Rust, a feeling-out-process and two outstanding defensive teams with defensive gurus as their coaches. Those are among the reasons why I like this Game 1 of the Heat-Knicks series to go Under.

The Heat stunned the Bucks in a high-scoring series. The Knicks were the opposite. They disposed of the higher seeded Cavaliers in five games in their series with all five games going Under.

Both teams last played this past Wednesday. So they've had three full days to rest and game plan. Miami's Erik Spoelstra and New York's Tom Thibodeau are elite defensive coaches.

The Heat are without Tyler Herro, their third-leading scorer and most accurate 3-point shooter. The Knicks ranked No. 3 in defensive field goal percentage. They held the Cavaliers to an average of 89 points during the last three games of their series.

The Knicks' leading scorer, Julius Randle, is hobbled by a sprained ankle. He averaged 14.4 points in the Cavaliers series, down from his 25.1 points he averaged during the regular season. Miami surrendered the second-fewest points in the league during the regular season.

The teams last played a month ago. There were 193 points scored in that game.