Miami Herald Logo

Greg Cote: Game 7 is all or nothing for Miami Heat | Miami Herald

×
  • E-edition
  • Home
    • Site Information
    • Contact Us
    • About Us
    • Herald Store
    • RSS Feeds
    • Special Sections
    • Advertise
    • Advertise with Us
    • Media Kit
    • Mobile
    • Mobile Apps & eReaders
    • Newsletters
    • Social
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Google+
    • Instagram
    • YouTube

    • Sections
    • News
    • South Florida
    • Miami-Dade
    • Broward
    • Florida Keys
    • Florida
    • Politics
    • Weird News
    • Weather
    • National & World
    • Colombia
    • National
    • World
    • Americas
    • Cuba
    • Guantánamo
    • Haiti
    • Venezuela
    • Local Issues
    • Crime
    • Education
    • Environment
    • Health Care
    • In Depth
    • Issues & Ideas
    • Traffic
    • Sections
    • Sports
    • Blogs & Columnists
    • Pro & College
    • Miami Dolphins
    • Miami Heat
    • Miami Marlins
    • Florida Panthers
    • College Sports
    • University of Miami
    • Florida International
    • University of Florida
    • Florida State University
    • More Sports
    • High School Sports
    • Auto Racing
    • Fighting
    • Golf
    • Horse Racing
    • Outdoors
    • Soccer
    • Tennis
    • Youth Sports
    • Other Sports
    • Politics
    • Elections
    • The Florida Influencer Series
    • Sections
    • Business
    • Business Monday
    • Banking
    • International Business
    • National Business
    • Personal Finance
    • Real Estate News
    • Small Business
    • Technology
    • Tourism & Cruises
    • Workplace
    • Business Plan Challenge
    • Blogs & Columnists
    • Cindy Krischer Goodman
    • The Starting Gate
    • Work/Life Balancing Act
    • Movers
    • Sections
    • Living
    • Advice
    • Fashion
    • Food & Drink
    • Health & Fitness
    • Home & Garden
    • Pets
    • Recipes
    • Travel
    • Wine
    • Blogs & Columnists
    • Dave Barry
    • Ana Veciana-Suarez
    • Flashback Miami
    • More Living
    • LGBTQ South Florida
    • Palette Magazine
    • Indulge Magazine
    • South Florida Album
    • Broward Album
    • Sections
    • Entertainment
    • Books
    • Comics
    • Games & Puzzles
    • Horoscopes
    • Movies
    • Music & Nightlife
    • People
    • Performing Arts
    • Restaurants
    • TV
    • Visual Arts
    • Blogs & Columnists
    • Jose Lambiet
    • Lesley Abravanel
    • More Entertainment
    • Events Calendar
    • Miami.com
    • Contests & Promotions
    • Sections
    • All Opinion
    • Editorials
    • Op-Ed
    • Editorial Cartoons
    • Jim Morin
    • Letters to the Editor
    • From Our Inbox
    • Speak Up
    • Submit a Letter
    • Meet the Editorial Board
    • Influencers Opinion
    • Blogs & Columnists
    • Blog Directory
    • Columnist Directory
    • Andres Oppenheimer
    • Carl Hiaasen
    • Leonard Pitts Jr.
    • Fabiola Santiago
    • Obituaries
    • Obituaries in the News
    • Place an Obituary

    • Place an ad
    • All Classifieds
    • Announcements
    • Apartments
    • Auctions/Sales
    • Automotive
    • Commercial Real Estate
    • Employment
    • Garage Sales
    • Legals
    • Merchandise
    • Obituaries
    • Pets
    • Public Notices
    • Real Estate
    • Services
  • Public Notices
  • Cars
  • Jobs
  • Moonlighting
  • Real Estate
  • Mobile & Apps

  • el Nuevo Herald
  • Miami.com
  • Indulge

Greg Cote

Greg Cote: Game 7 is all or nothing for Miami Heat

By Greg Cote

    ORDER REPRINT →

June 20, 2013 12:01 AM

The Shot That Changed Everything found the perfect hands. Nobody who ever played basketball has made more three-point baskets than Ray Allen, after all. You know how shooters say they are sure the moment the ball leaves their hands if the shot is good? That they know it by instinct and feel?

Allen has never been one of those seers.

