One year after that game 6 against San Antonio, and two championships after the first
critics had called for the big 3 to be blown up, the big 3 would blow themselves up. Very few leave the stage too early.
Perhaps they left at just the right time. My greatest fear for the Heat
is not that they would dissolve. Or that they would fail to keep up their
winning ways. It’s that in growing old together, they would replace the happy
memories with sadder ones. With images of a team who just couldn’t defeat the
undefeated force that calls itself father time. That our lasting image would be
of that.
Not that another phase of the Miami heat wouldn’t have been a
fascinating one. It would have. And it probably would have found a way to
maintain success. But it could never have quite maintained
what it once was. Even by the fourth year, the intrigue, as seen by the level of interest in the regular
season, had started to die down. We had become accustomed to the extraordinary,
and fading athleticism meant fast break dunks had been replaced with cunning
layups. Selfish flashes of power replaced by exquisite team ball. It was an essential
part of the team’s evolution, but it had started to feel less distinctly
“Heatles”. Though it hurts, perhaps it’s best that the team ended when it did. Not
on happy terms, but on terms of understanding. Of preservation of lifelong
bonds. Leaving those 4 years as something pure. Something unquestionable from start to
finish. A 4 year rollercoaster that never stopped until it decided it would, on
its own terms. A ride we hope the players can get together and reminiscent
about fondly. Of bonds forged in fire. Of a unique experience that only those
few men can know. We hope they do as we know we will.
No ending is without sadness. It forces us to accept the
reality that those moments we hoped we could live in forever have passed, been
forged into memories. But it’s the reality of life, and it’s one to be faced
regardless of how the inevitable end is reached. If THOSE memories are the parting gifts that we receive, then how grateful and privileged we must feel.
Teams dream of getting within sniffing distance of the NBA
summit. The Heat lived there for four years, and dined.
#1 - 2013 NBA Finals Game 6 - San Antonio Spurs (H)
San Antonio Spurs 100, Miami Heat 103
A lot has been written about this game. It’s got the
recognition it deserves. It was probably the best game of basketball many of us
will ever see. For Heat fans, it definitely was. For a neutral, it was two
teams playing basketball at the highest level, with a whole host of incredible
events occurring. A team lost a championship after being 28 seconds and 99%
odds away from winning it. Ray Allen hit the best shot of all time. About a million other
ridiculous things happened before and after. For Heat fans, the nerves made a
lot of it too hard to fully enjoy. I find my personal feelings and memories
about the game more difficult to recall than game 6 in Boston. The game was so
surreal it felt like a bit of a whirlwind. I remember feeling absolutely
depressed when the Heats trailed and looked discombobulated in the 3rd
quarter. I remember not knowing quite what was happening when LeBron started
leading them back, sans headband. I remember Ray Allen’s 3 being the most
excited I’ve ever been watching sports. I remember Kawhi Leonard taking away
all the euphoria in an instant in overtime, replacing it with intense dread. I
remember not really knowing what to feel when it was all said and done. I was
ecstatic, drained, shaken. All I had done was sit on a couch for a few hours.
I think the quality of the game can best be laid out by
going through just how many crazy things actually happened in that game, many of which are forogtten. It
might have been the best game of all time even without the Ray Allen shot.
For starters, the Heat were one game away from
losing the finals. Despite being reigning champions, it felt like this game
still meant everything for the legacy of the big 3 experiment.
The quality of the basketball, as always in this
series, was incredible
The atmosphere in the building was weird. You
could feel the nerves, the desperation for things to go well, the hesitation to
cheer too much, too soon, the intense fear about the Spurs, the ever lingering
possibility that you were watching your team lose the championship in front of
you, on home court. They gave ever play this gripping intensity watching it. Every
heat jumpshot feeling like it carried the weight of the world.
As the spurs looked like they were pulling away
in the 3rd, that feeling intensified. Then things started to get
really weird.
Duncan somehow turned back the clock and went
for 25 (TWENTY - FIVE!!) in the first half. This was meant to be the Tim Duncan
game.
Leonard playing like a superstar well beyond his
years
Wade and Leonard trading huge facial slams in
the 1st quarter.
Leonard’s jam on miller deserves its own,
separate mention.
