Game 4. Here's the link. CLICK ME!) But I'm not ready to write off the Heat just yet.
Dwyane Wade enters Game 4 less than healthy, but the Heat still has the best player in the game (LeBron James). Give me a determined James and I like my chances in any game. Here are three things that need to happen for the Heat to swing momentum in this series back in its favor:
1. An average game from Wade.
Wade doesn't have to blow up for 30 points today for the Heat to beat the Pacers. An 18-point effort combined with solid defense is all the Heat needs from Wade. Wade checked out mentally in the third quarter of Game 3. Obviously, that can't happen today. Wade can still contribute in other ways today if his jumper is off. Offensively, attacking the basket will be Wade's priority. If he can get to the line 10 times, the Heat will win.
2. Rebounding from LeBron James.
James had a postseason career high in rebounding in the Game 1 and the Heat won. The Pacers' greatest strength in this series is their height advantage. James can neutralize that advantage if he focuses his efforts in the paint.
3. Six three-pointers
The Heat doesn't need to shoot the lights out to beat the Pacers. Six three-pointers should be enough. Shane Battier must find his jumper early in the game. Battier was 0 of 6 from distance in Game 4. Mike Miller was 2 of 3 from three-point range in Game 4. If he duplicates that total and the Heat finds four more three-pointers from Battier, Chalmers and James Jones that should be enough.
We'll revisit this post after the game to see how the predictions held up.
I can only imagine the scene in Miami tonight. Are things on fire yet?
The Heat's 94-75 loss to the Pacers on Thursday at Bankers Life Fieldhouse was the most shocking outcome of the 2012 NBA playoffs. Seriously, who saw that coming? I mean, a loss is one thing. No big deal. Upsets happen. But for Miami to lose like that, wow.
Wade was historically awful, scoring five points on 2 of 13 shooting from the field. He had all but given up after the third quarter.
IT WAS OVER WHEN
Wade screamed at Erik Spoelstra to "get the [blank] out of my face" during a timeout in the third quarter. The Heat scored 12 points in the first 12 minutes of the second half.
LINE OF THE NIGHT
Roy Hibbert: 19 points, 18 rebounds, five blocks. The Heat was out-rebounded 52-36.
FROM ALASKA WITH LOVE
Mario Chalmers had 25 points, a career postseason high. What a waste.
LEBRON JAMES
I mean, you can't blame the guy for Thursday's loss but it certainly didn't pick up the slack for Wade either. James finished with 22 points.
SHOOTING WOES
What is wrong with the Heat's shooters? Again they were terrible. Miami was 4 of 20 from three-point range. Shane Battier was 0 of 7.
DID YOU KNOW?
Tuesday's victory for the Pacers was its fourth straight at home against the Heat in the postseason.
THE BIG QUESTION
Is the Heat done?
Everyone remembers the 2011 postseason, right? You know, when Heat coach Erik Spoelstra treated his starting center position like musical chairs. Well, thanks to Chris Bosh's injury, the music has started up again.
In a dramatic move, Spoelstra benched Udonis Haslem and Ronny Turiaf for Game 3 on Thursday and instead started Dexter Pittman and Shane Battier. The move shifted LeBron James to power forward for a matchup against David West. Battier started at small forward with Pittman at center.
The experiment didn't start well. Pittman played about 3 1/2 minutes before picking up an off-ball foul on Roy Hibbert. Spoelstra immediately substituted Joel Anthony into the game.
Thanks for all the questions today on Twitter...
Yann LeDirach (@yannld23) asks, do you think Wade deserves to be suspended?
