The Miami Heat’s 110-103 win over the Indiana Pacers was the type of game fans expected and analysts warned of this offseason as Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh and LeBron James assembled in South Beach. Wade made his presence known from the start, scoring 21 points in the first quarter as the Heat jumped all over the Indiana Pacers.
Dwyane Wade, LeBron James, Chris Bosh Put On First Quarter Show Against Indiana Pacers
It was, essentially, three on five. But in the first quarter, it worked like a charm. The Heat jumped out to a 41-19 lead, Wade was on fire and all was well. Wade and James even hooked up for one of the best alley-oops you’ll ever see. Yet by halftime, the Miami lead was four, and 11 Pacers had scored. It was team-ball versus the three-man show.
The “Big Three” combined for 65 of Miami’s 88 shots on the night, making 35. More than half of the Heat’s rebounds and all but three assists came from the trio, as well. The game was a display of the best and what could be considered the worst of the trio of Bosh, Wade and James.
On one hand, the first quarter performance was a thing of beauty. On the other, the three provided the only offense for Miami on the night, and struggled to put away a Pacers team they should’ve easily dispatched. Would the story have been different against the NBA’s elite -- the Celtics, Lakers or Spurs?
When the Heat are playing like they were in the first quarter, they’re as close to unstoppable as a team can get. But is it sustainable? Playing the bulk of the minutes while forced to shoulder the load on both ends of the floor is taxing. When it comes together, as it did early-on against the Pacers, the “Big Three” can put on a show with the best of them.
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