In Case You Missed It...

Jazz Defeat Heat 116-114 in OT

Kids, ignore the box-out technique used by Chris Bosh... he is not a role model.

Paul Millsap channeled his inner Reggie Miller and got nasty on the Miami Heat, leading his team back from an 8 point deficit in the last 30 seconds.  Millsap scored 11 points in the final 28 seconds, going 3-3 from the Land of Three and adding a last second rebound and tip in (pictured above) to send the game into OT.  I almost forgot to mention that coming into the game, through 5 NBA seasons, Millsap had only attempted 20 three-pointers... and had made ONLY 2.  In overtime, the Heat looked flat and despite Dwyane Wade's 10 points, they just couldn't pull it out.

More evidence of that very real "target" on the Heat's back.  Never in a million years would I have suspected that NBA players needed motivation to bring their A game, but this Heat team certainly is proving that.  It seems that every night, regardless of record, teams are giving Miami their best shot.  Heat fans can find solace knowing that their team has only lost to legitimate playoff teams (Boston, undefeated New Orleans, and now Utah) thus far.  I guess 72 wins will have to wait until next year.

 

Some things I noticed:

Steamrolled.

• LeBron's first triple-double in South Beach (20-11-14) was in vain.  However, he did have his second lowest turnover total of the season (2).
• This season, when the Heat have needed a bucket to win a game, both times they've turned to... Eddie House.  I like Eddie House, he's a solid shooter, but when you have arguable two of the world's top three players I'd like to see one of them put up the last shot... even if they miss.
• Chris Bosh finally put together a decent stat line with 17 points, 9 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 blocks.  In my opinion he still looks lost on the offensive side, not knowing really where to play with all that talent around him.  Most inexcusably, Paul Millsap torched him all night, and when it mattered, Bosh failed to box out.