It was very close to being a flagrant-2. An valid argument certainly can be made for Wade being kicked out of the game and suspended for Game 3. I'm not going to lie, when I saw the foul sitting courtside on Tuesday I thought Wade was going to be kicked out of the gmae. Other players have been ejected and suspended for less. Wade flattened Darren Collison in the open court like a safety knocking out a receiver. OK, it wasn’t bad (only because that would be about as worse as it gets) but it was dangerous and reckless. What if Collison crashed headfirst into the stanchion and injured his neck? All because Wade didn’t get a call on the other end? Wade needs to learn how to channel his anger in a positive way. Like I said in an earlier post, Wade should know better. Luckily for the Heat, Wade was only tagged with a flagrant-1. Huge break for the Heat. I'm going to side with the league on this one. I don't have much experience as a NBA referee.
Daiana (@missdaiana) asks, do you think the Pacers ring ceremony will be during a Heat game next season? ;)
Now that’s some creative trash talk.
Naveen Ganglani (@naveenganglani) asks, do you think the Heat still wins the series/championship?
Certainly, the Heat had a shot before Chris Bosh went down with an injury and I think the Heat is still a favorite against the Pacers. And as long as LeBron James is wearing a Heat uniform, the Heat has a chance to win a title. Bosh’s injury certainly doesn’t help but I think Miami still has enough to get past the Pacers. If Joel Anthony scores four points or Shane Battier makes one three-pointer or Dwyane Wade makes that layup or LeBron James makes those free throws, the Heat would probably be up 2-0 heading to Indy. So, yes, I still think the Heat can win the series. As for the title, that’s a different question entirely. Oklahoma City looks pretty good.
Kyddhere (@kyddhere) asks, who is the worst coach in the NBA?
What a loaded question! I’m assuming you think Erik Spoelstra is the worst coach in the league. Well, I don’t think it has been a banner for Spoelstra but he certainly isn’t the worst coach in the league. Otherwise, Pat Riley wouldn’t have hired him, right? I trust Riley’s judgment a little better than yours. That said, Spoelstra didn’t receive a single vote for Coach of the Year this season and the Heat’s record on the road after the All-Star break was terrible. Still, Spoelstra coached the MVP this season and six players for the Heat participated in All-Star weekend. That should count for something.
Randy Azael (@randymoss01) asks, what do you think happens in offseason with the Miami Heat if they don't win it all?
Too early to entertain this question. More than likely, the world will keep on spinning.
Joe S (@hhh9191) asks, do you think in the short term would it benefit the Heat to bring Wade off the bench? I.E. like the Spurs do with Manu.
Way to think outside the box, Joe. With Wade coming off the bench, the Heat would have a legitimate scoring threat on its second unit. As it stands right now, I have no clue who the Heat’s best player is off the bench. Mike Miller can barely walk these days and Shane Battier is colder than a polar bear’s toenails. Norris Cole can create his own shot and he played well in Game 2 in a limited role but I don’t think Spoelstra is ready give him more minutes never mind starting him. So, if Wade comes off the bench, then who starts? Like I said, Cole isn’t an option and Miller is falling apart. I guess that leaves Shane Battier, moving LeBron James to shooting guard. It’s a thought, but I don’t see it happening. Why reinvent the wheel after just one loss? Now, if the Heat drops Games 3 and 4 in Indianapolis then it might be time to start changing things around.
Louis Merein (@306miamiteams) asks, when do you think Bosh is back?
May 29.
Marlo (@marlostatus) asks, who gets traded Lebron,Wade or Bosh? And how much trouble is Coach Spo in with job security?
Step away from the ledge, Marlo. It was just one loss.
Bobby Doherty (@REALBobus) asks, of our three-point specialists, who do you see coming up big at Indiana?
