The Miami Heat should have been on edge as the Washington Wizards entered their building on Wednesday. Were they amped up enough to win though?
The Miami Heat should have entered the building on Wednesday night with a certain fervor. They should have been on edge knowing that they would have the chance to face off against a familiar foe in the Washington Wizards. Why is the question that some might ask?
Well, it was almost a month ago that the Washington Wizards flat out embarrassed the Miami Heat up at their place in Capital One Arena. They had several players to go absolutely nuts in the matchup, from Ian Mahinmi to a two-way player in Garrison Mathews. The Miami Heat surely wouldn’t let something like that happen on Wednesday, would they?
They didn’t seem as though they would to open the game. They came out seemingly on a mission, taking control of the game after a few flat minutes to open the first quarter. They eventually took a firm grasp, taking a 20 point lead into the halftime break. Then it happened.
By “it”, we mean that dastardly third quarter, or the “turd quarter” as it has come to be called. The Miami Heat not only let the Washington Wizards back into the game, but they let them make it an actual game again. It got so bad, that at one point Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra removed his whole starting unit in place of his second unit, who eventually sprouted the lead back out to double digits.
The Heat couldn’t hold it though, as the game would eventually be tied back up. After James Johnson hit a miraculous three to tie the game at the end of regulation, the game would go to overtime, where the Miami Heat would eventually and inevitably be too much for the Wizards to overcome. The win wasn’t an easy one, as none typically are in the NBA, but it was one that shouldn’t have been this hard.
Something of note from over the last two contests, one with and one without Jimmy Butler in the lineup, has been the play of James Johnson. Johnson reemerged into the lineup over the past couple of weeks and has been a godsend.
Save for his play in the game against the Sacramento Kings on Sunday and the Miami Heat would have lost. Take away his huge three to tie the ball game in regulation after missing one earlier in that very sequence, and the Heat likely lose this game as well. I am not sure what he did during his time away and on the pine, but we would very much appreciate it if he kept doing it.
The Miami Heat are off until Friday, where they will welcome the L.A. Clippers into American Airlines Arena. That one won’t be easy either, but we can’t wait to see it happen.