Thanks for a review, a couple of my observations.
Miami played extremely small line-up with Nunn at 6-2, three wings between 6-6 and 6-8 and Adebayo towering over everyone with 6-9. They move a lot on offense which caused some problems for Mavs, especially WCS looked sort of out of sync and a step late. But small and fast Miami lineup also allowed Mavs to go comfortably to small ball and be still effective on offensive boards.
WCS late
https://www.nba.com/stats/events/?GameEventID=7&GameID=0022000986&Season=2020-21&flag=1&title=Ariza%2027%27%203PT%20Step%20Back%20Jump%20Shot%20(3%20PTS)&sct=plot
WCS late
https://www.nba.com/stats/events/?GameEventID=10&GameID=0022000986&Season=2020-21&flag=1&title=Ariza%2025%27%203PT%20Jump%20Shot%20(6%20PTS)%20(Nunn%201%20AST)&sct=plot
Luka and JRich miscommunication
https://www.nba.com/stats/events/?GameEventID=13&GameID=0022000986&Season=2020-21&flag=1&title=Ariza%2025%27%203PT%20Jump%20Shot%20(9%20PTS)%20(Adebayo%201%20AST)&sct=plot
Ariza didn't get the message that the guy Luka is guarding is not supposed to be dangerous and went for 16 points in the first quarter. Fortunately, he received the message in the break after the first and scored only 2 points in the remaining three quarters.
Heat were aggresively doubling Luka, but he was still excellent as far as scoring goes. His three was falling nicely after a couple of colder games. He had few defenses lapses in the first quarter but his scoring helped keep Mavs close, preventing a total collapse of the system. Heat looked like a team on totally different level than Mavs in the first quarter. He had more troubles with passing where long Miami wings doubling him had enough reach to affect even tall Luka passing lanes resulting in several bad passes way off target.
Fortunatelly THJ was on fire and his shooting ability really showed. He needs extremely little space and time to shoot it and was able to punish smallest holes Heat defense allowed with doubling Luka.
https://www.nba.com/stats/events/?GameEventID=347&GameID=0022000986&Season=2020-21&flag=1&title=Hardaway%20Jr.%2026%27%203PT%20Jump%20Shot%20(15%20PTS)%20(Doncic%204%20AST)&sct=plot
I think this was main reason Heat defense fell apart in the third quarter. Especially Robinson looked extremely frustrated by all the tough shots THJ made.
https://www.nba.com/stats/events/?GameEventID=416&GameID=0022000986&Season=2020-21&flag=1&title=Hardaway%20Jr.%2012%27%20Pullup%20Jump%20Shot%20(27%20PTS)&sct=plot
Miami played extremely small line-up with Nunn at 6-2, three wings between 6-6 and 6-8 and Adebayo towering over everyone with 6-9. They move a lot on offense which caused some problems for Mavs, especially WCS looked sort of out of sync and a step late. But small and fast Miami lineup also allowed Mavs to go comfortably to small ball and be still effective on offensive boards.
WCS late
https://www.nba.com/stats/events/?GameEventID=7&GameID=0022000986&Season=2020-21&flag=1&title=Ariza%2027%27%203PT%20Step%20Back%20Jump%20Shot%20(3%20PTS)&sct=plot
WCS late
https://www.nba.com/stats/events/?GameEventID=10&GameID=0022000986&Season=2020-21&flag=1&title=Ariza%2025%27%203PT%20Jump%20Shot%20(6%20PTS)%20(Nunn%201%20AST)&sct=plot
Luka and JRich miscommunication
https://www.nba.com/stats/events/?GameEventID=13&GameID=0022000986&Season=2020-21&flag=1&title=Ariza%2025%27%203PT%20Jump%20Shot%20(9%20PTS)%20(Adebayo%201%20AST)&sct=plot
Ariza didn't get the message that the guy Luka is guarding is not supposed to be dangerous and went for 16 points in the first quarter. Fortunately, he received the message in the break after the first and scored only 2 points in the remaining three quarters.
Heat were aggresively doubling Luka, but he was still excellent as far as scoring goes. His three was falling nicely after a couple of colder games. He had few defenses lapses in the first quarter but his scoring helped keep Mavs close, preventing a total collapse of the system. Heat looked like a team on totally different level than Mavs in the first quarter. He had more troubles with passing where long Miami wings doubling him had enough reach to affect even tall Luka passing lanes resulting in several bad passes way off target.
Fortunatelly THJ was on fire and his shooting ability really showed. He needs extremely little space and time to shoot it and was able to punish smallest holes Heat defense allowed with doubling Luka.
https://www.nba.com/stats/events/?GameEventID=347&GameID=0022000986&Season=2020-21&flag=1&title=Hardaway%20Jr.%2026%27%203PT%20Jump%20Shot%20(15%20PTS)%20(Doncic%204%20AST)&sct=plot
I think this was main reason Heat defense fell apart in the third quarter. Especially Robinson looked extremely frustrated by all the tough shots THJ made.
https://www.nba.com/stats/events/?GameEventID=416&GameID=0022000986&Season=2020-21&flag=1&title=Hardaway%20Jr.%2012%27%20Pullup%20Jump%20Shot%20(27%20PTS)&sct=plot