Miami Heat 100 - Oklahoma City Thunder 96
Imperial Death March time to introduce the Miami Heat! Mario Chalmers, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh (as suspected), LeBron James, Shane Battier are all staring. The Oklahoma City Thunder are going with Russell Westbrook, Thabo Sefolosha, Serge Ibaka, Kendrick Perkins and Kevin Durant.
Oh hey, it looks like my esteemed editor Steve Busfield has emailed me the first prediction: "If the Heat are going to win the championship they HAVE TO win tonight. Miami will lose one at home and thus need to win two in OKC. They won't win Games 6 AND 7 in OKC, so it's tonight or bust. And, as I've predicted the Heat will win the championship in 7, then they will have to win tonight. Well, that's my logic anyway".
And we're off. Kevin Durant misses the first shot. This guy's just a bum.
And the Heat score the first five points, and my prediction is already looking a bit muddled. That was quick.
Dwyane Wade makes his first bucket of the night, Miami would love to get him going as early as possible.
The Thunder cannot buy a shot, it's all Miami right now. This is why I don't gamble folks.
And a Dwyane Wade dunk makes it a 11 point lead. This is a nightmarish start for the Thunder. Like going to school in your underwear nightmarish.
Thunder coach Scott Brooks takes a timeout, hoping at least to change the momentum. Instead Russell Westbrook misses a layup and gets called for an offensive foul. So, not so much.
Shane Battier hits another three. The Thunder bring James Harden into the game. Absolutely the right time to bring in the Beard.
Just like that, Harden hits a three pointer and Westbrook makes one of two free throws. So, hey, points. A good development for OKC.
I have to give a lot of credit to the Thunder's crowd, which continues to be loud despite the Heat being up big early. Their reaction to Russell Westbrook's last layup may have just influenced the Miami Heat to take a timeout to keep his team focused.
Now, it's all about the Thunder chipping away and staying close. They've been scoring more the last few minutes of game time, and we saw last game how Durant/Westbrook can take over a game when they heat up. It's still beyond early and no lead is safe at any point in the NBA.
James Harden is now 3 for 4. He's not technically in the starting lineup, but the Beard is going to be playing starting minutes and... Lord is this crowd loud. Sorry
Oh dear, Sefolosha misses a dunk and then Russell Westbrook gets called for his second foul in twelve minutes. Luckily James Harden saves the end of the quarter for the Thunder by picking up a foul at three-point distance, and he makes all three. Could have been worse for Oklahoma City.
Okay, so the quarter clearly hasn't ended the Heat's offensive ability.
Harden makes two free throws, and he's automatic tonight it seems, if the Thunder come back to win this one, it's going to be the called the James Harden game.
Ibaka makes his second spectacular block shot of the game and well... you know who cashes it in on the other end for Oklahoma City. The James Harden Game. I'm so calling it.
A quick note about James Harden's "playoff beard". It's okay when he does it, but if a man in your life starts to grow one, just realize he's using sports an excuse not to shave. Trust me on this one.
Durant misses a decent look. he's been off his game. This would worry me if I were the Heat, he's not going to stay this cold all game. And before I can even finish that thought, he makes a jumper.
...And Shane Battier hits another three pointer for Miami. This is reminding me of what he did against the Boston Celtics. That's a frightening thought if you're a Thunder fan.
The Thunder take a timeout. I don't blame them.
James Harden makes a rare miss, but Dwyane Wade picks up his second foul.
Westbrook to Durant for a slam which cuts the Heat down to 10, but Chris Bosh responds by overcoming an Ibaka block to make a dunk.
Mario Chalmer hits a three pointer to increase the lead to 17. Bosh's dunk seemed to have help curb any potential Thunder momentum on that epic Miami run.
The Thunder take another timeout because that last one did so much help.
I don't have enough words to describe that last scramble, it was a Keystone Cops comedy of turnovers. I think the Gamecast writer now has carpal tunnel syndrome. The Thunder get the ball back and free throws on the other end.
Wide open three from Harden. James. Harden. Game.
Sigh. Free throw time. Westbrook makes one of two, Miami gets a chance at a last shot. They don't capitalize. Halftime.
It sure seems that the Miami Heat should be up by a lot more doesn't it? A 12 point lead at the halftime lead, that's safe in the NBA playoffs right, though? And how about James Harden? I'm loving it though, some exciting basketball is being played right here, expect this one to be close at the very end. But what do you think? Please share your thoughts, concerns, jokes, predictions, complex metaphysical poetry.
Some thoughts from those of you on Twitter: Rick Nash says, "Feels pointless analysing that when it's near identical to Game 1. But still worth saying that James Harden...fantastic beard." Yes, this is very true.
Hasaan Cheema has a theory: "How often have Heat withered away after a blistering start in this post season. Has it been fatigue?" This is as good of a possibility as anything else.
My favorite Baltimore Orioles writer ever, Jon Bernhardt is at least trying to be helpful: "would "literally not knowing anything about basketball and being utterly incorrigible" disqualify me? b/c it absolutely should".