He had no idea, just like the rest of us, as his shot in the closing seconds of regulation floated in the air for those moments that felt like forever.

“You get the ball in the air and you become numb, because you don’t know,” he was saying Wednesday, reliving it. “The ball has a mind of its own at that point.”

Sign Up and Save

Get six months of free digital access to the Miami Herald

SUBSCRIBE WITH GOOGLE

#ReadLocal

His own family tried to get Ray to confide that he knew all along his shot would make a downtown arena erupt, send the game into overtime and save the Heat’s season.

“Nope. I never pre-celebrate,” he told them. “Seen too many shots that felt good rattle the rim and go out.”

This one caressed the nylon net, sent South Florida into paroxysms of joy, and led us right back by the bay for Thursday’s night winner-take-all Game 7 of these NBA Finals.

“The moment is going to be grand,” said LeBron James.

We still marvel at how it came to be. Players explain the capriciousness of their sport by referring to “the basketball gods.” I never thought they existed. Now I do.

Now I believe they were hovering over the arena toward the end of Tuesday’s Game 6 as midnight rolled in, and they were smiling down. They were dressed in all white. One had tattoos and a Mohawk. It looked like the other was wearing LeBron James’ discarded headband.

Even Heat players could hardly believe the small miracle that had occurred.

“We were laughing at some of the things that happened,” said Shane Battier. “An historic finish.”

Torture and ecstasy and torture and ecstasy.

Said LeBron: “In my own household my wife was like, ‘Would you please stop doing that to me!’ ”

Fractions of an inch. Slivers of a second. Chris Bosh’s fingertips brushing an opponent’s shot. A three-pointer that does not rattle the rim or go out, but instead makes you believe in magic.

These are the things that changed everything.

LeBron’s huge fourth quarter made it possible, but still, if Allen’s desperation shot is anything but perfect — if a confluence of many small things doesn’t happen — then everything changes.

These are the things that made Wednesday a buoyant look-ahead for a confident Heat team, instead of a sudden media post-mortem on a still-warm body.

These are the things that allowed a repeat-championship and the notion of a dynasty to still be in play today, instead of the conversation veering darkly to the future of the Big 3 and whether the whole blueprint will be torched.

These are the things that provided LeBron the luxury to talk about something silly on this bridge-day to Game 7 — like playing without a headband — instead of being forced to explain what went wrong and if it was his fault and whether his legacy was ruined and so forth and so on.

A headband! Imagine.

His trademark apparatus got knocked late in the game and he didn’t put it back on and it became such a topic of debate that “#NoHeadband” soon was trending on Twitter.

Wednesday LeBron afforded the headband a human pronoun when asked if he would wear it in Thursday’s championship game.

“I’ll probably start off with it, man. I’m a little superstitious,” he said. “If it gets knocked off, then me and him will have a discussion if he will return.”

Teammates were invited to delve into the Headband Issue.

Battier smiled.

“It’s sort of like Dumbo and the feather,” he said. “The power’s not in the headband. The power’s in LeBron James.”

The Heat is well aware what it put its fans through Tuesday night. They were living it, after all. You thought it was tough up in Section 106. Imagine being at center court?

“Emotionally taxing,” Bosh called.

Everybody is exhausted, physically and mentally, but, “Fatigue is not an option,” as Battier said.

“I’m hurting,” said LeBron. “It doesn’t matter.”

Both of Dwyane Wade’s knees are aching now. “I’ll be fine,” he said.

This will be only the ninth playoff Game 7 at home in the history of the Heat, Marlins or Panthers, but only the second that was winner-take-all for the championship.

The only other ultimate 7 was on Oct. 26, 1997, Marlins vs. Indians for the World Series crown.

We loved the Marlins then; that was historic. But in some ways this Game 7 feels even bigger, more momentous. The Marlins were a fifth-year franchise just happy to be there. There is more to lose this time. A dynasty, LeBron James … maybe there is ALL that to lose.

Game 7’s also are rare in NBA Finals history. This will be only the 18th ever, and only the sixth since 1978.

Somebody jokingly asked Battier Wednesday if this was a “must-win.”

It’s only the ultimate one.

Battier leavened the gravity of the situation by quoting a Star Wars character (though thankfully not imitating the character’s voice):

“In the immortal words of Yoda,” he said, “Do or do not. There is no ‘try.’ ”

Win and be champion, or lose and be devastated.

