In NBA Finals Game 1, Thunder run past Heat 105-94 behind 36 from Kevin Durant
(Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
If he keeps playing like he did last night, confetti will rain…
Nice debut for Kevin Durant. Came out hot, kept the Thunder close, never pumped the brakes and waited until Russell Westbrook caught fire. 36 points (17 in the 4th), 8 rebounds and 4 assists is a pretty dope line. 105-94 is better. Russell Westbrook scored 27, dished out 11 and got to 8 rebounds. James Harden had just 5 in a little over 22 minutes. LeBron James was 11-24 for his 30. He also had 9 boards, 4 dimes and 4 steals. Dwyane Wade doesn’t look healthy at all. He shot 7-19, scored 19, had 8 helpers and 4 boards. Chris Bosh had just 10.
Westbrook and Durant outscored the entire Heat team 41-40 in the second half.
Miami came out hot. Poised. Broke down in the second half. Bosh has to score if Miami has a shot. Starter Shane Battier had 17 and hit 4-6 from the arc, but maybe Bosh is still dinged. Isn’t everyone though? An email this morning from the ever intelligent Temple3:
Not that I think the series is over…they almost never are after 1 game or even 2 or 3, but I’m wondering what you think is available tactically to Miami.
“I’ve always said that they have 3 major problems that would show up in a tight series:
1) Free throw shooting. They shot well last night. I expect that to revert to their average over the course of the series. More misses on tap?
2) Ball-handling. James and Wade have the ball so much that they invariably are going to have turnovers. 7 for them last night vs. 12 assists. Not great.
3) Bench play. In my mind, Battier’s scoring is basically bench scoring. I know it really isn’t, but it’s like bench scoring. They got zip from the bench last night.
I think Magic Johnson is correct…the way to beat OKC is to let Durant do his thing and control every one else. You have to entice Westbrook into taking shots. He took 24 last night (too many). Miami has to get more going at the FT line because even if they miss, they slow the game down (not sure that they can run with OKC unless OKC is turning the ball over), and they need to create foul situations that change OKC’s rotations. Harden and Ibaka and Perkins barely played a minute in the 4th qtr last night and they still won by 11.
Wade doesn’t look very healthy to me. He looks to be about 75%, honestly. Bosh isn’t 100%, regardless of what he says. And, LeBron has to be exhausted even though he can rest up a bit by covering Kendrick Perkins.
I’m not so sure that Westbrook will work hard to move the ball to players other than Durant or Harden. Miami may really have to commit to overplaying Durant on the catch (then going 1-on-1) and trying to shorten the game that way. If OKC spreads the ball around, its curtains. I just don’t believe that Miami shoots well enough to win. 42% from 3 last night — that’s probably going to revert back to the average, too.”
Good points brotha.
Spolestra has to open up his bench and also go to zone more. Wade and James need to rest. They also need to drive to the basket at every opportunity. I know they have been playing heavy minutes to get here, but they can’t stop now. Foul out everyone. LeBron is giving Durant a reprieve defensively by pulling up and not murdering the rack. Put that beef on him boy. Just like in a fight. Tire the young fella out. Lay on him. Post him up. If he is going to challenge you by thinking he can guard you one on one, make his ass pay. Bang on him. Looked a little passive there sir. This ain’t the time for that. This is winning time. Getting fans off ya back time. Shutting the media up time. Do that. Wade has to gut this series out. His body has had it it seems. I’m not sure he should go to London.
LeBron has to counter and guard Durant for the duration. Straight up. I don’t know what Spo was thinking by putting him on Perk. I would also put James and Wade in the pick and roll every play. There’s not a duo alive besides Mike and Scottie who would give those two fits. Bosh should be rolling to the basket as well and stay down in the post. Damn those threes. This is certainly not the time for finesse.
