The Heat are facing a 3-1 deficit in the Finals. Only one team has ever won in the Finals after trailing by that margin but Miami’s coaches and players are unfazed by the odds, Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald writes.
“Everybody is counting us out. We’re used to that,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. “But ultimately it has to be decided between those four lines. The crowd is not going to decide it. The narratives are not going to decide it. Whatever the analytics are about 3-1, that ain’t going to decide it. It’s going to be decided between those four lines, whose game can get to whose game and ultimately win at the end. That’s what our guys love. So we’re looking forward to it.”
Game 5 will be played in Denver on Monday night. If the Heat force a Game 6, it will be played on Thursday.
We have more on the Eastern Conference champs:
- Speaking of that one time a team rallied from a 3-1 Finals deficit, Kevin Love is well aware of how such a comeback could take place. He was a member of the 2016 Cavaliers that rallied to beat the Warriors in the last three games of the series, Chiang notes in the same story. Love sees similarities between those Cavs and these Heat. “I think there’s a lot to be taken from that situation,” Love said. “Naturally, when your back is up against the wall, you start to look for answers, solutions. But we’re a team that has been super resilient.”
- Caleb Martin, Gabe Vincent and Max Strus haven’t been able to impact the Finals the way they did the first three playoff series, Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel points out. The Heat know they’ll need more from their role players and perimeter shooters to beat Denver three straight times. “(The Nuggets) definitely made an adjustment to try to stay at home on three-point shooters,” Spoelstra said. “It’s not the first time we have faced that. I think that’s a great compliment to them and how important they are to our offense. We just have to do it better.”
- Tyler Herro is listed as out for Game 5, Winderman tweets. The 23-year-old sharpshooter still hasn’t received medical clearance to play in the remaining games, though he did undergo another contact workout on Sunday, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald reports. Herro hasn’t played since breaking his hand in the opening round of the playoffs.
“Caleb Martin, Gabe Vincent and Max Strus haven’t been able to impact the Finals the way they did in the conference playoffs, Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel points out.”
Yep, but against us, the Celtics, these three got & made their threes. That’s the awful defense which killed us this year. We need to learn to defend threes. Go Celtics!
Pretty sure Jimmy guaranteed this one so…
I always laugh at these types of interviews. What do you expect Spoelstra or one of his players to say. “Yep, we’re finished. I told the guys to go out there, have some fun and hit the golf course.” Sheesh. Almost as bad as the post game classic, “What were you thinking when you made that shot?”
Denver closes it out but I think Jimmy will keep it close.
I’m sure silver wants it 3-3 then Denver winning
Don’t want to see basketball end for the season yet, but it ends tonight.
The truth is Miami stopped rolling after game 3 against the C’s. They’re 2-6 in their last eight playoff games, and really if not for one great quarter in game 2 of this series, could have been swept in the Finals.
All three of Martin, Strus and Vincent shot 35.6% or below from 3 in the regular season, so it’s not like they’re consistent snipers from beyond the arc. The Heat rode a hot streak from them and Jimmy’s Will to win through the first 2+ rounds, but the clock looks like it’s hit midnight on them. Congrats on a great run Miami, but it’s over.