Heat determined to continue making adjustments in preparation for Game 5
MIAMI -- Another team holding a 3-1 conference semifinal lead might begin eyeing the next opponent.
Not the Miami Heat.
"We brought it up in the locker room afterwards and it didn't even need to be brought up," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said Tuesday, a day after his team defeated the Brooklyn Nets 102-96 in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference semifinal series.
"It was, 'Let's go back to our tapes. Let's rest. And when we get back together on Wednesday morning, let's get our minds right with the same type of focus we had coming into Game 4.' "
The Heat moved to within a victory of a fourth straight appearance in the conference finals -- and perhaps a rematch with rival Indiana -- thanks largely to LeBron James' 49 points.
Game 5 will be Wednesday night at AmericanAirlines Arena.
There was no Heat practice Tuesday after the team returned from Brooklyn in the early morning hours, though Spoelstra expected many players to come in for treatments.
The coaching staff, meanwhile, was at work viewing video of the series. Miami won the first two games at home by a combined 33 points before losing Game 3 at the Barclays Center.
"This series has been changing dramatically as it's been going on," Spoelstra said. "Today is a day for us to go back and look at all of it. Now you have a little bit more body of evidence to look a little bit deeper into trends. There's a small margin for error both ways.
"And again, we're trying to figure it out as it goes on and hopefully we can get better at figuring it out."
One reason the Heat have won seven of eight playoff games this year has been the play and health of Dwyane Wade, who endured knee and hamstring issues during the regular season.
"If you asked us six weeks ago where he would be coming off the big (knee) injury, we didn't know," Spoelstra said. "The fact he has been able to play every single game, he's able to practice and do (gameday) shootarounds everyday that the teams goes, is a big success."
At James' urging, James Jones re-joined the Heat rotation for 13 minutes in Game 4. The sharpshooter, who hit three 3s down the stretch of Game 3, helps create spacing for others.
"We need to go a little bit deeper into our rotation, and it's fine," Spoelstra said. "Sometimes you learn these things as the series goes on."
Jones likely cut into time that would have gone to Rashard Lewis, who provides length and, as with Jones, an outside threat despite being 2 of 13 from 3-point territory in this year's playoffs.
"Both give us things that we need at both ends of the court, they just do it differently," Spoelstra said.
Whether it's Jones, Lewis or other players, Spoelstrsa said he wants his shooters to stay aggressive in Game 5.
"I want those guys coming in tomorrow guns blazing," he said. "I don't want them hesitating at all."
Spoelstra said he expected the Nets' best effort while trying to stave off elimination.
"Something similar to what we saw (Monday) night -- we wouldn't expect anything else," Spoelstra said. "They're a deep, veteran team. It's not the first time they've been in a situation like this.
"Both teams know what's at stake, and it's great competition. You have to embrace it. You have to earn it."
You can follow Charlie McCarthy on Twitter @mccarthy_chas or email him at mac1763@bellsouth.net.
