Scouting Report: Pistons-Heat

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Keys in Game 1
Miami: Winning 24 of your last 26 home games gives a team a high confidence level. That is, unless both losses came to the team that you are currently playing. Detroit's wins on April 10 and in Monday's Game 1 showed Miami how much better it must play down the stretch. The Heat clearly wanted to get Shaquille O'Neal going early in the game. Shaq did his part against single coverage by Ben Wallace, hitting his first four shots. Shaq hit 9 of 14 shots and scored 14 of his 20 points in the first half. The layoff might have helped Shaq early but there was visible rust on the rest of the team from being off since May 14 and not practicing with Shaq. Miami's guards were not used to playing with the defensive pressure applied by Detroit's guards. Damon Jones was not getting any open looks from Chauncey Billups. Dwyane Wade had trouble with Tayshaun Prince and tried hard to take advantage of Rip Hamilton on their matchup. Wade shot 7-for-25 from the field.

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Brian James

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