Leonard stealing the ball of james and getting
the and one in the 3rd, the edginess of the crowd seeping through
the tv
Duncan getting an and one to push the lead to
13, and the Heat fans starting to lose hope, not for the first time in the game
LeBron starting to rally the heat in the 4th,
with a really weird, not quite in control game. The pressure of the occasion
was clearly getting to him, but it was mixed in with his incredible talent and
drive to win. He would drive by defenders with ferocious power, but then get to
the rim with so much nervous energy he would almost bobble the simple layup. Still,
for a period to start the 4th he was huge.
Miller hitting a big big 3… SANS SHOE (Just a lovely little detail to
be forgotten that sums up how crazy this game was)
In the middle of LeBron’s run, he connected on a
dunk and his headband was knocked off. It feels silly typing it, but the fact
he elected to play on without it felt anything but insignificant. It was like
the LeBron face in game 6 in Boston. It was the little token that signified
what this game represented - LeBron not having the power to guarantee victory,
but only to leave everything out there on the court. It looked like he would
fail. And without his headband, the game felt extremely weird. It heightened
everyone’s awareness to the fact that they were watching something different.
Something you couldn’t turn your eyes away from for a second.
LeBron’s block on Duncan, then hitting a banker
over him at the other end. The crowd breaking into seven nation army, wildly
cheering on the headbandless LeBron. It looked like they would do it.
For LeBron’s late game heroics, will seemed to
be the bigger factor than composure.
Surely the crowd would will them home? Allen
hits a reverse layup. But the kid Leonard comes down the other end and
continues to score and keep the spurs in it.
In the forgotten aspect of the game, the heat
had the lead by 3 with only 1.30 to go. They had successfully wrestled back the
ascendancy. It was the spurs who would have to come up with the plays to claim
their victory before the Heat famously did. And it was Parker’s crushing 3 over
the outstretched hands of LeBron which brough all of the Heat’s momentum
crushing to a halt.
Seemingly stunned by the rapid change in the
outlook of the game, LeBron staggered and hopped and threw up a hopeless pass
that was stolen, and then a hapless shot next possession, as Parker spun his
way into the lane and hit the jumper over Chalmers. Everything had fallen apart
so suddenly for the Heat. LeBron had been made to look totally lost. LeBron’s
heroics up to that point looked to be erased by the images of him hopeless
failing to keep the Heat in it late.
The spurs led by 5 with 28 seconds to. Missed
free throws from Leonard and Ginobili gave the Heat life.
Fittingly, given the wild swings and up and down
nature of the game and the individual performances, LeBron would throw up an
ugly brick off the backboard, only for it to be rescued by a Dwyane Wade tip to
Mike Miller, who threw it back to LeBron. Perhaps aided by the hectic nature of
the sequence and lack of time to think, LeBron connected on the most difficult
to appreciate great play he would ever make. On the final Heat play of
regulation, LeBron would again miss badly on a three, only for Bosh to grab the
crucial rebound in a sea of traffic, unload it to a backtracking Ray Allen, and
watch him rise, feet perfectly planted between the 3 point lines and the yellow
rope which signified the Spurs incoming championship victory, and splash in the
shot which would be replayed a million times. LeBron would defend Parker
admirably on the final play, and ensure the game was going to OT.
Leonard would hit on two hooks and take the
crowd from the most intense of ecstasies to the bitterest of despairs in an
instant. Nobody quite remembers what happened in that Overtime for the Heat to
win it, but I can tell you that apparently Bosh hit an and one, Allen connected
on a layup and LeBron hit a fader in the lane off a Wade drive and dish to
score the final points of the game with 1 minute and 44 seconds to go.
The heat would make a number of big defensive
plays to seal it. A bosh block. A LeBron steal. And then another block by Bosh
to seal it.
The finale to the game was a fitting reflection
of the craziness of the whole affair. LeBron and Miller playing without
headbands and shoes. LeBron connecting on huge, clutch shots, but then losing
the ball out of bounds on fast break layups. It was never quite one team rising
to the occasion, never quite one team choking from it. When Leonard missed that
crucial free throw, he would come right out in overtime and grab his team the
lead. Both of the Heat’s big three point shots would come off offensive
rebounds made easier by how terrible the preceding shot had been. The final
points would come with 1 minute and 44 to play, followed by possession after
possession of both teams failing to get that crucial next bucket. That Bosh
would throw himself into Green on the final play after all they had gone
through to hold onto that slim lead, making contact with the ball and Green,
banking on the fact the ref could never call it. He didn’t. And the ref called
an end to something we didn’t quite know how to make sense of. We just knew we
wanted to tell people about it.