And we're back. Durant cuts the lead to 10 with the first basket of the half, but LeBron James responds right back with a layup.
LeBron James is now at 18 points, but he also has three fouls to tie him with Kevin Durant. No way either fouls out.
Russell Westbrook hits a three pointer to make it a ten point game (before LeBron makes free throws to push it back to 12. Not in Beast mode yet, but perhaps he's entered Hank McCoy mode.
Durant makes another three-pointer. Shane Battier makes a jumper. Westbrook misses a three. Wade makes a layup. It's a pingpong affair.
Another Kevin Durant three. He's hot now. It was a matter of time. But, Shane Battier hits his fourth three-pointer of the game in response and... Seriously, what the heck has gotten into Shane Battier?
Oklahoma City takes a timeout. That's flattering, but I'm afraid my girlfriend Ash might not appreciate that.
Hey, Kendrick Perkins makes free throws. I suppose he could have done those as a Celtic but I have no memory of that.
Westbrook cuts it to 11 with a layup and the Heat might be experiencing deja vu from last game. Full Miami timeout and the fourth quarter looms.
Durant drives in, scores, it's back to single digits and I think we've seen this script before.
Kevin Durant picks up his fourth foul. I say Scott Brooks keeps him in because Durant's not going to foul out of a NBA Finals game.
Kendrick Perkins gets swarmed but yet somehow still makes his layup.
James Harden misses two free throws and I don't even know what's going on anymore. What kind of sick, weird world is this?
Westbrook drives into LeBron James, doesn't get the foul, but makes the bucket.
A lot of effort and energy expended by the Oklahoma City Thunder this quarter but they don't make up much ground. Now, it's LeBron Fourth Quarter Time...
Russell Westbrook would like to introduce you to the fourth quarter.
Kevin Durant picks up his fifth foul. Who died and made him Paul Pierce?
Derek Fisher gets charged for a foul on Dwyane Wade, which seems vaguely floppish from the stands (and from my POV too).
Offensive foul on Harden. These referees are REALLY hearing it now from the crowd.
Kevin Durant makes it a ten point game, can he lead his team to a comeback even with five fouls? DRAMA. Miami Heat timeout.
A tweet from @numberFire "@gdnussports We've got the Heat at a 93% win probability right now."
James Harden makes a driving layup. 90% win probability now?
Kevin Durant is keeping the team in the game, but can he keep himself in the game... Oh, and Russell Westbrook knocks in another massive layup and it's a four point game.
Battier just silenced the crowd with his fifth three pointer. Kevin Durant responds with one of his own to rile them back up and I have the vapors.
Well, at least someone likes the Thunder's chances, as Josee tweets us: "#OKC Got This , Its Like Tuesdays Game ! @HunterFelt"
LeBron James makes two free throws late in the fourth quarter, but ignore those because they don't fit the narrative.
Monster Ibaka block! Again! I love this guy on defense.
Kevin Durant makes one of two free throws.
Durant steals from James... but Chalmers gets it right back in a huge huge huge swing... but the Thunder get it back on a Durant steal which... Russell Westbrook makes it a three point game with a dunk and I don't even...
The Miami Heat take a timeout as I attempt to collect my thoughts...
Does "holy crap what a game this is turning out to be" count a a thought?
Ouch, LeBron James hits a much needed two for the Heat, he has another 30.
And now we have a referee review to see who gets the ball, which seems like it went off of Sefolosha but it's not conclusive. A key moment for the Oklahoma City Thunder. To say the least.
Yes it was. Miami ball.
Wade to Bosh for a layup, and the Heat lead is back to seven and there's less than a minute. It's going to take something drastic for the Thunder to make a comeback here.
Durant scores super quick to knock the Heat lead to five. Miami Heat take a timeout.
Durant hits a massive three! Something drastic!
Sefolosha rebound, Thunder ball. 12.3 seconds. 2 point lead. Are we headed to overtime?
LeBron James gets fouled and goes for two of the biggest free throws of his career. He makes both and it's a two possession game. Any questions about the fourth quarter?
Westbrook misses a three, Chris Bosh makes the rebound. The Heat hand the Thunder their first home loss of the playoffs.
A double win here for the Miami Heat: They take away the Thunder's home court advantage AND LeBron doesn't have to hear anything about fourth quarter struggles until at least the next game. Just a really fantastic game all around, and an exciting finish and a near-miracle comeback. This series will last at least five games, and man do I want it to last seven. But I'm greedy like that.
I'm checking for any final thoughts.Hassan Cheema tweeted this earlier "LeBron does it again... Skip Bayless will pleasure himself tonight over that. @HunterFelt". Yes, that's exactly whom I hope will at least be somewhat quiet over the next few days.
A joke: A man walks up to LeBron James and ask for change for a dollar. LeBron James gives him four quarters. "Wait I thought you were only supposed to have three quarters, LeBron." An unsmiling LeBron James says nothing and shakes his head. The joke is on his critics.
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