Miami Heat vs. Dallas Mavericks – NBA Finals Game-5 Preview – Part 2
Jason Terry, whose poor performance in the last quarters was the main reason Dallas Mavericks trailed the series going into fourth game, was phenomenal this time, scoring eight of his 17 points in the fourth quarter. Terry’s performance
was complimented by free throws that put the Mavs ahead by three points with 6.7 seconds to go in the game.
Centre Tyson Chandler was a plus factor for Dallas in the win. The 28-year-old definitely needs applause for his 13 points and 16 rebounds -nine offensive boards- performance in the Dallas’ terrific comeback victory.
The Mavericks point guard Jason Kidd acknowledged the sizzling performance of Chandler and said, "We need Tyson to play the way he did." "He was big offensively, defensively, and also being able to be a playmaker.
DeShawn Stevenson came off Dallas’ bench early in the piece and simply set the court on fire. The 30-year-old gave the Mavs a big spark off the bench in the second quarter, scoring all of 11 points in that quarter, going 3-for-4
from 3-point range, and shooting 3-for-7 from the field. The bearded guard moved from starting shooting guard to backup small forward and recorded his first double-digit scoring effort of the playoffs.
The Mavericks were not very dependent on Dirk Nowitzki this time and every one played their role in the win, outscoring the Heat 21-9 over the last ten minutes of the final stanza to seal an incredible victory.
Coming back to game-5, the Heat are required to get the two-time MVP more aggressive on Thursday evening, who went scoreless and attempted only one field goal in the fourth quarter of game-4. Miami get the 26-year-old more involved,
using him as a primary pick-and-roll option early in the Thursday’s game to give him some confidence in his shots.
For the Mavericks, they must maintain their rhythm in order to get more of the same by spreading the ball around and trying to get many different players good looks. Additionally, they have to pay special attention to King James,
as he would be hungrier for success this time.
The Heat coach Erik Spoelstra showed his full confidence on LeBron James capability to give his best output in tough situations and said, “He will be more aggressive and have more of an attack mentality tomorrow night.” "He doesn't
need to over think it. He is a great player. He is a proven player. He knows how to be aggressive and how to pick his spots. I do not want him to necessarily over think it. The aggressive mentality will be enough. We will do some things to help him, put him
in positions to be aggressive."
Whatever happens, game 5 is going to be very crucial and will give a big advantage in the series to whoever wins it.
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