Game 3 saw O'Neal, who had been in a slump for two games, finally begin to unleash his full potential.
Similar to the previous series, O'Neal tended to struggle on the road and shine at home. This could be attributed partly to his stamina and partly to the referees' calls.
In this game, Yao Ming quickly found himself in foul trouble, forcing head coach Kerr to reduce his playing time.
Yao Ming's absence provided O'Neal with more opportunities, allowing him to comfortably sink 11 of 15 shots. Though his free throw performance, 5 of 10, showed no significant improvement, he still managed to score 27 points and grab 12 rebounds, outperforming Yao Ming in terms of stats for the first time in this series.
Wade also contributed significantly with 35 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals, and 1 block, utilizing his drives and drawing fouls.
With their combined efforts, the Heat managed to secure a victory, bringing the series score to 2-1.
In Game 4, the Heat employed the same strategy, and the Celtics responded in kind.
Having deciphered the Heat's home-court tactics, the Celtics immediately implemented a full-scale "Hack-a-Shaq" strategy. Under He Xi Meng's direction, they rotated their players to draw fouls, preventing Yao Ming from falling into foul trouble while targeting O'Neal with free throws.
In this game, O'Neal attempted 15 free throws but only made 5, a dismal 30% success rate, nearly 10 percentage points lower than the Celtics' entire team three-point shooting percentage.
O'Neal's morale plummeted, leaving Wade to face the entire Celtics team alone.
Fortunately for the Heat, the Celtics' Big Three also had an off-night on the road, struggling with their shooting. This allowed the Heat to keep pace and battle the Celtics until the final moments of the game.
In the last minute, Wade, though exhausted, drove aggressively towards the Celtics' basket, earning the Heat 4 free throws and bringing his total to 19 attempts for the game.
Wade had previously made 11 of 15 free throws, a 73% success rate. However, under immense pressure, he calmly sank all four of his final free throws, giving the Heat a 2-point lead and forcing the Celtics to choose between a two-point or three-point shot in the dying seconds.
Kerr's gaze shifted between He Xi Meng, Carter, and Yao Ming, finally settling on He Xi Meng.
Playing on the road, Kerr desired a swift victory and wished to avoid a prolonged battle with the Heat.
Therefore, Kerr's primary option was He Xi Meng's three-point shot from the perimeter.
His secondary option was Yao Ming in the paint.
His third option was Carter receiving the pass on the wing.
With the shooting order and priorities established, and with 11.7 seconds remaining, the Celtics had sufficient time for a full offensive possession.
However, what Kerr failed to anticipate was that even He Xi Meng could falter.
He Xi Meng was renowned for his clutch performance, considered one of the league's most reliable players, a true "big heart" and a superstar closer.
Yet, even a big heart beats, and even a superstar killer can face opponents they cannot defeat. This time, He Xi Meng's step-back buzzer-beater missed its mark, resulting in a heartbreaking loss for the Celtics and allowing the Heat to even the series.
Despite the narrow victory, Riley was not entirely pleased.
The Heat's win was secured by an astonishing 47 free throws on their home court, 25 more than their opponents, a razor-thin margin of 2 points. It was predictable that once they lost the home-court advantage and returned to the Celtics' arena, the Heat would face significant challenges.
As anticipated, Game 5, the crucial "Heavenly Mountain" battle, unfolded. While it should have been a do-or-die clash between the two teams, the Heat failed to exhibit the necessary intensity.
From the outset, the Celtics aggressively attacked the Heat's basket, scoring consistently.
The Heat, on the other hand, were met with staunch defense from the Celtics, and the free throw opportunities they had enjoyed in the previous game vanished.
The Heat's total free throw attempts plummeted from 47 to 26, a reduction of almost half.
Of the remaining 26 attempts, 16 were attributed to O'Neal, a player the Heat least wanted to see at the line, while Wade, whom the Heat desperately needed, only managed 3 free throws. This was a stark contrast to the previous game, where Wade had made 15 free throws!
This drastic shift from heaven to hell left the Heat playing awkwardly, struggling to generate offensive flow. Trailing by 15 points after three quarters, Riley withdrew Wade and O'Neal, strategically conceding the game to conserve energy for the next match on their home court, aiming to stop the Celtics.
In Game 6, the Heat fought desperately. The most notable change was O'Neal's resurgence.
From the opening tip, the Heat used Wade as a decoy, driving and passing to Jason Williams. Williams then drove again, feeding O'Neal in the paint.
Through these secondary drives, the Heat disrupted the Celtics' defensive formation, and with "White Chocolate's" precise passing, they created scoring opportunities for O'Neal under the basket.
O'Neal, performing like a "home dragon," did not disappoint his coach and teammates. He prevented the Celtics from employing their "Hack-a-Shaq" strategy early on, making 4 of his 5 initial attempts, scoring 8 points himself, and dishing out 2 assists to Haslem and Walker.
With the entire team's concerted effort, the Heat led the Celtics by 6 points in the first quarter and by 11 points at halftime.
"Keep playing at this pace, guys! Watch Yao Ming in the paint, watch He Xi Meng beyond the three-point line, and we will definitely win this game..."
O'Neal's all-out effort in this game successfully contained Yao Ming in the paint.
Meanwhile, He Xi Meng struggled with his shooting touch against Wade's mismatched defense. Wade's defense, while not overtly aggressive, utilized his quick movements and exceptional anticipation to consistently disrupt He Xi Meng's shooting rhythm.
For a top-tier shooter like He Xi Meng, shooting rhythm is paramount, more so than the shooting location or space.
He Xi Meng's shooting range had already transcended positional limitations; theoretically, any spot on the opponent's half of the court was within his effective shooting distance.
As for shooting space, he could create it, or at the very least, he could take contested shots.
However, shooting rhythm, unlike location and space, cannot be easily regained through sheer effort.