6 Thoughts
1) Look, Bennett Salvatore referred the game -seemingly by himself. The Warriors shot 46 free throws in regulations, and 52 for for the game, including several huge touch calls on the perimeter down the stretch. Approximately 48 of the 52 were called by Bennett. Does it seem like a lot? Maybe it is, because in 20 years of playing a minimum of 82 games a year, no team has ever made more free throws in a game against the Heat. Then, Udonis was nearly beheaded on a putback to tie the game at the buzzer - could the Heat get just one call to win the game> No, no call. Wade stared at half court and stared at Salvatore for a good 15 seconds before retreating to the bench to prepare for overtime. Salvatore gave him a palms up "what?" Wade just shook his head, and left him standing there - what can you do? - it's Bennett Salvatore. As Dos Minutos icon John Hollinger points out often, he is the worst referee in basketball, and it isn't even close.
2) Survived Heat Killa Jamal Crawford's normal 40. Incredibly, missed a 8 foot runner that would have won it at the overtime buzzer. Understandably frustrated at Bennett Salvatore that no free throws were forthcoming.
3) Even beyond this, a ridiculous game to win. Down 3 with 15 seconds left in overtime, Wade got knocked down on a fall away 3 by Steffan Jackson to no call. In the ensuing scramble for the rebound, CJ Watson fell out of bounds with the ball with 8 seconds to go. With no timeouts left, Miami inbounded the ball to Quinn, who hit a fallaway 3 from the corner. The Warriors had a timeout, but tried to inbound the ball. Beasley slipped back, a la Posey, and stepped in front of the pass, took a dribble to the rim where he was knocked down by Biedrins and, incredibly, drew a foul. Made one of two, Miami survived the Crawford runner. Ball game. Weird two nights in California - good to leave.
4) Why was Heat Assistant Coach Keith Askins wearing 0range ear plugs?
5) This says more about me than the place, but what is Oakland? It's a city, right? Is it right next to San Francisco - it's across the bay, or something, right? Is it also a big city, or do you drive over from San Francisco to see the game? I have been there, one time, visiting lost Minutoer The Web - he lived in the Oakland Hills. But we always went to San Francisco, which seemed to be right there. So what is Oakland? It seems to have its own teams, but do you ever hear anything else about the city except those teams?
6) In the second quarter, previewing a half time piece on Heat small forward Yakhouba Diawara, Heat play-by-play announcer Eric Reid pointed out to sidekick Tony Fiorentino that both Diawara and Warrior forward Ronny Turiaf grew up in France. And, Eric asked Tony, what would you say if I told you that Turiaf played on a high school team in Paris that featured him, Sonic forward Johan Petro, Spur backup Ian Mahinmi, and Tony Parker? What do I think? I think Thank God that team had Tony Parker, because they sound pretty terrible without him... Also, during the halftime piece Diawara revealed that his college coach Paul Westphal compared him to former Heat tough guy Dan Majerle. Dan Majerle? Really? Who does Chris Quinn remind him of, Tiny Archibald?
