"We plan to win the ball game. We've got to win. That's all we've got to do," Wade said Wednesday before the Heat boarded a plane to return to Boston. "Can't listen to the noise. I'm not. I'm sure our team is not. We're just focused on winning this ball game."
It was in Boston that James said goodbye to Cleveland, ripping off his jersey as he left the court after Game 6 of the 2010 Eastern Conference semifinals after the Celtics spoiled the two-time defending NBA MVP's best chance to win a title with his hometown team.
But Miami has had even bigger struggles in Boston, winning just once on the parquet since Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, and Ray Allen joined forces. The Celtics knocked the Heat out of the playoffs in the first round of the 2010 playoffs, one series before eliminating James' Cavaliers. (The Heat did eliminate the Celtics from the playoffs last year, but they needed just one win in Boston.)
In all, Miami has lost 15 of its last 16 regular-season games in Boston.
"Why would you think about that? What does it do for you? Is it going to change anything? No," Wade said. "You've got to go out and try to play - each game is its own. You can't say, 'Oh, well, we're down one point, and we've lost 15 out of 16 here. We're not going to win.'
"It doesn't work that way."
The Celtics would also like to avoid a Game 7 so they can rest their banged-up regulars, including 30-somethings Allen, Pierce, and Garnett.
Garnett finished with 26 points and 11 rebounds in the 94-90 win on Tuesday night in Miami. Pierce scored 19 - including a huge three-pointer over James' outstretched arm with 52.9 seconds left.
James finished with 30 points and 13 rebounds for Miami, though he went eight minutes without scoring in the final quarter. Wade scored 27 for the Heat, who got no more than nine from anyone else.
Still, Boston coach Doc Rivers was cautious, trying to spin Game 6 as just another home game.
"We have one home game left, and that's it in this series," Rivers said Wednesday. "We have to understand that, and we have to come with that sense of urgency. Our guys understand that, and I think so does Miami."
Jackson deal still alive
The pitch for Phil Jackson to run the Orlando Magic isn't dead just yet, SI.com reported Wednesday.
Five days after the Orlando Sentinel said the former Lakers and Bulls coach with 11 championship rings had "bowed out" of a plan to be the lead personnel man for the Magic, two sources told SI.com that a revised version of the proposal that still included Jackson's involvement was submitted to the team Tuesday morning.
According to the sources, the proposal has Pacers assistant and ex-Lakers assistant Brian Shaw coaching the Magic and Hall of Famer and Bulls ambassador Scottie Pippen as the lead assistant.
Jackson allegedly is asking for at least the same $12 million he earned in his last year with the Lakers, and one of the sources told SI.com he is asking for a slice ownership in the franchise.
The hope, of course, is that Jackson uses his immense powers of persuasion to get Dwight Howard to remain in Orlando for the long term.
Jackson's agent, Todd Musburger, did not return a call for comment.
- Associated Press
