Updated: May 31, 2012, 6:30 am ET
That set the stage perfectly for (LeBron) James to deliver a winner. But with the ball in his hands and the chance to win, James missed two shots in the final 20 seconds of regulation. First, a contested lay-up that rimmed out after he set a high screen for Wade and rolled hard to the hoop.
“(Dwyane) D-Wade was able to hit me on a pass to the rim, and I missed the lay-up,†James explained. “I felt I had a good look at it, but I was kind of off balance.â€
After saving the possession by securing the offensive rebound, James isolated on (Rajon) Rondo at the top of the key, running out the clock before launching a step-back jumper over the smaller defender. His shot rimmed off as the buzzer sounded.
“I had a great look at it at the end of regulation, it just didn’t go down,†James said.
The second shot was an opportunity at a signature moment but also a horribly passive decision, especially considering the match-up. There seemed to be some carry-over from the miss into overtime, as James missed his pair of free throws, halted a drive to kick out cross-court to Shane Battier for an errant three, and then found himself tied up with Rondo a few possessions later.
But the miscues alternated with flashes of brilliance, the product of relentless effort on both ends of the court. An on-target pass to Wade for a game-tying dunk. Two possession-ending defensive rebounds. A tip-in putback, his fourth offensive rebound of the game, to tie the game at 105 with 1:50 to play. A dish to forward Udonis Haslem for a go-ahead slam 22 seconds later. One final drawn foul, and two made free throws with 11 seconds remaining, to put the game out of reach, 114-108.
“He made winning plays,†(Erik) Spoelstra said. “He missed a couple of free throws and yet still hand an impact… It’s not always going to be about the shot. It’s about finding a way to win, especially against a team like this.â€
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