A Show of Faith: Miami Returns Home for Game 3

Miami fans, your team has been here before.

You remember - last year they were down 0-2 against the Dallas Mavericks. In the NBA Finals.

The first two games were on the road, and Dallas "held serve" as they say, winning the first two games. And that was a much better team than this year's Chicago Bulls. So much was made of the Heat's age, that they looked slow and sluggish. That they couldn't possibly keep up with the Mavericks firepower.

Like the Bulls, the Mavericks were a jump shooting team that got very hot at home. Some of us Heat faithful said they wouldn't be able to keep it up, that Miami was going to make some noise. Boy did they.

Now, let's not be blind here and think just because Miami has been here before they will do it again. There are obviously no gurantees. Yet, there is plenty of reason to show faith in this Heat team.

There is a distinction between faith and hope. Faith is powered by belief, by a deep-seeded knowing in what the outcome will be: and that outcome will be positive. Faith is quiet confidence. Hope is negative in the sense that one is grasping on to avoid failure, but there is no certainty or belief that the outcome will be a positive one. It is based on the chance that one avoids failure and it is really a lot of posturing.

The Bulls and their fans hope Miami doesn't wake up and win the next two games at home. Miami has faith they will play better.

So, it is with that distinction that I provide not hope to you, my fellow Heatians, but faith. And to further illustrate my point, I will borrow from Dan Le Batard:

"Reason for doom: In NBA history, when the home team wins the first two games, it has won the series 76 of 80 times.

Reason for hope: It has been done four times."

Reason for faith: Of the teams that have taken the first two games and went on to lose the series, the Chicago Bulls were one of these teams.

Recall the 2004-2005 playoff season when in the first round, the Bulls had a 2-0 lead on their first round opponent the Washington Wizards. The Bulls were feeling pretty good and looking like they were going to advance to the second round to take on the Miami Heat. Yet, Washington came to play, and took the next 4 games in a row to steal the series and shock Chicago.

Hinrich was there as was Nocioni, Duhon and Gordon. Deng was injured for that series but could recall it for you.

Make no mistake, the Bulls are trying to take what the Heat have. They want to be where the Heat have been. They will fight and push and run as far as they can do get there.

And somewhere in the background, quietly, in their minds is the fear that this Heat team is really a sleeping giant. Quietly, like a snake readying to pounce on its prey, is the potential for Miami to reclaim this series. Much like Zo's block on Tyrus Thomas, which sent the rookie to the ground. At any moment, this juggernaut of a team will make the right play to grab a win.

Then a win turns into two.

And then, a streak reaches three maybe four games - and a series win. Job done.

Miami knows, quite confidently, that it can take this series over at any minute. A series can shift at any time. Pat Riley understands this as well.

Of course, the biggest criticism out there is that Miami is too old and too slow to keep up with the Bulls and their run and gun offense. These same Bulls only averaged 98 points per game during the regular season and were hardly known for their high-octane offensive attack. Don't expect to see another highly efficient game from the Bulls during this series. In fact, you can bet they won't be shooting 55% again from the floor.

The age thing itself is quite old, actually. The Heat, as I have pointed out, have been charged with it before, but another team in this year's post season has been accused, too: San Antonio. Yet, they beat the Nuggets for a Game 2 win - and at home nonetheless.

Will anyone really doubt San Antonio?

There is plenty of time left and plenty of opportunity for the Heat to still turn this thing around and win. It will start with a highly focused and greatly anticipated home coming the likes of which will push Heat fans back to last season's 0-2 Heat team in the Final round. The cast is all here, and they have essetially added Eddie Jones and Jason Kapono to the mix. The Heat are a year older, but are deeper than last season despite the injury to Wade. Wade, to further cast fear in the hearts of the Bulls, started to make strides to his "old" self in the final quarter.

And Shaq, in response to questions about his struggles through the first two games said, "I've been in this situation before."

Game 3 is shaping up to be another classic. The only question is, will the Heat be on the winning side of it? I have faith that they will.