MIAMI -- Rick Carlisle said or referenced rebounding nine times during his eight minutes and ten seconds speaking to reporters Thursday morning at shootaround before Game 2 of the NBA Finals. So you might say he was a little concerned.
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Carlisle said affording additional opportunities against the Heat offense is not something the Mavericks can live with. Nearly every angle discussed returned to the question of rebounding and how that part of the game has to improve.
"It's important for us to play our game better. We do that, we get our rebounding shored up, we play better defensively, we'll put ourselves in a good position."
The Mavericks were outrebounded 46-36 in Game 1, with the Heat grabbing nearly 35 percent of all available offensive rebounds. Against a team with Miami's star power, those are extra possessions that make it that much harder for you to control the game and wear down on you trying to defend the Heat onslaught. That's in part why Carlisle said the stats don't tell the whole story of the game, despite Dallas having more points on second chance opportunities.
The Heat got major contributions from players like Mike Miller, who's nursing injuries in both thumbs, his left shoulder, and other minor ailments. The amount of attention Tyson Chandler had to play on help defense led in part to the problems on the glass, as well as issues with details.
For more on the importance of Carlisle in Game 2, read Gregg Doyel's column on CBSSports.com on what the Mavs coach must do.
