108 to 99.
The Indiana Pacers, playing at home, defeated the Miami Heat.
Although Shaquille O'Neal and Dwyane Wade put immense pressure on the Pacers in the third and fourth quarters, it had little impact on the final result.
Wade and O'Neal each had a stretch of superstar-level play, a testament to their skill.
But the Pacers' roster was just too powerful.
And it wasn't just their starting lineup that was strong; their bench had also been honed over the long regular season.
The Pacers' depth and strength exceeded the imagination of many basketball commentators.
In the first game, the Miami Heat played a total of nine players: Shaquille O'Neal, Dwyane Wade, Haslem, Eddie Jones, Damon Jones, Kenyon Martin, Alonzo Mourning, Rasual Butler, and Steve Smith.
Besides O'Neal and Wade, Haslem could be considered a solid contributor. The rest of the players could be described as 'old, weak, sick, and disabled'.
