The Heat-Hornets series was expected to be one of the most competitive in the NBA playoffs’ first round. It still may be. Sunday, though, it was far from it. Miami dismantled Charlotte for four quarters and the Hornets have to help themselves if they wish to even the series on Wednesday.
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LOOK AHEAD
Finding separation between the Miami Heat and Charlotte Hornets is tough to do. They finished with the same 48-34 record. They split their four regular season matchups, with each winning once on the other’s floor. They even held opponents to identical shooting numbers. But the Heat drew first blood and put plenty of distance between the clubs with a Game 1 trouncing.
The Hornets failed at three of the key elements that allowed them to win 48 games and make the playoffs. They didn’t take, or make, many three-pointers. They were sloppy on the defensive glass, and they allowed Miami to win the painted area in a 123-91 defeat. Charlotte coach Steve Clifford wasn’t too concerned with the offense’s production. If the Hornets are to win games, they’ll do it by scoring around 100 points and being better in the areas where Miami outdid them in Game 1.
INJURIES
Hornets’ forward Nicolas Batum tested his sore right ankle before Game 1 to gauge his availability for the opener. He wound up playing 40 minutes and scoring 24 points. The injury kept him out of Wednesday’s regular season finale and he showed no signs of being affected by it.
Udonis Haslem believes there’s a difference between being hurt and injured. Right now the Heat forward is hurt. He’s not injured, which means he’s available if needed in the first-round series. Haslem is dealing with soreness in his left foot, which kept him out of the regular season finale.
KEY MATCHUP
In his postseason debut, Heat center Hassan Whiteside played much the way he did during the regular year. He was highly-productive, efficient, disruptive defensively, and prone to dunking on people then celebrating with a biceps flex. Whiteside was a force in Game 1 with 21 points on 9 of 11 shooting, 11 rebounds and three blocks in 26 minutes. He set the tone early, scoring 10 points to help the Heat build a 28-15 lead in the first nine minutes.
It didn’t matter who defended him either. Whiteside scored 12 points with Cody Zeller on the floor and had nine when Al Jefferson was in the game. Five of his baskets were dunks. His defense was equally impressive. His ability to protect the rim allowed Miami’s other four defenders to guard the three-point shot, which has been a key to Charlotte’s success. The Hornets converted just 6 of 17 from distance.
QUICK PICK
These teams are fairly even in a number of categories and two of the four regular season meetings were decided by a three points. So, it’s easy to say Game 1 was an aberration. No way Miami is 32-points better than Charlotte, is it? Things obviously didn’t go well for the Hornets. They allowed the Heat to shoot 57.6 percent from the floor while making just six three-pointers of their own. Charlotte was down 19 points after the first quarter and couldn’t catch up.
As poorly as Charlotte played, it’s still just one game. And the Heat will be hard pressed to duplicate their Game 1 effort. The Hornets were so good after the break that maybe they were due a mulligan. Unfortunately for them it came in the opener of a playoff series. The Hornets have the personnel to bounce back and even this series, and that’s what they do.
NBA Odds: Charlotte 104, Miami 100
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