Dwyane Wade and Miami Heat learn from Knicks sweep, key on Rajon Rondo in Game 1 win

By failing to stay up with Rajon Rondo as they were swept into summer last weekend, the Knicks helped reinforce an indisputable fact for the Miami Heat as it started its showdown with the Celtics Sunday at AmericanAirlines Arena.

As Rondo goes, so go the Celtics.

"We can't allow him to get 20 points and 15 assists in a game, as he was doing in the last series," LeBron James said on the eve of the most highly anticipated conference semifinals in years. "He can get his own points, but also get his guys going. We know, he is the key to their team."

Miami went at Rondo exactly that way en route to an easy 99-90 victory. The same player who averaged 18 points and 17 assists in the last two games against the Knicks was a shadow of himself, finishing with only eight points, seven assists and five turnovers in 32 mostly unproductive minutes.

"To hold him to eight (points) and seven (assists), that's almost impossible," said Dwyane Wade, who led Miami with 38 points. "He's such a great floor general, you have to make sure he sees all five defenders. Even with what we did, he still had an impact in this game."