Miami Heat Go Cold, Show Lack of Discipline in Collapse Against Dallas Mavericks

It's difficult to discern exactly where everything went wrong for the Miami Heat in their pivotal Game 2 against the Dallas Mavericks.

In truth, a lot had to go awry.  The list of errors reads like a to-do list for basketball amateurs following a scrimmage:

1. When you have a huge lead, bleed the clock. 
2. Continue to move the ball, and do not become generic.
3. Put your most athletic player or best defender on the opponent's greatest offensive weapon at the game's most critical juncture.
4. Act like you've been there before (this, in fact, may be that exact thing that went wrong!)
5. Don't let the best player from the other team score his squad's final seven points.

The list goes on and on, and there are more items to discuss.  The debate rages about whether or not Dirk Nowitzki should have been fouled on the game's final play, but there are two critical things to remember. 

First, to foul in the act of shooting is nearly a forfeit, as the odds of Dirk missing two free throws is much lower than missing a contested shot late in the fourth quarter.  Also, the fact that the focus is on the final shot after the Heat had blown such a large lead illustrates the idiocy of our modern sports culture:  not focusing on the real issue.

Make no mistake, the Heat should have had a better matchup to guard their most dangerous opponent, and if hindsight is time's expert witness, perhaps a foul should have been taken before the superstar made his trip toward the rim.

But, this comedy of errors should have never happened, and the Heat's epic collapse provides that this is now a series.  A 2-0 series lead would have left Miami needing to win a lone game in Dallas to come back home with a 3-2 advantage.  Now, they need that win in Dallas just to stay alive. 

Most objective fans will guarantee Miami to win at least one game on the road, and they're most likely right.  Nevertheless, if you believe the possibility of a short series culminating in Dallas' first NBA championship isn't real, you are naive. 

Just ask the Thunder if they expected a long series when they led by 15 late in Game 4.

You bet they did.

With the urgency of the upcoming road trip suddenly heightened, the Heat would be wise to have amnesia and continue to play with confidence, but not before they take a look back at their spectacular choke job for some moral lessons.

Lesson No. 1 (just like Rule No. 1):  Bleed the clock. 

Running the clock down to five seconds on each possession and assuming that Dallas shoots within 10 seconds on each of their trips (a worst-case scenario) translates to a dozen possessions for each team in the last six minutes.  Ending with 93 points, the Mavericks had to score over 20 to win the game in regulation.  If you limit the possessions and continue to play offense, you eliminate their chance to come back.  

Lesson No. 2:  Assume nothing. 

After Wade's three-pointer with 7:16 remaining put the Heat up 88-73, the testosterone flowed like postgame champagne in the Miami locker room.  The problem was that the Heat were on the court and the game was not over. 

Lesson No. 3:  Play harder. 

It was obvious to an honest man's eye that the Heat packed it in, and they lost.

Heeding these lessons should assure Miami the victory they need in Texas to come back home in this series.  Yet, there is one more all-important lesson that they must demonstrate:  keeping their egos in check.

If I had to choose a point in the game that opened up the floodgates, it would be right after the Heat had taken an 88-73 lead.  Dallas was held scoreless on their next possession, and electricity pulsed through the crowd.  The clock bled down to 6:30, and Dwayne Wade advanced the ball past halfcourt. 

With an opportunity to take the game inside of six minutes, Wade evaded a defender and took an immediate three-point attempt.  The intention was plain:  blow the game wide open (which it already was) and send a message. 

Surely, nobody can blame Wade given his stellar performance.  Yet, Dallas had not yet scored a single point in their comeback at that point.  In other words, at the time, there was no comeback.

Make no mistake:  Seeing Wade's hurried shot bounce off of the rim kept a few viewers from getting a head start on a good night's sleep.  Mavericks players surely noticed the unnecessary risk, and that inner voice said, "If they're going to give us a shot, we had ought as well take it!"

Smart ball had given way to showing off, and the opportunity was there for the Mavs to achieve the miraculous.  They'd already done it in this postseason. 

Instead of pounding any messages home, pounding any chests, or pounding seconds off of the game clock, the Heat were left pounding their heads.  Their vanilla offense in the final minutes sent a clear message:  They thought it was over. 

Most fans will underplay Wade's quick attempt, but every second proved vital as Nowitzki's game-winner came with 5.3 seconds remaining.

Lesson 4:  Act like you've been there before.

Lesson 5:  Take nothing for granted.

Source: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/723022-miami-heat-go-cold-show-lack-of-discipline-in-collapse-against-dallas-mavericks

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