Miami has gotten in trouble this series when they have gone to LeBron James or Dwyane Wade in isolation. When it became hero ball as they tried to knock down the long jumper or drove headlong into the teeth of the defense. And in the biggest moment of the series you wondered if they may revert to that habit.
No, they ran maybe their best play, and it worked just as designed. Watch it below (in slow motion thanks to the people at NBA.com). Jason Kidd and Shawn Marion both go with Wade off the pick so he swings it to the roll man, LeBron, who is at the free throw line. But Tyson Chandler makes the right read (you don’t want LeBron wide open for a game winner) so he pressures him. LeBron makes a clever pass to Chris Bosh, Dirk Nowitzki is supposed to rotate out to him but Udonis Haslem slows Dirk with a little pin down screen and Bosh gets the open look. Ballgame.
It had been the first time all game the Heat had run the Wade/LeBron pick and roll. Wade came
