Heat’s veterans, youth put Hornets in familiar position after Game 1 rout

Fresh off his 31st birthday, Luol Deng had a career day, scoring 31 points in the Miami Heat’s 123–91 Game 1 victory over the Charlotte Hornets.

DeAntae Prince | Apr 17, 2016

Heat’s veterans, youth put Hornets in familiar position after Game 1 rout /

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Luol Deng settled into the corner for the Heat’s first possession of the day, his knees bent and hands ready, prepared for whatever came next. In a flash, the ball found Joe Johnson at the top of the key and he shuffled it to Deng, who knocked down a three and gave Miami its first points.

The story of a 48-minute NBA game is rarely revealed within the first few moments of play, but the Heat’s initial offensive possession was emblematic of what we would see for the duration of their 123–91 Game 1 win over the Hornets on Sunday.

• MORE NBA:SI’s NBA playoffs predictions | Eastern Conference preview

The Heat offense would function with impunity and make history along the way. Deng would own the night and post the best postseason debut in team history.

Deng, who turned 31 on Saturday, looked like his former All-Star self on Sunday, wreaking havoc on defense and making nearly every shot he attempted. In fact, Deng had a perfect first quarter, with 14 points on 5-of-5 shooting from the field. He missed only two shots and finished with a game-high 31 points as Miami outpaced Charlotte in every way.

With Deng as its anchor, Miami’s offensive firepower proved far too much for a Charlotte defense that rated among the league’s best in the regular season. Miami set playoff franchise records with 123 points and 46 made field goals.

There were tangible reasons for Miami’s success, as it shot 57.6%, outrebounded Charlotte 42–28 and maintained a 20-point lead for much of the night. Then there were the intangibles, with the veteran Heat playing faster, putting forth more effort on 50–50 plays, and defending with more fervor.

Miami built its lead based on the first set of examples, but flexed consistent effort to keep the Hornets at bay. The Heat’s rare combination of new and old, veteran and novice, kept them on track.

PHOTOS: NBA championship rings throughout the years

NBA Championship Rings Through the Years

2017-18 Golden State Warriors

The Golden State Warriors swept the Cleveland Cavaliers to win their third title in four years. The team got reversible rings with 74 sapphries on one side of the ring. The 74 represents the total number of victories the team earned during the regular season and playoffs in bringing home the franchise's sixth championship.

2016-17 Golden State Warriors

The Warriors beat LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 2017 NBA Finals to win their second title in three years.

2015-16 Cleveland Cavaliers

Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images

NBA Finals MVP LeBron James and the Cavs defeated the defending champion Warriors in seven games for these rings featuring the Cavaliers’ “C” wrapped around the Larry O’Brien trophy.

2014-15 Golden State Warriors

The Warriors took home these beauties after upending LeBron James and the Cavaliers in six games for their first title in 40 years.

2013-14 San Antonio Spurs

The Heat aimed to three-peat, but the Spurs had other ideas. Kawhi Leonard had a couple of breakout performances on his way to series MVP, and San Antonio ran away from Miami in five games.

2012-13 Miami Heat

These rings would have never seen the light of day had Ray Allen not made one of the greatest shots in NBA Finals history. Thanks to Allen, the Heat rallied and defeated the Spurs in overtime in Game 6, and then won two days later to repeat as champs.

2011-12 Miami Heat

LeBron James got his first ring as the Heat overwhelmed the Thunder in five games. James averaged 28.6 points, 10.2 rebounds and 7.4 assists.

2010-11 Dallas Mavericks

Dallas won three straight games to erase a 2-1 deficit and squash the newly formed Miami Big Three's title dreams. This was also the Mavericks' first NBA title in franchise history.

2009-10 Los Angeles Lakers

Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images

The Celtics held a 3-2 lead in this series, but the Lakers took care of business at the Staples Center in Game 6 and 7 to repeat as champs. This was the fifth and final set of rings for Los Angeles with Kobe Bryant.

