The Miami Heat came out looking like they were playing for the NBA title, the Dallas Mavericks looked like they just took six months off.
Of course, both statements are true for both teams, as the two went to six games to decide the title this past June, however, it’s been pretty evident who is better conditioned for the rigors of a compressed and shortened NBA schedule. The Heat have outscored Dallas by 15 in the first, by six in the second, and by 11 in the third.
Led by LeBron James’ 33 points and Dwyane Wade’s 22, the Heat have dominated play on both ends of the court. Mario Chalmers leads Miami with four steals, while Udonis Haslem is one point away from a double-double with 11 rebounds.
Dirk Nowitki leads three Mavericks in double digits with 21 points. Jason Terry has 14 and Shawn Marion has 12 for Dallas.