For 19 previous seasons across three franchises, Pat Riley's teams have played as true as a bounce pass. They always have played hard. They always have played smart. They always -- 19 consecutive seasons -- have made the playoffs.

And one more, simpler thing:

"They always took away any easy lay-up in the end," Boston forward Paul Pierce said, at his locker Tuesday night, a smile playing across his face. "You kidding, the way the Heat has played? Actually, it isn't just them. It's everyone. No one lets you have a layup to win a game.

"That's why I was surprised what happened in this one. It was shocking, to tell you the truth. I'd never won a game with a layup. Ever."

Ever? "Ever."

And so, as the latest reminder of what isn't anymore and won't be again this Heat season, Pierce strolled through the gut of the Heat defense in the final seconds for a game-winning, lightly contested, barely-in-doubt layup.

It was the kind teams do in pregame warmups. It was the kind halftime contestants do to get the free flight to Atlanta rather than try for the San Francisco trip from the foul line.