NBA Finals Capsules: In close series, James plans to be better

DALLAS (AP) — For nearly one year, LeBron James has shaken off the criticism, laughed off the trash talk. None of it mattered to James, not as long as the Miami Heat remained on the route to a championship.

But when that pursuit became threatened in part by his own poor play, James couldn’t ignore the only critic that matters: himself.

James said Wednesday he "didn’t play well" in Game 4, when the Dallas Mavericks edged the Heat 86-83 to even the series at two games apiece after the two-time MVP failed to find ways to make an impact offensively.

"I didn’t do that last night," James said. "Those are the things that I pride myself on that hurt me the most. I’ll just be hard on myself and figure out a way to do it better the next game."

The Heat arrived about 30 minutes late for their interview session Wednesday after watching extra film of the game, though they could have saved time by just fast-forwarding through James’ no-show.

He scored only eight points, held in single digits for the first time in 90 career playoff games, and attempted only 11 shots. James said he criticized himself all night, taking solace that he had at least two more chances to turn things around for himself and his team.

"If it was the Super Bowl, I would be kicking myself in the foot. We have one game. That’s it," James said. "The great thing about this, it’s a series. No matter if you can have a bad game, you can always make an imprint on the next game. Game 5 is a huge game."

And the way this series is shaping up, probably a close one.

Three straight games have been decided by three points or fewer, the first time that’s happened in the championship round since 1948, according to STATS, LLC. The Baltimore Bullets and Philadelphia Warriors played Games 2-4 within a three-point margin during those Basketball Association of America finals, one year before that league merged with the National Basketball League to become the NBA.

And while James has come under increased scrutiny for his passive play, Dirk Nowitzki is cementing his reputation by overcoming injury and illness to rally the Mavs to victories in two of the last three games.

"Really, are there two guys that get more compared to Superman than Dwyane Wade and LeBron James? Think about it," Mavs president Donnie Nelson said. "Then our guy was the superstar that never really was a superstar because he was from Europe, or he was soft, or he couldn’t win the big game."

Not anymore. Not after Nowitzki made the go-ahead layup with a left hand that had a torn tendon in his middle finger with 3.6 seconds left in Game 2, and certainly not after fighting through a fever of 101 degrees to score 10 of his 21 points in the fourth quarter of Game 4.

He felt better Wednesday morning, saying the fever had broke, though precautions were being made to make sure he didn’t get anyone else sick. The microphone Nowitzki used for interviews was immediately replaced — teammate Tyson Chandler followed him and joked to "burn that mic!" — but the big German was already planning a workout later in the evening and thinking ahead to Thursday night.

"I think we have to be ready for anything," he said. "I think usually it’s the team that loses that looks at the film and says, ‘Hey, we have to do this.’ Usually the team that loses has more of an edge, makes some adjustments with the coaches."

For the Heat, that means finding ways to make James more aggressive. Wade has been their best player in the series, Chris Bosh was hot right from the start in Game 4, and that left James appearing confused how to contribute as the No. 3 option.

He stayed too long around the perimeter and wasn’t active in seeking the ball, content to rely on the help he was so eager to leave Cleveland to find.

"He will be more aggressive and have more of an attack mentality tomorrow night," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. "He doesn’t need to overthink it. He’s a great player. He’s a proven player. He knows how to be aggressive and how to pick his spots. I don’t want him to necessarily overthink it. The aggressive mentality will be enough. We will do some things to help him, put him in positions to be aggressive."

The Heat largely dominated the first seven quarters of the series, appearing potent enough to sweep their way to a championship. Yet the Mavs have hung in, often controlled the fourth quarters — James has been held to nine total points in them — and their bravado seems to be growing.

Reserve guard Jason Terry wondered aloud if James could defend him for seven games. DeShawn Stevenson took things further Wednesday when he said James "checked out" late in Game 4.

The Heat’s star power — and the desire many have to see them lose following James’ high-profile move last summer — already made this a must-see series, and the tightness of the games has taken it a step further. Averaging 15.5 million viewers on ABC, it’s drawing the most since 2004, Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant’s last year together with the Lakers.

Those superstars were humbled by Detroit. Now the Mavs are trying to hand James and Wade the same result.

