Pregame thoughts, Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Miami Heat, Game 2
By CLIFF BRUNT
ISL Editor
Oklahoma City heads into Game 2 of the NBA Finals tonight with a 1-0 lead over the Miami Heat. Because of the 2-3-2 format, the pressure still is on the Thunder to win and retain homecourt advantage. Otherwise, Miami could tie the series tonight, win three straight at home, claim the title and go back to Oklahoma sometime next season.
Here are my thoughts heading into tonight’s game.
LeBron James needs to guard Kevin Durant more often.
Durant dominated the fourth quarter of Game 1. James was nowhere in sight on many of those shots. Somehow, Miami kept getting caught with Dwyane Wade, Mario Chalmers and Shane Battier on him. That’s checkmate every time. The Heat are going to have to put James on Durant quite a bit and risk him getting into some foul trouble or Durant will gouge Miami for 35-plus points every game this series. With Chris Bosh starting, that should allow James more of an opportunity to match up with Durant instead of being stuck guarding Kendrick Perkins.
LeBron needs to step up in the fourth quarter.
In Game 1, this was Durant’s stat line in the fourth quarter: 17 points, 6-for-10 from the field, 4-for-4 from the line, four rebounds, no turnovers. James’ line: seven points, 2-for-6 from the field, 3-for-4 from the line, one turnover. That must change in Game 2.
Tempo control is crucial.
Miami struggled when Oklahoma City pushed the tempo. I believe that is in part because Miami’s other playoff opponents, New York, Indiana and Boston, can push the ball but don’t PUSH the ball. All caps for emphasis. Oklahoma City looks almost as good as the old 1980s Lakers in transition. Plus, Oklahoma City has multiple players who can do it, so there’s no time to relax. Miami likes to run, but in a controlled manner. Oklahoma City wants Miami playing helter-skelter.
My tweets are accurate sometimes.
I sent out two tweets during Game 1 that I want to revisit.
This one in the second quarter:
This is a clinic so far by the #Heat, but I don’t know if it will last 20 minutes or 48. #Thunder#NBAFinals
It lasted about 20.
Here is the other one, sent out right at the start of the second half:
#OklahomaCity has settled down. #Miami should have been up by more at half. #Heat are in trouble. #Thunder #NBAFinals
Yep, that’s how it went down.
Miami got strong performances from role players and still lost by double digits.
Uh oh. This is the most troubling sign for the Heat. For all the grief James has taken for his Game 1 performance, he had 30 points, nine rebounds and four assists. He was a factor. Wade had 19 points and eight assists. Sure, the top two players shot a combined 18-for-43, but for them, that’s not horrible. Wade has games like that sometimes and he still has an impact. The problem for Miami is that Battier scored 19 points and made 4 of 6 3s and Chalmers had 12 points on 5-for-7 shooting and the Heat still lost. Those two won’t always shoot that well and be that much of a factor.
Rebounding is key.
Oklahoma City outrebounded Miami 43-35 in Game 1. Rebounding fuels the fast break, and Miami had few chances to run. I remember watching LeBron look like a freight train with a ball on board against Indiana. There were few such chances in Game 1. Miami was outscored 24-4 in fast break points.
Russell Westbrook outplayed Dwyane Wade in Game 1, and Wade better not let it happen again.
One of the main reasons LeBron went to Miami was that his second guy was likely to be better than the other team’s second-best guy. That wasn’t the case in Game 1. Russell Westbrook shot 3-for-10 at the start but hit 7 of his final 14 shots and finished with 27 points, 11 assists and eight rebounds. If he continues to outplay Wade, this series won’t last long.
LeBron can reach another level.
When the Heat fell behind Indiana 2-1 in the second round, James dropped 40 points, 18 rebounds and nine assists on the Pacers on their home floor. Miami won the next two games and the series was over. When Miami fell behind Boston 3-2 in the Eastern Conference Finals, James had 45 points, 15 rebounds and five assists and the Heat rolled past Boston on its home floor.
The Heat fell behind Oklahoma City 1-0, when LeBron, on the Thunder’s home floor….
My prediction:
Oklahoma City 104, Miami 99. James Harden will awaken and Miami’s role players will return to normal. James will go off, but it won’t be enough.