The Heat fashioned one of the biggest, most memorable and best nights in South Florida sports history here Tuesday night.

Now all they have to do is do it again, if it isn’t too much to ask.

Related stories from Miami Herald

miami-heat

NBA Finals to reach climactic ending for Miami Heat, San Antonio Spurs

June 20, 2013 12:01 AM

dan-le-batard

Dan Le Batard: Second-guessing becomes first reaction during NBA Finals

June 20, 2013 12:01 AM

miami-heat

Miami Heat fans draw criticism for leaving Game 6 early

June 20, 2013 12:01 AM

miami-heat

Local businesses prosper in wake of Miami Heat’s NBA Finals run

June 20, 2013 12:01 AM

HOMEPAGE

Blog | Heat Check

May 25, 2012 06:07 AM

HOMEPAGE

Visit Miami Herald Online Store for Heat souvenirs

June 11, 2013 03:43 PM

  Comments  

Videos

Behind the scenes with Dan Le Batard

Greg Cote's Back in My Day: Halloween!

View More Video

Trending Stories

Why were former members of the U.S. military driving around Haiti heavily armed?

February 19, 2019 07:49 PM

Cuts are coming for Dolphins’ receivers, but there’s one their new coach raves about

February 19, 2019 12:31 PM

Here’s one pricey player that the Miami Dolphins’ new offensive line coach wants back

February 19, 2019 04:54 PM

Haiti’s economic lifeline has taken a hit. Expedia just made it worse.

February 19, 2019 06:04 PM

Rating Reggie McKenzie’s Oakland drafts a preview of what he can bring to Miami Dolphins

February 19, 2019 12:59 AM

Read Next

Marlins open spring in full rebuild mode, but here are 6 reasons fans should feel good

Greg Cote

Marlins open spring in full rebuild mode, but here are 6 reasons fans should feel good

By Greg Cote

    ORDER REPRINT →

February 18, 2019 04:57 PM

Anger over the most recent Marlins fire sale is so last year. As the full squad opened 2019 spring training on Monday, we accentuate the positive with six reasons why Marlins fans should be optimistic about the rebuild underway.

KEEP READING

Sign Up and Save

#ReadLocal

Get six months of free digital access to the Miami Herald

SUBSCRIBE WITH GOOGLE

MORE GREG COTE

Kaepernick, NFL reach collusion settlement, but stain on league stays until he’s signed

Greg Cote

Kaepernick, NFL reach collusion settlement, but stain on league stays until he’s signed

February 15, 2019 04:25 PM
PGA Tour star was wrong to stiff caddie, but vilification of Matt Kuchar is wrong, too

Greg Cote

PGA Tour star was wrong to stiff caddie, but vilification of Matt Kuchar is wrong, too

February 14, 2019 01:48 PM
Big decision on a small QB, but here’s why Kyler Murray is perfect for Miami Dolphins

Greg Cote

Big decision on a small QB, but here’s why Kyler Murray is perfect for Miami Dolphins

February 13, 2019 12:23 PM
Costas spoke out about the dangers of the NFL. It cost him his job — but not his integrity

Greg Cote

Costas spoke out about the dangers of the NFL. It cost him his job — but not his integrity

February 11, 2019 02:03 PM
This is the state of South Florida’s sports franchises. This is why it’s looking grim

Greg Cote

This is the state of South Florida’s sports franchises. This is why it’s looking grim

February 08, 2019 04:06 PM
UM was a ‘mess’ and Diaz was partly to blame. His first recruiting class can help him fix it

Greg Cote

UM was a ‘mess’ and Diaz was partly to blame. His first recruiting class can help him fix it

February 07, 2019 12:00 PM
Take Us With You

Real-time updates and all local stories you want right in the palm of your hand.

Icon for mobile apps

Miami Herald App

View Newsletters

Subscriptions
  • Start a Subscription
  • Customer Service
  • eEdition
  • Vacation Hold
  • Pay Your Bill
  • Rewards
Learn More
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Newsletters
  • News in Education
  • Public Insight Network
  • Reader Panel
Advertising
  • Place a Classified
  • Media Kit
  • Commercial Printing
  • Public Notices
Copyright
Commenting Policy
Privacy Policy
Terms of Service


Back to Story