Your guess is as good as mine, Bobby, but three-pointer shooting is where the Heat needs someone to step up to win this series. Miller walks around the court like he’s one bad sneeze away from a wheelchair. Seriously, does Miller get special treatment on commercial flights? Would he qualify for a handicap tag? I’m kidding, of course. In all seriousness, you’ve got to feel bad for him. He was in obvious pain on Tuesday. Something isn’t right. He would bend over in pain every time there was a stopping in play. At this point, I don’t think Spoelstra can count on Miller. He’s certainly no where near being the sixth man-option the Heat was hoping he’d be at the beginning of the season. Mario Chalmers has had a great season but he’s found it difficult to create space against more athletic (and long guards). What was LeBron thinking when he passed it to Chalmers in the corner late in the game? I’m talking about Chalmers’ second to last three-pointer of the game and not the one he missed at the buzzer. Chalmers was heavily covered and LeBron was in one-on-one isolation against Granger. Of course, as bad as Chalmers has been, Miller and Shane Battier have been worse. Of players remaining in the playoffs, Miller and Battier have the 3rd and 4th worst shooting percentages among players who have taken at least five shots. The bottom line here is that Battier needs to step up and make a shot. He was the Heat’s big offseason acquisition, after all. James Jones is an X-factor. He’s healthier than both Miller and Battier at this point in the season but is viewed as a defensive liability. With Miller in obvious pain every time he steps on the court, maybe Jones should get more minutes.
Camille Watkins (@tarcamwat) asks, do u think that dislocated finger is affecting Wade's jumper? It seemed to bother LBJ for awhile as well.
No. Wade hasn’t been the problem for the Heat. He’s playing great basketball and his jump shot was on in the fourth quarter in Game 2. I think Wade’s dislocated brain (the Collison foul) was more of a problem Game 2 than any lingering minor injury.
Josh (@UnbiasHeatFan) asks, why is Spo unwilling to make adjustments? Like leaving Joel vs. Hibbert entire 4th...no Pittman...no Cole...etc...
Josh, do you really trust Pittman and Cole in the fourth quarter? Joel helped hold the Pacers to 17 points in the fourth quarter, but it wasn’t enough.
Michael Mangenello (@MikeManganello) asks, what team provides the worst game day for traveling media, in terms of food, accessibility and arena setup? Who is best?
I’m not too worried about the food. As a reporter who writes on deadline every night, my biggest concern at an arena is if there’s a reliable connection to the Internet. Arenas in Atlanta, Toronto, Washington D.C. and San Antonio are historically sketchy.
Jamal Ewing (@Jayway649) asks, why do Heat fans overreact to a loss like the national media. Did they lose the series last night?
Finally, someone who’s keeping things in perspective. Since I have a doctorate in fan psychology, I’m qualified to answer this question. Heat fans expect the Heat to go 16-0 in the postseason because they were led to believe it was going to be easy. Remember the Heat’s preseason pep rally last season? The Heat set the bar too high.
This email comes to us from David in South Miami. David has apparently given up all hope for the Heat and is now rooting for the Pacers. I don't know, maybe I'm reading this email wrong. David writes:
The Heat are over...Indiana will end this fast...No leadership. Bad coach...And children.
There is no bench and no strength.....The Miami Heat and the Miami fans are more concerned about partying than winning...Example...Dressing up like Travon Martin....What a joke????
The rest of America...Indiana and San Antonio are focused and ready to win the Championship. Miami is all talk...You have clowns like Gloria Estefan singing Miami Heat songs...Jackie
Nesperal celebrating...People from Baptist writing we have the Championship...What
a joke Miami is when it comes to sports...I won $1000 dollars on Dallas last year.
Do you wanna bet??? I bet you Miami is out in 6 games with Indiana...The Coach is not a leader...only Pat Riley could of done the coaching as Barkley said last night.
Good luck,
David in South Miami
The Heat has only made one three-pointer against the Pacers through two games. What gives?
After Game 2, Pacers coach Frank Vogel credited his defense for shutting down the Heat's three-point specialists. Vogel contended that the Pacers' series against the Magic was a good warmup for his perimeter defense. Indiana's coach pointed out on Tuesday night that Erik Spoelstra's defensive schemes are almost identical to Stan Van Gundy's and the same goes for the Heat's three-point attack as well.
Even if that's the case, I'm not ready to give the Pacers all the credit for the Heat's shooting woes. Miami is just missing wide-open shots.
