Breaking a Half-Century of Records
June 19, 2006 — -- MIAMI -- For the second straight year, Game 5 of the NBA Finals came down to a crucial shot and a critical mistake.
This time, the big bucket was a foul shot by Dwyane Wade with 1.9 seconds left, and the critical mistake was made by Josh Howard when he burned Dallas' final timeout in between Wade's two game-winning free throws.
When it ended with a miss from midcourt by Devin Harris, the Miami Heat had escaped with a 101-100 victory in a thrilling Game 5 of the NBA Finals to take a 3-2 lead and move just one victory away from the first title in franchise history. In order to prevent that from happening, Dallas needs to win the final two games on its home court, but not since 1955 has a series gone seven games with the home team victorious in all seven.
The Mavs would've liked to have had a better try at the end of overtime, but the timeout prevented it.
With Miami trailing 100-99, Wade dribbled free of two perimeter defenders, got past another Maverick and took a hand to the hip from Dirk Nowitzki for a foul. He went to the line and made the first to tie the game, and then things got crazy. First, the referees signaled that Dallas had called its final timeout, then they waved the players back and said no timeout had been called. But referee Joe DeRosa stepped in and said a Dallas player, apparently Howard, had indeed used up the Mavs' final timeout. Coach Avery Johnson protested vehemently, but to no avail, and Wade calmly knocked down the next one.
"Josh Howard goes to Joe DeRosa and not only once, but twice, asked for a timeout. Forced to call it, simple as that," crew chief Joe Crawford told a pool reporter.
Howard disputed that version.
"If that's what he's saying, that's what he's saying. I know I didn't call no timeout. I didn't say nothing to nobody," Howard told ESPN.com. "I just made the sign like that, looking straight at Coach," Howard said, placing his hands in the shape of a 'T.' "No eye contact."
Dallas had to inbound underneath the Miami basket rather than from halfcourt, and Harris' final attempt never had a chance.
A year ago in Game 5, Rasheed Wallace's failure to cover Robert Horry off an inbound play at the end of overtime left Horry wide open at the 3-point line for the winning shot. This one was equally dramatic, though the drama was of a different variety.
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