"So in my opinion, it’s interesting because it’s kind of ‘The Little Train That Could,’ that hasn’t quite done it yet, and then you’ve got these known commodities, household names," Nelson said. "I think that’s what has really brought this to a really cool clash and why it’s brought the rest of the country in. It makes for interesting theater."

Nowitzki’s meds: Chicken soup, night-time jumpers

DALLAS (AP) — Dirk Nowitzki went home from his latest dramatic performance in the NBA Finals, took a shower then slurped some chicken soup and hot tea. After a good night’s rest, he returned to work Wednesday still dealing with a slight temperature and the sniffles, so he took it easy. For a few hours.

Nowitzki said he was planning to be back in the gym later Wednesday to put up some shots and "at least get the body used to sweating a little bit."

With only two or three games left this postseason, Nowitzki figures he will soon have plenty of time to deal with a sinus infection and everything else that ails him. So he’s determined to put whatever energy he has left into getting the two wins he and the Dallas Mavericks need to become NBA champions for the first time.

"At this stage, after playing eight, nine months on a high level ... nobody is completely healthy," Nowitzki said. "So it’s time to fight through some stuff."

Nowitzki is fighting as hard as anyone.

He tore the tendon at the tip of his left middle finger during Game 1, then led a winning rally at the end of Game 2, even scoring two of his final three baskets using his wounded hand. He scored Dallas’ final 12 points in Game 3, but missed his final shot at the buzzer when he could’ve forced overtime.

The morning of Game 4, he showed up for a shootaround "looking like a ghost," said Donnie Nelson, the team’s president of basketball operations. Club officials sent him to the locker room, then to his house with all sorts of medicine.

Before the game, no one knew what to expect. Of course Nowitzki was going to try playing. But how long would he last? How good would he be?

"Dirk is a playful guy and outgoing and outspoken when it comes to the locker room," center Tyson Chandler said. "Seeing him not being playful and not really saying much and kind of sitting in his locker, I knew it was going to be a tough night for him."

All seemed well when Nowitzki opened the game by hitting three straight shots. Then he missed 10 of 11. He also misfired on a free throw, ending his second run of 39 in a row this postseason.

By then, the secret about Nowitzki’s illness was out. He was wheezing, coughing and doing all he could to fight the effects of a 101-degree fever.

"His wind didn’t look the same," guard Jason Terry said. "But for the most part he was intense, he was locked in, he was focused."

Nowitzki scored 10 of his 21 points and grabbed five of his 11 rebounds while the Mavs pulled off another late comeback, erasing a nine-point deficit with 10:12 left. This rally kept them from falling into the black hole of a 3-1 deficit, instead putting them right back in the thick of things at 2-2.

Comparisons instantly were made to Michael Jordan scoring 38 points in Game 5 of the 1997 Finals while battling a fever of 103. Nelson called it "our version of Willis Reed," except Reed only had the first four points for the New York Knicks when he made his dramatic appearance for the tipoff of Game 7 of the 1970 Finals.

"I think last night was one of the most inspirational, gut performances in Mavs history," Nelson said. "If he doesn’t tough it out and if he doesn’t come back, there is no way (the Mavs win). I don’t even know how he was standing in that fourth quarter because that was a physically taxing game. Hat’s off. We’re here at 2-2 because of him. ... Like all great players, you just find a way. You shut off the physical. All great players have that psyche. Their mind is able to overcome whatever limitations they have."

Apparently, even on an off day, as evidence by Nowitzki’s plans to return to the arena later in the day. Nelson didn’t know about that plan, but also wasn’t surprised.

"He better be feeling real good if that’s the case," Nelson said, laughing. "He’ll probably do a little free throws, a little technical stuff. He’s a big boy now. He understands that he can’t be burning up energy now like he could when he was 22."

Nowitzki has plenty of company on the injured list.

Backup center Brendan Haywood lasted only three minutes in Game 4 because of a hip injury that kept him out the previous game. He said Wednesday "we’ll see" when asked about his chances of playing in Game 5.

Chandler picked up the slack by playing a team-high 43 minutes. Shawn Marion was limited to 26 minutes after playing a team-high 43 the previous game. Terry is also getting over a bone bruise in his shooting wrist sustained in Game 1.