In all the mess, one image stood clear. Ray Allen, the former Celtic, rising in front of a sea of waving white towels. A flick of the wrist to decide the legacy for his adopted Miami Heatles, with the eyes of the world fixed on him, mouths agape, without time to formulate a thought. The image to capture the four year’s wouldn’t even feature the big 3, because … why not. Nothing about the run was ever conventional, straight forward or predictable. It was gloriously not so. A zig for every zag. LeBron James, Dwayne Wade, Chris Bosh, Erik Spoelstra, Pat Riley, Tim Duncan, Greg Popovich, the many celebrities positioned courtside behind Ray, LeBron’s mum herself, all turned to helpless spectators, for a moment. It was as it had always been for the Heat: something to watch, captivated, fully immersed, unable to train your gaze away from. Just like in that moment, they captured the world’s interest. Not always support, not always detest, but never neither. For a moment. For a game. And for four years. And in both cases, it would be unforgettable.
#2 - 2012 Eastern Conference Finals Game 6 - Boston Celtics
(A)
Miami Heat 98, Boston Celtics 79
The game when everything changed. In my opinion, the best
game LeBron ever played. You can show me the highlights of his game against
Detroit, it doesn’t matter. Nothing can match the weight that was on
LeBron’s shoulders going into this one. He stood to lose everything. And not
only that, he was likely to lose everything. It seemed like everything they had
worked for was destined to end, ignominiously.
Before the game, LeBron vowed,
without even the hint of a smile, to do just one thing. To not have any regrets
about the way he played when it was all said and done. And so LeBron came out,
looking like he had never really looked before. He had a look on his face that
said he was bracing for a storm, but wasn’t going to let anything in. He had
blunted himself emotionally, not prepared to wince, and not prepared to
celebrate, either. After watching his teammates try unsuccessfully to get off
to a hot start, he decided early on to get down to business on his own. His first jump
shot was good. It felt like that was important. He would keep connecting with the jump shot. After every make, which seemed to come from more and more difficult shots, he would run
back to his defensive position with the same nonchalant look on his face.
At
one point he danced down the court, spun quickly at the top of the key and rose
in motion to get away a shot with barely a few seconds of the shot clocked
elapsed. Swish. Then he streamed through the lane, timed his jump perfectly,
and slammed home a putback jam. He had everyone’s attention. Still the same
look. LeBron fans had never seen him like this before. But they had never
really seen him in this situation before. In a way, they had, but not they had
seem him get to the point where simply refused to take it anymore.
As he kept hitting jumpers, some of them ridiculous tough,
over multiple defenders and falling away, the Boston crowd's fervour had started to be replaced by a silent fear. LeBron had shut them up. They were ready to sing again as soon
as Boston connected on multiple baskets in a row, but LeBron kept quietening
them.
And he signaled as much.
You were surprised when he missed his tough fallaway at the
half time buzzer. He had 30 and the Heat had the lead. He had played the
perfect half.
In the second, the Celtics started to mount a comeback.
LeBron missed a couple, and just when it looked like he might have cooled off,
he hit a couple more tough ones. It had passed the point of a ridiculous
performance a while ago. LeBron’s nonchalant look had started to fade, replaced
by one of intensity and passion, the one that had been hiding beneath the whole
time. After the Celtics had finally gotten the home crowd into a frenzy with a
run late in the 3rd, LeBron silenced them again with a huge 3. This
time he would hide it no longer. He looked at the bench and pointed, slapping
his chest defiantly as he gnarled at those who stood opposing him. He had done
his job. He had given all he had. The heat had a sizable cushion, and he asked
his teammates to help him bring them home.
And it was Wade he stepped up to the task. It was he who
owned the 4th quarter.
LeBron’s 45 and 15 is rightly recognised as one of his best
games. It wasn’t really a game for particular highlights (apart from the
putback slam, a nice signature play for the performance). It was more the feel
of the whole game, and the command of the performance from LeBron when watched
in full.
I still remember in detail everything about where I was and
how I felt when I first watched this game. I was on the road, having to watch
games on delay on my laptop. The previous defeat had been devastating. I
remember giving up all hope. Not because I didn’t think the team could bounce
back. They would prove they could time and time again. But because the odds
were stacked against them, they were one loss from elimination, on the road,
and I cared so much about the team I couldn’t face the prospect of watching a
losing game after going into it full of hope. So I prepared myself for a loss.
