Chapter 748: A Difficult Dilemma
The current score was 66 to 55, with the Knicks leading by 11 points.
In the blink of an eye, the point difference had stretched beyond 10.
Heat offensive possession.
James dribbled and organized the play.
After last season's defeat, Wade had made a sacrifice, handing the primary ball handling duties to James.
James became the team's main offensive initiator. In half court sets, he was the 1st option to handle the ball, while Wade's role became more of a slasher. He played off the ball most of the time and only took over as the handler when the team struggled to score.
Battier guarded James 1 on 1 at the top of the arc.
Haslem came up to set a screen.
On this possession, James uncharacteristically did not call for the screen.
He started his drive before Haslem could even get set.
James's weight gain over the past 2 years was very noticeable.
His frame had expanded significantly, and so had his strength.
However, gaining weight also had a downside.
His 1st step was clearly not as fast as it had been during his 1st Cavaliers era. More often now, he relied on power to force his way through.
James's drive attracted the Knicks defense and made it collapse.
This was exactly what James loved to see.
His court vision and passing ability were among the best in NBA history.
James immediately passed the ball to the corner.
Channing Frye hit the corner 3 pointer.
66 to 58.
The Heat were currently playing a small lineup, with Haslem and Channing Frye as the 2 interior players.
Pau Gasol was temporarily resting on the bench.
"James is playing with such composure and clarity," Kenny Smith said. "His timing on when to shoot and when to pass has been excellent."
"The Heat's 3 point shooting has been terrific today," Barkley said. "Channing Frye has made 3, Chalmers has made 2, Mike Miller has made 2, and James has made 1. They have already hit 8 3 pointers just past halftime. Last season, they averaged only 7.3 makes per game."
Kenny Smith nodded.
"Channing Frye was a very valuable pickup. He not only helps James and Wade create driving space, he also lifts Miami's overall 3 point percentage. His defense is a little lacking, though. If that improved, he would be perfect."
Barkley laughed.
"If his defense improved, he would not be available at that price."
Chen Yan dribbled past half court, and the Heat immediately double teamed him beyond the 3 point line.
Chen Yan passed the ball to Beverley.
Beverley took an open mid range shot.
Missed.
DeAndre Jordan and Haslem both went for the rebound, and James also rushed in from behind.
The Heat were being suppressed, and on their home court no less.
James and Wade were both losing face.
Because of that, their actions on both offense and defense were very aggressive.
DeAndre Jordan grabbed the offensive rebound, but he could not secure the ball and lost it.
The moment he lost the ball, DeAndre Jordan also became angry.
He glanced back at the referee.
DeAndre Jordan believed the Heat had fouled him on that play, and by 2 players at that, but the referee made no call.
This was Miami's home court.
Ambiguous contact like that would not be whistled.
James drove directly after pushing the ball past half court.
After drawing the defense, he passed to the corner.
It was the same situation as the previous possession.
However, this time David West defended very promptly and put pressure on Channing Frye.
The 3 pointer bricked.
Chen Yan took 2 steps back and grabbed the rebound.
After securing the rebound, Chen Yan did not rapidly push the ball up the court.
He noticed that Miami's transition defense was very quick. All 5 Heat players had returned to their defensive half almost immediately.
At this point, forcing the pace would be meaningless and would only waste energy.
Sometimes, reading the game did not only help a player score and defend. It also helped conserve stamina.
After Chen Yan crossed half court, David West established position and called for the ball.
Chen Yan lobbed it into the paint.
David West received the ball and initiated his post game.
He was being guarded by Haslem.
Although Haslem was shorter, his lower body was very stable, and he was incredibly strong.
David West could not back his way into the restricted area, so he immediately spun out and passed the ball back to Chen Yan.
Chen Yan received it and immediately moved it horizontally to Beverley at the top of the arc.
The Heat were playing a 2 3 zone defense, with James on the perimeter.
James's ability to read the game was also top class.
He anticipated Chen Yan's pass and went for a risky steal.
However, while he had anticipated the pass, he had underestimated the speed of the ball.
James came up empty.
Beverley was very cunning.
Seeing the situation, he immediately drove to the basket with the ball.
Beverley went at full speed.
He started his move, preparing for a layup.
Both Heat big men were out of the paint.
But Wade recovered to block.
Wade timed his steps perfectly and jumped to challenge the shot.
Wade's shot blocking ability was unique among guards.
Beverley never expected that this shot would actually be blocked.
Beverley's body was fully in motion, and he collided with Wade in midair, knocking him down.
Wade also played dirty, landing directly on top of Beverley.
DeAndre Jordan, who was closest to them, immediately rushed over and shoved Wade.
"Hey, hey," Kenny Smith shouted. "We have a conflict."
"Here it comes," Barkley said, his tone carrying a hint of excitement.
DeAndre Jordan had already been unhappy with the referee's calls and the Heat's actions on the previous possession.
On this possession, he let all his frustration out.
He shoved Wade so hard that Wade could not get up.
Wade's strength was good for a perimeter player, but it was no match for the big men in the paint.
The referee immediately rushed over to prevent the conflict from escalating further.
The referee rushed too fast, could not stop himself, and accidentally shoved Wade as well.
Wade looked confused, as if wondering who he had offended.
The conflict did not escalate further.
The players on both sides remained relatively calm.
"That will definitely be a technical foul," Kenny Smith said.
Barkley said, "You can tell DeAndre was holding in a lot of anger. That had been building for a while. Once he found an opening, it came out immediately."
Kenny Smith nodded.
"DeAndre is loyal. He saw his teammate being pinned down and immediately rushed over. Wade went a bit too far there. After the block, pressing down on Beverley changed the nature of the situation."
Kenny's personal bias was clear.
He was plainly leaning toward the Knicks.
Barkley added, "Chen Yan also rushed over, but he went there to pull his teammates apart. That is the calmness you expect from a leader."
Kenny Smith smiled.
"Chen Yan said recently that he does not like fighting. He only likes resolving fights."
After Kenny finished speaking, both of them laughed heartily.
After reviewing the replay, the referee assessed a technical foul on DeAndre Jordan.
Wade shot the free throw.
He calmly made it.
66 to 59.
Heat offense.
James stood at the top of the arc, orchestrating the play.
Wade used Haslem's screen to move off the ball and get open.
He shot the moment he received the pass.
Swish.
66 to 61.
The Heat were pushing hard.
They wanted to tie the score before the end of the 3rd quarter.
Basketball was a game of momentum, and at this moment, the momentum was with the Heat.
They capitalized on their advantage and scored continuously.
James and Wade connected repeatedly.
With 1 minute and 45 seconds left in the 3rd quarter, the Heat took the lead amid the cheers of their home fans.
2 possessions later, Chen Yan sank a stepback 3 pointer and reclaimed the lead.
In the following possessions, both teams played with extremely high intensity, and no further points were scored in the remaining time.
At the end of the 3rd quarter, both teams were tied at 93.
At the start of the 4th quarter, the Knicks immediately brought in their full starting lineup.
The Heat did the same.
Both coaches were clearly thinking the same thing.
They were moving the decisive battle forward.
.....
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