And don’t forget about Nowitzki’s damaged digit. At a news conference Wednesday, he left middle finger was held straight with a tongue depressor taped under it as a makeshift splint.

Hey, it’s the playoffs. Whatever it takes.

"Basically, for a month and a half, two months, you’re living on the edge every night," Nowitzki said. "You’re thinking about it, eat, breathe, sleep basketball, and that’s what’s fun about the playoffs, but also very draining.

"We have one more week to go, both teams, and we’re going to go for it. Both teams are going to get their vacation afterwards."

-- Jaime Aron

Confidence high for Heat entering Game 5

DALLAS (AP) — LeBron James and Dwyane Wade have rooms across the hall from one another at Miami’s team hotel in Dallas, which was convenient after Game 4 of the NBA Finals. They needed to talk.

And despite all the questions that have arisen after James’ eight-point effort on Tuesday night — the first time in 90 career playoff games where the two-time NBA MVP was held to single digits in scoring — Wade emerged from that late-night strategy session convinced as ever in his superstar Heat teammate.

"Eventually," Wade said Wednesday, "he’s going to do something amazing, and it’s going to put us over the top."

Game 5 is James’ next opportunity.

The Heat and Dallas Mavericks are tied at two games apiece in these NBA Finals, which resume Thursday night before shifting back to Miami for Game 6 on Sunday and, possibly, a winner-take-all Game 7 on Tuesday night. It’s a best-of-three series now.

"I think it’s that time," James said. "I think it’s that time that I try to get myself going individually."

Said Wade: "Sounds good to me."

James’ words surely sound good to the rest of the Heat, too. Come Thursday, everyone will be waiting to see whether he bounces back from a stunning Game 4 statline. He was more than 20 points below his career playoff average, shooting only 3-for-11 in Miami’s 86-83 loss.

So far in the Finals, he has nine points in the fourth quarter. To put that in perspective, Dirk Nowitzki had 10 in the final quarter of Game 4 alone.

"I didn’t play well, especially offensively. I know that," James said. "I’ve got to do a better job of helping this team win basketball games, especially late, no matter what it is. If that’s getting an offensive rebound, like I said, making a couple of baskets, being more aggressive to give my guys opportunities to get open looks. I have to do that. That’s what my job is. That’s what I’m here for."

Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said Miami will make some adjustments to help James’ offensive flow in Game 5. The Mavericks might be providing James with some help as well.

On the eve of Game 5, Dallas guard DeShawn Stevenson directed some sharp words toward James, saying he "checked out" in the final minutes of Game 4 on Tuesday night.

"That’s good for us," Stevenson said after practice Wednesday.

Stevenson isn’t worried about the perception of his comments, either.

Stevenson was saying that the Heat are still getting to know each other, that James wasn’t himself in Game 4 and that the two-time MVP is "talented enough that he can use anything in the paper to kind of boost his ego."

James was unbothered, at least outwardly, by his latest give-and-take with Stevenson.

"DeShawn, he’s been talking for a long time, since our Washington-Cleveland days," James said. "I don’t let that get to us. Those guys are playing well. We’re playing well. It’s a three-game series. Talk is cheap. You have to play the game of basketball. Let the scores and the plays define the game."

When saying this series is even, it goes deeper than saying each team has won two games so far in the Finals. Through four games, some of the statistical similarities are absurd.

— Points: Miami is averaging 89, Dallas 87.8.

— Rebounds: Dallas is averaging 40, Miami 39.

— Field-goal percentage: Miami 42.8, Dallas 41.4.

— 3-point percentage: Miami 34.5, Dallas 34.2.

In short, the Heat and Mavericks are even so far.

"We’re in an absolute heavyweight bout, and that’s the way it should be," Spoelstra said. "It’s as even a series as it can be. Right now there’s no ‘woulda, coulda, shoulda.’ Both teams have done the same thing. Won on each other’s court, and won one game on their home court."

James said he watched the tape of the Game 4 loss before calling it a night on Tuesday, then watched more film after waking on Wednesday, and Spoelstra pulled the Heat together for another video session before their workout. It was not easy to watch.

And there was more than enough blame to go around.

