The NBA Finals have held up to the hype so far. With each of the first three games coming down to the wire, basketball fans are getting all of the entertainment they could ask for. Both teams are grinding out each game, but only one team can win. The Miami Heat are in familiar territory as they hold a 2-1 series lead over the Thunder just as they did last year against the Mavericks. But, as we have seen in this series, anything can happen.
In game one, it appeared as if Kevin Durant would be the second superstar to dominate and thwart the Heat’s chances at a championship. Durant scored 17 points in the fourth quarter and 36 for the game as the Thunder came back and took a 1-0 series lead in front of their home crowd. However, unlike last year, the Miami Heat faced adversity, but this time had a response to it.
In game two, the Heat came out strong and took a commanding double digit lead over the Thunder. LeBron James scored 32 points, but the Heat didn’t take the victory as easily as it sounded. The Thunder made a furious comeback and Kevin Durant missed a jumper that could’ve tied the game with only seconds left.
In game three, James again was able to have his way as he scored 29 points and added 14 rebounds to help the Heat grab the series lead. Dwayne Wade played a big role in the win as he added 25 points and some key buckets as the Heat came back from a double digit deficit in the third quarter.
Although the series momentum has shifted in favor of the Miami Heat, don’t count out OKC just yet. Against a team of this caliber, it is nearly impossible to win three straight games. Expect Kevin Durant and company to make adjustments and bounce back in game four.
The Thunder will need to tighten up their post defense and for LeBron James and company to settle for more jump shots. Also, Kevin Durant needs to keep out of foul trouble. Durant can’t help from the bench. For the Thunder to be successful, they need Durant on the floor. Also, many have criticized Russell Westbrook’s play and about him taking too many shots. I don’t have a problem with the number of shots versus the quality.
If Westbrook can find 15 -18 quality shots, I do not have a problem with him taking them. I believe he needs to be aggressive to open up Durant and James Harden. However, when he is taking bad shots in a high quantity, he is only hurting his team.
Now I’ve talked about how the Thunder can improve to win game four and get back in this series, but what about the Heat. I believe the Heat have the right pedigree already. Attack the paint and get to the foul line. The one thing the Heat need to do to avoid slipping up like last year is to not get complacent and stray away from this pedigree. However, as everyone is in to making picks, I’ll take the Thunder for a game four win.
About the Author
