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Notes, quotes, postscripts from Heat's Game 4 romp

Postscripts on the Heat’s 88-65 Game 4 thumping of the Bulls, which left Miami with a 3-1 lead in this playoff series heading back to SoFlo for Game 5 at 7 p.m. Wednesday:

### How abysmal was Chicago’s offense? The Bulls set franchise records for fewest points and lowest shooting percentage (25.7)…. Chicago shot 2 for 17 on threes…. The Bulls’ nine third quarter points were their fewest in franchise history….

Nate Robinson --- looking nothing like the player who scored 27 points in the opener -- went scoreless and shot 0 for 12 from the field. By the way, the worst 0-for in a playoff game was 0 for 14 by two players, most recently Dennis Johnson in 1978. (Second-worst: Ray Allen, who was 0 for 13 in a 2010 Finals game vs. the Lakers.) So Robinson avoided that ignominious distinction. But this is a player who historically can shoot you in or out of games….

Meanwhile, Carlos Boozer (14 points) shot 3 for 14, Joakim Noah 1 for 6. Richard Hamilton, taken out of mothballs with Marco Belinelli in foul trouble, shot 4 for 11…. The Bulls barely had more field goals (19) than turnovers (17)…. Chicago’s only lead of the night? 2-0.

“You’ve got give them credit – they’re a great defensive team,” Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau said. “Nate is a tough guy. He’ll bounce back. He’s a shot maker. You’ve got to make shots against these guys.”

### The Bulls’ point total and shooting percentage weren’t opponent Heat playoff lows. New Orleans holds those marks (63, 24.1 percent) in a 2004 playoff game against Miami.

### LeBron James’ final numbers were typical for him: 27 points (9 for 20 shooting), 7 rebounds, 8 assists.

“He has great feel for what we need, and he felt we needed a strong start and a good burst,” Erik Spoelstra said. “He reads the game as well as anybody in this league.”

### The Heat wasn’t gloating about Robinson’s nightmarish game, which also included four turnovers. “He’s a tough guy to trap,” Spoelstra said. “You don’t know which way he’s going to go. Finally, we had a handful of timely traps on him.”

James’ take on the defense on Robinson: “We’re lucky enough to have Norris Cole, who has strength, quickness and speed.” And Mario Chalmers’ defense has been significantly better since the opener of the series.

### Robinson, on his forgettable night: “You make half [my] shots, we’re in the game. You have games like that where you can’t make a shot. We work on our shots so much. For them not to fall in a game that means so much, it sucks.”

### Chris Bosh again played well, with 14 points (7 for 10 shooting) and six rebounds, plus four blocks.

“He’s giving us what we need,” Spoelstra said. “This series is not about trying to get your averages. You can throw your averages out the window. He’s been aggressive for giving us that presence at the rim. Rebounding, shot blocking, changing shots.”

Bosh said other players have to be assertive because "Dwyane [Wade] is having a tough time getting in the flow of some of the games. Anytime you have a guy that's not 100 percent you have to give more effort."

### Bosh confirmed his wife tweet's that they are having another child. "We've known for a while," Bosh said. "We're very excited. [Timing] is never ever perfect. As long as the woman's happy."

### Already nursing a bruised right knee that has required extensive treatment the past two days, Dwyane Wade left briefly in the second quarter after banging that same knee with Jimmy Butler’s knee. He again had a quiet night offensively with 6 points (3 for 10 shooting).

Wade said the Butler collision caused "shooting pain." He said of the injury: "sometimes it feels good, sometimes it doesn't."

Asked if it would help if he rested Wednesday, when the Heat can close out this series, Wade said: "Nah."

“He’ll fight through it,” Spoelstra said. “He’s giving us everything he got. I know everybody is looking at how many shots he’s getting, how many points he scores. The whole point is help us win and he’s doing it."

Wade didn't get to the free throw line for the second time in this series. In games in which Wade appeared during the regular season, there wasn't a single game in which he didn't attempt a free throw.

But he had three rebounds, four assists, a steal and a block. “He’s creating a lot of good things for us defensively, competing. Offensively, he’s making the right plays," Spoelstra said. "Often times, that’s to throw it back and let the ball keep moving. He’ll continue to get in better rhythm.”

Said LeBron: "We know D-Wade is battling a knee injury. He's nowhere near 100 percent."

### TNT's Charles Barkley had to get in a shot at Wade halftime, saying: "I tried to tell you [a few months ago] he's not the same guy." Shaq responded: "Leave him alone!"

Someone needs to tell Barkley that Wade this year joined Michael Jordan, Monta Ellis, Andrew Toney and Rolando Blackman as the only shooting guards in the past 30 years to average at least 20 points while shooting at least 52 percent in a season.

### Joakim Noah’s take: “We’re disappointed with the way we played. We know we can compete with this team. We can’t put our heads down. We’ve got a lot left in the tank. It’s exciting to play against the best. They put a lot of pressure on us with their defense. They execute very well.”

### Miami closed the third quarter with a 15-3 run to drain any drama out of this one. That run included threes from Shane Battier and Ray Allen. That was Battier’s only basket in six attempts.

### Meaningless stat of the night: The Bulls outrebounded the Heat, 46-36, after Miami won the battle of the boards the previous two games.

### A more meaningful number: The Heat is 44-3 over its past 47 games. And the Heat has won 22 of its past 23 on the road, including 4-0 in the playoffs away from home. 

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