What more is there to say?
At times, you either have it, or you don’t!
When it comes to the NBA Finals, you have to bring it every night.
You have to be prepared physically, mentally, and emotionally.
For those who can hack it, congratulations because you have made it onto the hot list, but for those who “can’t take the Heat,” stay out of the AAA (American Airlines Arena).Preface: Dallas vs. Miami
In an NBA land far, far away, the Dallas Mavericks looked as if they were poised, prepared, and skilled enough to win the NBA Finals.
They took a 2-0 series lead against the Miami Heat, with relative ease. They looked to be in control of the series and ready to take it in four or five games.
But after coming back down to Earth, the Miami Heat have turned things around, leading to this edition of: Who’s Hot and Who’s Not.
Hot: Miami Heat
The Heat ripped the Dallas Mavericks to shreds, in the past week. Dallas rode into Miami with a 2-0 series lead, but Miami gave them a good shellacking. The Heat would have none of it, as they came out victorious in Games 3 and 5, which came down to the wire and smacked the Mavs around in a Game 4 blowout. The Heat are in full control of this series, but they cannot afford to fall asleep on this small cushion. A Game 6 loss could turn everything around, so the Heat need to be on their toes. I tip my hat to the veteran presence of Gary Payton, the defensive efforts of James Posey and Udonis Haslem, and the ever sensational Dwayne Wade.
Not: Dallas Mavericks
The Dallas Mavericks have all the symptoms of a team who has lost it all. They seemed to be cruising along in the series, until the series shifted back to South Beach. Here, the Mavs we outplayed in three straight games by a Miami Heat team who showed they wanted it more. Dallas not only lost control of the series, but they lost their tempers and their minds. All Dallas seems to be doing is complaining about the officiating and playing bad basketball. Avery Johnson doesn’t know how to stop Wade, and Dirk has still not found his way out of the Western Conference Finals and into this series. Things are looking bad for the Mavs, as they face an elimination game, tonight.
Hot: Dwayne Wade
Wade has gone off in the last three games, scoring 42, 36, and 43. He is averaging 40.3 points, 7.7 rebounds, 3.0 assists, and 2.0 steals per game in the last three games. He has turned it on when it counts, as he carried the Heat to fourth quarter victories in Games 3 and 5. More and more people are beginning to compare this young phenom to Michael Jordan, and Wade is well on his way to helping his team win their first ever NBA Title in team history.
Not: Dirk Nowitzki
Dirk has fallen off the map in this series. He has been frustrated by high-octane defense from Udonis Haslem and James Posey, and Dirk’s frustration is quite evident. He slammed the officials after Game 4, and he went on a physical assault against everything in his path, (a basketball, the wall, a workout bike, etc.) after Game 5. Dirk is averaging 22.0 points, 8.0 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 0 blocks, and .3 steals in the last three games. These are all well below season and career averages. This is not to mention that Dirk has been missing key free throws down the stretch, free throws that could have sealed Dallas wins in Games 2 and 5.
Hot: Gary Payton
Forget about everything else. Just include the last two minutes on Games 3 and 5. Payton has hit 3 big shots. The big shot in Game 3 was the game winner for the Heat, and Payton hit a huge three and a miraculous lay-up to help the Heat force overtime.
Not: Josh Howard
This man played well for the first 147 minutes of Games 3, 4, and 5, but he had a major mental breakdown in the last two minutes of Game 5. Not only did he miss two huge free throws, he also cost his team a chance to advance the ball, with 1.9 seconds left on the clock, by calling a foolish time-out. This isn’t the first time Howard has called a bad time-out. He did it four years ago, as a member of the Wake Forest Demon Deacons.
Hot: South Beach
The story is always about South Beach. Ever since the series has shifted back home, the Heat have been in the driver’s seat. You have to credit the Heat’s wily veteran leadership, and their reluctance to give up. Mixed in with the Heat’s play, you have to give credit to the Heat’s “White Hot” fans, who didn’t give up on their team. The electric atmosphere in the AAA has stymied the Dallas attack and suppressed any Dallas victories. Mix this with the celebrity fan base (P. Diddy, Paris Hilton, Jamie Foxx, Anna Kournikova, Jay Z and Beyonce, Tim Hardaway, Edgerinn James, etc.) that the Heat is drawing, and South Beach is definitely the place to be.
Not: Avery Johnson
He still has not figured out how to guard Dwayne Wade. He needs to figure it out really quickly, or this series is as good as done. This is the only knock on Avery, from a coaching standpoint, but this knock is the reason the Mavs have dropped three straight. Also, Avery needs to sit down and close his mouth. I love the guy and his fiery ways, but he has complained about something or the other after every single loss. Face it Avery, it was your team that lost the game, not the officials or anything else you could possibly blame it on.
Honorable Mention: Jason Terry
This guy is one of the sole reasons the Mavs were in Game 5 and why they won Game 1. He deserves his credit, but as long as the Mavs keep falling, he will get none of it.
Dallas needs to do something, and they need to do it quick. The series has spiraled out of control for the Mavs, and they are about to be knocked out if they can’t figure out how to stop Wade and fight past the defense of Haslem and Posey.
As for Miami, just play with this confidence and intensity and all will be fine. The Heat are in control, but they can’t sleep on it, or the Mavs will make them pay. Just keep handing Wade the rock, continue to defend Dirk hard, and find a way to lock down Jason Terry.