Bosh Last-Second Shot Secures Game 3 Win For Heat

Photoshop by Payton Wales

DALLAS -- Dwyane Wade looked like a man possessed June 5, refusing to let the Dallas Mavericks defeat his Miami Heat. But it was Chris Bosh who became the Game 3 hero.

Bosh, who had 18 points on the night, seemed timid throughout the night, passing up wide-open shots on numerous occasions and drawing the criticism of many. But all of that came to an end with 39.6 seconds left in the game when Bosh hit a 17-footer to give the Heat the win, 88-86.

"This series is turning out to be an absolute series of endurance, mental and physical," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. "We didn't expect anything less than the competitive physicality of this game tonight. Our guys really competed. At times it was a little uneven, but we found ways to make plays on both ends of the court, to grind this game out in a very enduring win."

The Heat were up 81-74 with 6:32 left in the game and seemed poised to close it out. But Dallas, much like in Game 2, had other intentions, sparking a fourth-quarter rally behind Dirk Nowitzki's heroics. Nowitzki, who had 34 points and 11 rebounds on the night, put up 12 straight points in the fourth quarter, including one if his patented off-balance fadeaways.
 
The rally wouldn't be enough this time though as Wade just wouldn't let the Heat resign. Wade, who scored 7 points in the fourth quarter and 29 on the evening, relentlessly attacked the Mavericks defense, hitting big shot after big shot to keep Miami ahead every time the Mavericks threatened to take the lead.

Wade also had 11 rebounds on the night. When asked about the win, Wade said, "We felt this was a must-win, and we put it upon ourselves to get the home-court (advantage) back."

The final seconds saw Shawn Marion play lock-down defense on LeBron James, forcing a 24-second violation, leaving the Heat pounding their heads with frustration. Jason Terry then missed a jumper from the elbow, which opened the opportunity for Bosh to hit his game-winner.

"I don't know the number of times we climbed out of holes," Dallas coach Rick Carlisle said about the loss. "But it's just always going to make the game harder."

Dallas, who was without center Brendan Haywood, found it hard to aggressively protect the paint, worrying about foul trouble for most of the game while also stumbling on offense. While Nowitzki has been consistent, the rest of his starting five has not, struggling to produce points to help the 7-foot power forward.

Jason Kidd had 9 points in the loss and Marion only added 10 to close out the night. It goes without saying if the Mavericks are going to win Game 4, they will need to receive bigger contributions from their starters in what Nowitzki said is "basically a must-win situation."

The Game 3 victory bodes well for the Heat historically. Since the NBA Finals went to the 2-3-2 format in 1985, the winner of Game 3 in a tied series has won all 11 times.

The Heat will look to extend their lead against Dallas June 6 at the American Airlines Center.

Revenge, Superstition, and Atonment Are On The Line For The Mavericks

MIAMI -- There is a lot on the line starting tonight, and the Dallas Mavericks know it.

Dirk Nowitzki and Jason Terry are still feeling the sting from 2006. It was a title run with the Mavericks in the driver's seat, until the Miami Heat came back from a 2-0 deficit to win the title. But the true sting of it was the controversy that followed it. There were enough one-sided bad calls on behalf of the Heat to make even diehard anti-conspiracy theorists, such as Mike Wilbon and Tony Kornheiser, question the validity of the title.

Then add all the hopes and dreams of the basketball purist that ride on the shoulders of the Mavericks, a burden they inherited from the Chicago Bulls and their collapse against the Heat. Knowing the majority of America is in your corner is a great thing, but its also pressure -- a lot of pressure -- either to crack under or to motivate you.

Dallas seems ready for that pressure and so does Miami. Both have overcome pretty big teams to get to the championship and done it in grand fashion. Dallas finished off the Lakers in a four-game sweep, denying the champs a shot at a three-peat. The Heat made quick work of the Boston Celtics, winning the series in five games and denying them a shot at a second-straight Finals appearance.

Dallas seems to have the advantage on paper. They are two deep at every position and have been shooting lights out since the playoffs started. The Mavericks have also directed their focus on defense and managed to ratchet up the defensive intensity with every team they played. And, of course, let's not forget the German, quite possibly the most unguardable player in the NBA today. His numbers have been Hall of Fame-worthy in the 2011 playoffs.

Miami, on the other hand, has deficiencies on their bench. But what they lack in depth, they make up for with their stars: LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. It's a three-headed monster that at times can be absolutely devastating, accumulating massive amounts of points in quick periods of time. Miami is also sporting one of the best defenses in the league and has overcome all odds to make it to the Finals.

Regardless of the turnout of this series, one thing is for sure, you will be tuned in to witness, you will watch intently to see if LeBron can overcome all his haters, self-inflicted of course. You will watch to see if Dirk can solidify his legacy and his place among the all-time greats. You will watch just because you know, no matter the outcome, you will have witnessed something great.

Bulls Withstand Heat, Still Running Around in Miami's China Shop.

CHICAGO -- The rumors of the Bulls' demise may have been premature.

Going into Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals, many critics gave the Chicago Bulls little chance to win the series. Most said they would be swept or only win one game, if only by some type of luck. But the Bulls had other plans Sunday, serving notice to the Miami Heat with a 103-82 drubbing. The message in the notice was simple: You've won nothing and this will not be easy.

The Bulls dismantled the Heat in Game 1 behind 28 points from Derrick Rose and a superb defensive effort by Luol Deng on LeBron James. The win gives the Bulls a 1-0 series lead with Game 2 coming up May 18. The Bulls, who swept the Heat in the regular season, will look to maintain their home court advantage in the playoffs with a win Wednesday.

How will they do it? With the same formula as Game 1: attack the offensive glass, plenty of man-to-man switching and a gritty, hard-nosed defense that has been the staple of any defense Tom Thibodeau is part of. In Game 1, Johkim Noah and Carlos Boozer wreaked havoc in the paint on the offenisive glass, providing the Bulls with plenty of second-chance opportunities. The two also provided great help defensively, while also providing some much-needed scoring.

The Bulls "Bench Mob," as they like to be called, also provided a spark by extending the lead and playing lock-down defense. But the plays that may have blown the lid off the game were two monster dunks by Taj Gibson late in the game. The Bulls, behind the energy of Gibson's two-handed slam and put-back tomahawk, gained a momentum the Heat would never overcome to finish out the game.

Miami's Chris Bosh had 30 points in the game, but it was not indicative of the defense being played on him or the rest of his team. Bosh was the option Chicago wanted Miami to use, and use it they did. As much as they feed Bosh, he was only capable of carrying the Heat so far without the help of Miami's two true stars in James and Dwyane Wade.

It may only be one game and one win for the Bulls, but in the scheme of things, it's really four games for the entire season. Four games that displayed a defense Miami cannot elude. Four games where the idea of a true team won over the idea of three self-entitled superstars. Four games where we saw the defense we expected from the Boston Celtics in the playoffs come shining through in the form of the Chicago Bulls. It's four games where the insecurities and self-doubt the Heat displayed early in the season has a chance to surface again. This time when it matters most.

One game can make a difference. One game can create doubt. One game can remind players there were three others they couldn't win as well. In that case, one game can really be four.

And that's just how these Bulls like it.