For it all to end. I settled down to watch the game, full of more nerves than I
had ever felt before while watching a sports game, and unknowingly donning the
same face LeBron would. I was trying to blunt myself too. I’ll never forget the
unique feeling of watching that game. Seeing LeBron responding to the pressure emotionally
in the same way that I was. Trying to blunt it. With every huge LeBron play, I
tried not to get too excited either. Not get ahead of myself, even as he built
the lead. At points I couldn’t help myself from cheering, such was the
performance. But only as Wade was putting on the finishing touches in the 4th
could I finally let go. Unclench my stomach. You knew you had been watching a game
for the ages as it happened. When it had finished, it felt like something seismic
had just happened. Like the NBA would never quite be the same again. It would
take the best game of all time to knock this one from the top spot.
Most of the games in the top 5 make it because of the
importance of the game, whether it be title saving or winning (G6 and 7 against
the Spurs), or legacy changing (G6 against Boston). This one makes it on the
quality of the game alone. Not that the stakes weren’t high, too. The Heat had
fallen into a 2-1 hole against the always tough Pacers, facing another game on
the road. This is back when the Pacers looked like legitimate contenders with
the Heat, and posed a seemingly un-defendable inside threat to the Heat,
especially with the crowd behind them. Bosh was injured, Wade had looked out of
sorts, and it looked like everything might fall apart for the Big 3 experiment
before it had really began. Game 6 against Boston that year was the more well
recognized season saving road victory, but this wasn’t far behind. And for appreciators
of Wade and James’ game, this one can’t be beaten. Wade had been woeful in the
previous game (the worst shooting game of his playoff career at that point;
2/13), and even seemed to have a spat with his coach, Erik Spoelstra. In the
first half, he also struggled, and it wasn’t until he connected on a 3 late in
the first half with George in his face that he came to life. LeBron found him
cutting to the basket for an easy dunk to end the half. And from that point on
Wade would destroy the pacers. His strong second half saw him finish with 30
points, and he would be unstoppable in scoring 41 in a close game 6 on the road
to complete the series win.
But it was his combination with James in the 2nd
half of game 4 which was most breathtaking. LeBron had 45 and 15 against
Boston, but he had a similarly HUGE 40 and 18 here. With 9 assists for
good measure. His rebounds were almost as
impressive as his buckets. It was a truly unbelievable performance, one for the
ages. With Bosh absent, the big 2 combined for all but 2 points in a phenomenal
25-5 run to chase down the Pacers lead in the 3rd. They would score
38 straight points for the team, and with the help from crucial Haslem jumpers
in the 4th, who was playing with a gash to his right eye, would go
on to win one of the most important games they had played together. At the end
of the game, LeBron embraced Wade in a hug, looked up at the scoreboard and
smiled as they walked off to the booing of the crowd in their black cape
uniforms, and all who had watched it knew they had witnessed one of the more
remarkable games they would ever see.
The highlights:
LeBron’s and Wade’s individual highlight packages are worth
watching in completion on their own. But I’ll go through some of my personal
favourites for you
Haslem’s put back dunk, followed by a Wade steal
and behind the back dish for a LeBron james layup
Every lebron rebound
Wade’s 3 over George in the 1st half to break the seal
Wade with two gorgeous crossovers to get to the
rim to take the Heat to 57
Then following that up with a drive and kick for
a LeBron slam after cutting along the baseline
Wade falling down, getting back up and hitting
the corner 3 off balance to continue the ridiculous run
And then a breathtaking no look pass from LeBron
to an uncovered wade near the rim for the slam
And those last 5 plays all happened one after
the other …
LeBron’s strong and 1 layup to finish the 3rd
quarter run
LeBron’s putback dunk in the 4th
And then block on the next play
Haslem, playing with tape over his busted eye,
stepping up to close the game with 3 huge clutch jumpers
If game 6 was the peak of James’ monster 2012 playoff run, which culminated in his finals dominance, then this game was the beginning. I’m not sure this game has quite the firepower to overtake either of the top 2 games for best Heat game, but it might be the most fun to rewatch.
#4. 2013 NBA Finals - Game 7 - San Antonio Spurs (H)
San Antonio Spurs 88, Miami Heat 95
A game 7 in the NBA finals has to make the list, right?
