Game One Done

Game One of the 2006 NBA Finals is finally in the books, and far be it from me to add to the flurry of post-game analysis which will no doubt follow. Personally, I most enjoyed watching the match-up of the Jasons: my home town of Seattle's own Jason Terry (32 points - including 4 for 7 from beyond the arc - 4 rebounds, 3 steals and an assist) and Jason Williams (12 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists and a steal). Dwayne Wade knocked in 28 points of his own while still struggling with the flu (or should I say "flu-like symptoms"), but was really pretty ineffective after the first quarter, at least when compared to his usual performance. Jerry Stackhouse contributed 14 points in 29 minutes for the Mavs, along with 4 assists, 3 turnovers, and a blocked shot.

But the real story is who DIDN'T step up. Never mind Dirk Nowitzki's sub-par 16 point performance, or Shaq's 1 for 9 from the charity stripe. Antoine Walker played 42 minutes and scored 17 points along with 6 rebounds, 4 assists and a steal...not a bad line, until you realize he also committed 6 turnovers and was 7 of 19! from the field (compared to only 11 shot attempts for the Diesel). Gary Payton was 0-4 in 19 minutes, but chipped in 5 rebounds, 3 steals, and an assist; Alonzo Mourning only played 5 minutes, and was 0-1 from the field with a single rebound.

Keys for a Heat victory in Game Two? More touches for Shaq, better defense on Jason Terry (maybe meaning more minutes for the Glove?), a healthier Dwayne Wade, and a lot more help off the bench, especially from Zo...who I think deserves a few more of Mr Walker's minutes. Meanwhile, Antoine needs to shoot a MUCH better percentage from the field -- either more makes or fewer takes (which basically means letting the Big Guy create scoring opportunities for everyone and attacking the offensive boards) -- and the whole team needs to take a lot better care of the ball. And don't expect Dirk to stay this quiet forever either. Effectively defending him was one of the Heat's hidden achievements, obscured by their poor performance in other areas, and Jason Terry's superb game.