Before exiting Game 2, Batum scored nine points on 3-of-11 shooting and grabbed seven rebounds.
Advertisement
After running the Charlotte Hornets out of the building in Game 1, the Miami Heat took care of business again to take a 2-0 lead in the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs.
“If something is working, you got to let I keep going until they stop it”, Jefferson said after the game. “And we did that”. “We’ve got to find a way to be able to put together 48 good minutes of defense”.
From Goran Dragic there were 18 points, as well as 15 from Josh Richardson and 16 from Luol Deng, who hardly was needed for the 31 he provided in Game 1.
“They got in a good rhythm”, Spoelstra said of Charlotte’s pick-and-roll offense.
Walker was especially effective, matching his playoff career-high with 29 points. Jefferson, who could move into the starting lineup in Game 3, had a huge game with 25 points and seven rebounds on 12-of-17 shooting.
Batum rolled his ankle pretty badly in the fourth quarter of game two and was unable to return. “Now we have to go do the same”. “We’re down 2-0, but we’re not out of it. I feel like we played well tonight but the Heat did their job”. Miami has shot an incredible 58 percent through the first two games.
The Heat closed a record-setting half with 10 consecutive made shots – eight of them jumpers, four of them 3-pointers – to score a staggering 23 points in 3 1/2 minutes on the way to building a 72-60 lead by intermission.
“He’s a warrior, and if he can work it out, he’ll be fine”, Jefferson said. The second quarter stands out, with Miami gaining a big lead going into halftime.
Charlotte’s frustration was exemplified with the first possession of the second half.
The Hornets’ Marvin Williams missed all 10 of his shots from the floor to finish scoreless. The Hornets missed their first five shots, but grabbed five offensive rebounds before missing their sixth attempt to come up empty.
Charlotte head coach Steve Clifford adjusted this strategy, having his bigs hand back to impede Whiteside and Stoudemire’s access to the rim. Charlotte allowed two 40-point quarters in the entire regular season.
They have certainly not let that advantage go to waste in their series agains the Charlotte Hornets. Total Fouls-Charlotte 16, Miami 25. Another stat that caught the eye was the fact that the Hornets only had 9 assists as a team for the game; Dwyane Wade had 8 assists alone.
Advertisement
The Heat kept the game close in the beginning against a Hornets team that expectedly came with a more aggressive pace. This is the 14th time Miami has taken a 2-0 series lead.
