Finals Game One

Shane Battier hits his first two threes to put the Heat up 8-2 with 9:26 to play. Battier isn’t going to be dropping 20 points a night, but he has the ability to knock down open threes, something that could really help the Heat in this series. Because LeBron James and Dwyane Wade will be handled by the Thunder’s top perimeter defenders, Battier and Mario Chalmers can capitalize outside when Kendrick Perkins and Serge Ibaka are playing at the same time, since the Thunder’s two big men like to hang around in the paint to cut off penetration and protect the rim.
Kevin Durant nails a wide-open three-pointer at the beginning of a Thunder possession to cut the Heat lead to two with 7:24 to go. It is really inexcusable that no one picked up Durant in transition—he’s the three-time defending scoring champ and he attempts over five threes per game.

Miami ends the first half up 54-47, with Battier the game’s second-leading scorer (tied with Durant) with 13 points. Though OKC didn’t make up any ground on the Heat in terms of points in the second quarter, they shot markedly better (11-for-17), including three consecutive makes from Ibaka late in the quarter.
With Miami cooling off from three (1-for-4 in the quarter), the game has become much more even—a quick run from either team in the second half could make this anyone’s game.




Thabo Sefolosha intercepts a Haslem pass and is fouled by Wade on his way to the basket, hitting both free throws to trim the Heat lead to one with 7:48 to go. It’s a wonder that Kevin Durant hasn’t shot more, though. He’s attempted just three shots since the first quarter—which doesn’t make any sense, since he is the league’s premier offensive player and is shooting 6-for-9 to this point in the game.
Russell Westbrook hasn’t been very good getting to the rim so far Game 1. Most of his attempts have come from the Thunder’s half-court sets, but Westbrook is better suited driving the lane on the break. Westbrook is shooting just 5-for-15, and he makes another unsuccessful trip to the paint with 2:57 to play, where his shot attempt is blocked by Wade. Luckily, Perkins is there for the rebound, making a nice hook shot from six feet to bring the score to 69-66, Miami.
A three-point play by Westbrook gives OKC a 74-73 lead after three. It’s the Thunder’s first lead of the game.



LeBron James didn’t completely wilt in the fourth quarter, with seven points on 2-for-6 shooting, but on the Heat’s biggest possession—just over a minute to go, Miami down seven—James began to drive before kicking the ball out to Chris Bosh, who missed a three-pointer. Bosh hit some big threes in Game 7 against Boston, but that’s not the shot you want to be taking with the game on the line if you’re Miami. Overall, James was pretty close to his averages, putting up a line of 30 points, 9 rebounds and 4 assists to go with an impressive 4 steals. But a line like that won’t get it done in the Finals because…








Nick Collison again proves why he’s one of the league’s most underappreciated players, backtapping an offensive rebound (his eighth board in eleven minutes) to extend a Thunder possession that ultimately ends with a nice feed from Fisher to a cutting Sefolosha for a layup to put OKC up, 78-73, with 10:12 to play. Erik Spoelstra, sensing a potential momentum swing, quickly calls timeout. Collison does the same thing again four minutes later, leading to a Durant three.
Durant hits a three to make it 91-83, Thunder, with 4:41 to play. As he did against the Spurs, Durant is taking over in the fourth quarter. He has three rebounds so far in the quarter and has hit six of his last eight shots.
OKC pulls away down the stretch to win, 105-94. The Thunder improve to a perfect 9-0 at home in the 2012 Playoffs, and if they continue to hold serve, they’ll become NBA champions.