Unfortunately for this game, it came right after game 6, which many labelled as
one of the best games of all time. But this game had enough in its own rights,
whether they will be remembered or not. Firstly, every game between these two teams
in 2013 was incredible. The quality of basketball from both teams at the height
of competition was being marvelled at by all neutrals watching on. Even though
the Spurs had thrown away a championship that seemed like theirs in Game 6,
they still were just one win away from
making that an interesting asterisk in a championship winning season. And even in
this one, the Spurs were incredibly close. They may have been two Tim Duncan bunnies away from winning it.
But instead, it was LeBron who hit the iconic jumper, to win his, and this incarnation
of the Miami Heat’s, 2nd and final NBA Championship.
As a fan of this team and LeBron, the first win in 2012
meant a lot, but it didn’t mean quite everything. It partly erased the pain of the
2011 defeat, but it didn’t completely erase it. As I was watching it, I
needlessly asked of the universe that they let this team win two. One would be
enough for most teams, but it didn't feel like enough for this one. Not with all the hype that had gone
in. Not after all they had said. Not after all the things they had been through. Not after they had let a
2-1 lead slip away in 2011. One was the minimum, three would be gravy, but two
was enough. I found myself thinking that I would take a guaranteed win in this
series, even if it meant they would never win again, rather than take the
allure of a potential win in 2013 and 14 and beyond with the risk of only succeeding once. I needed two, and I felt like this
team, and these players, needed two. And after they won it, I promised myself I would
never hold any grudges about what this team did or did not accomplish in the future or in the past.
For me, they had done enough.
So when 2014 came along, and the Spurs started
brushing aside the Heat, I hoped that it wouldn’t hurt as much. But it did, it hurt
a lot. I hadn’t forgotten the promise I had made to myself, it just wasn’t so easy to keep it. Time is cruel like that. But after the series was over, the pain
went away a lot quicker. And after the big 3 broke up, it provided a chance to
reflect on what was accomplished over the past 4 years. 2 wins and 4 finals
appearances. There was a nice and somewhat fitting symmetry to it all. If they
had won everything it wouldn’t have been an appropriate reflection of the
difficulty of the journey. It was that difficulty that made those two wins
special. And even if they had won 3, until they stopped playing together,
nothing would have truly softened the blow of seeing them lose in the moment,
whenever they eventually did, as all must inevitably do. The happy feelings of
2013 have been replaced, in 2014, by the unhappy feelings of the present. And
so, as we all must do, Heat fans must turn to memory.
The 2013 celebrations had a different feeling to 2012. The
mood had shifted from a exuberant relief to a highly satisfied swag. These were
the glory years for the heat. Where they got to live life as the champions.
The reasons:
LeBron - 37 points. One of the best game 7 ppg’s
ever, Led by good 3 point shooting in this one. Not only that, but the team
looked to him for points in the 4th quarter and he rose to the
occasion and hit some big jumpers. Including …
LeBron’s game winning shot. Not enough gets made of it.
LeBron’s steal to wrap it up
Duncan slapping the floor after missing those shots
#5 - 2010 Regular Season October 26 - Boston Celtics (A)
Miami Heat 80, Boston Celtics 86
This is the only loss to make the list. Many Heat losses were great games. For the neutral, they were probably the best of
all. It’s a key part of what made the Heat such an exciting team, and what made
the victories more sweet. Notable losses that come to mind include the streak-ender in Chicago, game 2 of the NBA Finals in 2011 against the Mavericks, and
game 1 of the 2014 finals against the spurs. But none of them are particularly
fond memories for Heat fans.
If Heat fans were to willingly revisit any loss, it
might be this one. And, ridiculous as it seem, this one was potentially the
biggest game of them all. The hype surrounding the Heat in the offseason leading up
to opening day was unprecedented. And the criticism intense. People didn’t know
what to expect. Many thought they would destroy the league. Many wished they
wouldn’t. None more so than the Celtics, who had formed their own big 3 a few
seasons earlier. So it was the perfect environment to unveil this Heat team to the
world.
And the world got what they wanted. The heat looked like a
bunch of stars thrown together for the first time. Their game was plagued by
turnovers and disorganisation, while the Celtics looked like a
well-oiled machine. Boston jumped
out to an commanding lead early, but the Heat would storm back, triggered by a change
to a LeBron driven/Cavaliers-like system.
