Perspective on the history the Heat is making in the fourth quarter of playoff games

Erik Spoelstra likes to say that his players don’t get “sick at sea.”

But what the Heat has been achieving during the fourth quarter of playoff games isn’t just impressive - it’s historically rare.

The Heat entered Game 3 of the NBA Finals on Wednesday having outscored teams by 90 points in the fourth quarter over 20 playoff games.

In NBA history, only two teams have outscored opponents by more points in the fourth quarter of a single NBA postseason: the 2007 Cleveland Cavaliers, who were a plus 99, and the 2020 Heat team that advanced to the NBA Finals - against the Lakers - in the Disney bubble. That Heat team was a plus 94 in the fourth quarter.

For perspective, while the Heat has outscored teams by 90 points in the fourth quarter, the team with the next best fourth quarter scoring margin is the Lakers at plus 31.

The Heat is out-scoring teams by 4.5 points in the fourth quarter, tied with that 2019-20 Heat team for the best average fourth quarter scoring disparity in the NBA playoffs since the 2009-10 Orlando team had a plus 5.3 edge in the fourth quarter.

And there’s this stunning statistic courtesy of ESPN: The Heat is 4-5 this postseason when it enters the fourth quarter trailing by eight points or more. The rest of the NBA is 1-41 in that situation during these playoffs.

Also worth noting:

▪ The Heat is shooting 49.4 percent from the field in the fourth quarter (third best this postseason) and 41 percent on threes (best).

▪ Heat players account for the five best fourth quarter plus/minus totals of all NBA players this postseason.

The Heat has outscored teams by 87 in Duncan Robinson’s 158 fourth-quarter minutes. Bam Adebayo is a plus 83 in the fourth quarter, Caleb Martin plus 69, Kyle Lowry plus 60 and Jimmy Butler plus 49.

▪ Gabe Vincent - who is seventh in NBA fourth quarter plus minus, behind the five aforementioned Heat players and Denver’s Michael Porter Jr. - is shooting 13 for 26 on fourth quarter three pointers, while Robinson is 20 for 42 (47.6 percent).

▪ Among players who have attempted at least 40 shots in the fourth quarter, Bam Adebayo has converted the highest percentage of them (56.5 percent, 30 for 53). Adebayo has the most fourth quarter rebounds among all players (57) and Caleb Martin and Lowry are tied for the third-most fourth quarter steals this postseason, with seven apiece.

Vincent has the NBA’s second-most fourth quarter free throws without a miss (12 for 12), behind Lakers guard Austin Reaves’ 14 for 14.

▪ While the Heat is a plus 90 in the fourth quarter, Miami has been outscored by 24 points during the first three quarters of these playoffs.

CLUTCH PLAY

Then there’s the more specific metric of clutch play - described by the NBA as the final five minutes of the fourth quarter (or overtime) when the margin is five points or fewer.

The Heat played the NBA’s second-most games with clutch minutes this season (54, one behind Dallas), went 32-22 in those games and outscored teams by 69 points in the clutch (behind only Philadelphia’s plus 75).

During the playoffs, the Heat is 7-3 in games featuring clutch minutes and has outscored teams by an NBA-best 23 points in 34 clutch minutes.

“I think we just have the habits built for it,” Vincent said of the Heat’s late-game success. “We have had a number of close games this season. Probably too many than we would have liked but they helped us prepare for moments like that, when we need to adjust on the fly or put in a wrinkle, and it’s in a pressure situation. The more reps you have with that, the less, quote, unquote, pressure you feel, I think.”

Butler’s 39 clutch points in 30 minutes leads all NBA players this postseason. He’s shooting 47.8 percent (11 for 23) from the field in the clutch and 15 for 18 on free throws.

Butler, Adebayo (6 for 7) and Vincent (3 for 10) have combined to take 40 of the Heat’s 57 clutch shots during this playoff run.