Miami took a 2-1 lead in the NBA Finals by defeating the Dallas Mavericks in Game 3 of the best of seven series. The Heat began the game by imposing their aggressive defense and scoring off turnovers and fast-break points.
But after building a 15-point lead, the Heat settled for one-on-one play from LeBron James and Dwyane Wade. Their stagnant play allowed the Mavs to make an impressive comeback that was reminiscent of Game 2.
In the fourth quarter, the Heat’s ball handling improved and allowed role players such as Chris Bosh, Mario Chalmers and Udonis Haslem to make key plays.
Dirk Nowitzki came alive during the waning minutes of the game by scoring 12 straight points for the Mavs. Wade kept the Heat in the game by scoring 7 straight points for his team. He finished with 29 points and 11 rebounds.
But Bosh proved to be the game’s hero by hitting a 17-foot jumper with less than 20 seconds to play. Nowitzki missed a running shot with four seconds left and the Heat sealed a 88-86 victory. Game 4 of the NBA Finals will take place in Dallas on Tuesday night. –a.r.