I picked the Heat in 6 but if none of what I or Temple says goes down, there will be a party in OKC.
| Miami | |||||||||||||||
| Player | Pos | Min | FGM-FGA | FTM-FTA | 3PM-3PA | +/- | OR | Reb | A | Blk | Stl | TO | PF | Pts | |
| L. James | F | 45:50 | 11-24 | 7-9 | 1-3 | -11 | 1 | 9 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 30 | |
| S. Battier | F | 41:45 | 6-9 | 1-2 | 4-6 | -6 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 17 | |
| U. Haslem | C | 28:37 | 2-6 | 0-0 | 0-0 | -10 | 3 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 4 | |
| D. Wade | G | 42:29 | 7-19 | 5-5 | 0-2 | -6 | 1 | 4 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 19 | |
| M. Chalmers | G | 35:27 | 5-7 | 0-0 | 2-4 | -3 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 12 | |
| C. Bosh | 33:39 | 4-11 | 1-2 | 1-3 | -16 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 10 | ||
| M. Miller | 10:07 | 1-2 | 0-0 | 0-1 | -6 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | ||
| J. Anthony | 2:06 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | +3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| N. Cole | DNP — COACH’S DECISION | ||||||||||||||
| T. Harris | DNP — COACH’S DECISION | ||||||||||||||
| J. Howard | DNP — COACH’S DECISION | ||||||||||||||
| J. Jones | DNP — COACH’S DECISION | ||||||||||||||
| R. Turiaf | DNP — COACH’S DECISION | ||||||||||||||
| E. Curry | DNP — INACTIVE | ||||||||||||||
| D. Pittman | DNP — INACTIVE | ||||||||||||||
| Totals | 240 | 36-78 (.462) |
14-18 (.778) |
8-19 (.421) |
- | 7 | 35 | 20 | 1 | 6 | 10 | 19 | 94 | ||
| Oklahoma City | |||||||||||||||
| Player | Pos | Min | FGM-FGA | FTM-FTA | 3PM-3PA | +/- | OR | Reb | A | Blk | Stl | TO | PF | Pts | |
| K. Durant | F | 45:48 | 12-20 | 8-9 | 4-8 | +15 | 1 | 8 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 36 | |
| S. Ibaka | F | 27:09 | 5-10 | 0-1 | 0-0 | -3 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 10 | |
| K. Perkins | C | 24:42 | 2-2 | 0-0 | 0-0 | -2 | 2 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4 | |
| R. Westbrook | G | 42:14 | 10-24 | 7-9 | 0-4 | +14 | 1 | 8 | 11 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 27 | |
| T. Sefolosha | G | 28:30 | 2-5 | 5-6 | 0-2 | +14 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 9 | |
| D. Fisher | 25:05 | 3-5 | 0-0 | 0-1 | +6 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 6 | ||
| J. Harden | 22:14 | 2-6 | 0-0 | 1-2 | +2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 5 | ||
| N. Collison | 21:16 | 4-5 | 0-0 | 0-0 | +13 | 5 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 8 | ||
| D. Cook | 3:02 | 0-0 | 0-2 | 0-0 | -4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| C. Aldrich | DNP — COACH’S DECISION | ||||||||||||||
| L. Hayward | DNP — COACH’S DECISION | ||||||||||||||
| R. Ivey | DNP — COACH’S DECISION | ||||||||||||||
| N. Mohammed | DNP — COACH’S DECISION | ||||||||||||||
| R. Jackson | DNP — INACTIVE | ||||||||||||||
| E. Maynor | DNP — INACTIVE | ||||||||||||||
| Totals | 240 | 40-77 (.519) |
20-27 (.741) |
5-17 (.294) |
- | 10 | 43 | 22 | 3 | 5 | 10 | 16 | 105 | ||
|
Officials: Monty McCutchen, Derrick Stafford, Ed Malloy
Attendance: 18,203 Time of Game: 2:34 |
Technicals Miami - S. Battier (0:31 – 2nd Qtr) Oklahoma City - R. Westbrook (0:31 – 2nd Qtr) |
I’ve spoken my peace many times already. I think Kevin Durant will show and prove…
So nothing left to say from me until the dance is over…
it’s on like donkey kong lol!
