Miami brings the Heat to the Thunder to take Series 2-1
After the Oklahoma City Thunder took the first victory in the NBA Final, many started predicting that it was déjà vu from last year — the Heat rolling through the playoffs only to lose it in the end. But Sunday night they proved differently. On Sunday night, the Heat may have wanted it more than they ever have — even more than last year when they were facing the Mavs. They were prepared to get the job done this time, and the Thunder knew it.
Most of it was thanks to Lebron James, who put Kevin Durant through the ringer, placing foul after foul upon him; and showing what just a little bit of experience does for you in the NBA Final. It was also Lebron who put up 29 points on the board and getting 14 rebounds. The intensity felt by Lebron could be felt by the entire team, and it was the spark they needed to take the series lead they’ve been so desperately seeking.
“He’s just a totally different player,” Dwayne Wade said of teammate Lebron. “Now he’s playing. He’s on attack. When he puts his head down to go to the rim, you have no other choice but to foul him or he’s going to finish.”
On the other hand, there’s Kevin Durant, who seems to be going through what Lebron lived last year — too much pressure, too little focus, and not nearly enough determination. Durant seemed to crumble under the pressure, even with the 25 points he put up for his team. But with his fifth foul in the third quarter, he was then placed on the bench.
Durant said the only thing he could after the game, “It was frustrating. It’s a tough break for us, man. You know, I hate sitting on the bench, especially with fouls.”
But the frustration wasn’t felt by Durant alone on the side of the Thunder. They know what they’re up against — a team that still has the sting of last year’s loss at their backs, and wants to win. “We’ve got to understand that over there in the locker room, there’s a ream that really wants it,” said Kendrick Perkins, center for the Thunder, after the game. “They’ve got a couple guys over there who want this….they want it. Nothing’s going to be given to us; we’ve got to take it.”
And they still could. After all, the Heat still haven’t done anything that they didn’t do last year. They’ve still made it to the Finals, and they’ve still won Game 3. Yes, they’re playing against a more inexperienced team and yes, Miami’s Three has definitely outperformed those of the Thunder so far. But no one should count the Thunder completely out. They’re still playing a team that fell apart in Game 6 last year. And there’s still room for that to happen again.
Categorized in: NBA