Defense ain't easy I also thought that the Mavericks were best suited to win a game that went into the 100s. The Heat would take any game that wound up in the 80s or so because they assume that if the Mavs are in the 80s, they're at the very least in the 80s and the Heat's strength is defense.
If the score soared, the Heat were in trouble. On cue, the Mavs beat the Heat 112-103 in game 5 taking a 3-2 advantage to Miami, a win away from their first NBA title.
It was their worst defensive effort (the Heat did shoot 53 percent) countered by their best offensive effort. If the Mavs get into the high 90s, good things are going to happen.
Not unlike the Los Angeles series, it was quite literally a team effort. It sounds cliche and dumb, but if you look at the last six minutes of the game, you will find some contribution from just about any Maverick that hit the floor. Take in the entire 48 minutes, and any Maverick that took his warm-ups off and checked into the game did something.
My plea before game four was about contributing and taking what you usually do and going up one or three or 10 notches. Doesn't matter. The NBA Finals are not about regular-season totals and averages and how you played then. It's about ratcheting things up and finding that extra gear. For two straight games, the Mavs found that gear and are a tick away from a title.
Discussion points:
Jason Terry
I still stand by assertion that Jason Terry is a good shooter, but a dumb player. Last night was a different story. Terry did something I haven't really seen from him on any regular basis since he was in Atlanta, and if he plays like this Sunday, the Mavericks will win. No, it has little to do with shooting (although, he was great last night). It was passing. Terry wound up with six assists and I would daresay that all of them were beauties, many coming on that effective pick and roll he ran with Tyson Chandler. For once, Terry wasn't look for his shot and focused on finding the absolute best shot for his team at that moment. He even grabbed four rebounds. Eventually, he got the opportunity to shoot and he was nails. Brilliant fifth-gear game.
Dirk Nowitzki
When the Texas Rangers made their World Series run eight months ago, I end up with a lot of T-shirts. I got a division champ shirt. Then an ALDS shirt because I thought there was no way they'd go further. Then they did. I got a ALCS shirt because I didn't think they'd dare beat the New York Yankees. I bought a World Series shirt, and had they beaten the San Francisco Giants, I would have bought a world championship shirt. That's what it's like with Dirk Nowitzki. I used up quite a lot of hyperbole in the opening round of the playoffs. Then they faced Los Angeles in the semis. Well, they kept winning and Dirk kept playing really well. It's now game six and I'm out, I'm done. No more adjectives. He is, bar-none, the best player in this series and he's been simply outrageously awesome. That baseline dunk late in the fourth quarter is another ESPN Classic moments they'll show (should the Mavs close this out in Miami) for the next 50 years.
Lebron James
You have to wonder about his head. I go back to all the high school kids that flamed out in the NBA versus all the ones that succeeded. James' body and skillset makes him better than others. However, his brain gets in the way too much. I wonder if James had gone to Ohio State for a year or two if we would be seeing a different outcome.
The Three Pointer
It's like stealing home: When it works, it's genius; when it doesn't, it sucks.
Rick Carlisle
Little attention is being paid to both Rick Carliels and Erik Spoelstra. I think both coaches have been really good. Both have made moves that have driven the opponent crazy. A lot of these moves have worked. Goofballs coming off the deep end of the bench and contributing has been off the charts. Quick note: Eddie House made his debut last night in the series and logged a forgettable three minutes where he missed two shots. I thought he might be an X-factor: A quick sharpshooting guard that gets hot in a hurry and can keep up with Jason Terry and Joe John Barea. Maybe not.