"Bottom line is, LeBron is a great player," Heat forward Udonis Haslem said. "Great players get a lot of criticism sometimes when their teams don’t win. It’s not necessarily something that he did wrong. He found me for a great shot in the corner, didn’t go in. Got Chris (Bosh) a couple of shots, those didn’t go in. We make those shots, it’s a different outcome and it’s probably different story to write the next day."

True, LeBronwatch remained in full effect Wednesday.

Wade was spectacular in Game 4, 32 points on 13-for-20 shooting. Bosh played his best game, by far, of the Finals by scoring 24 points. Neither registered much of a blip on the getting-noticed screen.

"I criticized myself," James said. "I was hard on myself all last night. Anytime I feel like I could have played better and the team loses, that’s what it’s all about. If I have a bad game and we win, I’m hard on myself, but at the end of the day we win the basketball game."

James now has logged more court time than anyone in the NBA this season — 3,898 minutes and 38 seconds — and deferred when asked if fatigue was much of a factor for his struggles. He simply blamed what happened Tuesday on not being in rhythm, aiming his jumpers too much instead of trusting himself on the release, maybe spending too much time facilitating others instead of looking for his own points.

The sense around the Heat is that will change somewhat for Game 5.

If that’s the case, Wade said he thinks good things will happen for Miami. Some words from James helped Wade get back on track after he was struggling in the Eastern Conference finals against Chicago. Now, Wade hopes something he says can help James find his best groove again, with an NBA title in the balance.

"We’ve got each other’s back. We believe in each other," Wade said. "Like I said, eventually LeBron is going to do something so great, you know, that I believe what he did in Game 4 won’t even be a topic of conversation."

-- Tim Reynolds

Notebook: Heat-Mavs having one of closest NBA Finals in history

DALLAS (AP) — The Dallas Mavericks and Miami Heat keep taking their NBA Finals games down to the final minute. The difference in the last three games has been a single shot, with each decided three points or less.

"It’s just a slugfest right now," Heat forward Chris Bosh said Wednesday.

And a rarity. There have been only two other NBA Finals where three consecutive games were decided by no more than three points. And those were back in 1947 and 1948 — the first championship series ever played.

Dallas won 86-83 on Tuesday night to even this series at two games apiece. Game 5 is Thursday night in Dallas before the series shifts back to Miami.

The Heat had won Game 3 88-86 after the Mavericks’ 95-93 victory in Game 2.

When the Philadelphia Warriors won the first championship series in 1947, the final three games were decided by a combined seven points. There were three more close games in the middle of the 1948 series that the Warriors lost to the Baltimore Bullets.

If the Heat and Mavs have another game this series decided by three points or less — and they have at least two more chances, maybe three — it would be only the third NBA Finals to have four such games. The only times that has happened so far were in the 1957 and 1958 series matching the Boston Celtics and St. Louis Hawks.

"We expected every game to be a close game, and every game has been a close game," Heat forward Udonis Haslem said.

The most lopsided game so far was Miami’s 92-84 victory in Game 1.

Since those Celtics-Hawks series more than a half-century ago, when each team won a championship, there have been only four other NBA Finals with three games decided by three points or less.

The last before this year? The 2006 Finals between the Mavericks and Heat, when the average margin in the six games was only nine points.

HAYWOOD’S HURT HIP: Dallas Mavericks backup center Brendan Haywood is again uncertain in the NBA Finals after managing to play only three minutes in Game 4 because of his strained right hip flexor.

"I didn’t have a lot of lateral movement, so it was tough to be out there," Haywood said Wednesday.

Haywood came out in the fourth quarter of Game 2 with the injury, and didn’t play Game 3. Neither he nor coach Rick Carlisle were sure of his status for Game 5 on Thursday night.

"Don’t know. So, we’ll see. The more rest, the more treatment, the better," Haywood said.

Carlisle said it is a tough situation.

"He gave it a shot last night, and it just wasn’t quite where it needed to be," Carlisle said. "But with each day hopefully Mother Nature can help out. And we’ll see if we can have him ready for (Thursday)."

EVERYBODY’S HURTING: Dirk Nowitzki played Game 4 with a sinus infection and the still-sore finger her hurt in the series opener.

While Nowitzki’s issues have been the most prominent because of how he has played for Dallas in the NBA Finals, he’s not the only player ailing.

