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| (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) |
The Miami Heat began their championship defence in the playoffs with a little more difficulty than was expected as they sealed the game with a 18-4 run in the fourth quarter.
The Heat have now beaten the Bobcats 17 straight times and although it
was their first national television appearance this season, Charlotte rose to
the occasion as they jumped to a 16-9 lead on the back of Al Jefferson.
Jefferson- the Bobcats only playoff-experienced starter- was 4-of-4 from the field before he left to the locker room at the end of the first quarter with a foot injury. He returned in the second quarter to finish with 18 points and 10 rebounds but his performance suffered.
Jefferson- the Bobcats only playoff-experienced starter- was 4-of-4 from the field before he left to the locker room at the end of the first quarter with a foot injury. He returned in the second quarter to finish with 18 points and 10 rebounds but his performance suffered.
After trailing the Bobcats 23-19 at the end of the first quarter, the
Heat closed the half on a 19-2 run to lead 49-42 at half time.
However, the Bobcats responded after halftime on the back of Kemba
Walker, who finished with 20 points, as they went on a 13-0 run to retake the
lead.
Eventually, the Heat proved too powerful in the fourth quarter with
LeBron James and Dwayne Wade who scored 27 and 23 points in the game,
respectively. LeBron passed Larry Bird to become the eighth highest
playoff-scorer.
What was already a near-impossible task, may now have become a hopeless
situation for the Bobcats. In a worrying sign for Bobcats fans, and for any
hope of their first franchise playoff win, Jefferson left the arena in a
walking boot.
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