DALLAS – To win a playoff series, adjustments must be made from game to game. Sometimes they’re minor. Sometimes they’re not.
One thing the Heat had to look at in the wake of their Game 2 collapse is how they defended the Mavs’ staggered screen-and-roll (with Dirk Nowitzki and Tyson Chandler setting the screens) for Jason Terry, a play which Dallas ran four times during their 22-5 run to end the game.
It’s a tough play to defend, because, with three players directly involved, there are a lot of things the Mavs can do out of it. And it’s a play that looks to take advantage of Miami’s aggressiveness in defending the screen-and-roll.
The Heat had seen the play before and actually defended the initial action well two of the four times Dallas ran it down the stretch on Thursday. But the Mavs still scored eight total points on those four possessions.
The first time, the Heat defended it well, but then got lost later in the possession and left Jason Kidd all alone on the 3-point line.
The second time was when the Heat were way too aggressive on Terry. With both Chris Bosh and Udonis Haslem hedging strong, they allowed Nowitzki to slip free and hit an open jumper from the left wing.
The third time, they defended it well again and forced the Mavs into an empty possession. But the fourth time, Chandler followed up the double-screen with a screen for Nowitzki that freed him up to hit the three that gave Dallas their first lead down the stretch.
“It created some opportunities for us, but we’re not going to live on that in Game 3,” Mavs coach Rick Carlisle said Saturday. “We know they’re going to spend a lot of time preparing for it, and we’re going to have to be ready to do that better and a lot of other things extremely well to get shots. Because this team is extremely difficult to score points on them. Scoring points aside, it’s difficult to get good, clean looks.”
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John Schuhmann is a staff writer for NBA.com. Send him an e-mail or follow him on twitter.
I want Miami´s defense play better about screen-and-rolls today.
I believe Haslem will play awesome today.
Hope Mavs win the championship or else it will be a wasted year for Dirk
If you wacht the video above in detail, Tyson Chandler is making foul because he is pushing forward harshly with his elbows to Udonis Haslem
im for dallas but i agree with you. i think it is a foul. when you set screen, i know you shouldnt move or raise your hand or anything, right?
Yes, they know Haslem is the weak point of Miami Therefore refs puts the eyes on him. Trick.
I´ve played since my 4 years and I know Tyson´s screen was foul
The Heat cannot afford to relax as they did the other night with big lead. They have to play intensely for 48 minutes!!
foul this foul that! how about lebrons offensive fouls and travels! stfu miami fans!
Hey Josh,
Nice piece. I really enjoy some of your work.
I actually highlighted the play to get Dirk open for three on my blog:
TrueHoopsNY.blogspot.com
On that play, Bosh seemed to be too concerned with protecting the middle as LeBron recovered from the initial Chandler screen set for Terry. Unfortunately for Miami, Bosh didn’t hedge out or switch with Haslem when Chandler set the second screen for Dirk.
How do you leave that guy open?
Great offense.
Should be fun tonight!
Great article, even better video clip. Down with the heartless Heat.
Go M@vs… 3 to go
Hope Chris Bosh doesn’t go crazy after getting an offensive putback, because that’s going to be annoying
If you have the least bit of knowledge about professional basketball and you’re watching the Heats/Mavericks game, you have to realize the Heat is getting homered by the officials. Every call goes to the Mavs…..rediculous!
Lets face it , miami is yuonger and faster, they go down to transition better and they can, http://sportales.com/basketball/heat-versus-maverickswill-history-repeat-itself/ they deserve to win this series … I like this season cause it has a lot of action and drama…