Heat at Nets
The Miami Heat are sailing through the postseason and can set a franchise record for consecutive playoff wins when they visit the Brooklyn Nets in Saturday’s Game 3. Miami’s two wins to open the Eastern Conference semifinals increased its playoff winning streak to eight games, matching a club mark reached on two previous occasions. Brooklyn swept the four regular-season matchups but faces a must-win game if it has any chance of making it a series.
The Nets lost the two games in Miami by an average of 16.5 points and coach Jason Kidd was dejected after a 94-82 defeat in Thursday’s Game 2. “That one hurt,” Kidd told reporters. “We were right there. We gave ourselves, on the road, an opportunity against the world champs. We let the game slip away.” The Heat dominated the final seven minutes to turn a two-point lead into a double-digit victory and forward LeBron James is pleased with the team’s 6-0 mark in this postseason. “We’ve had the cohesiveness and rhythm we need and it’s great to have it at this point,” James told reporters afterward.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, ABC
ABOUT THE HEAT: Balanced scoring has been Miami’s theme in the first two games as five players have scored in double digits in each contest. James tallied 22 points in each game to lead the way while center Chris Bosh and guards Dwayne Wade, Mario Chalmers and Ray Allen also have recorded consecutive double-figure outings. “That’s what our team is all about,” James told reporters. “We don’t really care who scores.” The Heat have connected on 19 3-pointers in the series with Allen making seven after the veteran guard made just three in the four-game first-round sweep of the Charlotte Bobcats.
ABOUT THE NETS: Point guard Deron Williams had a poor outing in Game 2 when he went scoreless and missed all nine of his field-goal attempts. It was far from an ideal time to be invisible with Brooklyn desperately needing a win that would have changed the complexion of the series. “I just missed some shots,” Williams told reporters afterward. “I had a couple of open looks and I got the basket and thought I got fouled on a couple and no call. But you’ve just got to keep playing.” The best player for the Nets was backup forward Mirza Teletovic, who set a franchise record with six 3-pointers while scoring 20 points.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Allen (32 points) has scored more points in the first two games than the combined output (25) of former Boston teammates Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett.
2. Bosh blocked three shots in Game 2 and is averaging 16.5 points and 8.5 boards in the series.
3. Nets SG Joe Johnson is averaging just 15 points in the series after scoring 24 or more in four of seven games in the first round against Toronto.