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Heat complete 4th-quarter comeback, send Nets packing

Robert Mayer-USA TODAY Sports

The Brooklyn Nets are going home, having coughed up a fourth-quarter lead on the road against the Miami Heat to lose Game 5 96-94 and the series four games to one.

The Nets brought a nine-point lead into the fourth quarter and led by eight with 3:38 to play, but coughed it up from there, being outscored 13-3 and shooting 1-of-8 from the floor in the game's crucial final minutes. That wrapped up a +32 mark for the Heat in fourth quarters of the series, as the Nets' lack of late execution, or the Heat's ability to find another gear late, or perhaps both, proved the difference.

A huge game from Joe Johnson was wasted, an opportunity to force a Game 6 at home was squandered, and we've witnessed perhaps the end of Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett as a tandem, depending on what happens this offseason.

The Heat, meanwhile, head to the Eastern Conference finals for the fourth consecutive season, where they'll await the winner of Indiana and Washington.

Star Performer

Johnson had a ridiculous outing, as has kind of been his modus operandi all playoffs long. The Seven-Time All-Star scored 34 points on 15-of-23 shooting, went 3-of-6 from long range, and added seven rebounds and three assists for good measure. He did most of his damage late, too, scoring 24 points on 10-of-13 shooting in the second half.

[Courtesy ESPN]

The blend of post-ups, spot-up isolations, and work off the pick-and-roll was a thing of beauty, and it seems the entire league has a renewed affection for the overpaid but underrated Armadillo Cowboy. He finished the playoffs averaging 21.9 points on 52.3 percent shooting with a 39.1 percent mark on threes.

Turning Point

Ray Allen. Late fourth quarter. Corner three. We've been here before.

That shot put the Heat up 93-91 with 32 seconds left, their first lead since the 3:01 mark of the second quarter. 

They wouldn't give it back, though a late missed free throw by LeBron James gave the Nets the ball with a chance to tie or take the lead and nine seconds left. After a controversial no-call on an out of bounds play, Joe Johnson had a chance to win it but was stripped by James, who doubled with Allen, as time expired.

[Photo Courtesy R/NBA]

Highlight Reel

Dwyane Wade (28 points) may have been serving reminders in the first half, but here's another: LeBron James (29 points, nine rebounds, five assists) can pass a basketball on the fast break:

Also worth remembering: Chris Andersen is a scary, scary man:

[GIF Courtesy R/NBA]

How does this go in, Joe Johnson?

More on Johnson in a second, but his time ran out just a little too early.

Mirza Teletovic (six points) didn't quite have a "Look at my YouTube" or tweet-my-own-shot-chart kind of game, but at least he made the highlight reel:

Quotes of the Night - All About Joe

Yeah, so about the game Joe Johnson had, even if it came up short...

Series at a Glance

Game 1: MIA 107 BKN 86 (Heat lead series 1-0)
Game 2: MIA 94, BKN 82 (Heat lead series 2-0)
Game 3: BRK 104, MIA 90 (Heat lead series 2-1)
Game 4: MIA 102, BRK 96 (Heat lead series 3-1)
Game 5: MIA 96, BRK 94 (Heat win series 4-1)

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