Article: Heat's foul-line follies costly in loss to Mavericks in Game 1.

Byline: Ira Winderman

DALLAS _ The hard part was getting here, the franchise's first appearance in the NBA Finals.

That challenge the Heat finally was able to overcome after 18 seasons of waiting.

The easy part was what kept it from its first Finals victory.

A deplorable 7 of 19 from the foul line, the Heat dropped the opener of the best-of-seven series, 90-80, on Thursday night to the Dallas Mavericks at American Airlines Center.

Neither a torrid start nor a late push from a double-digit deficit could overcome the foul-line foibles of center Shaquille O'Neal and guard Dwyane Wade.

O'Neal closed 1 of 9 from the line, ...

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