This is the attitude my brother was seeing, and damn if he wasn’t correct and didn’t even know about this. This is Coach Spoelstra after the G6 loss:
“We wish we could tip this thing off right now, right NOW. We want to tip this thing off and play another 48 minutes, but we’ll wait 48 hours and do this thing in Boston.”
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I have never had as excruciating a loss as this in my NBA fandom. When Jimmy hit those 3 fts and there was only one second left I felt lighter than air. I thought then that when the score went final I would sob. No exaggeration. A sob of thrilling impossibility. And then so suddenly the score on ESPN FLASHED 103-104 and a moment later Final and I nearly wept in grief. Sports can just rip the heart right out of you in a split second.
My Big Brother called twice, at 11:14 pm when we went ahead on Jimmy's fts and then at 11:17 when the game went final. I didn't have the ringer on and listened to his vms. I was in no mood to talk but I called him back. His words meant a lot to me. He said that the announcers were calling it a done deal, that Boston would complete the reverse sweep Monday night. "They're not going to, Ben! The "Heat" players went off the court with their heads high, not down! Jimmy looked straight ahead, not in a trance but with steely determination and anger."
My brother's observations meant a lot to me. He has spent his life playing and watching basketball and I have done neither and didn't even see this game. "I think they're going to win Monday night and I think they may blow the "Celtics" out. You heard it here first!"
I trust this man's basketball vision and IQ and I know he wasn't b.s.'ing me to make me feel good. That is really what he saw and what he believes. And so I believe. My brother's words were gold to me because of who they came from. They were evidence-based and knowledge-based.
I told my brother that his take was plausible. The "Heat" could tell themselves, completely with justification, "We played a SHITTY game, I (Jimmy speaking) couldn't shoot worth shit. Bam couldn't shoot. And STILL we had the game won with 3' left. They beat us on a Hail Mary and a goddamned tip. We will eat them alive Monday night."
So: We will beat Boston, and beat them convincingly Monday night. It's going to happen.
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No words, my heart is in my throat. Sports will crush you.
103-104, GREEN WHITE TIP SHOT 1" LEFT.
103-102!!!!!!!!!! JOEMAZ FTO
JIMMY SHOOTING 3 FTS FOR WIN!
Foul call on Beans overturned.
100-102, Tito fouls somebody. JoeMaz FTO, TWO SECS LEFT
Duncan take foul, :16.9 left
JIMMY 99-101! AND FOUL BY TITO! 100-101!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
97-101, :53
Duncan missed a 3 that would have tied. "Celts" reb.
Jimmy 3 AND 1 97-100, 1:22!!!!!!!
88-98, 4:10, JoeMaz FTO.
88-97, 4:56 left.
green white 3!!!!! 86-95
Here comes Hatem when they need him. Last 4 points, 86-92.
SWISH 3! 86-90, 6' 4Q.
"Celts" on 8-0 run. 83-90.
Jimmy misses, brown turd reb.
Tito blocked Bam's DUNK. brown turd fouled, makes both 83-87, 6:54.
83-85, Kyle foul on brown turd who makes.
brown turd 83-84.
"Heat 11-3 4Q, 7:37.
HEAT LEADS 83-82! JIMMY OH MY EFFING GOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!