Miami Mauls Mavericks

       

There isn't much to breakdown in this game.  Miami whipped Dallas.  Game over.  But there is a breakdown of what really happened.

IF YOU ARE A MIAMI FAN....you should be proud to be tied 2-2 with all of the momentum heading into a pivotal Game 5 at home.  And that game isn't until Sunday, so the Mavs get two off days to sit and think about it.  Counting the last 6:34 of Tuesday's game, Miami has outscored Dallas 120-81.  Yeah, a 39 point differential.  Pat Riley has made the proper adjustments and the Miami stars are playing like stars.  You know they cannot stop D-Wade and that he's on a Finals MVP pace.  Shaq's confidence is back and just fouling him isn't working anymore.  The defensive intensity has been turned up and the zone has worked wonderfully.  Keep doing what you are doing...and you can go to Dallas with a 3-2 lead.

IF YOU ARE A DALLAS FAN....you can say, well, this is just par for the course.  We won two at home....they won two at home.  And while you are still kicking yourself for not being up 3-0, you know in your heart that you had these guys.  And you still can.  Erase Game 4 and fight for your life in Game 5.  Getting pounded sucks, but winning Game 5 means you are up 3-2 with the last two games at your crib.  As far as adjustments - yes some need to be made.  But in looking at the film, you know that you just messed up your chance.  Wade came out smoking, the Heat came out sizzling and your team couldn't hit the broad side of a barn.  It wasn't like Dallas was taking bad shots....they were just missing them.  Give them those same shots on Sunday....and they can go down.  You also know that despite these two games in Miami....you have done well in pressurized games on the road in these playoffs.  You clinched a series in Memphis.  You won a Game 7 in San Antonio.  And you won the Western Conference title in Phoenix.  Win this game in Miami on Sunday...and you have two shots at the title at home.

IF YOU ARE ME.....these Finals have been compelling as a whole, but the games as individually wrapped have been duds.  Aside from Game 3's comeback....there hasn't been great drama in this series.  Just storylines of Wade's "injuries", Shaq's free throws and Dallas' defense coming and going.  Games 2 and 4 have been major blowouts.  Dallas set an NBA Finals record for points in a quarter with 7.  This comes one week after Miami had just 12 in the final frame. 

We've also seen this before.  Last year's Finals were horrible in the first four games to.  In that Spurs-Pistons series, the margin of victory in the first four games were 15, 21, 17 and 31.  Yeah, the Pistons won Game 4 by 31 pts.  Then Game 5 was a masterpiece...with the road Spurs winning in overtime.  So, Dallas fans need not fret.  Maybe the extra day off will let the team forget all about their shortcomings and they can focus on winning that pivotal game.  Or maybe Miami's train is got too much steam.