2011 NBA Playoffs: Miami Heat vs Chicago Bulls Game 1 Reaction

Ouch. A 48-48 game at halftime turned into an absolute drubbing thanks in large part to a concerted effort by the Chicago Bulls on the offensive glass Sunday night, en route to a 103-82 victory over the Miami Heat.

So how did this happen?

Well, the main number to focus on is 19. That's the difference in field goal attempts. Oh, but the Heat probably got to the free-throw line more than the Bulls right? Wrong. Once again, Bulls advantage by five.

The Bulls attacked the offensive glass with an obvious anger and the message was definitely received.

Outside of the obvious disparity on the boards, Heat superstars Dwyane Wade and LeBron James neglected to show up on possibly the biggest stage of the season. In my opinion, this was a mix of the emotional letdown following the Boston Celtics triumph, paired with an amazing Bulls defense.

Let's focus on that duo for a second. They combined to go 12-of-32 from the field with nine assists and eight turnovers.

Personally, I was shocked the numbers were even this good after watching the game. Miami's offense looked abysmal at times, due in large part to Chicago's rendering of easy fast-break opportunities.

Let me make this clear: The Chicago Bulls did not win this game because of Derrick Rose tonight. Rose scored 28 points on 10-of-22 shooting with six assists and four turnovers.  That may seem like a grim reality to Heat fans, who are now shaking in fear after the thrashing despite Rose's lack of an impact.

Don't worry though, that is just a typical Rose game. Honestly, that is what you are going to get from Rose every game this series. What you won't see in Game 2 is a Bull's bench go for 28 points while shooting 50 percent from the field. Much of this can be attributed to Miami's lackluster effort on the boards, creating easy offense for the Bulls.

So, Miami fans should actually be encouraged following their teams 21-point beat down Sunday night.  Before I get bashed for being a homer, I am not condoning the effort put forth in Game 1. But, I think it is relatively safe to say that James and Wade will not play this poorly again. Add the fact Chicago's bench erupted while Luol Deng and Carlos Boozer played extremely efficient and you get what you'd think.

Let's face it, if it doesn't get better it's going to be a very long series for Heat fans.  Which I guess would make for a very short series for the players.