The Buzzer Sounded Much To The Delight Of James Jones, Who Had A Season-High 25 Points

“Every game is going to go like this, we look forward to the challenge.” – Dwayne Wade

After his best performance as a member of the Miami Heat, I wonder if James Jones has replaced Chris Bosh as the third wheel of the “Big 3″.  With the showing he gave on Sunday, only one can wonder how long his dazzling display from downtown can overshadow Bosh’s poor play.  As Jones put in a Heat postseason record of 25 points off the pine, Bosh went a dismal 3-10 for just seven points. “Someone had to step up,” Jones said. “I got some good looks. All of our playmakers got me good looks and I was able to knock them down with confidence because these guys trust me in the big moments.”  Someone also didn’t step up.

How long will this last for Jones, or better yet for Bosh, how long can it last?  As much as someone stepped up, it still is of concern to the someone who failed to step up.  “JJ probably had the best game of anybody,” LeBron said.  Is this a good sign?  Keep in mind, Rajon Rondo and Kevin Garnett combined to shoot a lackluster 6-19 for a total of 14 points.  What does it say when the team with the home court advantage and much more to prove, wins by only single digits when the opposing team’s two most important players contribute next to nothing?  Conversely, what does it reveal when the team in its first playoff run together gets its fourth scoring option from off the bench to play the best game of anybody, against a cohesive, strong-knit team that has won a championship together?  Game one’s are hard to analyze and never in best interest to overanalyze.

Nonetheless, it’s obvious that Bosh, Garnett, and Rondo all have to step their games up to the next level.  It’s also obvious that the trio of underachievers in Game 1 will at some point step it up.  When?  That’s another story.  When they actually do, who will benefit the most?  It has to be the Celtics.  Two words why: point guard.  Rondo’s play is the key indicator to the Celtics success.  When he’s controlling the game and dishing off dimes they are extremely tough to beat.  When he’s not involved and is in foul trouble there’s no way the Celtics can defeat the Heat.

After being issued three early fouls, the C’s floor general was limited to only eight minutes in the first half.  The crafty ballhandling wizard did not drop a single dime, as his club went into recess down by 15 points. Rondo wasn’t the only problem. “There’s so many things we need to do to get better,” Ray Allen, the Celtics leading scorer with 25 points, said. “I think everybody in that locker room knows that, just from a small conversation we just had.”  It’s apparent the execution inside the paint would be one of the many things Ray Allen and the guys in green need to do in order to get better for Game 2.

During the regular season against Miami, Boston averaged 41.5 ppg on 57.8% shooting in the painted area.  In Game 1 on Sunday, they shot just above 40% and scored a lowly 26 points from inside.  The conversation about attacking the cup had to be of the utmost importance.  For the Celtics, you cannot live on shooting jumpers.  Your diet of shots has to be balanced, and for the Heat, if they can continue to control the interior, this series may be heading back to Boston with the men in black and red ahead 2-0.

“We’re going to have to fight for every inch, every game we get,” Dwayne Wade, who despite averaging less than 13 points per game against Boston during the regular season, scored a playoff-high 38 points, said. “Right now, we won Game 1. We’re supposed to.  When watching their defense, you could see the Heat fought for every inch.  It was so evident in the beginning stages, when Mike Bibby stunningly blocked a Rajon Rondo lay-up attempt.  Coach Spoe knows the Heat need to make things difficult for Rondo.  I believe it was the #1 priority, along with defending the paint, on the team’s list of what they need to do in order to win the series.  Yet, still, how much stock can you put into a Game 1?  Remember, the Celtics lost to LeBron’s Cavs in Cleveland to open the East Semis last year.  A big win for the Heat, but you can’t get caught up in the moment; and the veteran-laden group of Doc Rivers knows this all too well.

We’ll go back and focus on winning Game 2. We’re at home, we have home-court advantage. They’re just trying to come in and steal one like they’ve done in the past. So it’s our job to come out with the same mentality in the next one.”  You get the feeling that the pressure is still on the Heat for Game 2.  Just like last year’s series in Cleveland, the Celtics are the underdogs.  They relish this role.  They know if they can steal one on Tuesday night, they can rob home court advantage.  The Heat were 0-2 in the Garden during the regular season.  The heat is on for Game 2.

Can Wade and friends successfully perform their job with the same mentality they did on Sunday?  Only, if they play the same way they did in Game 1, like the series is 0-0.  Can they play with that same hunger and thirst?  If not, it just goes to show you that Game 1 doesn’t mean much, especially, if you can’t carry over Game 1′s fight. “Ultimately, what we’re trying to do is beat the Boston Celtics in basketball, the game of basketball, four times,” Spoelstra said. “We have one of them right now.”  Can the Heat ultimately beat the Celtics three more times?  If they intend on planning to do so, they will need to match the intensity the Celtics are sure to bring starting in Game 2.  Time to get physical, not “chippy”.

Game 2, Miami: Tuesday, 7 ET.

Strictly Business: LeBron didn’t conduct his signature chalk toss into the air before tip-off in Game 1.  Instead, he simply applied some on his hands and dusted the rest onto the ground.  Asked why he discontinued his pregame ritual, LeBron said he was focusing more on the series at hand with Boston.