LeBron's 31 not enough to finish Sixers

The Philadelphia Sixers found a way to force Game 5 in their first round series against the Miami Heat, winning their first game in the 2011 NBA playoffs 86-82. It was a well earned victory for the Sixers, who have been dominated by the Heat on both sides of the ball.

The Sixers came out relaxed, and it showed on the court. The Sixers got off to a good start, building up a 12 point lead in the first quarter. The Heat made a brief comeback in the second quarter, taking a one point lead into halftime. The Sixers didn't let up in the second half, staying close and eventually making their last run with less than two minutes to go. Big three pointers by Jrue Holiday and Lou Williams, sealed the deal for the Sixers in the final moments, helping Philadelphia avoid elimination for at least a few more days.

LeBron James was the only player on the Heat's roster to shoot over 50 percent from the field. James finished the game with 31 points, 7 rebounds and 6 assists. LeBron won't be too happy with those stats though, he missed a potential game tying shot with a few seconds left.

Heat guard Dwyane Wade struggled shooting the ball, but still managed to put up impressive numbers for his team. Wade finished the game with 22 points, 8 rebounds and 4 assists. The Heat really struggled offensively against the Sixers, shooting 38.5 percent from the field. Luckily for the Heat, they weren't as bad defensively, holding the Sixers to a 40.5 percent field goal percentage.

The Heat can't be too bothered losing their first playoff game to the Sixers. It took some really poor shooting on their part and some last minute heroics for the Sixers to finally get a win. Game 5 will be back in Miami territory, and the Sixers will have a tough time trying to duplicate their success.

For the Heat, all this loss serves as is a reminder. A reminder, that any team in the NBA can be dangerous, when their backs are against the wall.

David is a Miami Heat fan that has followed the team for 15 years.

Sources:

Associated Press," Lou Williams' late 3 helps Sixers drop Heat and avoid sweep "