The Diesel

Shaq has shown unusual mobility through the first 2 games of the series. He is stepping out on high screens, forcing the ballhandler, usually Terry, Howard or Dirk, to pass or hold the ball; Diop and Dampier are limited offensive options so this works well for Miami. On the offensive end though, he is not getting good position and not hitting free throws when fouled. The two-headed Dallas centers have pushed him out of his comfort zone, forcing him to receive the ball a step away from his usual post position. In addition, Dallas is double-teaming beautifully, running at Shaq and forcing him to pick up his dribble and look for an open man. Thus, with 4 minutes left in the 3rd quarter of game 2, Shaq leads Miami in assists - with 2. Clearly, Miami is not playing well. This looks like an entirely different Heat team from that which I watched versus Detroit. In that series, Miami played beautifully in finding the Diesel inside, moving the ball, taking good shots, and stacking the lane against Detroit, albeit a much weaker offensive team than Dallas. Dallas has impressed me. I knew they were good, I didn't know Dallas is this good. Stackhouse is a great option off the bench and Howard and Griffin have both played effectively and contained Wade. Terry has consistently attacked the basket and hit his jumper and Dirk has stepped up in game 2. Diop and Dampier are keys to Dallas' success and have played Shaq as well if not better than any individuals I have watched in recent memory. Even Keith Van Horn has shown signs of skill. I expect Miami to even the series at 2-2 after wins in Miami, with Dallas then winning in 6. This is a fun series to watch and it will get even better. - farfel