DALLAS – Chris Bosh scored 16 points, Dwyane Wade added 13, and the Miami Heat had a 47-45 halftime lead over the Dallas Mavericks on Tuesday night in Game 4 of the NBA finals.
Mario Chalmers gave the Heat the lead by making a runner in the lane with 29 seconds left, capping a 7-2 spurt by Miami over the final 1:47 of the half.
Seeking a 3-1 lead, the Heat were getting by with little from LeBron James, who had four points at halftime.
DeShawn Stevenson, coming off the bench after a lineup change, scored 11 points for the Mavericks, who got nine from Jason Terry and eight from Dirk Nowitzki.
Game 4 was shaping up as another close one after the last two were decided by two points, the first time that happened in the finals since 1998.
Bosh struggled for most of the first three games before hitting the go-ahead jumper with 39 seconds left in Game 3. He got going quickly in this one.
Soon after local product Kelly Clarkson — dressed like most fans in Mavs royal blue — sang the national anthem, Nowitzki made the game's first three baskets to really get the crowd into it. But Bosh answered with two jumpers and a follow shot to quickly get the Heat even.
It was tied at 12 before Terry scored seven straight Dallas points for a 19-16 lead. He needed a big game to back up some big words. Shut out by James in the fourth quarters of Games 1 and 3, Terry questioned whether James "can defend me like that for seven games."
"I'm going to tell you this: We will be there in Game 4," Terry said Monday. "I'm ready for the challenge."
So were the Heat, who can wrap up their second championship on Dallas' home court with two more wins.
The Heat tied it at 21 after one quarter, then opened the second with consecutive baskets by Bosh and a 3-pointer by Mike Miller for a seven-point lead. But the Mavs, who have been fighting from behind all series, refused to fall any further behind.
Stevenson's first of three 3-pointers in the half opened a 14-6 run that gave Dallas a 38-34 lead on a layup by Shawn Marion, who benefited from the lineup change by getting some extra rest for his defense against James.
With J.J. Barea replacing Stevenson at shooting guard, Stevenson came off the bench to spell Marion for a time at small forward. But Barea, who came into the game shooting only 5 of 23 in the finals, continued to struggle with his shot, including one point-blank miss on a layup attempt.
Dallas also welcomed back reserve center Brendan Haywood after he missed Game 2 with a right hip injury.
Game 5 is Thursday night. The Mavs need one victory on their home court to force a Game 6 in Miami on Sunday.
Mario Chalmers gave the Heat the lead by making a runner in the lane with 29 seconds left, capping a 7-2 spurt by Miami over the final 1:47 of the half.
Seeking a 3-1 lead, the Heat were getting by with little from LeBron James, who had four points at halftime.
DeShawn Stevenson, coming off the bench after a lineup change, scored 11 points for the Mavericks, who got nine from Jason Terry and eight from Dirk Nowitzki.
Game 4 was shaping up as another close one after the last two were decided by two points, the first time that happened in the finals since 1998.
Bosh struggled for most of the first three games before hitting the go-ahead jumper with 39 seconds left in Game 3. He got going quickly in this one.
Soon after local product Kelly Clarkson — dressed like most fans in Mavs royal blue — sang the national anthem, Nowitzki made the game's first three baskets to really get the crowd into it. But Bosh answered with two jumpers and a follow shot to quickly get the Heat even.
It was tied at 12 before Terry scored seven straight Dallas points for a 19-16 lead. He needed a big game to back up some big words. Shut out by James in the fourth quarters of Games 1 and 3, Terry questioned whether James "can defend me like that for seven games."
"I'm going to tell you this: We will be there in Game 4," Terry said Monday. "I'm ready for the challenge."
So were the Heat, who can wrap up their second championship on Dallas' home court with two more wins.
The Heat tied it at 21 after one quarter, then opened the second with consecutive baskets by Bosh and a 3-pointer by Mike Miller for a seven-point lead. But the Mavs, who have been fighting from behind all series, refused to fall any further behind.
Stevenson's first of three 3-pointers in the half opened a 14-6 run that gave Dallas a 38-34 lead on a layup by Shawn Marion, who benefited from the lineup change by getting some extra rest for his defense against James.
With J.J. Barea replacing Stevenson at shooting guard, Stevenson came off the bench to spell Marion for a time at small forward. But Barea, who came into the game shooting only 5 of 23 in the finals, continued to struggle with his shot, including one point-blank miss on a layup attempt.
Dallas also welcomed back reserve center Brendan Haywood after he missed Game 2 with a right hip injury.
Game 5 is Thursday night. The Mavs need one victory on their home court to force a Game 6 in Miami on Sunday.
