SERIES TIED 0-0
VS 
Where: The ‘Peake!
When: 8:00 p.m. CST
TV: ABC (5 DirecTV, 8 Cox, 5 AT&T U-Verse, 5 Dish)
Online Stream: Here.
Radio: WWLS Sports Animal 98.1 FM/640AM/97.1 Tulsa
View from the enemy: Here.
Projected Lineups:
| Thunder | Heat | |
|---|---|---|
| PG | Russell Westbrook | Mario Chalmers |
| SG | Thabo Sefolosha | Dwayne Wade |
| SF | Kevin Durant | Lebron James |
| PF | Serge Ibaka | Chris Bosh |
| C | Kendrick Perkins | Joel Anthony |
| 6th Man | James Harden | Martell Webster |
Last time: The Heat beat the Thunder 98-93.
IT’S FINALLY HERE. Game one of the NBA Finals. This is the ultimate culmination of everything every fans wants for their team. Win this series, and you’re the best team in basketball. Lose, and your tactics will be questioned for an entire season, and possibly the season could be considered a failure.
Oklahoma City is coming off a very impressive win “over the best team in basketball” in the San Antonio Spurs. They came back from 2-0 deficit to become the 15th team to do that in NBA History. Oklahoma City really dominated five of the six games, but a fourth quarter collapse in Game 1 really made the series interesting.
The Heat weren’t really tested too much in the first round, and then had a semi-test in the second round against the Indiana Pacers. Then the Celtics pushed the Heat to the bring in a Game 7, with the Heat winning. Miami had to live up to lofty expectations all season long, and finally have met most of them by making the NBA Finals. However, to fully meet them, they’ll have to win it.
The two teams split their two meetings this season, both teams winning at home. Oklahoma City was very dominate in their win at the ‘Peake. While they Heat pulled away to a five point win on South Beach. Both teams had their wins blown up by the national media. The Thunder win put Kevin Durant as the front runner for the MVP race. The Heat win was Lebron James gaining it back.
Both teams are pretty healthy. Only Eric Maynor, obviously, is out for the Thunder. Chris Bosh is back for the Heat, leaving the Heat basically healthy. It’s still up in the air if Bosh will start or not. Miami is 2-0 with him not starting.
Keys to the game
Fast Start
This is the biggest game in Thunder history, and every game going forward will be bigger. Need to feed off the crowd and put it to the Heat early on. If you can put them on their backs early, you can put this team out and assert your dominance early in the series.
Turnovers
Big difference for the Thunder in their two meetings were the turnovers. The Thunder have been best in the NBA in the playoffs at not turning the ball over, and right near the top in forcing turnovers. This trend will need to continue if the Thunder want to win this game.
Lebron James
LBJ may get his points. That’s a probable given. I want to look how he gets his points. Is he being aggressive or settling for jumpers? If Lebron James beats the Thunder by shooting 60% from three-point range, I can be okay with that. Laws of averages. Let’s see how the Thunder plan to defend him. Don’t be too aggressive on him, and the Thunder may have some success.
