Miami Heat

Rony Seikaly: Heat motivated now more than ever

DALLAS— Miami Heat power forward Chris Bosh might be taking things to extremes, but he insists these NBA Finals are not a homecoming.

Even though he was born here, raised here and won a national championship in high school here.

"Just to keep my edge," Bosh said at Sunday's shootaround, hours before the Heat were to face the Dallas Mavericks in Game 3 of this best-of-seven series, "I've been treating this like I'm on the road, which we are. I try not to have a home feeling."

He has been trying particularly hard.

"I think somebody asked, 'Are you getting a home-cooked meal?' " he said. "I was like, 'Absolutely not.' I want to eat all garbage, junk food and room service just to get that road feel."

Amid his struggles in the first two games that left the Heat in a 1-1 tie entering Sunday, Bosh has received pep talks from Heat guard Dwyane Wade.

Remember, this is their first year together. They can only go up from here. They still are learning to play together.

And America loves to hate teams like the Heat. They love to build you up and then knock you down. America prefers the underdogs. And the Heat are far from an underdog team. They are the Goliath. The only way to get back into people's graces is to act very humble. And I'm not sure that'll happen.

Remember, the Boston Celtics and those Larry Bird teams were hated. But that's what happens when you see a dynasty building. People don't want that.

Obviously, Game 3 is going to be epic. You can't say die for the Heat, but that game is important. The Heat are a different animal this time around.

I think Dirk Nowitzki is a phenomenal player, and this season he's taken it up a knotch. He's spectacular. People are rooting for him. He's facing LeBron James -- the combo of Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan -- on the floor.

I don't think Coach Erik Spoelstra needs to do anything to motivate the Heat.

After that loss, they are ready.


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