NBA Finals Game 3
Miami Heat

vs.

Oklahoma City Thunder
American Airlines Arena Miami, Fla.
8 p.m. ET

The Miami Heat know very well how little a 2-1 series lead in the NBA Finals guarantees. Even if the team to hold such an advantage historically fares quite well, LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and the rest of the Heat remember holding such an edge last year against the Dallas Mavericks. We all know how that turned out.

With Game 4 in South Beach and James putting up numbers that only a trio of Hall of Fame centers have put up in the playoffs, the Heat are looking to take one step closer to the title.

Having already trailed the No. 1 seed San Antonio Spurs in the Western Conference Finals, 2-0, Kevin Durant and the Thunder are no strangers to playing with their backs to the wall. After dropping the first two games to the Spurs, the Thunder reeled off four straight wins to clinch a Finals berth.

Will Oklahoma City manage to take home court advantage back with a crucial road win tonight? Or will LeBron dominate once again to help Miami put OKC on the brink of elimination?

Scroll down for live updates.

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VIDEO: Westbrook's Foul

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VIDEO: LeBron Injury

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VIDEO: LeBron's Clutch 3

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@ ESPNChrisPalmer : Line of the Night: Russell Westbrook 43 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists, 20-32 FG, L

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@ jemelehill : Westbrook made a stupid play late, but where would OKC have been in this game without his 43?

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@ WindhorstESPN : Chalmers had 25, 12 in 4Q. Wade had 25, LeBron had 26, 9, 12. Westbrook had 43, 7, 5; Durant had 28.

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@ Bowen12 : OKC has to COMMUNICATE 5 seconds on the shot clock! This is where the Inexperience plays a MAJOR ROLE!

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Chalmers gets fouled. Misses the first free throw but makes the second. WEstbrook turns it over and the HEAT WIN 104-98 TO TAKE A 3-1 SERIES LEAD.

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Durant misses a long contested 3 and Wade gets the rebound. Miami fans are starting to celebrate.

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@ johnhollinger : Westbrook seemed really confused that they reset the shot clock to five on that jump ball. Was showing 0.8.

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Chalmers makes the second. 103-98 MIAMI.

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Chalmers makes the first free throw. Not sure what was going through Westbrook's head.

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Wade throws up a runner but misfires. Jump ball is called with .8 seconds left on the shot clock. Heat win the tip. Westbrook may have thought the shot clock reset and fouled Chalmers with 13.8 seconds left.

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Westbrook drives to his right and makes an amazing contested layup. 101-98 with 35 seconds left.

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@ WindhorstESPN : Chalmers' finals resume (college & pro) is pretty good

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Chalmers gets a pass from Wade and drives to the hole and makes the clutch layup. Amazing performance from Super Mario tonight. 101-96 MIAMI.

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LeBron is not on the floor.

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@ SpearsNBAYahoo : Durant has 2 shots in 4th quarter with 55.5 left.

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@ ArashMarkazi : Where's Paul Pierce's wheelchair?

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@ RicBucher : LeBron hobbling on his right leg as he comes off now.

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@ jadande : Harden looked like he wanted to do anything but shoot there. Like he'd rather grab a mop and wipe the floor.

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LeBron air balls a 3. Wade partially blocked Sefolosha's 3-point attempt from the corner. Then Spoelstra calls timeout. 55.5 seconds left. 99-96 MIAMI.

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Durant is called for a foul on Bosh. Looked like a foul after the replay.

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Harden seemed hesitant to take a wide open 2 because he wanted to get it to Durant, but he finally took it and missed. Wade got the rebound. But Bosh missed a layup.

Westbrook comes back with a big driving layup. 99-96 MIAMI.

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@ johnhollinger : Thunder bench can't believe that wasn't a foul on Durant drive. Durant still staring at zebras too.

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Trainers are continuing to work on LeBron during the OKC timeout.

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Wade drives to his left and makes a right-handed scoop layup. Crowd is fired up. 99-94 MIAMI. 2:18 to go. Miami just went on a 7-0 run.

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LeBron takes a 3 and NAILS it from the top of the key. Durant has it on the other end and turns it over. He's angry with the no-call. 97-94 MIAMI.

