Game 7 Heat

[Dogdeacon]

Other than the first quarter that game was a letdown. Really seemed like Miami was using its on-off button and finally switched it to on. I'd say that's partially because Wade and Bosh are hurt and they knew they could play with reckless abandon for only one game. IF that's the case look for it to be confirmed with subpar games from both of them on Thursday.

But beyond that Miami generally played with much more energy and urgency on defense. AND aggressively took the ball at Indiana. Not sure why that wasn't the strategy from the get-go as the Pacers only had 5 guys so ANY foul trouble for their starters spelled doom. As much as Bosh's offense sucked I think he drew at least one foul on Hibbert and that made his multiple ill-fated drives worthwhile.

LeBron's great offense and shut-down of George was a true game 7 masterpiece, kind of gets lost due to multiple areas the Heat beat up the Pacers. Also not sure why Spoelstra saved this trump card for Game 7 if it could have worked earlier in series.

So now I think the finals comes down to can Wade & Bosh put forth extraordinary efforts or will they be too banged up (Wade) or beaten down by more physical players (Bosh)? Hopefully it'll be a good series because LeBron being in it almost guarantees 6 games, but there is a real chance that San Antonio does exactly what Indiana did and with 7 contributing players they are too much for Miami to handle. Lastly Spoelstra needs to step up his game and make his best moves/adjustments whenever he can because if Vogel can out-coach him Pop may take him to the woodshed.

 

[Gurleyman]

I was happy to see Ray do his part. His play in the 2Q was what gave Miami its separation. Only took one shot in the second half, so his final numbers looked pedestrian, but he took the lead from 0 to 10 and it was never really a game after that. If nothing else, if Miami wins a title, nobody can say he was just along for the ride.

And he defended Paul George well again. Did not see that coming as a key factor in the series.

 

[tentoes4rings]

I think you're spot on about Ray's immense contribution last night. Knowledgeable fans and media recognized it too I'm sure. For someone who was always considered a subpar defender, Ray has certainly stepped up his defense lately. I'm not sure why he ever was a poor defender though, given his athleticism and strong work ethic. Similar to rebounding, I've always felt like defense comes down to will and desire. As long as the requisite athleticism needed for the NBA is there, a guy who is committed to D should be a good defender.

As he did all year with three point shooting, Ray has been working with Lebron on his free throw shooting. Lebron recognized at 75% he plenty of room for improvement. His contributions on the court aside, Ray has been extremely valuable to this team with through his mentoring of Lebron and the rest of the team. He's like a Johnny Gomes who can actually play.