Jake,
Of course, if you're first shot wasn't a long, they may have blocked the dink on you. The importance of establishing the long is that they are forced to leave more short stuff open to be able to cover that long. Conversely, if you start with the short stuff and they block it, they are forcing you to shoot the long, not the other way around where you are controlling the shot selection. There are many defenses, but it is always a plus for you to establish that long early.
Tyler