Timeout Knocks Out Mavs in Game 5

Johnson 'Dumbfounded' Over Miscommunication

MIAMI, June 18 -- Dallas Mavericks Coach Avery Johnson shook things up in recent days in his playbook, in the newspapers and among his players, and nearly every strategy seemed to pay off in Game 5 of the NBA Finals on Sunday night. Hours after spewing frustration and anger, Johnson looked smart and resourceful, rejuvenating his team after two straight defeats and the suspension of key backup Jerry Stackhouse.

And then all that fine work was ruined by one erroneous timeout that helped Miami hold on to a 101-100 overtime victory at American Airlines Arena, taking a 3-2 lead in the best-of-seven series.

Dallas forward Josh Howard mistakenly signaled for timeout after Heat guard Dwyane Wade hit the first of two free throws with 1.9 seconds remaining in overtime. Johnson, waving widely and screaming on the sideline, tried to erase the call, as he wanted his team to save the timeout -- its last -- for after the Wade free throw, which would have ensured that Dallas could inbound the ball at half court.

Instead, after a lengthy and heated discussion at the scorer's table, the timeout call was upheld. Wade, who moved about the court as the matter was sorted out, sank his second free throw, giving Miami the margin of victory.

The successful free throw also gave Dallas -- which hit 21 of 25 free throws but missed three in overtime -- exactly what Johnson did not want: The ball under its own basket with no timeout. A desperate Devin Harris jump shot after a frenetic trip up the court was not close.

Johnson later hinted that the blame should lie with the referees, for not understanding that the timeout was desired for after a second successful free throw.

"The signal was for the timeout to come after the second free throw," Johnson said. "We've been in this situation a million times, and it was assumed that we wanted it at that time."

Asked to clarify whether he was disappointed in one of his players or the officiating staff, Johnson said: "Most people, who've ever been involved in the NBA for 20 or 30 years know we wouldn't want one anyway with only one timeout left. So we were pretty dumbfounded that that didn't get relayed."

Referee crew chief Joe Crawford said Howard asked referee Joe DeRosa for the timeout. "Not only once, but twice [he] asks for a timeout," Crawford said through a pool reporter. "Forced to call it, simple as that."

Until then, Johnson had looked smart. He had moved his team from Miami to Fort Lauderdale, forcing his players to adhere to a curfew and bunk two to a room, and he had wildly criticized the NBA's decision to upgrade a flagrant foul call in Game 4 on Stackhouse. But if Johnson looked as if he were losing control after two straight demoralizing losses, the Mavericks looked ready to play Sunday, leading by 11 points in the second quarter and nine in the third.

They had a higher field goal percentage and free throw percentage, more rebounds (42-33) and fast-break points (11-10) than Miami. In the first half, the Mavericks limited Wade to 3-of-13 shooting (he finished with 43 points on 11-of-28 shooting and 21 of 25 from the line).

Johnson also successfully employed the "Hack-a-Shaq" strategy late in the fourth quarter, directing his team to foul Shaquille O'Neal immediately on two possessions. On the first, with just over four minutes remaining, O'Neal hit just one free throw, bringing Miami to within 81-79. On the second, with Miami trailing 86-84 with just under two minutes left, O'Neal missed both. He converted just 2 of 12 free throws.