Any Reason Not To Take MIA at home in Game 3?

I guess that could prob be in game 5 in atlanta

your gonna take ATl +4 then might as well take them ML.

 

But the public sentiment isn't one of doubt right now, not after Wade played sensationally in a Game 2 blowout win.  Just because I dare him to play at least two more games like that doesn't mean that doubt is in the air.  Quite the contrary, as the public is right back to expecting him to walk on water. 

actually game 2 was more of a team performance

Everything seems to be pointing to Miami for game 3:

-Cook may have his 3 pt shot back which has proven dangerous with stats indicating when he scores something over 6 pts Miami's victories column escalate.
- J.O. may become more of a factor inside which proves crucial for Heats Inside game against the long wing spanned Hawks players.
- Haslem doing what he does best & sinking crucial baskets
= All equates to spreading the floor for Wade to operate.
- Wade un-stoppable.
- Miami's half crt game seems to be cryptonite for Hawks.
- Home crt cooking with the crowd dressed in black which we all can expect will go nuts for Wade & the Heat etc.

Which is why i'm not too keen on laying 4 pts here as 4 pts is still 2 baskets too big to give against a team like The Hawks who are still the better squad on paper here spite of their record on the road. Granted my mind is still leaning Miami but the wager may not be as large as i would want to place on my Heat. There's nothing to bounce back from and respond to this time round as you were stating but Miami players still have to prove that game 2 was no fluke!! Cook has to prove that his slump is over & his 3 pt title was no fluke, J.O. has to prove his presence in the paint will conitinue and the rest of the squad has to prove that Miami is not a 1 man team! This'll be a good game and i am leaning Heat because there's a certain edge they have coming into this game.

I agree with your thoughts as a whole, but even then like you, I think 2 baskets is a gift. I am on ATL as I believe the game is 50/50. The points are a cushion.  I may lay a little on the ML too ??

Agreed!!

Down side for Hawks is they do not play well on the rd but are the better team as a whole..............

..............So the key for Miami is to not only take advantage of home court energy but for all players to step up like game 2 & stem the Hawks from setting the tempo - all 3 of these factors fused with Wade having his regular game will manifest into a Heat cover, simple as that.

IF Miami sets the tone & play a half crt game and keep aggressive in the paint with Magloire banging inside the Hawks will go down in game 3. I really think slowing the pace down into a half crt game is Hawks cryptonite.

Among the reasons the Heat was able to pull into a 1-1 tie was the way it controlled the pace in Wednesday's 108-93 Game 2 victory at Philips Arena.

So while the crowd at AmericanAirlines Arena figures to be pumped, Spoelstra won't allow that energy to translate into the "amped up" approach that he said doomed his team in its Game 1 loss.

"That's not going to happen," he vowed, "even if it takes me running out there and getting a technical."

Through two games, the Heat has been outscored 43-14 in fastbreak points. It is what the athletic Hawks do very well. By contrast, the halfcourt has been the Heat's haven.

"Part of it is being conscious of the game plan, what it's going to take to win this series," Spoelstra said. "We just want to make sure we play to our strength."

Chalmers, the rookie point guard who had two assists and three turnovers in the Game 1 loss before responding with seven assists and two turnovers in the second game, appreciates the need to dictate the tempo.

"We know that's our best way to win," he said. "When we see the basket, we like to go. But we know it's not what we're doing in this series."

That doesn't necessarily make the restraint any easier for Beasley, the rookie forward.

"Oh," he said, "it's a challenge."

No, actually it's a mandate.

"We've got to get back to our pace," guard Dwyane Wade said. "We have to control the game. You've got to understand your strengths."

Spoelstra's message has been reinforced by the team's veterans.

"That's what Atlanta does very well, wanting to make you take those quick shots," center Jermaine O'Neal said. "You can run to layups and dunks, like they do. But you can't run to jump shots. We have to understand the difference."

O'Neal said it is particularly to the Heat's advantage to make the Hawks defend through the 24-second clock, with Atlanta's switching defense wearing down its players.

"We understood the difference in Game 2," he said, "and it worked for us."

erik spo.

-- On playing at home:

''We play a little bit different, run a little bit more. We want to be cautious of the pace and the tempo. I think guys will be excited about playing in front of our home crowd, and that's great. We think we have one of the best atmospheres in the NBA. But our mindset has to be commitment to defense and rebounding at the start of the game and do it consistently. That's what's going to matter in this game.''

-- So, the Heat will run more?

''No, that's not something we want to do. Not slow this thing down to a snail's pace ... We don't want to get carried away. This [Atlanta] team is very good in the open floor. We want to make sure it doesn't get away from us. ... We don't play slow. We score points.''

A few words from Udonis Haslem -- 

-- On the pace of Game 1 and 2:

''We've been playing at our pace all season, then we rushed things in the first game. We tried to rush it up the floor, spread the floor. In the second game we controlled the pace a lot better, but we still can do better. Fast break points are an issue.''

-- What do you expect from Dwayne in the coming games?

''I expect him to be aggressive offensively, create plays for other people. Obviously he's going to be matched up with Joe Johnson, so I expect him to take that challenge. At the same time, Atlanta's not going to let him get off. Other guys are going to have to make plays. You never know what he's going to do, and you know he has the ability to make spectacular plays somewhere in the game, whether its a shot or a block or steal or something like that. Somewhere along the line, he's going to make a play that's going to get the crowd excited.''

-- Being at home in the playoffs:

''Home court has been good to us in the past. When we won the championship we were like 11-1 or something crazy like that at home. We have to come out and do our part, come out with energy, come out aggressive. We have to take on the challenge early.''

-- On ATL's road playoff problems:

''It's a completely different situation. They have a year under their belt after last year. They are a better team, more experienced. This team has nothing to do with those teams. These are different players, different coaches. That has nothing to do with the situation we're going into tomorrow. We have to take care of business and we can't expect them to give us the game, can't expect an easy game. We have to go in here prepared to battle.

we're looking alright atm.....Heat need to keep on pushing, they are missing a lot of open shots but the positive is they are getting open and goood looks

HEAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

SEE THE HEAT BABY!! DONT BET AGAINST DWAYNE WADE!!!

I NEVER do! talkin about the best player in the nba. Hands down! 

I am betting against them in the 2H... Pounding Hawks -5

Great win by HEAT. Congrats Miami backers



Key now is not to be complacent and keep playing with this sort of urgency. They have exploited Hawks weaknesses just a matter of continuing to set the pace. Keen to see what the line will be for next game.

One down, one to go & perhaps a few more.

Wade will keep adding to his lore, he's a player who elevates his game for these occasions and continues to improve, shock and surprise. Hawks will bring it in game 4 no doubt, let's see how they adjust and respond!! anticipating the line for the next game.

Bad luck MrBator!!!! J.O's resurgence & resurrection in game 2 is what gave Heat the edge coming into this game. With j.O. playing like his better days as a Pacer and becoming a huge factor for Miami inside (which is why we traded for him and it's finally paying off) they now have an inside & outside game. And with Miami 12-23 on 3's balls compared to Hawks 5-15 tonight this will prove lethal for Miami. Players stepping up now spreads the floor, allows ball movement and each player can set themselves up for shots making Wade not work as hard to keep doing what he does. Miami with these 3 games have now playoff experience under their belt for the young players. But 2 blowouts could equate to complacency & premature swagger...........let's hope Miami doesn't make the same mistake Hawks made when they blew out Miami in game 1.