The time has finally come for LeBron, Wade and Bosh to prove themselves. Now, it’s either put up, or shut up and frankly, they only have one option. So far, Wade and LeBron have shown that they refuse to accept failure. However Dirk and the Mavs are on their last legs, and the time is now for them as well. This series is ultimately going to come down to who wants it more. Miami was able to defend home court in Game 1. Now, they’re going into Game 2 hoping to do the same.
Here are there keys to a Game 2 victory for the Heat.
Key #1: Wade & Bosh have to get going early
In Game 1, Miami did a great job of sharing the rock. Bosh, Wade and LeBron each got close to 20 attempts at the basket. If LeBron can control the tempo early on and really get Wade & Bosh going before the second half, Dallas will be left with a major dilemma. When Wade gets going, Miami is at their best because it’ll makes things so much easier for LeBron in the second half. When he gets off to a slow start, Miami’s offense becomes stagnant and they choose to stand around and watch LeBron pound the leather off of the ball, making them a lot easier to guard. When Wade is on, Miami is unguardable.
Chris Bosh has to pick his spots wisely to make his contribution. LeBron can always get him that mid-range pull-up he loves out of the pick-and-roll, but when he isn’t hitting that he tends to become a lot less aggressive. If he can sink a few of those early on, Dallas defenders will end up jumping at every pump fake. That’s when he can put the ball on the floor, get to the line and leave his mark on the game (he shot 9-for-12 FT’s in Game 1). If LeBron can get both Wade and Bosh going in the first half, the 3rd quarter will be a breeze for Miami. They’ll cruise into the 4th with close to a 10-point lead and close it out on defense from there.
Key #2: Defensive rotation
It’s no secret that Miami’s biggest strength is their defensive ability. In the press conference after Game 1, Wade explained that 90+ points is actually a lot for their team this postseason. If Dallas comes out firing on all cylinders (which is a likely possibility), Miami has to play a flawless offensive game to match their buckets, and that’s not easy to do with just three offensive threats and no real bench contribution. When this Dallas team is making 3s, they could possibly have close to 90 points by the end of the 3rd quarter. The key for Miami is keeping up their great rotation and closeouts on the defensive end & it starts with the defense on Dirk. When Haslem is in the game, Miami usually chooses to front Dirk in the post, and bring a second defender underneath in order to force Dirk to kick it back out to the perimeter. After the kick out, it’s all about rotating and closing out on the shooters. Terry only needs a split second to get up a three. Stojakovic & Marion are both deadly from outside & Kidd is a master at making the extra pass, not to mention he’s on J.A Adande’s “non-shooters who can shoot” list. If Miami gets lazy on rotations, it’s going to be open three after open three for Dallas, and that’s exactly what they can’t afford to give up.
Key #3: Closing out the 4th quarter
In the 4th quarter, Miami has to maintain defensive intensity, along with stringing together quality possessions at the same time. So far this postseason they’ve done a great job of doing that. If they can continue rotating and recovering out of the fronting strategy, and Bosh and Anthony continue to hold their own in one-on-one situations with Dirk during crunch time, winning Game 2 won’t be a problem for Miami. LeBron has been so consistent with closing specialties as of late, and Wade has a way of coming alive just in the nick of time to assist him (even if he isn’t having his best game). If they continue to refuse to let each other down, LeBron and Wade won’t be beat in the fourth. The stage is as big as it’s going to get. If Miami can check off all of the above during the 4th quarter of Game 2, they’ll be heading to Dallas up 2-0.
What do you think? Will the Heat win Game 2 tonight?
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