ECF Game 3 vs Heat

Great game, kind of nerve wracking at end getting lead down to 6-7 points or so. Jaylen with a great game both ends, but the guy who really impressed me was Gordon Hayward. The stats might show an average game, but he was huge in the way the offense moved and his defense was excellent too. The times he touches it, means Kemba and Tatum don’t have to touch it as much, and those guys have been turnover machines at the worst moments. Thank God Kemba seems to be hitting his shots again, he still makes ill advised drives and he was only given 4 TO’s, but I thought it was more. Him handling the ball sloppily too much were keys to losing the first 2 games and Tatum’s shot selection has been terrible many times.

But in this game we looked more like ourselves, had some really good defense, staying on their perimeter shooters much better, no 3rd quarter collapse. We have more talent, they play together with better teamwork, saw a lot better ball movement and a lot of offense keyed by our defense. In building the lead in 3rd 2 J’s were dominant both ends, keying some great fastbreaks off steals. Gordon so huge with timely passes and shots that were huge. Kemba playing better, but still too many turnovers for me, we need GH so bad so Kemba doesn’t have to do too much. Better game from Tatum, he didn’t try to take over game with bad shot selection. Part of being a great player is not do too much and to trust your teammates, he has to get it, as he finished game 1 with 0-7 on some terrible contested shots. Please continue getting Jaylen more shots, when he’s on his game, we seem to always win.

Starting with the Toronto series we had lost 9 third quarters in a row...until last night. Gordon is such a good influence, for all the reasons Cowens just stated plus. Let's win the next one Wednesday. Gordon will have 4 more days to get his stamina and his shot back to normal. I actually think we can sweep Miami now.

I noticed also that Kemba wasn't always bringing the ball up the floor after every MIA made basket.  That seemed to help us and confuse MIA at the same time as they wouldn't go to the quick high double on Kemba early in the shot clock and mess up our flow.  Kemba (and Hayward) were much quicker to their spots and were hitting with regularity.  

It would be nice if G4 was yet again another route that we could hold the lead for 4 quarters.  This G4 is actually more precarious that G3 it seems.  If we blow this game, the series is just as well over as was if we had lost G3.  We have to show we've crossed over the 38th Parallel and have blown those rice eaters back to the Great Wall of China! (OK, easy movie for you!)  Nothing has changed for MIA so far in these playoffs.  Even with this loss, it's still business as usual for them.  We're fighting for our lives.  Much rather have it our way.  We're learning FAR, FAR MORE about ourselves than the happy-go-lucky Heat.  MIA going to hear another knock on the door thinking it's the guys bringing the kegs and the hookers but when the door flies open it will be a black-hooded morbid individual with a sickle.

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