For the third consecutive time, the Heat got off to a fast start against the Thunder. But Oklahoma fought back in the second quarter, cutting Miami's lead down to a point by the halftime break. The Thunder took over the game in the third quarter, leading by as much as 10 points.
However, Miami refused to go down without a fight. They cut down the Thunder's lead in the third quarter, and the "big three" stepped up during the final minutes of the game, leading Miami to victory.
"It's all about chemistry," LeBron James told reporters after the game. "We understand where we like to get the ball, what we like to do in close situations, and it's good to see us execute down the stretch. But more importantly it was great to see we were able to get stops. That's where the game is won and we did that."
LeBron put up another MVP worthy performance in Game 3, walking away with 29 points (game-high), 14 rebounds (game-high), and 3 assists. Dwyane Wade struggled with his shot on Sunday, but he remained aggressive throughout the game, finishing with 25 points, 7 rebounds, and 7 assists. Chris Bosh also had some problems with his jumper, but he found other ways to help his teammates out, putting up 10 points and 11 rebounds.
As a team, the Heat shot the ball poorly in Game 3, but Shane Battier continued his hot three-point shooting, converting on his two attempts from beyond the arc.
Miami's defense certainly played a huge role in the way things turned out against the Thunder, and their role players deserve a lot of credit for their energy on the floor.
At this point in the NBA Finals, it's pretty clear Miami is the better team. I expect them to take another step closer to the 2012 NBA title when the two teams meet again on June 19.
David is a Miami Heat fan that has followed the team for 16 years. Follow him on twitter @davidkingwriter and check out his blog.
Sources:
Associated Press, "LeBron James leads way with 29 points, 14 boards as Heat go up 2-1"
No comments:
Post a Comment