Sports Illustrated Says Heat, Thunder Far From Finished

With the 2011-12 season in the books, it's time to look ahead to the 2012-13 season.

Sports Illustrated asked (and answered) some questions about the next season. What is the biggest threat to a Heat repeat? Four of five SI writers said the answer was the team Miami just beat — the Thunder. From SI:

Lee Jenkins: The Thunder. Three years ago, they opened the season 3-29. Two years ago, they made the playoffs but lost in the first round. Last year, they reached the conference finals. This year, they made it all the way to the Finals. No one in their core four -- Kevin Durant, Westbrook, James Harden and Serge Ibaka -- is over 23 and their progression has been steady. The next step is the title. They will grow from this, just as the Heat grew from their loss to the Mavericks. The Thunder will return hungry while the Heat will combat the same hangover as any other champion, maybe more severe, considering the struggle to get to this point.

What can the Thunder do to improve in the offseason? Well, there's not much they can do, in terms of players.

Ian Thomsen: They need to resolve the future of their coaching staff, whether that means re-signing Scott Brooks or coming up with someone they view as an upgrade. (Good luck there.) Maynor's return will help, whenever he is ready. The main job for them is to grow from this Finals experience, which showed Durant and his young teammates how much they need to improve physically and defensively. It's not that they need to play at a higher gear so much as they must play with more torque.

Check out the entire SI article for more opinions on what's upcoming.

Read more about the Oklahoma City Thunder at Welcome To Loud City.

2013 NBA Championship Odds: Thunder Come In At 5/1

If Vegas is correct, the Thunder will have a chance for revenge in 2013.

Odds to win 2013 NBA Championship Miami Heat 11/4, OKC Thunder 5/1, Bulls 6/1, LA Lakers 10/1, Spurs 10/1, Mavericks 14/1 - from Bovada

— Surya Fernandez (@SuryaHeatNBA) June 22, 2012

At 5/1 odds, the Thunder are the most-likely Western Conference team to win the 2013 NBA championship. Given that the Western teams behind OKC — the Lakers, Spurs and Mavericks — are relying on some aging superstars, it's easy to see why many believe the best is yet to come for the Thunder, who used the youngest starting five in the NBA Finals in 35 years this season.

On the other hand, LeBron James promised more than one championship for the Heat (more than seven, actually), and one wonders how Miami will perform without all that pressure.

Kevin Durant shed some tears Thursday night, but it might not be long before he's raising the championship trophy.

Scott Brooks Contract Extension: Oklahoma City Thunder Still Planning Future

Next to Russell Westbrook and James Harden, Oklahoma City head coach Scott Brooks was probably the most criticized member of the team in this NBA Finals series that saw the Miami Heat win their second title since 2006.

Brooks is supposedly not even close to signing a new deal with the team, having recently turned down a three-year, $11 million extension.

There is growing speculation that the Thunder & coach Scott Brooks are far apart on a contract extension and the holdup could led to a split

— Darnell Mayberry (@DarnellMayberry) June 22, 2012

Presti: "As we have said consistently, Scott is an integral part of the Thunder, and his contributions have been critical to the success...

— Darnell Mayberry (@DarnellMayberry) June 22, 2012

Some reports even have Phil Jackson and Jeff Van Gundy listed as possible successors to Brooks if he does not sign an extension.

Read more about the Oklahoma City Thunder at Welcome To Loud City.

2012 NBA Finals: Thunder Players, Coaches, React To Series Loss

Of all the quotes from the Oklahoma City Thunder following Miami's series-clinching win on Thursday night, perhaps James Hardens' short and simple response can give Thunder fans the most comfort: (quotes courtesy of the official Thunder web site)

"We fought our hearts out."

The young core of the OKC franchise echoed that sentiment after the game, staying humble and all things considered, largely positive.

Scott Brooks:

"A lot of things on both ends of the floor didn’t go our way. But you have to give Miami a lot of credit. They were so aggressive defensively, they were challenging every dribble, they were challenging every shot."

Derek Fisher

"Until that clock is showing zeroes, you can’t give up and quit during the game," Fisher said. "We just kept fighting until the end. Obviously the score differential was big down the stretch, but until you walk into the locker room and realize your season is over, you don’t accept it."

Russel Westbrook:

"I’m very proud. I personally want to thank them for believing in me, the whole coaching staff, organization, fans… The group of guys that we have always sticks together regardless of what happens, win or lose. We all stick together and we want to come back and be better and that’s one thing I love about this team."

Kevin Durant:

"We’re all brothers on this team and it just hurts to go out like this. We made it to the Finals, which was cool for us, but we didn’t want to just make it there. Unfortunately we lost, so it’s tough… I wouldn’t want to play with anybody else. I wouldn’t want to play for any other city. I’m just blessed to be a part of this organization, and hopefully we can get back."

For more on the 2012 NBA Finals, check out SB Nation's NBA page. For Thunder news, go toWelcome To Loud City, and for Miami Heat coverage, check out Peninsula Is Mightier.

2012 NBA Finals Ratings: Miami Heat Vs. Oklahoma City Thunder Reach Most Viewers Since '04

The 2012 NBA Finals weren't just a resounding success for the Miami Heat in particular. The series featuring the Heat against the Oklahoma City Thunder proved to be a major boom for the NBA in general and ABC as the network for it all. The ratings are officially in for ABC for the series and the only downside was that it ended in five games.

