MIAMI — The Spurs know what’s coming. Talking to them Saturday after practice they fully expect the Heat to come out much more aggressive, particularly on defense — Miami will trap, jump passing lanes and try to turn the Spurs over.
In Game 1 the Heat respected Tony Parker and didn’t try to trap him much off the pick and roll. Parker used that space to the tune of 21 points, six assists and zero turnovers. As a team the Spurs only turned the ball over four times. In Game 2 the Spurs staff expects the heat to try and use that athleticism to impose their will on the game and force more turnovers (then run off those mistakes).
That Heat pressure defense can overwhelm teams, but it also opens things up. If Parker and the other ball handlers can handle the pressure, make a smart pass out and the Spurs move the ball guys like Danny Green and Gary Neal are going to get clean looks at threes. Knock them down and you diffuse that pressure.
Don’t and the Heat can run you out of the building.
That’s not likely. Both sides also expected a close game.
“I expect another possession game,” Shane Battier said. “It’s going to be about possessions. It’s going to be about our ability to turn them over, our ability to capitalize on them. Our ability to keep them from the cheapies that they thrive off of and get so many of in their wins.
“And it’s going to come down to the fourth quarter again. It’s going to come down to execution, like it often does when two good teams play each other.”
Battier mentioned one other thing everybody knows (including the Spurs): After a loss Miami usually plays much better the next game. They come out with better energy and focus and every time since mid-January it has resulted in a win (that was the last time the Heat lost two in a row). Their role players usually step up, but this time the Heat will need Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade to step up for four quarters, too.
“We’ve been pretty confident all year, regardless of the circumstances,” Ray Allen said. “We’ve been in pretty — based on basketball standards — dire situations where we had to come out and win. We taught ourselves different lessons throughout the year.”
What we as fans should be hoping for is another up-tempo, fun game that is played as cleanly and well as Game 1. That was fun basketball. This has the potential to be a long and very entertaining series.
But if the Heat don’t win this one and go down 0-2 heading to San Antonio for three games it might not last that long.