"At the end of the day, we’re all banged up," Miami’s Chris Bosh said. "We’re all tired, it’s physically tough to go out here and beat each other up every night, so we’re all in the same boat."

And they all know there is less than a week left in the season, even if this series goes the full seven games.

"We can rest in the summer time," Mavs forward Shawn Marion said. "If I cough up blood, it is what it is, it’s that time of the year. The season is that much shorter, within the next few days the season will be over with. We can rest then."

OFF THE BENCH AGAIN: Mavericks guard DeShawn Stevenson expects to be coming off the bench instead of starting again in Game 5 of the NBA Finals.

"Yeah, I think we have to, it worked," Stevenson said after practice Wednesday. "We’ve got to keep the same thing going."

Mavs coach Rick Carlisle switched his lineup before Game 4, inserting J.J. Barea into the lineup instead of Stevenson. The Mavericks won 86-83 to even the series at two games each.

"This is a move we’ve made several times in my three years, starting Barea," Carlisle said Wednesday. "We’ve done it in a lot of instances where there have been big games. He has always stepped up and competed at an extremely high level."

Barea played just less than 22 minutes, scoring eight points on 3-of-9 shooting (0 for 2 on 3-pointers) with four assists and a turnover.

Stevenson came off the bench with his first double-figure scoring game in more than four months, scoring all 11 of his points in the second quarter. That included three 3-pointers in a span of just more than 3½ minutes.

"My role is just to come out and bring energy off the bench, and we have the luxury to do stuff like that," Stevenson said. "I just want to win. I think coming off the bench, I know I have to be aggressive. When you start, you tend to go into the game and let the game come to you, but when you come off the bench, you have to be ready or else the starter’s coming back to get you."

NASH ON NOWITZKI: Steve Nash was able to visit good friend Dirk Nowitzki in the locker room after the big German scored the winning basket with his injured left hand in Game 2 of the NBA Finals in Miami.

Not that Nash was the least bit surprised by his former teammate’s play.

"I just feel like he’s poised to carry his team to a championship," the two-time NBA MVP told The Associated Press on Wednesday. "I’m happy for him. He’s one of the great players of this game."

Mostly Nash sends text messages while his friend is busy with the Finals. Still chasing a first title of his own, Nash reiterated that he wants to stay with the Phoenix Suns.

He’s been busy during this playoff season, with rooting interest in both the NBA’s and NHL’s final series. Nash was set to watch his favorite hockey team — the Vancouver Canucks — and brother-in-law Manny Malhotra in Game 4 of the Stanley Cup final Wednesday in Boston.

He’s also promoting his annual "Showdown in Chinatown" charity soccer match in New York on June 22. NBA stars including Tony Parker and Grant Hill are scheduled to attend.

-- Stephen Hawkins

Game 4 of NBA Finals draws 11.1 overnight rating

DALLAS (AP) — Game 4 of the NBA Finals between Miami and Dallas drew an 11.1 overnight rating, up 22 percent from the fourth game of the Heat-Mavericks title matchup in 2006.

ESPN says Tuesday night’s viewership peaked between 11:30 and 11:45 p.m. Eastern with a 15.5 rating. It’s the 23rd consecutive time a Finals game has been the highest-rated program on a given night, according to Nielsen.

In Miami, the game got a 34.2 metered market rating, making it the second most-watched game in South Florida since records began being kept in 2003. The game had a 30.5 metered market rating in Dallas.

Ratings represent the percentage of all homes with televisions tuned into a program. Overnight ratings measure the country’s largest markets.

Other NBA Capsules

Stern: Sides ‘very far apart’ on NBA labor deal

DALLAS (AP) — Repeating the words several times, David Stern made it clear: NBA owners and players are "very far apart" on a new labor deal.

And with the union saying the league hasn’t moved off its harshest demands, it may be hard to get closer in time to prevent a lockout.

"I think one of the owners indicated at the conclusion of today’s meeting that he was very pessimistic as to whether or not they’d be able to reach an accord between now and the end of the month, and I’m forced to share that sentiment," union executive director Billy Hunter said Wednesday. "I think maybe it’s going to be a difficult struggle."

