Defense Wins Championships, Mavs Go South in South Beach

The Miami Heat after taking Game 1 92-84 over the Dallas Mavericks last night  are now undefeated down in South Beach at 9-0  in the post season.  The Heat now have won their last 5 games including the 4 games they won against the Chicago Bulls in the Eastern Conference Finals after losing the 1st.  According to all major sports, a statement used by coaches across the world in there respective languages, "defense wins championships," sounds cliche but stands true as Miami has showed it's significance last night & in the 2 prior series.
In the Western Conference Finals between the Dallas Mavericks & Oklahoma City Thunder offense was the topic of discussion.  4 out of  5 of the games were shootouts with the Mavs scoring 100 or more and there lowest total in Game 3 was 93 points still enough for a victory.  In that series the Mavs averaged 105.2 points a game & OKC averaged 101.2 making it evident that the series was lacking defensively with both teams.
In the Eastern Conference Finals between the Miami Heat & Chicago Bulls defense was what the teams hung their hat on.  The intensity, speed & disruption of both defenses caused the point totals to be much lower than their counter parts in the West.  The Miami Heat averaged 89.4  & held the Bulls to an average of 87.2 throughout a physically demanding series.  With the lowest scoring game being Game 2 when the Bulls were held to only 75 & the Heat were victorious with scoring only 85.


Last night the Mavs were held to their lowest scoring total in their playoff history with scoring a mere 84 points.  The quickness & athleticism of the Heat defense was overwhelming for Dirk Nowitzki & his Snipers.  A caliber defense that they have not faced in the playoffs, they didn't see anything like it from the Blazers, Lakers or Thunder.   It was an obstacle to find an open shot with Jason Kidd & DeShawn Stevenson being the only ones with uncontested shots in the 1st half.  Dirk was swarmed, double teamed & had a body on him at all times over the course of the game.  He saw multiple defenders, Udonis Haslem, Joel Anthony to Chris Bosh.  Michael Wilbon of ESPN pointed out that most of the Heat players can guard multiple postions with the athleticism they possess & I agree.  Dirk still managed to score 27 points but went 7-18 from the field getting 12 points from the foul line.  Compared to last series after averaging 32.2 points I'd say that was a subpar performance by "7 foot shooting guard."
J.J. Barea was ineffective as I predicted going against the defense that shut down the MVP, Derrick Rose keeping him out of the paint as they did Barea.  Barea went 1 of 8 from the field scoring 2 points & Peja Stojakovic was not even a factor offensively at all & definitely not defensively as Coach Rick Carlisle had him guard Joel Anthony at some point in the game.  Jason Kidd was effective in the Pick N' Roll  in the early going of the game.  The Heat made adjustments & eventually got Kidd unsettled.   Shawn Marion showed a resemblance of his youthful days knocking down awkward leaners utimately being the Mavs 2nd scoring option finishing with 16 points, 10 rebounds & 4 assist.  Jason Terry with his Larry O'Brien Trophy tattooed on his right arm was ghostly coming off the bench with only 12 points on 3 of 10 shooting.

If the Mavs hope to contend & stretch this series out they'll need help from their bench who were outscored by Miami's bench 27 to 17.  Only the 8th time the Heat bench has outscored their opponents bench out of 98 games.  Dirk can't do it by himself, Terry, Kidd & Peja are needed more now than ever to knock down shots when Dirk is passing out of double teams.  However, all credit is due to the speed of the Heat closing out on the shooters giving very few open looks at the rim.  If the Miami Heat's defense holds up throughout the series they'll be the NBA's newest Champs, unless Dirk has an unbelievable performance as he did in Game 1 against the OKC Thunder.  That's very doubtful against the Heat's intensity coupled with Erik Spoelstra's defensive philosophy.


The "Dynamic Duo" or as Mark Jackson titled them "Batman & Robin,"  as in LeBron James & Dwyane Wade (vice versa) with the help of  Chris Bosh & the bench turned it on late in the 3rd Qtr. & never looked back.  When being on the opposing team it's like having your hands tied when LeBron & Wade are both focused at the same time.  Along with Chris Bosh putting up 19 points with 9 rebounds & 3 assist.  Both Wade & LeBron earned the honor of being named "The Closers" as they have proven to the basketball world from the Celtics series, through the Bulls & now Game 1 of the Finals over the Mavs.

The big story is the bench of Miami & how the team is gelling at the most imperative time with Udonis Haslem, Mike Miller, & Mario Chalmers chipping in with a combined total of 25 points & a sighting of the 16 year vet Juan Howard (1st of the Fab Five to make a Finals appearance) who grabbed 3 big offensive rebounds while the entire Mavs team only had 6.
If the Heat continue to play like this, there is no question that they will be the next NBA Champions all made possible by there unrelenting defense.  So again, coaches you're correct when you say "Defense Wins Championships."

Remember in the 2006 Finals between these teams the Mavs started the series going 2-0 & then lost the rest, 4 straight to the then Dwyane Wade & Shaquille O'Neal lead team.  I don't expect the Heat not to falter once or twice throughout this series, though "Bron Bron" & "D. Wade" may seem super human at times, they are not.  So I'm staying with my prognosis with the series still going 7 games & with Miami finishing as 2011 NBA Finals Champions.
Game 2 Thursday 9pm ET on ABC
Predictions just before tip-off... Krowm Sports
It is what it is...

Photos by Mike Ehrmann/NBAE/Getty Images