Miami Heat 99, Charlotte Bobcats 88

Recap | Box Score

LeBron James: B+

8-16 FG (4-8 3FG), 9 rebounds, 1 assist, 27 points

Like the rest of the Miami Heat, LeBron James started slow. He was settling for jumpers and not playing within any sort of offensive flow. Toward the end of the first quarter he started attacking the basket and the Heat got into a rhythm. Later, LeBron started hitting his jumpers. That’s usually how these things work. 

Dwyane Wade: A

10-16 FG (1-2 3FG), 1 rebound, 5 assists, 1 steal, 23 points

Fresh off a season of rest, it seems as if the maintenance program is paying immediate dividends. Wade was hot all game, to the point where he actually shot a three-pointer and made it. Chef Wade was working with a full kitchen, and was cooking in the paint early and often. 

James Jones: A

4-6 FG (2-3 3FG), 3 rebounds, 1 assist, 12 points

After playing a grand total of 236 minutes this NBA season, James Jones came off the bench as a key reserve in Miami’s first playoff game and was mightily effective. Jones was hitting jumpers and even got involved in some fastbreak action when Mario Chalmers passed him the ball in a two-on-one situation. It goes to show you that Erik Spoelstra has no set lineup. It’s a game to game, minute to minute thing.

Chris Andersen: A

3-5 FG, 10 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 block, 8 points 

Andersen may have gotten YouTube’d/GIF’d (instead of posterized, let’s start doing this guys) under Josh McRoberts’ Coachella-themed face, but I would like to point out that most players would have just gotten out of the way to make sure their nationally-televised tea-bagging didn’t go viral. Andersen is always playing and doesn’t shy away from anything. He gave it a go when everyone knew what was coming, and ended up getting dunked on. But, still, at least he tried. That’s Birdman’s impact. He also had a plus-minus of plus-28 points in the game.

Miami Heat: A

35-76 (11-23 3FG), 18-26 FT, 38 rebounds to Charlotte’s 44, 14 assists to Charlotte’s 18, 7 turnovers to Charlotte’s 13 

After a slow start Miami figured things out and couldn’t be stopped on offense. Norris Cole started hitting jumpers and then James Jones rose from the dead this Easter Sunday. It didn’t hurt that Al Jefferson got hurt early, but he seemed to have walked it off as the game went on. The Heat went small and the lead grew. Small-ball, playoff hoops is upon us, Heat fans.