Heat survive scare from Bobcats, take 2-0 series lead
This much is clear: the Charlotte Bobcats are giving the Miami Heat a better run than any other potential seven or eight seed likely would have. On Wednesday, the Bobcats fought tooth-and-nail with the Heat to try and steal a victory on the road, but they came up a little too short in the end, falling 101-97.
Star Performer
If you want to go by the box score, the nod should surely go to LeBron James (32 points, six rebounds, eight assists, four steals) or Chris Bosh (20 points on 8-of-11 shooting, including 4-of-5 on threes). Instead, Al Jefferson gets the love for his 18-point, 13-rebound performance. Jefferson may have taken the loss and shot just 9-of-23, but he gutted out an inspiring 40-minute performance on a bum left foot, one that irritated him so much he had to have it re-taped early. Gutty outing by The First Name in Old School Game.
Turning Point
With 2:31 left to play in the game, Bobcats wing Gerald Henderson fouled out. While Chris Douglas-Roberts had a solid game, Henderson is one of Charlotte's better defenders and creators, and losing him hurt. More importantly, in a game that was close throughout, the sixth foul was the final sign that the basketball gods weren't smiling on the Bobcats in this one.
Highlight Reel
Let's start with the one everyone will be talking about: late in the fourth, Josh McRoberts caught James in the throat with an elbow, one that could earn him a suspension for Game 3.
Earlier in the game, James had provided a few other highlights, too, as he's wont to do. They included one involving a referee and his usual open-court viciousness:
Before fouling out, Henderson got in on the action with a highlight at each end of the floor, too:
Sadly, it ended this way for Kemba Walker and the Bobcats:
Kemba just... pic.twitter.com/3hcNsgU7qg
— David Walker (@daviDBWalker) April 24, 2014
Quotes of the Game
Spo: “It doesn’t matter who you play, at this level it gets highly competitive. We expect a dogfight when we get to Charlotte.”
— Miami HEAT (@MiamiHEAT) April 24, 2014
Josh McRoberts on foul: "I think it looked worse than what it was.... It wasn't intentional."
— Ethan J. Skolnick (@EthanJSkolnick) April 24, 2014
Al Jefferson: "A lot of pain. But it doesn't matter. Just missed a lot of shots that u should have made."
— Ethan J. Skolnick (@EthanJSkolnick) April 24, 2014
Kemba Walker: "I think we have a chance, man."
— Ethan J. Skolnick (@EthanJSkolnick) April 24, 2014
Series at a glance
Game 1: MIA 99, CHA 88 (Heat 1-0)
Game 2: MIA 101, CHA 97 (Heat 2-0)
Game 3: Saturday, April 26 - 7 p.m.
Game 4: Monday, April 28 - 7 p.m.
Game 5*: Wednesday, April 30 - TBD
Game 6*: Friday, May 2 - TBD
Game 7*: Sunday, May 4 - TBD