Saudi-European Parliamentary Friendship Committee discusses cooperation during Strasbourg visit    Diriyah to host third IMFC Deputies meeting under Saudi chairmanship    15,135 decisions taken to penalize Saudis and expats for violations    Saudi stock market loses half a trillion riyals, with Aramco's losses amounting to SR340 billion Tariff turmoil rattles Gulf markets    KAU to host Digital Communication Conference in Jeddah from April 29 to May 1    TGA: Riyadh tops with 45% of 290 million orders delivered in 2024    Aja and Salma mountains draw nature lovers to Hail's rugged landscapes    US revokes all visas for South Sudanese nationals over deportation dispute    Death toll from Myanmar earthquake rises to 3,471    Macron to hold Gaza summit with Egypt and Jordan in Cairo    Benzema rescues Al Ittihad with stoppage-time equalizer in thrilling Jeddah Derby    Al Qadsiah and Al Ettifaq share spoils in tense Eastern Derby stalemate    Moussa Diaby praises Al Ittihad's resilience after Jeddah Derby draw "When you can't win, you take a point"    Saudi assistant referee Iman Al Madani joins AFC elite list for 2025    Riyadh Art Week launches with over 50 galleries showcasing global artistic dialogue    Turki Al-Sheikh announces five new Saudi film projects to be produced in Riyadh    Saudi Ministry of Education to showcase innovations at 2025 Geneva International Exhibition    Ed Sheeran weaves Persian music into new song, Azizam    Al-Jadaan: Crown Prince's directives confirm government's ability to bring back balance to real estate market    Veteran Bollywood actor Manoj Kumar dies at 87    Screen time in bed linked to insomnia, study finds    Bollywood actress vindicated over boyfriend's death after media hounding    Grand Mufti rules against posting prayers and preaching in mosques on social media    King Salman prays for peace and stability for Palestinians in Ramadan message King reaffirms Saudi Arabia's commitment to serving the Two Holy Mosques and pilgrims    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Miami strikes first in Finals
Published in The Saudi Gazette on 02 - 06 - 2011

MIAMI: LeBron James, Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade paced the Miami attack as the big three combined for 65 points and the Heat beat Dallas 92-84 in the opening game of the 2011 NBA Finals Tuesday.
James finished with a team high 24 points, Wade had 22 points and 10 rebounds and Bosh scored 19 points for the Heat, who are a perfect 9-0 at home in the post-season.
“That's who they have been their entire careers,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said of James and Wade. “Every playoff game for us goes down the stretch. The more time you are in it, the more confident you get.”
After a low-scoring, tightly-contested first half in which the lead changed hands nine times, the Heat's star trio three seized control in the fourth quarter in front of the sold out crowd of 20,003 at the American Airlines Arena.
Game two is Thursday in Miami.
Combining Wade with James and Bosh as a triple threat in Miami is paying dividends in their first post-season together. But it also made villains of the them in some people's eyes, especially James who spurned his hometown Cleveland to join the Heat.
“We got guys who have closed games before but we just had to figure out how to do it together,” James said. “It is my confidence. I've got to be a two-way player, get my teammates involved. My shot was working from outside but more important I helped my team win.”
Wade had his typical slow playoff start but once again found his second gear late in the game. He helped clinch the win by combining with James on an alley-oop with 30.6 seconds left that made it 91-79.
“All I care about was he made a lot of winning plays on both ends of the court there in the fourth quarter,” Spoelstra said of Wade.
James made several plays in the second half that showed why he is the NBA's most dominant player. He made a statement dunk with 2:48 to go that gave Miami a 84-75 lead. James also drained a buzzer beating three pointer at the end of the third quarter to give Miami a 65-61 lead.
Dirk Nowitzki scored a team high 27 points for the Mavericks who were held to just 37.3 shooting.
“They have two very good closers, two of the best in the game,” Nowitzki said. “But what really killed us was offensive rebounds. We were just out of position sometimes to box out and get rebounds. We were scrambling so much we failed to get rebounds.”
Shawn Marion had 16 points and 10 rebounds and Jason Terry came off the bench to score 12 points for the Mavericks, who are seeking their first NBA championship and trying to avenge a loss to the Heat in the 2006 finals.
Nowitzki also tore a tendon on the middle finger on his left hand when he collided with Bosh. He said the X-rays showed their was no break but he is going to wear a splint on it for the remainder of the series.
“It was a freaky play,” Nowitzki said. “I thought I stripped him clean and then I looked down and I couldn't straighten my finger.”
The Mavericks had home court advantage in 2006, winning the first two games before dropping four straight.
Dallas won both regular-season contests over Miami this year, in the playoffs, however, the Mavericks are without swingman Caron Butler, who has been out since Jan. 1 after knee surgery.
Part of the Heat's game plan was to set the tone early with physical play under the basket. Both Terry and Nowitzki were fouled hard by James and Udonis Haslem in the first half.
Terry landed especially hard after being hit in mid-air by James but got up without any trouble.
“We have to attack. We have to be physical and we have to be on the edge for 48 minutes,” Spoelstra said.


Clic here to read the story from its source.