Atlanta Hawks edge past the Miami Heat 93-89 in O.T – (Part 2)
With Chris Bosh on the bench, Joel Anthony started in his place as a power forward. However, the 18.6 points per game, which the Miami Heat are used to getting at that position were restricted to zero on the night. Anthony was unable to attempt a field goal
in his 43 minute stint on the court. However, he did manage to notch up a career-high 16 rebounds, holding onto something to show for.
Both teams combined to shoot 66-of-172 off the field and 14-of-61 from beyond the arc.
It was just that kind of a night at the American Airlines Arena.
First Quarter
The Atlanta Hawks made a solid start to the match as Joe Johnson sparked them to an early 7-4 lead. However, Miami got off to a sluggish start, as they failed to find their mark right from the start. LeBron James and Dwyane Wade were struggling big time
to find their shooting touch, courtesy some missed practice sessions. To add to Miami’s frustration, nobody managed to step up when the duo was misfiring.
Atlanta took full advantage of Miami’s shooting woes, as they reeled off a 10-0 run in the last five minutes of the quarter, and nearly managed to hold the Heat to single digits in the opening quarter. However, Mario Chalmers' buzzer-beating three-pointer,
saved Miami from that disgrace.
Atlanta led 19-11 after the culmination of the first twelve minutes, with James stuck at 1 for 8 from the floor and Miami combining for a paltry 21 percent, and missing all five from long-range.
Second Quarter
Atlanta continued to open the Miami defence all ends up in the second period of play. An odd Wade jumper and four free-throws was the only scoring the Heat managed in the first six minutes of the second frame, as Mike Bibby’s three point shot boosted the
Hawks to a 30-17 advantage, with six and a half minutes left until the break.
However, the Miami offence finally woke up from their slumber with a LeBron James hook shot in the seventh minute. Wade followed with two shots from the free-throw line, as Miami rattled off a belligerent 18-0 run, which saw them surpassing the Hawks on
the stroke of the second-last minute with an Eddie House triple pointer.
James finally capped the run, slipping two from the charity stripe, as the teams headed into the locker-room with Miami leading 35-34. Wade and James both finished the half with 11 points, while Johnson carried the Hawks with nine points.
Third Quarter
After a horrid final eight minutes of the first half in which the visitors netted only three shots from the field, Atlanta started the second stanza on a more positive note. A 7-0 spurt ensured that they nullified Miami’s advantage early.
However, the Hawks surge was quickly nipped by the gutsy Wade. When things did not go his way from the field, the dazzling guard made sure that he kept the game flowing from the free-throw line.
Wade dodged the Hawks with one fake jumper after another and earned three opposition fouls in the first five minutes. He made good on all of them and added a jumper to go along, as he sparked the Heat to a 45-41 lead with six and a half minutes left in the
frame.
The Hawks responded immediately with a 5-0 run as the match headed into a deadlock. Atlanta though managed to break free with an 8-0 run in the final two minutes, as they headed into the final quarter leading by 58-55.
Continued in Part 3
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