Lee makes most of second chance as Hornets seize 3-2 lead on Heat
Three thoughts after the Hornets edged the Heat 90-88 Wednesday in Miami and return to Charlotte for Game 6 with a chance to close out the series.
1. Hornets put years of road playoff frustrations behind them ... but one hurdle remains
This series already saw the Hornets earn their first playoff victory in 14 years, pick up back-to-back victories for the first time since 2002, and with the Game 5 win, won their first road postseason game since that same year, snapping a nine-game skid.
Now they head back to Charlotte sitting one win away from claiming the series, something this franchise hasn't done since ... you guessed it, '02.
In Games 3 and 4, the Hornets won by utilizing a big lineup featuring Al Jefferson, Frank Kaminsky and Marvin Williams -- a trio that, before this series, had played a combined three minutes together -- but it helped Charlotte dominate the paint as it outscored the Heat 96-58 inside.
That edge was gone though in Game 5, with Miami holding a 48-34 edge in the paint, but the Hornets finally had a performance that highlighted what got them back into the playoffs: ball movement and the long ball. They hit 12 of 24 3-pointers, six of which were courtesy of Williams and Kemba Walker, and Nic Batum added a pair in his return from an ankle injury.
In the last three games, the Hornets have shown they can beat Miami in multiple ways. It took a hot shooting effort from the Heat in Games 1 and 2-- in which they were a combined 57.7 percent -- to seize the series lead. But the momentum and some history is on the Hornets' side.
In the opening round, Charlotte has never been a win from closing out the series and not ended up advancing. In 1997-98 they went up 2-0 on the Hawks only to lose Game 3, but the Hornets still ended that series in four games.
Back in Time Warner Cable Arena on Friday night, where Charlotte has won 15 of its last 17 games, they'll try to continue that trend.
2. Courtney Lee makes the most of his second chance
With a minute left, a driving Lee missed a layup with Dwyane Wade trailing him, and it appeared that the Hornets shooting guard may have been fouled. He was fuming, but seconds later he'd get a chance at redemption.
The Heat came up empty on the ensuing possession and after Walker missed a 16-foot jumper for the Hornets, Lee snagged an offensive rebound and nailed a 3-pointer with 25.2 seconds remaining to give the Hornets the 90-88 win.
Lee was just 2 of 9 from the field for eight points, but afterward he credited his confidence in that final shot to an expected source: his masseuse.
"I had a massage yesterday and we pretty much do Bible study in the massage session and she was explaining faith," Lee said after the game. "It was like 'Just believe in something you can't see.' It was not my best shooting performance; I felt like I couldn't make a shot, but the biggest one went it."
Lee's overall numbers since his trade from the Grizzlies haven't been overwhelming. He's averaged fewer points (8.9 compared to 10.0 in Memphis) and is shooting at a lower clip (44.5 compared to 45.8), but if there's an area in which he's been a more efficient contributor, it's been from deep. He's at nearly 40.0 percent on 3s in Charlotte and was shooting 37.0 for the Grizzlies, and in Game 5, he hit both of his attempts, including the one that truly mattered.
3. Hornets extend defense past borders of North Carolina
Aside from going big, Charlotte changed the complexity of this series with its defense. But that was back home, and they had yet to do it on the road thanks to that aforementioned hot shooting by Miami it in the first two games.
From that end, Game 5 was a revelation of sorts as the Hornets all but dared the Heat to beat them with jumpers, packing the paint and putt he ball in their shooters' hands.
Wade made them pay for it, scoring 25 on 11 of 19 shooting, Josh Richardson hit 2 of 5 from deep, and in all four Miami players finished in double figures (Luol Deng had 15, Joe Johnson added 13 and Hassan Whiteside put in 11 to go with 12 rebounds). But give the Hornets credit, they wouldn't be beaten outside as the Heat shot a mere 27.8 percent (5 of 18), hit their of their treys during the third quarter and were 1 of 5 in the fourth.
The end result was three straight games in which the Heat have been held under 88 points after averaging 119 in Games 1 and 2.
Follow Cory McCartney on Twitter @coryjmccartney and Facebook. His book, 'Tales from the Atlanta Braves Dugout: A Collection of the Greatest Braves Stories Ever Told,' is out now, and 'The Heisman Trophy: The Story of an American Icon and Its Winners' will be released Nov. 1, 2016.
