For the first time in 54 games, he didn't reach 20 points. Needless to say, it was an off night shooting the ball. He also was careless with the ball at times. But he still made plays all over the place, including in the clutch.
He got off to a great start offensively but then went cold shooting the ball as the Blazers did a good job challenging his shots around the rim. Unusually, he did not make much of an impact in other phases of the game in a spot where the Heat needed him.
Whether Bosh was being sarcastic or self-loathing with his comments Wednesday, he played with a great deal more motivation in this one. He was highly active on the offensive end, going in the post and punishing the Blazers for leaving him space. As for the rebounding, well, no comment.
Batum was at his best in this game using his two greatest qualities: his outside shooting ability and his length. He bothered the Heat, especially LeBron, all night with his ability to get into passing lanes and to deny. He had a strong all-around effort.
The Blazers were quite streaky shooting the ball, especially from 3-point range. But they did a great job creating turnovers and getting to the foul line, which enabled them to stay within reach even during cold cycles. They are a good home team, now at 13-4, and they used their crowd down the stretch.
Nic's Time
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The Heat are now 8-3 in games decided by six points or fewer.
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