Miami wins Game Four

Six thoughts:

1. Is Jerry Stackhouse blind? He knows that was Shaq he knocked over, right? I understand Shaq’s not the player he once was, but he’s still seven-feet-plus and three-hundred-pounds-plus, and Stackhouse is still a talent-wasting pansy. Actually, Stack was tough after getting his face bashed in Game One, but after his cheap shot, he spent the rest of tonight’s game shrinking from contact. It was most evident when he bricked a dunk instead of challenging Alonzo Mourning directly-though avoiding that sure hit was probably his smartest move of the evening.

2. Maybe it is in his head after all. Dirk Nowitzki put up a Valentine’s Day, going 2-14 from the field. He spent more time on the arena floor than a Zamboni, begging for-and getting-a number of ridiculous bail-out calls. Vlade Divac reportedly called the Dirk in the locker room at halftime to berate him for “playing like a woman”. The officiating tonight was pretty shady-hmmm, what are the odds of that with Dick Bavetta present?-but Nowitzki couldn’t take advantage.

3. Speaking of the officiating... That really was one of the most poorly-reffed Finals game I’ve ever seen. For a while there in the second half, the Mavericks got every single call. While I’m not usually big on reactionary rules changes, something has to be done about the blocking and charging calls, which Jake Plummer laughs at and calls inconsistent.

My friend Jason put it best when he compared the game to an old copy of NBA Live, which had a setting to let the losing team back into the game, invariably with the most egregious calls and bounces.

4. Miami shut up and played. Dallas didn’t. I thought Miami would go on a huge run immediately after Shaq got knocked over, but it didn’t happen for another quarter. Either way, the Mavs were shell-shocked. The only Dallas player who didn’t wet himself was Jason Terry-but, like his teammates, he should have just left for the locker room after the third quarter ended.

5. Shaq is back. No, he didn’t even crack 20, but he’s more active than he’s been in years and was very efficient from the field. I loved watching him abuse Ericka Dampier on the low block.

6. Dwyane Wade, Dwyane Wade, Dwyane Wade. Wade’s 36 points were more than twice as many as anyone else had-and yet, his night wasn’t especially memorable. Maybe he can carry the Heat for two more games.