It took a roster to bring down the mighty Miami Heat.
It took a Rondo, it took a Garnett, it took an O’Neal (Shaquille), it took a Pierce, it took a Daniels, it took a Davis, and, with the game hanging in the balance — and losing this would have been a catastrophe — it took an Allen with a typically nerveless and artful game-clinching 3-pointer. Anything less from any of those people, and last night’s game would have gone the other way.
This was the most hyped and anticipated opening-night game in the league’s 65-year history. Everyone with an interest in the sport of professional basketball wanted to see the mighty Miami Heat, the team with the latest Big Three, the team that was going to re-glamorize the NBA, and never mind the fact we have a two-time defending champion located in the glamour capital of the US of A.
But if the nation, the world, the uni verse, the galaxy, whatever, tuned in to see the mighty Miami Heat, they were re-introduced to the reality of the Boston Celtics, who have won a championship and have had two legitimate shots at others in the past three years, and who certainly look to be new and improved this season. The mighty Miami Heat could have been given a much easier opening-night foe than the Celtics’ squad that handed them an 88-80 loss to ensure they will not go 82-0.
No grand conclusions should be drawn from the performance of the Heat. They already have lost the player who was going to be their certified sixth man when Mike Miller sustained a thumb injury last week that could put him out of action for at least three months. And last night was the first action of any kind for Dwyane Wade, who has been idled by a combination of injury and the need to attend court proceedings in a contentious child custody suit.
The guy who wore No. 3 and shot 4 for 16 last night? That wasn’t the real Dwyane Wade. It wasn’t even a weak preview of coming attractions.
“I don’t know if he’s healthy or not,’’ said Celtics coach Doc Rivers. “You don’t miss as much as he’s missed and have rhythm. He’ll get better. They’ll get better.’’
The mighty Miami Heat really had no business being in this game, which ought to tell you something about what they might become. They came out of the chute with 9 first-quarter points, the result of good Celtics defense and one of those shooting nights that happen every once in a while. It took the Heat 16 minutes to score 13 points, 20 minutes to score 20 points, and 28 minutes to score 35.
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