LEBRON GROUNDED IN SERIES OPENER

(Getty Images).

Except for the opening period wherein they took a 4-point lead at the end after scoring the first four points on back-to-back slams, the Miami Heat was totally outplayed by the Chicago Bulls, 103-82 in the opening game of their best-of-seven Eastern Conference finals series. TV replays of how LeBron James was suffocated by the stingy defense of the Bulls were repeatedly shown during the recap of the ballgame. The usually prolific trio of James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh accounted for 63 of the Heat’s total of 82 markers but it was James, who struggled the most with an anemic 5-out-of-15 FG shooting en route to a measly 15 points. Whenever the “King” has ball possession, the Bulls smothered him with a double or triple team defense. But the biggest story is the battle off the glass wherein Chicago dominated Miami, 45-33 including 19-6 on the offensive board. Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra admitted his team was outplayed defensively especially in rebounds and hope to do more in game two as they try to even-up the series, according to Yahoo! Sports.

“We took it on the chin, in virtually all the effort areas. We'll adjust… Certainly the fistfight under the glass will be a start.”