2008-09 Los Angeles Lakers

The Lakers survived in a pair of overtime battles and then pulled away from the Magic in Game 5 to win their first NBA title since 2002's three-peat. Kobe Bryant won series MVP with averages of 32.4 points and 7.4 assists.

2007-08 Boston Celtics

Acquiring Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen during the off-season paid off quickly for Boston. In their first year, Garnett and Allen teamed up with Paul Pierce to defeat the Lakers in six games and bring the Celtics new jewelry for the first time since 1986.

2006-07 San Antonio Spurs

LeBron James' Cavaliers broke through to the finals, but they were no match for the Spurs, who completed the sweep for their third title in five years.

2005-06 Miami Heat

In their first-ever NBA Finals appearance, the Heat became the third team in league history to win a championship after trailing 0-2. Dwayne Wade averaged 39.3 points in the next four games as Miami won the series in six.

2004-05 San Antonio Spurs

This series was almost as close as possible. The Spurs and the Pistons entered the fourth quarter of Game 7 tied, and Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili led San Antonio in the fourth quarter to its third title under coach Greg Popovich.

2003-04 Detroit Pistons

Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images

Larry Brown had an NCAA title ring, and a 4-1 victory over the Lakers gave the coach his first NBA championship ring. Brown remains the only coach to win an NCAA and NBA title.

2002-03 San Antonio Spurs

In one of the great all-time playoff performances, Tim Duncan fell barely shy of a quadruple double with 21 points, 20 rebounds, 10 assists and eight blocks in the series-clinching Game 6.

2001-02 Los Angeles Lakers

The Nets did not put up much resistance as the Lakers completed a 4-0 sweep for their third straight title, giving coach Phil Jackson his ninth NBA title in 12 seasons.

2000-01 Los Angeles Lakers

Allen Iverson carried the 76ers to a Eastern Conference title and Game 1 victory against the Lakers, but Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal were too much for The Answer. Los Angeles won the next four games, including three straight in Philadelphia, to win its second straight championship.

1999-00 Los Angeles Lakers

In his return to coaching, Phil Jackson guided the Lakers to a 4-2 series victory against the Pacers, coached by Larry Bird. Shaquille O'Neal averaged 36.3 points and 12.3 rebounds, earning his first of three straight Finals MVPs.

1998-99 San Antonio Spurs

In a battle of dominant frontcourts, David Robinson and Tim Duncan bested Patrick Ewing and Larry Johnson as the Spurs defeated the Knicks in five games for their first NBA title.

1997-98 Chicago Bulls

Michael Jordan's jump shot with 5.6 seconds remaining in Game 6 gave the Bulls their second three-peat of the decade. Since then, Chicago has no NBA Finals appearances and only one conference finals appearance.

1996-97 Chicago Bulls

In a series featuring six Hall of Fame players, the Bulls defeated the Jazz in six games as Michael Jordan fought through food poisoning to lead Chicago to wins in Game 5 and Game 6.

1995-96 Chicago Bulls

Dennis Rodman tied an NBA Finals record in Game 2 with 11 offensive rebounds against Seattle and then did it again in Game 6, the series clincher, but Michael Jordan was once again the no-brainer series MVP, averaging 27.3 points 5.3 rebounds and 4.2 assists.

1994-95 Houston Rockets

Hakeem Olajuwon taught young Shaquille O'Neal a few lessons in this series as the Rockets swept the Magic for their second consecutive NBA title. The Rockets were the first No. 6 seed to win a Finals series.

1993-94 Houston Rockets

The Rockets ended a five-season title drought for the Western Conference as Hakeem Olajuwon charged victories in Game 6 and Game 7 in Houston.

1992-93 Chicago Bulls

The Bulls became the first team to three-peat since Bill Russell's Celtics in the 1960s. Chicago defeated Phoenix in six games, leaving Charles Barkley without a ring.