"We're getting looks,"Shane Battier said. "We have the guys we want to shoot. We're not going to overreact. If the shots are there the next game we're going to take them. It's been a great weapon for us all year."
Dwyane Wade didn't exactly call out his underperforming teammates after Game 2 but he did say the Heat needs someone other than himself and LeBron James to step up. One more three-pointer could have been the difference on Tuesday. The Heat was 1 of 16 from distance after going 0 of 6 in Game 1.
"We had our good looks tonight," Mario Chalmers said "We just didn't knock them down. We hit them early and the confidence comes."
Mike Miller is obviously playing injured. It was painful to watch him hobble around the court in Game 2. I don't know how much more the Heat can get out of Miller this series. More minutes for James Jones seems necessary. As for Chalmers and Battier, it's not like they have to carry the team. One or two three-pointers a game could be the difference in advancing to the Eastern Conference finals or going home early.
Is it time to panic? Are you nervous yet?
The Heat's 78-75 loss to the Pacers on Tuesday was Miami's first home playoff loss since the 2011 NBA Finals. It also was the Heat's first game without Chris Bosh in the lineup. While Dwyane Wade said playing without Bosh wasn't the difference in winning and losing in Game 2, it sure didn't help not having Bosh in the lineup.
Consider this: Udonis Haslem, Ronny Turiaf and Joel Anthony combined for seven points in Game 2. Yep, I'd say not having Bosh was a pretty big deal.
Another thing to ponder: Why can't the Heat make three-point shots anymore? The Heat was 1 of 16 from three-point range in Game 2 after going 0 of 6 in Game 1.
IT WAS OVER WHEN...
Mario Chalmers missed a contested three-pointer at the buzzer. After the game, Chalmers said he was fouled in the act of shooting. Hopefully he won't be fined for criticizing officials.
LEBRON TIRED?
Heat coach Erik Spoelstra suggested that fatigue contributed to LeBron James' missed free throws late in the fourth quarter. James missed a pair of free throws with 54.3 seconds left that could have given the Heat a one-point lead. James said after the game that fatigue wasn't an issue and that he just needed to make his free throws in Game 3.
WADE'S TEMPORARY INSANITY
Wade was a man possessed in the fourth quarter, scoring 11 of the Heat's 23 points. In no one way did Wade cost the Heat the game with his flagrant foul on Darren Collision. But, still. You'd think Wade has enough experience in the playoffs at this point to keep a level head when he's not getting calls.
OF NOTE
Tuesday's loss snapped a 13-game postseason home-winning streak against Eastern Conference teams for the Heat.
[THIS BLOG HAS BEEN UPDATED TO REPORT BREAKING NEWS]
If you're not concerned about Chris Bosh's abdominal injury, then you should be. The Heat announced on Monday that Bosh is out indefinitely. It could mean the remainder of the series. It could mean the rest of the playoffs.
Bosh had an MRI on Monday, which confirmed that Bosh only had strained his abdomen rather than tearing a muscle. That's the good news. The bad news is that a strained abdominal muscle, depending on the severity fo the strain, can take quite a while to heal.
It begs the question: How far can the Heat go in these playoffs without its All-Star power forward/center providing a third option to LeBron James and Dwyane Wade? A series against the Celtics in the Eastern Conference finals suddenly seems a little intimidating. Is Joel Anthony, Ronny Turiaf and Udonis Haslem really going to be enough against the winner of the West?
James and Wade picked up the slack on Sunday in the Heat's 95-86 victory in Game 1 against the Pacers but how long can they keep it up? And let's face it. The Heat could sweep this Pacers team even without Bosh. That's unlikely -- the Heat couldn't sweep the Knicks with Iman Shumpert, Baron Davis, Jeremy Lin and a one-handed Amare Stoudemire -- but Miami will want to close this series out a quickly as possible if Bosh isn't returning.
