The Heat looked very solid to start with Bam was embracing “bully ball” early for the Heat, but Kevin Durant didn’t waste any time, knocking down tough jumpers early and getting to the line. Unfortunately, just when it looked like he was feeling it, he’d tweak something and head to the locker room. Injuries suck.
Miami’s defense was solid, with Ariza and Bam forcing the Nets into bad shots. Ariza was getting it done on both ends, hitting some big shots.
With Jimmy out, Bam took over the leadership role, playing aggressively on both ends and facilitating as much as possible to get others going.