Mini-Behind the Box Score, where we had a nail-biter in Miami
Boston
100, Miami 98; Boston leads series, 3-0
All of a sudden, I don't want this series to end.
And you better believe I feel like King Doof for giving this series the short shrift on Friday night, telling you to avert your eyes from the potential slugfest when possibly the best game of the playoffs came through instead.
I have an excuse - the first two games of this series were very difficult to watch - but I don't have a reason. This game teaches you something new every night, and thick-headed presumptuousness will get you ... well, it's gotten a lot of people a lot of money in this industry. Doesn't make it right. I screwed up.
Dwyane Wade(notes) screwed up by not mainlining more Gatorade and Potassium pills into his bloodstream before Game 3, and Michael Beasley(notes) screwed up quite a few defensive rotations, but other than that this was an expertly-played and paced contest. Paul Pierce(notes) won it on a hard dribble pull-up jumper from the right side, probably should have seen that coming, but that doesn't take away from a game full of fantastic runs.
Miami's 2-3 zone was effective in spurts, Udonis Haslem(notes) came in to make a real difference defensively as he has all season, and fellow pine mate Dorell Wright(notes) added a needed burst offensively. Wade was the guy, though.
He certainly didn't play like someone who would potentially be working in his second-to-last game in a Heat uniform. Though he took off a few possessions defensively, Wade was busting it on offense, and trying to exhort his teammates between plays. With, most notably, Mario Chalmers(notes), who is one of the few Heat players under contract beyond this season.
Perhaps I'm reading too much into that, as Mario does need a good tongue-lashing every so often regarding his decision-making; but you don't see Wade giving the same treatment to Jermaine O'Neal(notes), do you? It's when Wade starts calling the Phoenix bench from his living room to chide Amar'e Stoudemire(notes) for his close-outs, then you'll know.
34 points on 26 shots, eight assists, five turnovers, two steals, two blocks, and Dwyane had to sit out the final play of the game (after taking an ill-advised three-pointer that missed) with leg cramps.
Not that his presence would have mattered. Pierce was hitting that shot. He seems to always hit that shot.
32 points on the night for Paul. Pierce hit for nine quick points to end the third quarter and seemingly take the wind out of Miami's sails, and he looked like he had a bit more spring on his jumper. Relative to Paul Pierce, that is.
Ray Allen(notes) had 25 points, no turnovers, and five assists. And Kevin Garnett(notes) got good lift and was superb defensively. 16 points and six rebounds in 35 minutes for KG.
It was a terrific game, one that more than made up for the week's worth of ugly that we got from these two squads in Boston. Will it hold up in Game 4, as Boston looks to sweep? Hard to tell with these two lineups.
Thanks for this one, though.
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