For a while, their savior could carry them. But even Dirk Nowitzki couldn’t provide the counter necessary for the Dallas Mavericks shooting woes. In the end, the Miami Heat won the all-important first game of the 2011 NBA Finals with a performance that highlighted the all-around games of its major stars.
Both LeBron James and Dwyane Wade had strong nights across the board. James had 24 points to go with his 9 rebounds and 4 three-point shots. Wade added 22 points, 10 rebounds and 6 assists. Chris Bosh added 19 points and 9 boards.
On the Mavericks side, Nowitzki held the team together and kept it close until the fourth quarter. Although the game was never a runaway for the Heat, it was clear the Mavs just couldn’t make their shots down the stretch. Nowitzki scored a game-high 27 points on 7 of 18 shooting, but Jason Terry was only 3 of 10 and Jose Juan Berea was the worst offender on the night, going 1 for 8 from the field.
In the end, the Mavs shot 37 percent overall and need to get hot to avoid going home down 2-0 to a potent Heat squad.