At the start, Wade used Lightning Drive, and Curry answered with a Thunder Three-pointer.
At the end, Wade hit a Thunder Three-pointer, and Curry struck with Lightning Drive.
Wade versus Curry.
In the second half of the first quarter, the two put on a breathtaking show of drives and threes that brought Madison Square Garden to its feet.
Wade had played a little better overall, but the Knicks still had Su Yan.
Chalmers had caught fire for the Heat, too.
But LeBron's poor performance had dragged the team down.
So when the first quarter ended, the Knicks still led by seven.
"Wade and Curry were incredible in the first quarter.
"One's an FMVP-caliber player, and the other's the second star on a back-to-back championship team, not to mention the league's second-best sharpshooter.
"Watching them trade blows, especially when they're both in form, is a treat.
"They're so evenly matched, and they've given us one hell of a show.
"Keep it up. This is what the Eastern Conference Finals should look like."
"Love it. Can't get enough of it."
"One word: fire!"
"Exactly! Play like this! This is the kind of Eastern Conference Finals game I love watching."
"It really is fantastic.
"I love that I get to watch a matchup this good while seeing the Knicks advance to the NBA Finals for the third straight year!"
"Let's go, Knicks!"
"God Yan is the best!"
"..."
During the break between quarters, the fans talked about the game with undiminished excitement.
One thing was worth noting.
LeBron had played only a few minutes in the first quarter before Coach Spo benched him, and he had not returned to the court.
For one thing, Chalmers was playing well.
For another, Wade had erupted in the second half of the quarter, handling both the