In The East, The Floor Now Belongs To Miami
ESPN.com
MIAMI -- On Saturday afternoon, Jeremy Lin was in a stylish gray suit, sitting at the end of the bench in Miami. Dwight Howard, according to doctor's orders, was resting somewhere in Los Angeles after back surgery, not with his team in Indianapolis. And at a hospital in Chicago, Derrick Rose was learning that he'd blown out his left knee and was done for the playoffs.
Meanwhile, LeBron James raced up and down the floor with ease in the midst of a masterful performance as his Miami Heat took apart the New York Knicks by 33 points in the series opener.
The remaining variables are uncountable; that's a given. But the Eastern Conference has unquestionably opened up for the Heat, an advantage they might not have needed but will no doubt accept. Already thin on serious contenders, the East's race changed when Rose crumpled to the floor in the final moments of the Bulls' Game 1 win against Philly.
"Obviously, when you don't have an MVP of the league, it changes things," Dwyane Wade said Saturday. "It's unfortunate it happened."
There was an instant effect on several teams, from the Bulls' immediate opponent, the Philadelphia 76ers, to the entire side of the bracket. The Boston Celtics and Atlanta Hawks' series just added a heap of intrigue with the severity of the path ahead altered.
The Bulls were more than respectable without Rose this season, going 18-9, and writing them completely off isn't fair. But if they are able to carry through and beat the 76ers, there's still a good chance the Celtics-Hawks series might now produce a favorite to reach the conference finals.
For a Celtics team dealing with a short bench and aging stars, not having to manage Rose could make a world of difference in a series that will contain back-to-backs with travel in between. For the Hawks, who repeatedly have come up short in attempts to get out of the second round, it also could be a game-changer.
But no team potentially benefits more from Rose's devastating injury than the Heat. That's not polite but it's also true. The No. 1 overall seed just lost its MVP, and the Heat's road to the Finals changed before they'd even tipped off against the Knicks. The Heat were able to figure out Rose during the playoffs last year, but what were the chances they could be so effective again when Rose would be ready for their game plan? Now, we'll never know.
"It's unfortunate that injury has happened," James said after he scored 32 points in just 32 minutes Saturday. "I'm worried about the Knicks; I'm not worried about the Bulls."
That is absolutely the right thing to say publicly. But within the Heat locker room and coaches' offices, there is no way Rose's terrible turn did not create conversation and realization. There are a lot of obstacles between the Heat and the Finals but there's a big one that is no longer there.
Just as the dominant Orlando center who'd had two 20-point, 20-rebound games against the Heat this season is out. And so is the dynamic point guard the Knicks, who committed 27 turnovers against the Heat in Game 1, so badly need.
"It's a travesty," the Heat's Shane Battier said. "You never want to see the great players in this league get injured, just as a fan."
That's honest -- fans want to see the best play the best. Players feel a kinship to other players and know it could just as easily have been them sliding into an MRI tube Saturday. Knicks guard Iman Shumpert did; his left leg buckled during the third quarter Saturday, and within minutes he was on his way to a hospital, like Rose.
"It's just terrible news," Battier continued.
Indeed it was terrible. But, as Battier said, it was also news, news with wide-ranging effects.
NBA Writer Brian Windhorst
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2. Around The Association
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MVP: Russell Westbrook carried the load for much of the game, but James Harden proved to be the difference for the Thunder. "The Beard" had 19 points on seven shots, and provided stout on-ball defense and heady passing down the stretch.
Defining moment: Kevin Durant shook off a terrible shooting night (10-for-27) to nail the go-ahead runner over Shawn Marion. You'll be seeing that shot many times.
X factor: Dirk Nowitzki had 11 of the Mavericks' final 13 points and looked poised to uncork some of last year's magic. Serge Ibaka was also great, finishing with 22 points on 12 shots and five blocks.
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81 | Recap | Box score |
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MVP: Jameer Nelson. The point guard Orlando's injured center didn't want to play with ran the pick-and-roll very well at times and was fearless in calling his own number at other times. There was never a doubt as to this team's leader.
Least Valuable Player: Danny Granger. He missed two free throws that would have put his team up four with 1:14 to play, then blew a layup on the next possession. To top it off, with the Pacers down three and 7 seconds to play, he traveled.
X factor: Both teams took turns going through stretches of extreme offensive futility, but Indiana took it to the next level in the clutch. The Pacers didn't score a single point in the final 4:05, allowing Orlando to put up the final 11 points, steal Game 1 and claim home-court advantage.
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MVP: LeBron James had a strong playoff start, scoring 32 points on just 14 official shots. He got there thanks to 14 free throws. He was also active on defensive end, picking off four steals and taking two charges.
LVP: Comes with an asterisk because he was dealing with the flu, but Tyson Chandler did not provide much help. He had seven turnovers, committed four fouls and missed all three of his shots in 21 minutes.
X factor: The Knicks were furious with the officiating and the 33-11 free throw disparity. But the bigger factor was the Knicks' committing 27 turnovers. It directly caused New York to tie a team record for fewest points in a playoff game. Also, the Heat set a team record by scoring 38 points off those turnovers.
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That was ... the doomsday scenario: With 1:10 left Saturday, the worst fears of the city of Chicago were realized. Attempting a leaner at the tail end of a game the Bulls effectively had already won, Derrick Rose leapt awkwardly off his left knee, landed tentatively and crumpled in a heap before being helped off the court. It's unclear what the damage is, but what isn't is this: If he's done, so are the Bulls' title hopes. [Editor's note: Rose tore his ACL and is done for the season.]
MVP: Before leaving the game with the above-mentioned knee injury, Rose stuffed the box score 'til its seams stretched. Despite a 1-of-7 start, he scored 23 points to go along with nine rebounds and nine assists.
X factor: Even superheroes need help sometimes. This is roughly the premise of "The Avengers," yes, but it's also an important thing to bear in mind as the playoffs begin their slow roll. To wit: While the Bulls' own hobbled star struggled to find his shot early, his supporting cast kept the Chicago O humming. Luol Deng, Richard Hamilton and Joakim Noah combined for 31 first-half points on 18 shots on Saturday -- with just two turnovers among them. The Bulls might need a lot more of this.
3. Saturday's Best
4. Saturday's Worst
The 67-point Knicks: Melo was shut down. Iman Shumpert got injured. And Tyson Chandler was clearly not himself, posting seven turnovers in a scoreless performance for the Knicks. His flu-like symptoms required IV treatment after the game. If the Knicks have a chance, they'll need their big man in the middle to get back in good health.
8. Oh, What A Winning Hand
Brett Deering/Getty9. Stat Check
LeBron James joined Allen Iverson as the only player to single-handedly outscore the opposing starters combined, in a playoff game, since the NBA began tracking starters in the 1970-71 season. Iverson scored 52 points on May 16, 2001, against the Raptors. Toronto's starters combined for just 49 points, led by Vince Carter's 16.
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