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Thu, Apr 23rd 2009, 12:22
O'Neal bounces back for Heat
Mario Chalmers sat in the corner of a loose Heat locker room an hour before tip-off on Wednesday night and calmly explained how the previous two days were not ones of hand-wringing or depression for the 90-64 losers of Game 1.“We just had a period of getting refocused,” he said. “It sort of felt like [making regular-season adjustments], but we are at a different stage of the season. Tonight, we’re more relaxed.”
The rookie proved prophetic as the Heat pulled a 180 and evened this suddenly interesting series with a 108-93 win over the Hawks. The hero was Dwyane Wade, he of the 33 points and outrageous game-clinching three-pointer that banked in at the shot-clock buzzer with 2:38 to play. But most encouraging for the Heat may have been the play of Jermaine O’Neal, who was highly criticized after his five-point, two-rebound effort in Game 1.
“That’s why you don’t read newspapers or listen to talk shows,” O’Neal said.
The Heat ran a lot of their offense through O’Neal, according to coach Erik Spoelstra, and the big man responded with 19 points, six rebounds, three assists and four blocked shots. O’Neal drew several fouls on the Hawks’ big men and was generally a serviceable Robin to Wade’s Batman.
“We know what we are going to get out of Dwyane,” said Heat forward Udonis Haslem, who had two key jumpers down the stretch to keep the Hawks at arm’s length. “[O’Neal] could be the X-factor in this series. If he plays well, it is going to be a pretty good series for us.”
O’Neal spent extra time on the court before the game working with assistant Bob McAdoo on quick, power moves. O’Neal estimates the strength in his leg and knee is about 65 percent of what it should be, but he will not be able to regain all strength through rehab until the summer. Still, he knows he can be effective in other areas.
“I know when I’m healthy I can score on anyone,” he said. “Right now, it is team defense, rebounding and doing what I can on offense.”
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