LOL
Wait a minute, I did think of one thing to say: No excuses for Dwyane Wade, please.
Six years ago he WAS Russell Westbrook, i.e., an unstoppable force going to the rim, drawing fouls, and winning games with his athleticism and sheer force of will. Problem is, since then he never developed a reliable jump shot (like all the greats eventually do), so now that he’s a bit long in the tooth and cannot simply blow past people, he looks mortal – especially so when confronted by the blur that is Westbrook today.
But here’s the rub, and I’ve said this before: the same thing will happen to LeBron, and the same thing will also happen to Westbrook himself, if they do not develop a decent jump shot once the raw athleticism fades. (KD is immune for obvious reasons.) Westbrook is already on the way with that pogo stick elbow jumper. He needs to keep improving on that. But for Wade and Lebron, the past is written in stone, and the future is already here…
@LP:
On Wade — I really don’t think he’s healthy. He’s always been one of my favorite players. Aesthetically, I’ve always preferred him to LeBron (bias alert). When he’s healthy, he has much better lateral movement and vertical lift. He seems to be running on fumes mostly. He’s not getting to spots at will, and easily elevating over the defense. Thabo is a baller at 6’7″, but it’s hard for me to see Wade’s output being much more than a function of Wade’s health.
Before the series, I thought both teams would have trouble running the pick and roll in this series for several reasons. I didn’t see the numbers from last night, but it seemed like both squads struggled for stretches trying to run P/R. If Wade and James run P/R, they going to be going against Thabo and Durant or some other difficult combination. Whichever player rolls to the rim is going to have trouble consistently elevating and finishing over OKC. That much was evident last night.
Without being able to generate a head of steam, rising up over Thabo, Durant, or Ibaka will prove difficult…so, I’m hopeful for a competitive series and I hope to see a bit of LeBron’s full arsenal on display. He’ll need to diversify in order to improve his efficiency and match Durant.
I think it’s clear that Wade is not healthy and hasn’t been for awhile. He had a career low in games played (49) and mpg (33) this season.
Insofar as Lebron, contrary to the popular meme, I would say he needs to develop, and is developing, more of a “keep them honest jump shot” rather than a reliable jump shot. What he really needs to develop, and he’s showing signs of doing this, is a better post game. Pretty looking jumpers jumpers come and go but post is forever. What do they say in golf? Drive for show and putt for dough.
I think the notion that Lebron’s just relying on his athleticism rather than skill is overstated. He’s already too well rounded and efficient a player for that to be the case.
About last night’s game, once again “Coach Spo” is drving me crazy with his on the job training. At times, he seems to be more of a motivational speaker than basketball coach. I guess Norris Cole is going to be this year’s James Jones and get no burn in the Finals. Gee, I wonder if the Heat could use an athletic, young, quick, defensive minded penetrator against a team like OKC? Ya think? His rotations are still sketchy. They are still overplaying the pick and rolls and getting caught out of position leaving driving lanes and open shooters. On offense, other than a few spurts, I have no idea what he’s trying to run.
The OKC coach Brooks did a good job of using motion on offense and using the Celtic plan on defense to focus on Wade and start pressing the Heat ballhandlers up the court.
I can’t get no love around here lol!
I hear ya fellas, but I stand by what I said: Wade would’ve been well served to have developed a good jumper. It would’ve helped him during those times when his body betrayed him (like now, according to you all) the same way its helped Kobe, who battles injuries constantly but his efficient jumper allows him to still produce at a high level. The fact that Wade’s entire offensive game relies on attacking the basket is a problem when his legs or knees or whatever is bothering him. This problem is mitigated some if you can shoot a friggin jump shot. do you all deny this?
Regarding Lebron, I agree that developing a post game should be a top priority. But he is not a seven footer, and so a post game will not be enough. Rather, like every other aging 6’4″ – 6’10″ superstar, ya gotta learn to shoot, find a go to move, even if its a turn around jumper out of the post! Its essential as it can extend one’s career.