Representatives of the owners and players completed a second day of meetings, scheduled two more for next week, and expressed hope that continued dialogue before the June 30 expiration of the collective bargaining agreement could head off a work stoppage.

Yet the players reiterated their opposition to a hard salary cap, reduction in contract lengths and the amount for which they could be guaranteed, and said owners haven’t budged on their desire for all three.

"No change at all. What has changed is maybe the mechanism, the system somewhat in maybe how we get there. We tossed around some ideas in that regard, but there is no hiding the fact that the main components of what we originally received in their proposal have not changed at all," union president Derek Fisher of the Lakers said. "So from that standpoint, there hasn’t been much of a negotiation because that really hasn’t changed."

Owners are seeking an overhaul of the system after losses of hundreds of millions of dollars annually during the current CBA, which was ratified in 2005. They believe they could get the relief they seek through a hard cap that would replace the current soft cap system that allows teams to exceed the limit under certain exceptions.

"We do not believe that a hard salary cap system is something that is good for basketball," Fisher said.

The sides met for four hours Wednesday after a meeting that lasted about 5½ hours Tuesday. They will meet again next Tuesday in Miami if there is a Game 7 of the NBA Finals, or otherwise in New York, then sit down again Friday in New York.

Stern said each side exchanged new proposals during the sessions, but used the term "far apart" five times in about 8½ minutes to describe where things stand. Hunter said they are "miles apart."

"Both sides have moved, but we’re not anyplace close to a deal," Stern said.

Despite the players’ opposition to the hard cap, Hunter said he believed the biggest issue is the division of revenues. Players are guaranteed 57 percent, and he believes owners want a system that guarantees each profits by millions.

"We don’t necessarily feel it’s the employees’ responsibility to guarantee that," Fisher said.

The league is projecting leaguewide losses of about $300 million and wants a reduction in player salary costs of about $750 million annually. Players have argued the system largely works and owners can help themselves with expanded revenue sharing.

Neither side would offer specifics of the proposals, beyond Hunter saying the owners wanted a 10-year deal. He thought the league may eventually move on the hard cap issue, recalling that it eventually did in 1998 — but only after losing games for the only time.

"We were here in ‘98 and they wanted a hard cap and it was only on the eve of losing the season that we were then able to strike a compromise," Hunter said. "We’re hoping it doesn’t go that far this time, but we’re still waiting."

Hunter said he has guaranteed in writing that players won’t strike, but Fisher said owners have told them they will be locked out if they don’t agree on the three central issues.

Both sides said they are willing to keep meeting right up to the deadline, and it will take at least that long with the differences in their positions.

"As of right now they don’t add up," Stern said. "I’m not proceeding on the projection that they won’t, but that’s certainly possible and I think that both sides recognize that the outcome of no deal would not be a good outcome and so we continue to plot away."

-- Brian Mahoney

Nuggets bring in six players for predraft workouts

DENVER (AP) — Morehead State big man Kenneth Faried was more focused on rebounding than reminiscing as he made his return to the Mile High City.

ATLANTA (AP) — Atlanta Hawks forward Marvin Williams has undergone minor surgery on his lower back to alleviate the pain from a bulging disc.

The outpatient procedure was performed Wednesday at Peachtree Orthopedic Clinics in Atlanta. The team says Williams walked out of the facility on his own and should be able to resume full basketball activities in six to eight weeks.

Williams was slowed by back problems in 2008-09. This season, he missed 11 games after landing hard on his back attempting to make a steal in December game against Golden State.

The 24-year-old averaged 10.4 points and 4.8 rebounds while playing less than 29 minutes a game, the lowest total since his rookie season.

Arenas fined by NBA for Twitter comments

DALLAS (AP) — Gilbert Arenas is in trouble with the NBA again.

Arenas wrote on his Twitter page Wednesday that he was fined for comments he made on the social media site. NBA spokesman Tim Frank confirmed the Orlando guard had been fined, but declined to give the amount or the reason because it was not publicly announced.

In a series of postings on his "agentzeroshow" page, Arenas made a joke, apologized to the ladies it may have offended, and asked someone to message him the NBA’s Twitter rules.

Arenas was suspended 50 games last season for carrying guns into the Washington Wizards’ locker room. He was traded to Orlando this season.