The clock was ticking down in Game 6, and Miami’s lead was melting. It appeared the Hornets might steal the honey, but Dwyane Wade had other plans. Now it’s back to South Beach for a Sunday matinee win-or-go-home matchup.
Game 5
Charlotte’s Kemba Walker had his worst game of the series, but Marvin Williams had his best contest and Courtney Lee came through in the clutch. Minus Wade, who went 11-of-19 for 25 points, the Heat scored 63 points on 23-for-62 shooting. More often than not, 88 points is not going to get the job done in the modern NBA. The post-game result was similar as well, with Wade whining that he was fouled by Cody Zeller on the Heat’s final chance to even the score.
Game 6
Based on the incessant complaining about the refs following both Game’s 4 and 5, I was not feeling very confident about Miami’s ability to escape the hive alive. Charlotte’s 18-11 start confirmed that the Heat would soon be heading south, but not for a Game 7. However, a 9-0 run following a timeout put Miami back on top—mostly for good. There were moments where it looked like Luol Deng and Dwyane Wade might blow the Hornets out. Kemba Walker wouldn’t allow Charlotte to go softly though, pouring in 37 points. Just as it happened in Game 5, Wade would take over for Miami down the stretch, but with different results. Having not made a 3-pointer since December, it was shocking to see Wade sink two treys in the last two minutes of Game 6, even more surprising than his dazzling turn-around fade-away to effectively clinch the contest.
The Good
Miami has Game 7 at home, and Wade has been wonderful lately. Luol Deng is making Chicago Bulls fans cry themselves to sleep. The rookies (Josh Richardson and Justice Winslow) have not been fazed by the big stage. Further, the Heat are more experienced overall.
The Bad
If Wade doesn’t make those outside shots, the Heat are already on vacation. After shooting the lights out in Game’s 1 and 2, this was the first time since then that they have even resembled a solid offensive ball-club. Marvin Williams won’t go 0-for-7 again in Game 7, and Josh Richardson’s shoulder could be an issue. By and large, Goran Dragic has not played well this series, with Walker stinging him time and time again. Meanwhile, Richardson’s size and strength makes him much more apt to handle Charlotte’s star guard, so his health is a huge concern for the Heat.
Looking Ahead
If Dwyane Wade is going to make 3-pointers, the Hornets are probably going to live with that. Supposing Miami can beat Charlotte from the perimeter, Steve Clifford and company are probably willing to lose in that fashion. As cliché as it is, it can’t be repeated enough: it’s a make or miss league. When two teams are as close in skill as the Heat and Hornets, it will come down to which team is feeling it more on a Sunday afternoon at American Airlines Arena. Charlotte already made its main adjustment by inserting Kaminsky into the starting lineup when Nicolas Batum went down, and Batum has remained in a reserve role since returning from injury. Charlotte isn’t going to stop packing the paint defensively because Wade made a couple deep shots for the first time since last year. Similarly, Erik Spoelstra has tinkered with his bench lineups, but Miami will continue trying to take advantage of individual mismatches on offense while playing small and trying to contain Walker. At this point, both squads have felt each other out, and there’s plenty of comfortability. As a result, don’t expect many Game 7 surprises. Then again, this series has been almost impossible to predict thus far.
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