@ LP:
I don’t disagree that Wade is a streaky jump shooter – at best. But, I also wouldn’t characterize Kobe’s jumper as efficient — unless we agree to characterize his shot selection as insane. And, I definitely agree that a post game isn’t enough for LeBron, especially in this series. I’ve said as much up top.
I took issue with what I thought you meant (different from what you said). I thought you were saying that no excuses for Wade means we should ignore his injury. What I hear you saying now is that we should ignore his injury because he chose to forego an opportunity to improve his game in the event of injury. I’m fine with that…sort of. How did Kobe do vs. the Thunder? 20-20-36-38-42.
Kobe only shot over 43% once in 5 games. He was 2-18 from 3 in the series. He did have two games where he shot 18 and 17 FTs (by driving?). So, there is some merit in recognizing the impact of Wade’s injury if it keeps him from getting to the line. Kobe’s success from the field was marginal in all but Game 5 when he jacked 33 shots and scored 42. And, of course, Kobe had 2 bigs that Miami simply doesn’t have. Kobe only had 17 assists in 5 games (1 with 2; 1 with 0). Not good.
It’s hard to throw Wade or LeBron under the bus if you look at the team concept here. Still, I can recognize the limitations of Wade’s game (baby), while also recognizing the impact of his injury (bathwater). Neither of these conditions is going to get better as the series wears on. And, I don’t think Miami can win a game where their Big 3 fails to outscore OKC’s Big 3. In Game 1, Durant and Westbrook outscored James, Wade, and Bosh. Durant and Westbrook had 16 rebounds. Miami’s Big 3 only combined for 18. KD and R-Dub had 15 assists. Miami’s Big 3 had 12. So what’s left?
Spoelstra has to earn his paycheck and figure out a solution that can work. LeBron and Bosh alternating on the high/low post? Battier, Jones, Cole and Chalmers attacking more off the dribble? Forcing LeBron to guard Durant? Extending the bench and aligning his rotations to the Thunder? Forcing the Heat to make the extra pass on offense? Running the offense through Bosh instead of James or Wade so that his passing skills, size and decision-making can be leveraged against an inexperienced Ibaka?
Maybe Miami just needed a game to get their minds and legs right after slogging through the mud with Boston for 7 games — and maybe, just maybe, their really fine and will be sharp as a tack on Thursday.
No doubt I should’ve been clearer, T3…and I think now we’re mostly in agreement. The other thing I’ve added to the bathwater, which you touched on only a little, was that Father Time is creeping up on Wade and robbing him of his athleticism, and that this will happen injury or no injury. Since his game relies on athleticism, then, injury or no injury, his offense is going to suffer without a reliable jump shot.
Let me attempt to clarify one more thing: by “reliable jump shot” I don’t mean to say that Wade, or any aging superstar, must warp into Steve Kerr. Such a thing is likely impossible even for the best of the best. Rather I’m saying that as great players get older, even they must develop easier ways to score, ways that are less taxing on the body. Constantly attacking the rim invites a pounding from the opposing teams’ big men, and that pounding comes only after you’ve already spent significant energy beating your own man off the dribble. So finding a way to create space in order to get off a more efficient jumper is crucial. This is as true for the old man at the Y as it is for the NBA’s best. You can operate out of the post and float a fadeaway jumper as Jordan did into his 40s. You can shimmy around the elbow and pop a flat-footed bullet like Paul Pierce is doing today. There are countless other examples, of course. What I am NOT saying is that great players suddenly need to become dead-eye spot up shooters like my man Craig Hodges. I’m saying all the elites find a way to mimimize the eventual loss of their athleticism, which was explosive at one time and which carried them through their high flying youth. Wade has not done this. And it’s gonna cost him moving forward whether he’s injured or not. Same as it’ll cost Lebron. That’s all.
