If Dwyane Wade is nicknamed "Flash" for his speed, than Lebron James should be "Superman" given how equally quick he gets from one end of the court to the other. The second half can be perfectly captured by this image: Lebron or Wade grabbing a rebound or a loose ball (most likely stripped en route to the hoop or off a deflected pass) at the Heat free throw line and then taking the ball coast-to-coast breezing past back-peddling Warriors in blue for an easy slam or two points.
The 18 fast break points by the Heat doesn’t quite explain how much the Heat aimed to push the tempo in the second half through defensive intensity. The Warriors, in desperation, ended up fouling any chance they could. The Warriors collected 31 fouls compared to the Heat’s 12.
But as expected in the second half, the Heat picked up their defensive intensity, which easily flustered the Warriors and their miraculous offensive execution in the first half. As mentioned in an earlier update, the Heat's defensive intensity of tipped passes, blocked shots, stripped balls was reason for the Warriors 12 3rd quarter points. The Warriors only made 3 of 11 three pointers in the second half and were destroyed at the free throw line. The Heat made 35 of 47 whereas the Warriors only attempted 12-16. As three point shooting can come and go depending on the kinds of looks you get — highly dependent upon defensive execution — free throws are ‘gimmes’ that quality teams the Warriors have faced have learned to capitalize on or count on as controllable factors of the game.
Had the Warriors trimmed this disparity, perhaps they might have won this game. But the Heat are loaded with super stars and the Warriors aren’t, so that is an uphill battle the Warriors are going to have to work on. I’m not suggesting the Warriors would have won had they gotten more calls. But I am suggesting that having 3 super stars on one team versus a team that no one respects in the league will sway how some calls are made by the referees.
Dorell Wright, after scoring 20 points in the first half, was slowed down by Lebron James in the third and fourth quarters, finished with 30 points. None of Wright’s points came off free throws. Monta Ellis finished with 25 points but had 5 turnovers. Stephen Curry had 15 points but also had 5 fouls, struggling to contain Dwyane Wade on the offensive end.
The "Big Three" of Miami combined for 70 points. James and Wade both had 25 points, a bulk of them coming in the second half.