Steve Clifford took the advice of owner Michael Jordan and assistant coach Patrick Ewing to establish Frank in the paint; it worked. The Hornets clogged the lane with Frank Kaminsky, and the Heat’s perimeter game was miserable. He said, “You know, I’ve just got to do a better job of looking out for Cody (Zeller) flopping”, Whiteside said.
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But this time the Heat’s reserves missed the shots the Hornets had ceded the first two games, the percentages clearly catching up to Erik Spoelstra’s team. Dwayne Wade tallied 17 points while Hassan Whiteside, contributed 13 points and grabbed 18 rebounds but was in foul trouble most of the second half. Walker scored 11 straight Charlotte points in the last six minutes of the fourth quarter to help his team pull away.TV: 8 p.m. ET, TNT, FSN Sun (Miami)ABOUT THE HORNETS: Walker slumped to 17 points on 4-of-19 shooting in Game 3 but found his groove again in Game 4, especially late.
The Hornets snapped the second-longest losing streak in National Basketball Association playoff history with their win over the weekend.
ABOUT THE HEAT: Miami burned the Hornets in the first two games by putting Luol Deng at power forward but were on the receiving end of some physical play in Game 3.
Chris Paul finished with 26 points for the Clippers, who had held the Blazers to an average of just 88 points in the first two games – down from an average of 105.1 in the regular season.
“Throughout my career I have made big plays – that is what I’m known for”, Walker said. “I was able to attack and get going”. “I am doing everything I can to be back as soon as possible”. However, it’s not all Jeremy Lin if the Hornets want to get back in this series as other players like Al Jefferson, Courtney Lee and others must step up their scoring. Their last series win came against Orlando in the first round that year. Charlotte shot just 38.9 percent in the Game 3 win, but it was still a 96-80 win and, right now, that’s all that matters. Kemba Walker and the Hornets have now evened their first round playoff series at 2-2 against Miami. Game 1 will be Saturday at San Antonio.
The Heat, which combined to shoot 57.8 percent from the field in its two wins, hit 10 of their first 15 shots and then went completely cold.
“We made a lot of mistakes”, Deng said. In the previous two games, the Heat scored 123 and 115 points, respectively.
Lin gave the Hornets a major boost with his highest point total since April 11, while adding four rebounds and four assists. The Heat had no answer against the onslaught and was forced to throw in the towel at the four minute mark by sending in the reserves.
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“He’s a handful in the pick-and-rolls and there is only so much you can do with that little guy”, Dwyane Wade said.