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Westbrook pulls up at the elbow and misses a rainbow 2. 3 MINUTES TO GO.

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Wade finds Bosh who avoids a charging foul against Sefolosha and makes a tough layup to tie the game at 94.

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WAPALL

0 Fans

09:24 PM on 06/21/2012

Permalink | Share it

02:29 PM on 06/21/2012

Watch NBA Finals Game 5 Miami Heat vs Oklahoma City Thunder LIVE Online ---> http://ow.ly/bJWJm

Watch NBA Finals Game 5 Miami Heat vs Oklahoma City Thunder LIVE Online ---> http://ow.ly/bJWJm

Watch NBA Finals Game 5 Miami Heat vs Oklahoma City Thunder LIVE Online ---> http://ow.ly/bJWJm

Watch NBA Finals Game 5 Miami Heat vs Oklahoma City Thunder LIVE Online ---> http://ow.ly/bJWJm

Watch NBA Finals Game 5 Miami Heat vs Oklahoma City Thunder LIVE Online ---> http://ow.ly/bJWJm

Watch NBA Finals Game 5 Miami Heat vs Oklahoma City Thunder LIVE Online ---> http://ow.ly/bJWJm

Watch NBA Finals Game 5 Miami Heat vs Oklahoma City Thunder LIVE Online ---> http://ow.ly/bJWJm

Watch NBA Finals Game 5 Miami Heat vs Oklahoma City Thunder LIVE Online ---> http://ow.ly/bJWJm

Watch NBA Finals Game 5 Miami Heat vs Oklahoma City Thunder LIVE Online ---> http://ow.ly/bJWJm

Watch NBA Finals Game 5 Miami Heat vs Oklahoma City Thunder LIVE Online ---> http://ow.ly/bJWJm

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livingmylife

I answer the questions, & question the answers

201 Fans

08:26 AM on 06/20/2012

Mia has broken OKC's will. This series will NOT be returning to the midwest. There's a good chance the Thunder could get blown out Thurs. LeBron is about to get his first ring, but that still won't silence his critics. The jealosy and envy that some people feel toward this man is ASTOUNDING! Even if he NEVER won a ring, it doesn't diminish his greatness. This is my ALL NO RING TEAM: Patrick Ewing, Karl Malone, Charles Barkley, John Stockton, and Reggie Miller. Steve Nash would be my 6th man, and by the way.....where's all the outrage toward him? He doesn't have a ring.......and he's been the MVP (TWICE)!

HUFFPOST SUPER USER

RusStyles

Author of Getting Back in the Game!

1299 Fans

12:28 AM on 06/20/2012

Bron was masterful tonight...Unlike Durant, who I love to watch, Bron makes his teammates better, specifically when he's playing the post and forces the defense to double him. No double, he shoots layups. Finally, Chalmers played to his ability. Wade played smart, avoiding jacking up hero shots and moved the ball. Heat's experience overcame an otherworldly performance by Beastbrook.

I've been defending Westbrook, and this game he showed why he's the man for OKC. He's the quickest and fastest PG I've ever seen. But...Rondo also torched the Heat for 44 and they lost. Other players besides Brook and KD must score...RW expended a lot physical and emotional energy; not sure if he can repeat that phenomenal performance. Assuming Bron is ready to roll Thurs, Miami should be celebrating in 48 hours...Fantastic game!

ellawensmom

154 Fans

12:12 AM on 06/20/2012

Chalmers and Westbrook both amazing tonight, but Yay Heat!!!

SoutheastBeast

1263 Fans

12:07 AM on 06/20/2012

I have to say I'm disgusted with all of the Lebron bashing in here. The guy has averaged 44 minutes a game in the playoffs. He led the NBA in minutes. He starting cramping up and still managed to hit a HUGE three that put his team ahead for good. He was one rebound shy of a triple double. I've come the conclusion that there's nothing this guy can do to get the respect he deserves. Even if he wins a ring this year, people will concoct some reason why he didn't deserve it. I've never seen anything like it.

DC refugee

2 Fans

12:41 AM on 06/20/2012

He's a freak, but the refs let him maul people off the ball all night and never call him. He rams his shoulder into a defender and they call a foul on the defender. They just apply the rules so obviously different for him--that's what makes him nearly impossible to guard; the halo the refs give him.

