Audio By Carbonatix
On Mother’s Day, the Mavericks’ reserves combined to score 86 points.
In Game 1 of the NBA Finals, the Mavs’ entire team managed only 84.
Granted the Miami Heat are a bitch defensively. They are quick and fast and long and they did a fantastic job of chasing the Mavericks off the 3-point line in Game 1. Remember all those wide-open 3-pointers against the Lakers in the West Semis? Forget it.
Nonetheless, Dallas’ bench has to be better if it hopes to win Game 2 tomorrow night in Miami and make this a series.
Last night the Heat’s subs actually outscored Dallas’ by 10. You don’t expect three 3-pointers by Miami’s Mario Chalmers any more than you could foresee Jason Terry going scoreless in the second half.
Said Terry after the loss, “Offensively, that was a disaster for us.”
But with Caron Butler not coming back this season, Peja Stojakovic has to make a shot or two. Terry can’t miss 7 of 10 shots. And J.J. Barea has to finish at the rim instead of going 1 of 8.
One of the reasons I picked the Mavs is because of their superior bench. After going only 4 of 18 in Game 1, that edge has yet to show up to the NBA Finals.
The Mavs can’t surrender 16 offensive rebounds. The Heat can’t continue to make 11-of-24 3-pointers. But more importantly, Terry — Dallas’ second-best player — has to score and the Mavs must produce a scoring edge from its bench.
Or else.