And we are certainly agreed that Kobe is a selfish muhf*cker. I know you didn’t quite put it like that, but whatever, it’s true. I meant to comment on this at length, but the Lakers got bounced from the playoffs so damn fast the opportunity passed… But here it is in brief: doesn’t matter who you are, no way you should be taking friggin 25 foot jumpers with two cats draped all over you when you got two seven footers wide the f*ck open and waiting in the paint. Then on top of that got the nerve to throw them same 7 footers under bus when your team loses. This is why Pau turned soft and Bynum pouted. This is also why Shaq, back inna day, was always asking Kobe how his ass taste along with other unpleasantries… It is, as you said, INSANE… But that’s Kobe. It has always been Kobe, and the media (and the rest of us, too, I guess) has always had a love/hate relationship with the man and his game since day 1, no?
..and I also agree that Miami gonna come hard tonight. The series certainly was not won on Tuesday. I’m looking forward to a long, great series between these two teams, as well as some electric, legendary moments that we will all be talking about for a long while from both KD and Lebron..
I’m triple posting again like my man Origin lol!
This one is completely off-topic, but I gotta show love for the womens’ game, too, and Candace Parker went for 30-something points, 16 boards, 8 assists,, and 5 blocks last night on ESPN2 in a tightly contested victory for her team.
What can I say, I love women and I love hoop, so of course I love the WNBA, and I don’t understand the hatred often thrown at the ladies who ball. But I also grew up with girls who balled hard and earned respect on the playground, and so I’m sure that makes a differences in terms of my personal perspective on the matter.
Anyway, respect due to the “other” CP3, she’s been injured for a while, but now she’s back. And she has the type of skills to perhaps put the women’s game on the map – of course it don’t hurt that she’s easy on the eyes, even without makeup, as a number of the WNBA ladies are… Hope y’all are watching!
I promised my daughter (5 years old and much more athletic than dad) that I’d take her to a game this summer. I think she’ll love it. BTW — loves me some CP and Swin Cash Money Honey (http://swincash.com/wp/). Tameka Catchings is one of my favorite players, though. If Harvey was that good…it woulda been a wrap for Philly in the 80′s.
Back to the men folk:
I agree with you on the old cats figuring out easy ways to score. I was watching a video of Jordan dropping 55 on the Suns in ’93. Aside from the Suns absolutely atrocious defense (Seriously, WTF?!?!?), most of what Mike did was hit 15-foot uncontested J’s from the elbow…time after time after time. One dribble to a spot, rise, fire, bucket…time after time after time.
Once in a while, he’d have two dribbles. Rarely 3. Smooth and easy. All in a flow…and its interesting because MJ used his jab step much more than many of today’s players. I think he used it for a few reasons: 1) to get his defender to commit one way or the other; 2) to get a bit of rhythm. Using the jab step allows you to get a count going in your body and mind (same as in boxing) and it establishes a baseline beat.
Jab-jab-fake-dribble-shoot.
Fake-fake-jab-dribble-shoot.
Pump-jab-fake-dribble-shoot.
Dribble-dribble-pump-under-shoot.
It’s all about the flow of the game. If you watch guys who are effortless scorers (and I know you do), they all have that flow – Durant, Melo, MJ, etc. When I watch LeBron, I have a pretty good indication of what’s going to happen based on his flow…when his game is choppy (as it often is), you know he’s probably going to miss unless he gets right to the cup. He had a great season this year. I think he had more flow than I’ve seen in years.
And I think running the offense through Bosh gets them more flow because he’s a pure rhythm player…much moreso than LeBron. Miami needs flow.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VNx29_zXw6U&feature=related
You can see Mike’s mathematics all throughout this video.
1-3-5.
Everything is off the 1 or 3 or 5. True African musical genius.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P7augZr9C98&feature=related
In this video of LeBron having a great game vs. Boston, it’s almost all 1-3, which is great. It means he’s assertive and moving as soon as he gets the rock…being decisive, and shooting with confidence. When he has big scoring games, they almost always look like that. It more like riding the rapids than that variety you might get from Jordan or Carmelo or Durant.
“Behold, the only thing greater than yourself”
We’ve got a series now. May the God of Ratings be pleased. The NBA dodged the “Sunday Night One Eye on the Game, One Hand on the Remote” Game that would have made Game 3 touch and go.