The first 24 minutes of the 2011 NBA Finals are in the books, and the Dallas Mavericks are leading the Miami Heat by a score of 44-43. Both teams are playing fantastic defense so far, and as a result both teams are shooting under 40 percent from the floor. LeBron James and Chris Bosh have been the best players for Miami, with Dwyane Wade not having his best game. On the other side, Dirk Nowitzki has heated up in the second quarter after a poor first quarter, and he has 13 points in the first half.
Jason Terry has been a huge spark for the Mavericks off the bench, scoring 12 points on three three-pointers and three free throws. Mario Chalmers has done a similar job for the Heat off the bench, scoring 10 points on three three-pointers and one free throw.
The best player of the first half was almost unquestionably Bosh, who scored 13 points and grabbed seven rebounds, four of them offensive. In a game where both defenses are playing tough and both teams are shooting poorly, those offensive rebounds have been key. This has not been a game that has showcased the two teams' offensive superstars, but more like a glorified old-school Big 10 battle with better athletes. It's been a scrappy encounter, and it will probably continue to be into the third quarter.
For live coverage of Game 1 of the NBA Finals, keep it tuned to this StoryStream. To see the up-to-the-minute score, along with information from around SB Nation on the game, keep your browser on this Heat-Mavs score page. Throughout the NBA Finals, check out our 2011 NBA Finals hub for more coverage. For more on the two teams, Mavericks fans should head over to Mavs Moneyball and SB Nation Dallas, while Heat fans should check out Peninsula Is Mightier.
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