After the Mavericks won Game 4, the series is now tied 2-2 going to Game 5 on Thursday. This marks the 27th time in the NBA is tied 2-2 after four games and second in a row that has happened - the Boston Celtics and the Lakers had tied the last two years.
What is the importance of Game 5? In the last 26 times the final was 2-2, the winner of Game 5 has gone on to win the series 19 times. However, the last time that happened was not too long. Last year, the Celtics won Game 5 at home before the Lakers won Games 6 and 7 in Los Angeles.
But last year was an aberration. You must go back to 1994 for the last time a winning Game 5 has lost the series when the New York Knicks won Game 5, but lost 6 and 7 games for the Houston Rockets.
Heat and the Mavericks have their own history of turning the game back to the fifth final of 2006, the series was tied 2-2 when Miami won Game 5 at home 101-100 in overtime and followed with a 95-92 victory in Game 6 in Dallas.
"We would like to get Game 5 here," Dirk Nowitzki said. "You do not want to try to 3-2 t Miami, knowing that we have two chances to close. Big game Thursday. "
Another game, another Mavs Comeback
Dallas coach Rick Carlisle said, reiterating that the Mavericks in Game 4 was a guarantee to stop playing against the Heat, if they are going to be successful in this series. However, once the Mavericks had to climb his way out of the hole on the fire line and over the closure report.
The Mavs do not play behind all night, as they did take the lead for most of the first quarter before the end of heat run ended with the score tied at 21 at the end of the period. The same pattern occurred in the second quarter as the Mavericks held the lead until the end minute with a run of 7-2 at 2:04 of the final.
The team changed its leadership in the entire third quarter - eight lead changes and six-speed - but again, the heat made the final push, closing the 8-1 race period.
Heat going to have to drive to fourth place scoring the first five points for the season to climb to nine, their biggest lead of the game. And when was the heat that ended the previous three quarters, was the Mavericks, who has done more to drive at night - the 21-9 run to end the game.
The return of nine points in the fourth quarter, Dallas' Amazing Race back post-season. Mavericks come back down to double figures four times this postseason, and two returns eight points Tuesday and nine points in return.
WHAT HAPPENED ALMOST
In the NBA finals history, has never been three games decided by two points or less. However, this final phase could not stop this. Game 4 was decided by three points, 86-83, after the last two games that were decided by two points each (Game 2: DAL 95, MIA 93 Game 3: MIA 88, DAL 86).
According to Elias Sports Bureau, the NBA playoffs on the history of the last time in three games in a row defined by two points or less, was the 2006 Eastern semifinals, when Cleveland beat Detroit 74-72 in Game 4 and Game 5 86-84, after beating Cleveland 84-82 Detroit, Game 6
How far is the 2011 final was? After the heat a Game 1 with a margin of eight points, the last three games of the series was decided by a total of seven points.
Dwyane Wade continues to surprise
Wade scored 22, 36, 29 and 32 in finals this year. Tonight was the fifth point 30 + games, he recorded in 2011 Playoffs. He also sent a pair of double-digit rebounding performances in the finals, and was active on the defensive side, including an impressive block on Tyson Chandler in the fourth quarter.
"My teammates and my team trusts me to be more dimensional," he said. "So obviously, I'm in an offensive rhythm. It is only one side of the ball. At the other end of the floor of my game is running around Jason Terry. I have to. If I'm off the ball treatment to be more active. Do you play. Sometimes the results, blocks or steals or rebounds.
"It is final. You just want to make sure that every night you leave the field, you feel like you left everything out there."
Wade and Dirk SHOW - The fourth quarter
Dwyane Wade and Dirk Nowitzki are both stellar quarter of this whole NBA. Here is a look at the quarter points for both players, comparing the total cost of the squad to face the fourth.
A new low for LeBron
For the first time in his career in the postseason (89 games), LeBron James was held to single digits in scoring with eight points on 3-of-11 shooting in the field.
"Definitely not played well in attack," said James. "I've got to do a better job of convincing the attack."
James has taken under his average goals throughout the final, but was able to help the Heat win games by other fees. - Especially on defense, where he said Dallas' second leading scorer Jason Terry to review the first three games of the finals, however, James regularly beaten in defense spending in Game 4 as well, which still puzzled by the performance of the two-time MVP League.
"I think the fact that loss occurred in a part of the anger about it," James said of his performance. "That's all I care. If I had eight points and won the game, could be satisfied. I really do not care. The fact that I could do more to help our offensive team is part of the anger about it , and me.
"I'll be back to Game 5 and do things that must be done to help the team win."
A great night of Chandler, Tyson
On a night that saw the starting power forward Mavericks (Dirk Nowitzki) playing with the flu and center Brendan Haywood book clearly not recovered from a hip flexor injury suffered in Game 3, Dallas considerable Tyson Chandler stepped line the front. "He finished the night with 13 points and 16 rebounds for his first double-double of the second third and final phase.
"We knew it would be a tough night because of the change program and the way Dirk felt we had to step," said Chandler. "And we had to do what it takes to win. I knew my guys had more shots tonight. So I tried to crash the boards and go into court and get some clear track."
Kidd is intelligent FOUL
Mavs starting point guard Jason Kidd was held without goal in Game 4 for only the second game without a goal of his playoff career (140 matches). However, Kidd is one of the biggest games of the night when he chased by Dwyane Wade for a short break and the mistakes that sent Wade to the line with 29.3 seconds to play.
Instead of watching Wade dunk the ball on the break and a draw, Kidd forced Wade to win the points in the free-throw line. Wade scored the first but the second line and was retaken by the Mavericks continue to cling to a one-point lead they would never abandon.
Someone said MJ?
At news conferences, drew Nowitzki's performance in Game 4 of the comparisons with Michael Jordan and the famous game against influenza in 1997 Finals vs. Utah. While most players and coaches - including Dirk - to laugh at the fact that the comparison was even made in the first game is a sign of great respect for Nowitzki, who wrote a wonderful chapter in the history of his career in this postseason run.
"I never thought MJ's performance," said Nowitzki. "I've been away, watching my forte."
Nowtizki: 21 points, 6-19 FG, 0-2 3PT, 9-10 FT, 11 REB, 1 AST, 0 STL
Jordan: 38 points, 13-27 FG, 2-5 3PT, 10-12 FT, 7 REB, 5 AST, 3 STL
"Wow. Jordanism? Really?" Jason Terry said. "Do not call me, but hitting that shot down the stretch was the key."
Mavs shake LineUp
Mavs coach Rick Carlisle has decided to make a change to his lineup for Game 4 of the inclusion of JJ Barea in the backcourt in place of DeShawn Stevenson. The reasoning behind the move, according to Carlisle was to reduce the minutes of Shawn Marion.
"He can not play 43 minutes," Carlisle said Marion. "We can not expect him to be in position to pick and James plenum and all sorts of things.
"Stevenson was very good," he said. "About changing the lineup, I explained that we needed someone who is willing to come and charge into battle or James Wade, who was in"
Why Marion has helped to curb and James Stevenson was his highest scoring output of the entire playoffs with 11 points, it seems Carlisle made a smart move.