Opening night, as it
often would be, was about LeBron more than anybody else. In more ways than one. He was the one who switched
teams. He was the one who had always drawn the eyes of nba journalists and
fans. He was the one who would draw the most boos. He would lead Miami from the
start, but not always in the first season. He would be the unquestioned king by
the time he left.
Even at this early stage, there were a few flashes of the brilliance that was to come. The Heat never went down
without a fight, even though they faced more battles than any other over the
four years. Every road arena would feel like a playoff game in that first year.
Everyone banded together, demanding that they be crushed under the collective
weight of all who opposed what they stood for. But they would not. Even in
defeat, like in Boston on opening day, they would rise again. The start for the
big 3 was tumultuous: the first season, the first few games (9-8 start), and in
the first game itself. But it was essential in building the character of the
champion that would emerge.
The reasons:
Hype + Intrigue + the Unknown. Not much tops this game on
those three categories.
Wade hit a 3 at the end and LeBron followed it up with a
drive and layup to cut the lead to 3. the potential of this side when all three were clicking was in full display. But Ray hit a 3 for the Celtics to kill the
game. The Heat would make sure that wouldn’t continue to haunt them into the
future.
Every
play was scrutinised by the people watching at home. LeBron’s first field
goal. LeBron’s first dunk on the break. LeBron’s 3rd quarter. The
furious comeback and Wade turning up in the 4th. Wade had hardly
played in the pre season, so this was the first time we were seeing how this
experiment would work.
There would be a few specific hints of things to come. The
heat’s slow starts and offensive troubles, particularly in that first season.
Wade’s potential to misfire. LeBron being the batman. The Heat’s ability to go
on runs, turn on the switch. The fast break potential of the Heat. And the
vicious throw downs. Also, the LeBron booing, the hostile environment, and the
realisation that this wouldn’t be so easy.
The nostalgic value of seeing where all of this started, armed with the knowledge of what was to come
#6 - 2012 NBA Finals Game 2 - Oklahoma City Thunder (A)
Miami Heat 100, Oklahoma City Thunder 96
The Thunder were many experts’ favourites in 2012. The
Thunder seemed the more complete team. This was back when they still had James
Harden, of course. It was also back when this Heat group had not yet won anything, LeBron
had not yet performed in the finals, and the only thing they had demonstrated
was that they could collapse on the biggest stage. The thunder had home court
advantage, but the Heat got off to a hot start in game 1. The thunder would
claw back strongly, however, and win game 1 without too much stress. In game 2,
the Heat again rushed off to the quick start, and this time they were able to
keep the surging Thunder at bay. This was a team performance, but they were led
by LeBron, who seemed determine to quieten all his critics and erase the
haunting memories of 2011. He attacked the rim, crashed the boards, and
defended all 5 positions all series. When LeBron rose over Kevin Durant to hit
a jumper to ice the game, he effectively ended the series. The Heat would
“close the doors” to the arena and not let the Thunder return, winning all 3
home games to win the NBA championship. They would reveal that they carried this
motif after the series was completed, but from the fist bumps, handshakes and
head nods after they had done the job in game 2, you could tell in retrospect
that even at the time they knew the significance of what they had accomplished.
There were many times that could be identified as turning points when
considered the direction the Big 3 legacy took. Game 6 in Boston, the previous
series, sticks out as a personal turning point for LeBron. But this game may
have been the bigger turning point for the team. They were 2-5 in finals games
before it, and with it would go on to be 8-3 over the next two years.
The reasons:
The highlights:
LeBron’s all around game
Seeing two MVPs and all time greats, LeBron + Durant, go head to head
Wade turned in two solid performances on the road after
struggling in the previous series, chipping in with timely steals and buckets.
Shane battier hitting 3’s in both road games to help get the
Heat off to hot starts, not something the team was known for. Battier hit big
shot after big shot in this one. He was the Heat’s key role player throughout,
until Mike Miller stole the show in game 5. Battier would get his moment in the
game 7 closer in 2013.
LeBron’s clutch banker with 1.30 to go, and Bosh’s dunk off
a Wade drive and dish with under a minute to go.
The infamous LeBron defense of Durant’s final shot. Some
labelled it genius, correctly straddling the fine line between legal and illegal
contact, doing just enough to ensure the miss while not drawing the call.
Underrated in the play, LeBron’s rebound was crucial.
