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Wednesday, May 17, 2006
Sayson: The Heat is on
By Homer Sayson
Secondovertime
CHICAGO – We just didn’t want to listen, or maybe, the pessimist outweighed the optimist in us and we didn’t want to believe the words trickling from the lips of a tiring, aging, and slightly slowing 7-foot-1 giant.
But long before the first shot was fired in these NBA playoffs wars, the loquacious Shaquille O’Neal already told the hoops world: “If we do what we’re supposed to do, we’ll be fine.”
Whatever it is that Miami’s supposed to do, they did so emphatically yesterday. And by beating the Nets in Game 4 at the Continental Airlines Arena, the Heat assumed a commanding 3-1 series lead in the now one-sided Eastern Conference semifinals.
At least for one pivotal road game, Shaq’s prophecy turned to cold, scary reality. With Game 5 set at their home turf at the American Airlines Arena today, the Heat seem beyond fine. They’re pumped up, ready to crush, maim and, ultimately, put the Nets to sleep.
Winning 2-of-2 at New Jersey and putting a Miami vise grip on the running and gunning Nets seem like an arduous, if not unachievable, task. But Dwayne Wade, who apparently goes to the Shaq school of confidence, thinks it’s no yeoman’s job. Just business as usual.
“We’re not surprised. When we play Miami Heat basketball on both ends of the floor, we’re a tough team to beat, at home or on the road. We go home to Game 5 and try to close it out at home.”
Before leaving for home, though, Wade left a disastrous trail for the Nets. He had 31 points, seven rebounds and eight assists.
Attacking the seams of the Nets defense like a hungry predator, Wade shot 11-of-19 field goals and made 9-of-10 free throws.
Shaq started fast and helped Miami to a 54-48 halftime lead, but he faded like a comet in the third quarter. As always, though, Shaq awoke in the final quarter, where his jump hook over Nenad Kristic in the final 3:27 gave Miami a 90-85 cushion.
Shaq finished with 16 points, eight rebounds, two assists and a shotblock. He went 7-of-11 from the field, but was a nightmare from the free-throw line, 2-of-8.
Antoine Walker and Udonis Haslem came up big for the Heat. And, maybe, this was what Shaq meant with “doing what they’re supposed to do”: The support cast helping the superstar with the heavy lifting.
Walker and Haslem combined for 40 points and 13 rebounds. They converted 15-of-26 shots and they made the Nets pay for doubling Shaq in the low post and crowding Wade in the perimeter. The pair of forwards was an inside-outside threat for the Nets, with Walker firing 5-of-8 treys and Haslem needling inside with short jumpers and put-backs.
The Nets mounted a serious charge in the fourth quarter, coming close at 90-92, but like Game3, they melted under pressure, rushed too many shots and fouled too often. The Nets managed only 36-of-84 field goals (42.9 percent) and 4-of-20 treys (20 percent). You don’t win with those numbers, even playing at home.
Vince Carter led the vanquished with 26 points. Richard Jefferson had 17, while Krisitc pumped 20. Jason Kidd also had 17, along with 13 rebounds and 12 assists.
It’s not as though the Nets were overmatched; they simply got beat. Miami made 37 of 70 shots (52.9 percent) and 8-of-19 treys (42.1 percent). The Heat lost the rebounds war, 39-48, but they made up for it by clamping down on defense, something the Nets couldn’t duplicate.
In the storied NBA history, says ESPN.com, only eight teams in 163 series have come back from a 3-1 deficit to win a best-of-seven showdown. The last team to pull the magic trick were the Suns, who broke the Lakers’ hearts two weeks ago.
History says it could be done. Honestly, though, the Nets don’t look primed to come back from a 3-1 hole. The Heat have burned too much fire in this series, and there’s nothing the Nets can do to put it off.
Game 5 is in Miami today. That where’s the dribble ends for J-Kidd and his crew. And you can bet that someone in the Heat front office is now making hotel reservations for Detroit.
(homsay@hotmail.com)
For Bisaya stories from Cebu. Click here. (May 17, 2006 issue)
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