1. It’s not often that you win a playoff game in the first quarter, but that’s what the HEAT did tonight after taking the opening period, 31-19, and riding that lead to a crucial Game 5 victory and 3-2 series lead.
A quick 7-0 burst to open the fourth – the pivot point of both Games 3 and 4 when Jimmy Butler had to sit – didn’t hurt either, but for the most part this was as steady and composed as the HEAT have been all season with a double-digit lead. There was no let up, no stretch of questionable minutes to give the other team life.