Triple OT Masterpiece without LeBron, Wade
Stat Line: 33 points, 14 rebounds, 5 assists, 14-for-27 from the floor
Having just lost to the Hawks at home just days prior, the Heat traveled to Atlanta with a bit of a chip on their shoulders, but would have to climb a steep mountain to get over the task at hand. Both James and Wade were out nursing minor injuries, and the Heat were looking to Bosh for leadership and will, and boy did they receive both.
Aggressive right from the start, Bosh made sure every member of the team followed his lead. With nobody skilled enough to guard him, “CB” toyed with Atlanta’s defense, hitting nearly 52 percent of his field goal attempts, and that’s not even the best part.
Down three with a little over 10 seconds remaining, the Heat inbounded the ball to Mario Chalmers(29 points that night), who dribbled around the top of the arc attempting to create space for a three pointer. Having been left for a split second, Bosh flailed his arms wildly, screaming for the ball. He received the pass about a few feet beyond the arc, and released the shot with just over a tick to go.
Swish. I’d never seen a three-pointer sank so cleanly in my entire life. I was in disbelief, and I can only imagine how the fans at Philips Arena felt.
The memorable image of James and Wade leaping for joy in their suits on the sideline is etched into my memory, and the sound of the final buzzer that night definitley came with a sigh of relief.