When has holding an opponent to single-digit scoring become something to celebrate?
At the start of Game 3, Roger continued to feed his teammates like the previous game, but the Hawks' shots were cold.
Pippen's perimeter shooting kept clanking off the rim, and Pierce couldn't find his shooting touch either.
Pierce tried to break into the paint, but Alonzo Mourning was guarding the basket firmly, keeping Pierce's finishing rate very low.
As a consecutive two-time Defensive Player of the Year, Mourning's rim protection was still top-notch.
In Game 1, where Roger scored 62 points, most of his points came from mid-to-long range, so it was unfair to blame Mourning for that.
The other Hawks also faded in comparison, as their nine-game winning streak seemed to have drained all their strength.
The Heat could smell victory, a great chance to secure this game, and their last chance to win the series.
As long as they could make the series 1-2, they would have a chance to struggle on.
