Chitown: Mission Accomplished

Play the first 2 on the road, and you always want to come away with a split. Tonight, the Heat is 1-1, splitting the first 2 with Chicago in Chicago with an 85-75 victory.

Spo likes to talk about "grinding it out." Man, this was hard fought basketball, make no mistake. The 2 best defensive teams in the league going at it.

Glass much better tonight as Heat out-rebounds Chicago 45-41, although Chicago still kills on the offensive glass, 17-10 (1st quarter particularly ugly).

But the real story tonight was the official return of Udonis Haslem. 13 points, 7 rebounds, and awesome off the bench. At one point, UD had a block, followed by a jam. And on the next offensive possession, a 2nd jam for 4 quick points. That may have been the decisive turning point in the game. You could just feel the Heat get a lift off of that. Ironically, in the post game, Charles Barkely referred to this sequence as the "turning point in the series" and quickly corrected himself, "I mean the game" ...

He may have been right the first time.

Still a long way to go, no question. And this Bulls team is hugely tough on D, enormously deep particularly in the frontcourt where Miami's weakness is most palpable, exacerbated by Spo's inexplicable decision to inactivate both Z and Damp. Yes, Da Bulls are deep, deep, deep.

Finally, D Wade and Lebron combined for a huge increase in point production, intensity and leadership tonight. In particular, down the stretch, as in the last game with Boston, Lebron took over, seemingly just willing in hugely tough 3 point and clutch baskets.

UD. Lebron. Huge. Split in Chitown: mission accomplished. See you Sunday ...