Miami Heat have historic advantage in elimination games, but....

If you're looking for hope that the Nets will come back in Game 5 Wednesday vs. the Heat, here are two thoughts: last season, the Nets were down 3-1, after the triple overtime debacle in Chicago, then won two straight at home and on the road before collapsing in Game 7. Also, in the first round, the Nets were down, 3-2, after a failed comeback in Toronto, then won at home and in Toronto to take the series. So in the Brooklyn era, the Nets are 4-1 in elimination games.

Also, Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett have played a lot of these games...a lot.

On the other side of the ledger, as Fred Kerber reports, the Heat are 12-4 in elimination games in the Big Three Era and 22-18 all-time in close-out playoff games,compared to the Nets, 4-6 with Jason Kidd as player or coach and 9-17 all-time when facing playoff elimination games.

Kerber spoke with the Heat players about their mental attitude in closers, with Shane Battier offering the pithiest response about Wednesday night's contest: "The only easy game is the last game you played. They're all tough," Battier said.

• Heat have a closer mentality for finishing off Nets - Fred Kerber - New York Post
• Desperate times loom for Nets in Game 5 - Brian Erni - SNY Nets
  

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