The "ZONE" did the Heat in!!!

[carolinajazz]

No one has mentioned it yet....but the facts show that Dallas' zone defense was the undoing for the Miami Heat. Most NBA players/teams like to work "one on one" using their "athletic" ability to break down their opponent. The Heat especially, with Lebron and Wade, would maximize their speed and quickness (not to mention their ability to palm and travel with the ball) to blow by their opponents. The Mav's threw a zone defense at them....stopping most of these advantages and slowing down there offense for long stretches of time. Helping out the situation was the fact that Miami doesn't really have great outside shooters to at least dent a zone defense on occasion. Now, correct me if I'm wrong.....but this is dead on right, right???

 

[The-Joker]

You live or die by the zone. Dallas easily could have been blown out, if Miami shot as well as they did.

 

[LogGrad98]

The zone is a tool, a weapon to be used at the opportune moment(s). I think Dallas out-coached Miami by recognizing that the Heat have a hard time with a zone and playing it, with enough mixed looks to keep them on edge, to near-perfection. Miami's offense is also geared to keep the zone defense from getting set. Since Dallas ran it perfectly, it had the desired outcome. It is not the only reason, but I think it is a big part of it.