Joe Netsfan Game x Game 34 - Heat 101, Nets 96 OT

Can I have your autograph, Mr Wade?

Heat 101, Nets 96 OT
Game 34 File
For a second straight overtime game, the Nets appear in good shape to get the win, having wrapped up Dwyane Wade during regulation in this one. But, Wade comes alive, the Nets fall apart, and miss a chance to pick up a road win without the injured Devin Harris.
• Box Score

Nets Record: 16 - 18
Home Record: 6 - 12
Away Record: 10 - 6
Division Record: 3 - 2
Conf. Record: 10 - 13
Other Game Reviews

Nets High Men:
• Points: Keyon Dooling, 23.
• Assists: Keyon Dooling, 7.
• Rebounds: Carter and Simmons each had 9.
• Steals: Simmns, Yi, Boone and Hassell each had 1.
• Turnovers: Vince Carter, 5.
• Blocks: Brook Lopez, 1.
• FG Percentage: Keyon Dooling, 64.3%.(9 - 14).

Nets Team Stats:
• FG Percentage: 39.8%
• FT Percentage: 82.6%
• Rebounds: 47
• Rebound Differential: +2
• Turnovers: 16
• Opposing Team's Turnovers: 12
• Bench points: 9
• Bench points Differential:-34
• Steals: 4
• Blocks: 1
• Points in the Paint: 40
• Double-Doubles: 0
• Triple-Doubles: 0

The Harris Report:
• Nets Players in Double Digit Scoring: 5
• Nets Fast Break Points: 8
•Devin Harris' FG Percentage: DNP
• Scoring Differential Harris in the game: NA
• Scoring Differential Harris out: -5 (Dooling, Carter)

Nets Media
Bergen Record | Nets
Newark Star-Ledger | Nets
Newsday | Nets
NY Daily News | NBA
NY Post | Nets
NY Times | Pro Basketball
YES Network | Nets

Nets Team Pages
CNNSI.com | Nets
ESPN.com | Nets
FoxSports | Nets
NBA.com | Nets
Sportsline.com | Nets

Heat Media:
Miami Herald | Heat
Ft. Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel | Heat

Game 34: Heat 101, Nets 96 OT – January 3, 2009
Hot And Bothered
Having tossed water on the read-hot Dwyane Wade all game long, it would figure he would ignite in the overtime and still find a way to torch the Nets hopes of getting a win in Miami without Devin Harris. Wade single-handedly burnt the Nets like so much wheat toast with as much defense (incredible blocked shots late) as offense (though he scored 17 of his 29 points in the fourth quarter and overtime), leading them to victory by being unstoppable in overtime. And for a night, the road warriors get extinguished.

Missing Harris, the Nets are a different and weaker team, but if you watched the first quarter, you wouldn't guess that. The Nets ran out to a 16 point lead in the first quarter, with Keyon Dooling and Vince Carter picking apart the Heat, and Bobby Simmons adding offense to the mix. And the Nets were able to continue the roll right up until halftime, defending like demons and taking an 8 point lead to the locker room. Wade was nowhere to be found. To that point, it was looking like a bonfire.

But all that fire turned to smoke in the second half and OT, as the Heat seriously cranked up the heat on their defense, role players like Dequan Cook and Michael Beasley got hot, and Miami needed the third quarter to get back in it before tying the score at 63 only 6 seconds into the fourth quarter. From there the flames were fanned by Wade, and his now-white hot game simply cooked the Nets like a raging inferno.

Wade always seems to have the Nets number, despite anything and everything they do to defend him. It's a tough loss to take, giving up a 16 point lead, but even tougher since Wade was bottled up for most of the game. Only thing to do now is move on and get a win at home on Monday night.

Flameout
Torch Song - Perhaps pound for pound the best player in the NBA, or at least at 6' 4". Dwyane Wade was lost in the crowd for most of this one, but still able to force his will on the game when it mattered most, leading the Heat on the comeback. Blocking not one but two of Brook Lopez' shots (need I remind anyone that Brook's a seven footer...) at a critical point in the game late, and then turning into the second coming of LeBron James in the OT (actually, he's his own man, he doesn't need to be LeBron). Wade finished with 29 points (despite a rough 8 - 23 from the field) with 13 of 17 from the line, 8 rebounds, 6 assists, 3 steals and 4 blocked shots in 43 minutes. Incredible.
Fired Up - His counterpart in greatness, Vince Carter, was also good but not as terrific, and not able to win the game in OT with a last second shot like the evening before. VC, who actually got help from the rest of his starters (double figures all), had 20 points, 9 rebounds and 6 assists himself, but when the game was on the line, he was clearly outdueled. The Nets need Devin Harris.
Fired Up - The Nets need to figure out a way to find a third point guard. With Harris hurt, Dooling playing major minutes (and playing well), and Carter shifting to be the backup point, the Nets are missing opportunities to put games away because the minutes take their toll on VC and Dooling. Not sure what has to happen (dump a contract, trade two-for-one), but the Nets need to get someone in here if Harris is going to be fragile.
Miscellaneous Post-Game Analysis - The Nets defense is starting to groove, keeping opponents under 30 points in any given quarter, but that three point defense sure needs a lot of work. Kudos to the starting five, including Yi, who looks as if he's come back from the dead. Unfortunately, the bench wasn't a factor, getting outscored by 34 and outplayed in general. The turnovers were higher than they've been, and they can't get to the line enough (the Heat had 16 more free throw attempts), but overall the offense performed well with Harris until the end.

Fire In The Hole
Losing a 16 point first quarter lead is bad enough, but being unable to contain Dwyane Wade after pulling the plug on him for most of the game is the toughest part of this road loss. The Nets clearly had the better talent, but couldn't come up with stops late when they needed them, and they couldn't generate enough offense when the game was on the line late. It's no crime to lose, especially a road game, but the Nets had been so indestructable out there it's hard to imagine them losing this one, especially at the half. But, this young team has got to find out what it's made of, and games like this SHOULD go a long way toward toughening them up later in the second half of the season. We hope so, anyway.
- Joe