Dallas Looks to Even The Score With Game 2 Win

Photoshop by Payton Wales

MIAMI --  Game 1 was anything but an offensive exhibition for either team and Game 2 doesn't look to get any better if for no other reason than Dirk Nowitzki's injured left hand.

Nowitzki, who tore a tendon in the middle finger of his left hand in the middle of Game 1, was 7-for-18 from the field May 31, a shooting performance well under par for the 12-year veteran. Things only look to get worse. The Mavericks look to overcome a poor shooting performance as well as improve their rebounding numbers to try and seal a Game 2 victory.

The mood seemed light at the Mavericks shoot around June 2 with players cracking jokes about Nowitzki's injured finger and imploring him to go the Ronnie Lott route and cut the digit off to ensure a championship. When asked about how they felt Nowitzki's injury would affect him and the team, his teammates tossed the jokes aside and showered the forward with praise.

Long-time teammate Jason Terry said, "I think Dirk can shoot the ball with his eyes closed, with no hands, if he had to, especially in a game of this magnitude." Terry went on to say a shooter can actually benefit from a hand injury because "it helps you lock in even more."

One thing is for sure, Terry and the rest of the Mavericks are confident in the abilities of their leader for Game 2 the question is: are they confident enough to help out this time? The Mavericks shot a playoff-low last game and are hoping to find some way to break out of that slump, including breaking through the Heat's impeccable perimeter defense and learning to play a little of their own.

Miami became comfortable behind the 3-point arc on 11-of-24 shooting, a total no other Maverick opponent has accomplished this year. While Dallas put on one of the worst shooting performances of their 2011 season, there is obvious room for improvement with both teams. The true question is who will have the will to make them?

One thing is for sure, whether the scoring is low or high, America is watching. Tuesday night's telecast was the highest overnight figures for an NBA Finals opener since the 2004 series between the Pistons and Lakers. If those numbers are any indication of what this series could turn out to be, then we should be in for a great one.