MIAMI – There’s no worry among the Miami Heat over their 93-86 Game 1 loss to Chicago on Monday.
But on the Day After, there did seem to be some steely resolve from the defending champions to do better in the “effort” areas. Blend that with a healthy mix of “we’ve been here before,” and you have the tone of the chatter that followed the Heat’s practice Tuesday at AmericanAirlines Arena.
The Game 1 loss is a big deal, but it’s not a huge deal.
“We’ve been in tough moments,” guard Dwyane Wade said. “We’ve lost games before.”
But Miami hadn’t lost many games recently. The Heat entered Game 1 having won 41 of their last 43 games, including the first-round sweep of Milwaukee. But included in their now-less-gaudy 41-3 run is the inalienable fact that two of those losses have come against the depleted Chicago Bulls.
Do the Bulls have the Heat’s number? Maybe.
But right now the number 1 is a long way from the number 4 — and this second-round series has a loooooong way to go.
Still, Miami, while being respectful to Chicago, doesn’t seem overly concerned about Game 1. Perhaps it’s an attitude you acquire after gaining the Big Three, or maybe it’s a confidence you get after winning a title.
Heat forward LeBron James said Miami’s 1-0 deficit to Chicago “doesn’t bother us.”
The Heat isn’t nearly concerned as its fan base. A few people in Miami have initiated hand-wringing procedures. The blame game comes next. All the while, the Heat is calmly looking to the future.
“It doesn’t bother us,” said forward LeBron James, who finished Game 1 with 24 points, eight rebounds and seven assists in the loss. He scored just two first-half points.
“It’s something we don’t like to get accustomed to, but we’ve been in this position before so we look forward to (Wednesday’s Game 2).”
The Heat trailed in each of its final three playoff series last year – 2-1 to Indiana in the conference semifinals, 3-2 to Boston in the conference finals, and 1-0 to Oklahoma City in the NBA Finals. In each case the Heat won the following game on the road.
This time after falling behind in the series the Heat is at AmericanAirlines Arena, so you’d like to think they’ll take care of business.
But Chicago, which is short-handed due to injuries, has steely resolve, too. Forward Luol Deng is likely out for Game 2 and guard Kirk Hinrich is doubtful. Guard Derrick Rose most likely isn’t coming back, and almost certainly not for Game 2. Still, the Heat has to be wary.
The Bulls are only the second team since 2000 to win a Game 7 on the road, and then win a Game 1 at the home of the No. 1 seed in the following round.
Orlando turned the trick in 2009, winning at defending champion Boston in Game 7, and then winning at No. 1 seed Cleveland in Game 1 of the following round.
Don’t think the Bulls can’t take a 2-0 lead in this series. It’s almost unimaginable. And it’d set off panic alarms from Miami to Seattle. But it could happen. The Bulls aren’t lucky or plucky or anything along those lines. They’re good.
The Heat gets that message. Coach Erik Spoelstra shot down talk of the Heat being stunned, shocked or surprised by the Game 1 loss.
“Nothing in the playoffs is a surprise,” he said. “It’s all a result.”
The question is what are the Heat going to do to make sure the Bulls don’t do the implausible and take a Game 2 victory?
Power forward Udonis Haslem said it was “unacceptable” the way the Heat played Game 1. Chicago outhustled and outmuscled Miami, banging its way to a 46-32 edge in rebounds, and in the process turning nine offensive rebounds into 17 second-chance points.
“We can play any style of basketball, but regardless of what style we play we have to play hard, we have to compete.
“We have to do the little things.”
That means stopping guard Nate Robinson before he gets below the free throw line and thrusts that short, muscular body toward the rim. Robinson is the Bulls’ leading fourth-quarter scorer in the playoffs at 8.3 points. But his 66 points and 16 assists (he’s contributed to a total of 82 fourth-quarter points) are the most of anyone in the playoffs. Kevin Durant is second-best at 63 points.
Doing the little things also means limiting center Joakim Noah’s effectiveness. The Bulls’ All-Star center had 13 points and 11 rebounds.
And swingman Jimmy Butler has to be stopped too. He can’t be allowed to total 21 points and 14 rebounds as he did in Game 1.
The Heat remains capable of winning this series in five games. But they have to be more assertive than they were in Game 1.
Some members of the Heat took comfort in the fact they played relatively poorly and still had a chance at the end. Center Chris Bosh said that wasn’t the approach in Tuesday’s film session. He said the team looked at the entire game to find areas they could improve.
“We looked at everything,” Bosh said. “The game isn’t won in the last five minutes…In the playoff games it’s as a whole, collectively.”
And collectively, the Heat isn’t worried.
Chris Perkins is a veteran Miami-based sports journalist who covers the Heat for SheridanHoops.com. Follow him on Twitter.