The Miami Heat remain in Oklahoma City, seeking to accomplish what no other NBA team has managed during the 2012 playoffs. LeBron James and Heat are trying win a game at Chesapeake Energy Arena.
The Spurs didn't manage the feat in the Western Conference Finals. Both the Lakers and Mavericks also failed to win in the hometown of the Flaming Lips in earlier rounds. If the Heat can't alter this trend then they'll take their prodigious talents back to South Beach along with an 0-2 deficit.
Miami Heat
vs.
Oklahoma City Thunder
Chesapeake Energy Arena
Oklahoma City, OK
9:00 PM ET, June 14, 2012
Buoyed by excellent shooting, the Heat grabbed an early lead in Game 1, but couldn't withstand the relentless pace of the Thunder. Outscoring Miami 24-4 in fastbreak points, Oklahoma City quite literally ran away with Game 1 in the second half. Kevin Durant keyed the late surge with 17 fourth quarter points. His sartorially splendid running mate Russell Westbrook chimed in with an astounding 27 points, 11 assists, 8 rebounds and 1 steal (with just two turnovers).
At the other end of the box score, James went for 30 points in a strong performance. Unfortunately, his Robin -- Dwyane Wade -- had a lesser impact than Westbrook. Can Wade get it going in Game 2? Can LeBron outduel both Durant and Westbrook if he doesn't? And what happens if James Harden's beard has a greater impact off the bench?
STAY TUNED FOR LIVE UPDATES:
| @ WindhorstESPN : Haven't seen replay of Durant shot. But there were 50/50 calls thru 4Q, Durant came close to 6th foul. Can't rely on a call to decide game. |
Durant gets it right away on the baseline and misses the short jumper. Looked like he rushed it. Durant wanted a foul called on LeBron. Westbrook couldn't get the rebound and LeBron is fouled after he gets possession.
He made both. He's 12-for-12 from the free throw line. 100-96 MIAMI.
Wade turns the ball over on the way up the court and Harden gets the loose ball. He gets it to Westbrook who passes it to Durant on the right wing for the open 3 and he hits it. LeBron misses a 3 on the other end and it's 98-96 MIAMI WITH 12.3 SECONDS LEFT. OKC CALL TIMEOUTS
| @ jadande : A few folks are filing out. Still, these are the most stay-in-their-place fans in NBA. Aisles empty even at halftime |
Durant drives baseline and makes the running layup to cut the lead to 98-93 with 48 seconds left.
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| @ WindhorstESPN : Heat run a Wade/LeBron screen roll with Bosh coming off weakside for biggest basket of game. Strong execution. Heat up 7 w/:53 left |
Wade shreds the defense on the drive to the hoop and finds Bosh down low for the two-handed dunk. 98-91 Miami. LeBron has 30 points btw.
The ball went out of bounds off a missed Sefolosha shot in the paint. Refs say it's OKC ball but it's being reviewed and replay shows it clearly went off Sefolosha. It should be Miami ball.
LeBron comes through, driving to his left and making a pull-up bank shot. 96-91 Miami. 1:11 left.
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| @ WindhorstESPN : Heat aren't running offense. LeBron just dribbling. Has let the Thunder off hook. 3-point game w/1:47 left. |
Miami turns the ball over and Durant gets the ball on a 3-on-2. Durant drives to his right and goes up and under with a layup around LeBron. He misfired off the backboard but Westbrook followed up and put it back in. 94-91 MIAMI with 1:47 left in the game.
Wade curls to the free throw line, gets a pass from LeBron and makes the wild turnaround jumper. But Westbrook gets it back and makes a hard layup on his right. 94-89 Miami.
Durant splits the D and drives to the basket and draws a blocking foul on Battier. It was a good call but the whistle was blown very late. Durant misses ANOTHER free throw.
Westbrook gets open on the left wing for a short bank shot but he just missed it. LeBron drives to his right but gets his shot rejected by Ibaka. That's his fifth block.
LeBron makes both free throws after drawing a foul on Collison. Durant misses his first shot of the fourth quarter. 92-86 MIAMI.
Battier rushes a long 3-pointer with the shot clock winding down and BANKS IT IN. But Durant ANSWERS WITH A 3 FROM THE CORNER. He's 7-for-7 in the second half. 90-86 MIAMI.
LeBron gets down low and makes a bank shot from the left side. But Harden goes right to the hoop and makes another contested layup. 87-83 MIAMI.
Durant finds Westbrook with an outlet pass and the point guard takes it right to LeBron and makes the wild layup AND ONE. That's four on LeBron. Westbrook makes the free throw to make it 85-81 MIAMI.
LeBron puts a spin move out of the paint, knocks over Harden and finds Bosh open down low for the easy dunk.
Durant gets the ball in the paint and gets fouled by Bosh. This is only his second trip to the free throw line tonight. He makes both. 85-78 MIAMI. 6:25 left.
LeBron misses a shot in the paint. Instead of going to Durant who is guarded by James, Harden drove right to the hoop past Bosh and made a running layup. .
Wade gets fouled by Westbrook on the shot. He missed the first and made the second. 83-76 MIAMI.
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| @ WindhorstESPN : LeBron got his rest tonight. Time to guard Durant for stretch. Would also force KD to guard him with 5 fouls in cross match situations |
| @ NBAonESPN : Uh oh. Here come the Thunder. Durant brings OKC back within eight eight about 8 minutes left in the fourth. |
| @ KBergCBS : Five straight points by Durant, all against Battier, and Thunder have it down to eight, 82-74. |
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Posted: 06/14/2012 8:10 pm Updated: 06/14/2012 8:32 pm