01:18 AM on 06/20/2012

The refs give every superstar a halo. Kobe can walk and foul at will. Shaq charged every time he touched the ball. Jordan did whatever he wanted to do. Iverson carried on pretty much every dribble. Lebron is not the first superstar to get a different set of rules from the ref.

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12:45 AM on 06/20/2012

Hey SB,

Don't let no-nothing, non-fans get to you. They clearly don't understand the game. No b-ball aficionado could watch Bron's performance and not appreciate the man's physical and mental brilliance. He really showed--again-- why he was voted the MVP. Total package. KD had 28, but only 2-3 rebounds and 2 assists. Bron scores 26, 12 assists and 9 ribbies. Meaning he was involved or responsible for 50+ points. He'll win a ring and take home the finals MVP. So, ignore the irrational, low b-ball IQ, Bron-haters.

01:16 AM on 06/20/2012

Dude played 5 minutes with cramps and hit a big three. What more can the guy do?

11:56 PM on 06/19/2012

This was an amazing game. Russell Westbrook looked like George Gervin out there. Lebron was game, hitting a huge three on cramping legs. And where did Mario Chalmers come from? He was the best player on the floor during the fourth quarter. This was just great basketball all around.

j-anthony

gravity's gone, and I'm just floating

504 Fans

12:03 AM on 06/20/2012

Well said. Lot of fun to watch.

time2talk

An eye for an eye and we'll all be blind

3468 Fans

10:33 PM on 06/21/2012

Was? I'm on the West Coast. Is it over in the Southeast?

new here

177 Fans

11:55 PM on 06/19/2012

Four close games, with the heat staying ahead. Love it as a basketball fan.

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Eric Shin

The Asian Superbrain Redundant I know

294 Fans

11:52 PM on 06/19/2012

Lebron is officially the Will Perdue of the Heat.

You should be drug tested. 26 points, 9 rebounds, 12 assists, and he hit a HUGE three on legs that were cramping. He was awesome tonight.

11:51 PM on 06/19/2012

Do you remember when MJ had the flu and yet he still would not leave the court and had to be carried to the bench during timeouts? Conversely King Lames has to be carried back to the bench so his cramps (which usually women get) can heal while his teammates win without him.

ComicBooksandPolitics

41 Fans

Dude..... c'mon... That is an idiotic statement. Lebron was 1 rebound short of a Triple Double.

11:59 PM on 06/19/2012

His three pointer put them ahead for good. The guy is an amazing player. If you can't see that you know nothing about basketball.

MisterCee

The Ruler's back!

204 Fans

I wonder where are all those Thunder fans who got a little ahead of themselves proclaiming victory after game 1.

CANTHATBE

797 Fans

They will be back after the Thunder win 3 straight.

It's possible. I've learned to never count the Thunder out, but after game 1, there were too many Thunder fans proclaiming the series over. But no matter what happens, the Thunder accomplished a lot this season and I suspect that over the off-season, Western Conference teams are going to be building their teams with competing against the Thunder in mind.

12:06 AM on 06/20/2012

But we both know we won't be seeing Thunder fans anymore because they won't be winning 3 straight LOL

Evanescence II

Who's that casting devious stares in my direction?

533 Fans

12:18 AM on 06/20/2012

Win or lose, you can't take anything from this young Oklahoma team. They are tough, talented, and hit back point for point. They kept every game tight.

11:48 PM on 06/19/2012

Westbrook carried Oklahoma, what an outstanding performance. Mario Chalmers came through big time for the Heat when it counted the most. Good Game!

11:58 PM on 06/19/2012

It was a great game. These are two fantastic basketball teams. But I tell you this. This series is not over. If OKC can figure out how to win on Thursday, they could actually win this series, with the last two games at home.

12:09 AM on 06/20/2012

Anything is possible with an incredibly resilient and talented young team like Oklahoma , especially if Lebron's knee gets worse between now and then. Wade went down hard on his back or tailbone early in the game too.

08:50 AM on 06/20/2012

And my ex-wife could leave her husband and come back home to me. But lets face it, there will be no comeback. When a team has a 3-1 lead in the NBA Finals, the record is 30-0. It's OVA!