1991-92 Chicago Bulls

Michael Jordan shrugged his way to a NBA Finals record six first-half three-pointers in Game of 1 of this series, and the Bulls went on to win in six games.

1990-91 Chicago Bulls

The Bulls recorded their first-ever NBA title as Michael Jordan led the way averaging 31.2 points, 11.4 assists, 2.8 steals and 1.4 blocks to defeat the Showtime Lakers in five games.

1989-90 Detroit PIstons

For the first time since 1979, the NBA Finals did not include at least one of the Celtics or the Lakers. The Bad Boy Pistons faced Clyde Drexler and the Trail Blazers, winning in five games for their second straight championship.

1988-89 Detroit PIstons

The Lakers led entering the fourth quarter three times during this series but could never hold on as the Pistons swept them in four games.

1987-88 Los Angeles Lakers

This time, the Lakers got the best of the Pistons in a thrilling seven games series where the final two games were decided by a combined four points.

1986-87 Los Angeles Lakers

In a high-scoring series, the Lakers and the Celtics each broke the century in the first five games. Then Los Angeles held Boston to 93 points to win the series in Game 6.

1985-86 Boston Celtics

The Celtics captured their second title in three years, defeating the Rockets in six games. Larry Bird fell just shy of averaging a triple with 24 points, 9.7 rebounds and 9.5 assists.

1984-85 Los Angeles Lakers

In a series that featured nine Hall of Fame players, the Lakers got revenge from one year earlier with a 4-2 victory against the Celtics.

1983-84 Boston Celtics

The Celtics came out on top in the first of three 1980s finals meetings with the Lakers. Larry Bird averaged 27.4 points and 14 rebounds, getting the best of Magic Johnson, who's Michigan State team got defeated Bird's Indiana State squad in the 1979 NCAA championship.

1982-83 Philadelphia 76ers

In a rematch of the 1982 finals, Moses Malone tore up the Lakers front line for 25.8 points and 18 rebounds per game as Philadelphia swept Los Angeles.

Their mainstays understood the moment and set a tone from the opening tip, but Miami’s young legs also played an important role. The list of contributors was long and the ages were varied.

Hassan Whiteside, Dwyane Wade, Amare Stoudemire, Joe Johnson, Justise Winslow and Josh Richardson all made an impact in Miami’s wire-to-wire to win. Whiteside posted 21 points, 11 rebounds, and changed several inside shots. Wade and Johnson kicked into gear in the midrange and took advantage of mismatches.

Charlotte struggled as much as Miami soared on Sunday. Nicolas Batum kept the Hornets alive with 20 points in the first half, but Kemba Walker couldn’t find space to create, and Al Jefferson sat on the bench flexing his heavily wrapped knee.

• MORE NBA:Walker’s search for playoff magic | Whitside’s polarizing talents

Starts this slow are hard to recover from, and the Hornets never did find their footing. While Jefferson entered the game and made a difference against Whiteside, Batum slowed down and only scored four points in the second half. Walker found his shot and room to operate, but his teammates couldn’t make shots once he hit them with passes.

Things were so bad for Charlotte near the end that it looked like it quit, while the Heat played hard and cheered harder from the sidelines. Even with Deng, Whiteside and Wade done for the night, Charlotte struggled to contain Miami. Once the starting group sat, Stoudemire and newly signed Dorell Wright scored in bunches to help Miami make history.

The Hornets have been here before. In their last playoff appearance, they faced LeBron James’s Miami Heat and were dispatched in four games. They could be headed for a similar fate if Sunday serves as any indication. It’s up to Charlotte to change that narrative and play more like the team that ruled the second half of the season and finished with 48 wins.

Published Apr 17, 2016

DEANTAE PRINCE

DeAntae Prince is an NBA producer for SI.com whose interest is piqued by the process through which basketball players develop and improve over the course of their careers. He previously spent four years with Sporting News, where he held a number of positions, including NBA editor and Senior Digital Editor. A Chicago loyalist and Indiana University graduate, he currently lives in Brooklyn.