Here are the three biggest questions to come out of Miami’s Game 1 win over Dallas on Tuesday:
1. Was it poor shooting or good defense? The broadcasters mentioned this, and we agree: Dallas had good looks offensively. But the Mavericks made only 37.3 percent of their shots. Perhaps Dirk Nowitzki’s injured finger caused him to shoot 7-for-18 — but will it be an issue the rest of the way? In 16 postseason games, Miami has held teams to 41.6 percent shooting and 88 points a game. On the flipside, will the Heat continue to make 45.8 percent of their 3-pointers? After all, they made just 37.0 percent in the season and are now at 33.5 in the playoffs.
2. Will Miami’s bench outplay the Mavericks’? Dallas has the superior bench, and Miami doesn’t need as much production thanks to its Big Three. Still, it’s bad for Dallas when the Heat bench has the edge in points (27-17) and rebounds (15-8). Mavericks guard J.J. Barea was neutralized by the Heat’s quickness. In 14:43, Dallas’ Peja Stojakovic missed three shots, grabbed no rebounds, had no assists and committed three fouls. A triple bagel, congrats.
3. Will Miami dominate on the boards? The Heat grabbed 46 rebounds, 16 offensive; Dallas had 36 and six. That’s a major reason the Heat attempted 13 more shots. If this continues, the Heat could close this out in five. Dallas is a poor rebounding team, but it must improve. It’s almost criminal that the Mavericks allowed 100-year-old Juwan Howard to grab three offensive boards Tuesday.
– John Keim
