A Game 1 loss to the Spurs has left the star-studded trio searching for answers. (
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MIAMI — It took one lousy fourth quarter and a late circus banker by the Spurs’ Tony Parker to recast doubt on the viability of the South Beach Big 3 to repeat as NBA champions.
The Miami Dream Team is under fire again. LeBron James Friday acknowledged Dwyane Wade’s right-knee woes are serious, called out Chris Bosh to start knocking down perimeter shots and admitted the positive trend of bouncing back from Game 1 playoff losses is irrelevant against the savvy Spurs.
Thursday’s 92-88 loss to San Antonio in Game 1 of the NBA Finals marked the fourth time in the James-Bosh-Wade era the Heat have lost a Game 1. The three previous times, the Heat swept the next four games, including during last season’s finals against the Thunder
The differences, however, are threefold: The Heat lost Game 1 to Oklahoma City on the road; the Thunder didn’t have the championship pedigree of the poised Spurs, who committed a finals record-low four turnovers; and Wade wasn’t lugging around a bum knee James called “not even close to 100 percent.’’
Game 2 is tomorrow at AmericanAirlines Arena before the series switches to Texas for the following three games. The Heat are 3-4 in their last seven games, and the Spurs have won seven straight.
Momentum, Spurs.
“It’s not easy for sure and it’s definitely not going to be easy versus this team we’re going against now,’’ James said of continuing the trend.
James posted a triple-double in Game 1, but his 18 points left much to parsed. He had just six points in the fourth quarter, all late, and after San Antonio had gained control. He committed a key turnover during the Spurs’ game-sealing run and was hesitant to take it upon himself to quell San Antonio’s uprising, perhaps worn down by dogging Parker in the final minutes. Offensively, James looked too much like the passive King of the 2011 Finals fiasco versus Dallas.
“I had some more opportunities where I could have been a little more aggressive or look for my shot,’’ James said. “But I don’t want to take away from the plays I made. I was able to find my guys for shots. I found [Chris Bosh] for four really good looks that he missed, that’s he’s capable of making.’’
Indeed, the Bosh issue is perplexing. He has become more a glorified Steve Novak 3-point ace, and that never has been his game. In Game 1, Bosh shot 6 of 16 on mostly perimeter jumpers. He was 0 for 4 from 3-point range. He finished with 13 points after struggling with his shot the entire series against the Pacers.
“We just want Chris to mix it up,’’ Wade said. “He’s one of the best big-man shooters in this game. He hasn’t found the fine line of mixing it up and that’s not always easy. So Chris is trying to find his place and his position. That’s the challenge we have as a team. But he’ll figure it out.’’
Wade had a very productive first half, scoring 13 points, but got shut out in the final period. The mysterious knee bruise isn’t healing. Some nights he will have it, some nights he won’t.
Late in the Pacers series, James interrupted a question to Wade about his health, saying “His knee is fine.’’
But yesterday, James was more candid.
“It’s a tough situation,’’ he said. “He spends countless hours of treatment to try to just prepare for one game each and every night. I‘ve never been in that position, so I can feel for him. You appreciate when someone puts their body on the line each night when they’re not even close to 100 percent.’’
Wade had gone a career-high 11 playoff games without a 20-point outing before a Game 7 breakout against the Pacers. Wade’s remarks regarding his injury can’t be soothing for Heat fans, because he knows the pain is causing some inconsistency in his game.
“It’s only once you get out on the court and you figure it out,’’ Wade said. “A couple of nights, I thought, ‘Oh yeah, this is my night.’ I get out there, and it was, “Oh, no it’s not.’’ It’s from quarter to quarter.’’
All this is against the backdrop of the Big 3 maybe breaking up next summer because of luxury-tax issues, with each player having an opt-out clause for 2014.
“We’re going to make adjustments,’’ James said after Friday’s long film session he called “painful.’’
“We’ll see what type of game plan I come out with on Sunday,” he said. “It will be dumb of me to reveal it today.’’
The Spurs had nine days off before Thursday’s opener , and the Heat had two.
“I don’t want to think that’s a crutch that we were tired,’’ Wade said. “We looked like a team that came out of a seven-game series in that fourth quarter.’’