ABC NBA Finals: 5-game overnite avg was 11.8, highest five-game avg since '04. Game 5 did a 12.6 & record 40.3 in Miami. 39.8 in OKC

— Josh Krulewitz (@jksports) June 22, 2012

It helps to have an iconic star like LeBron James on his quest for his first ring, but it also shows that fans wanted to tune in to watch stars from the heartland as well. Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook took the stage and proved they have charisma enough for people to watch the match-up. That should bode well for the future of both teams and their media opportunities for television exposure.

VIDEO: NBA Conspiracy Theorists Catch Miami Heat Coach Erik Spoelstra High-Fiving Ref

For those of you interested in NBA conspiracy theories, game five of the 2012 NBA Finals gave you the following video in which referee Monty McCutchen seems to "high-five" Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra. Of course, that's not what happened at all since Spoelstra is clearly walking too close to the actual court and wasn't looking at his boundaries. Still if you think David Stern rigged the game to give LeBron James his ring, you're likely blogging about this vid right now.

2012 NBA Finals: Kendrick Perkins Played With Groin Injury Last 3 Games For Oklahoma City Thunder

The Oklahoma City Thunder lost to the Miami Heat in five games when most believed the 2012 NBA Finals set-up would go to seven given the competitive states of the teams involved. However, it's now been revealed that the Thunder weren't quite up to full strength in the middle.

Oklahoma City center Kendrick Perkins played the final three playoff rounds with a partially torn groin, league sources tell Y! Sports.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojYahooNBA) June 22, 2012

Perkins is certainly a vital veteran cog in the middle to team with Serge Ibaka and his injury hurt the Thunder from being able to capitalize late. However to say that the Thunder might have won if he were healthy is a silly notion and takes away due credit to the Heat for their ability to win this series in only five games.

It will be interesting to see what the Thunder do with Perkins for the long haul and whether or not they try to trade him or make him an amnesty candidate.

NBA Finals: Miami Heat's LeBron James Says Losing Last Year Was Best Thing To Happen

Last year, the Miami Heat could not complete the task in front of them of beating the Dallas Mavericks in the 2011 NBA Finals. He also endured more than his share of criticism for the Mavs walking away with the NBA title. Yet as LeBron looked back after this year's Finals as the NBA champs for the first time, he says he realized that the best thing to happen to him was to lose that first time around with his team.

James said after the Heat defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder in five games that the ensuing perspective change and humility after losing last year brought the internal change he needed.

"People would say I was selfish, and that got to me," James said. "That got to me a lot because I know that this is a team game. I know the coaches that I had when I was younger always preached about team. ... All last year I tried to prove people wrong, prove you guys wrong, and it wasn't me. At the end of the day, I was basically fighting against myself. The best thing that happened to me last year was us losing the Finals, and me playing the way I played. ... It humbled me."

LeBron is now settled and playing better than ever. The OKC Thunder look like future champions, but as long as LeBron is playing for the Heat, they will always have a strong team to contend with from the Eastern side of things.

OKC Thunder Future: Steve Nash For James Harden Trade Speculation

What will the Oklahoma City Thunder do next? After losing the 2012 NBA Finals, the young core of Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, James Harden and Serge Ibaka among others seems like a dynasty in the making. As they say, if it ain't broke...

However, the Thunder also are going to be well over the luxury tax if the team decides to extend both Harden and Ibaka to keep the four player core intact. That might prove to be a bit too pricey and both Harden and Ibaka would make incredible trade assets at this point for their youth, on-court ability and experience. That makes Harden and Ibaka potential trade partners for many NBA rumors now that the offseason is officially upon us.

Harden has already been mentioned in other trade rumors for the Charlotte Bobcats second overall selection in the NBA Draft. Now Tom Haberstroh of ESPN says they could add a veteran point guard to push Westbrook over and create the backcourt of a lifetime. They could go after Steve Nash of the Phoenix Suns.

Haberstroh writes, "It isn't and here's why: the Thunder could flip Harden (an Arizona State product, remember) to Phoenix in a sign-and-trade deal for Nash and Marcin Gortat. The Thunder have the contracts to make the money work (Kendrick Perkins and Daequan could be thrown in) and the Suns could get their young stud of the future without letting Nash go for nothing."

Would the Thunder trade Harden for such a risky veteran. That's quite a jump in age and injury risk instead of going in the other direction. A younger star seems like a better move than Nash. However, the possibilities that would exist with such a trio make for an interesting mix that would certainly become the Western Conference favorites once again.

The Thunder definitely have some big decisions to make, even if it's to stand pat. Until fans know one way or the other, expect "rumors" like this to float around because the possibilities are simply too much fun to play with.

2012 NBA Finals: LeBron James Undoubtedly Deserves MVP Honor

For all of the weight on LeBron James' shoulders, he carried himself and his team at an unbelievable level in this postseason. The 2012 NBA Finals belonged to the Miami Heat because of their iconic star, and while he's always been an elite player, he's also taken his share of hits in the media and with fans. The Decision didn't help, but The Championship will silence his critics -- at least those who think.

James was unstoppable in the NBA Finals and the same can be said of the whole postseason. In game five, he added a triple double of 26 points, 11 rebounds and 13 assists. It's just another incredible game that's turned into an incredible string of games.

Tom Sunnergren of Philadunkia writes, "LeBron James, by the sheer tidal force of the 28.6 point/7.4 assist/10.2 rebound line he posted in these NBA Finals -- including 26/13/11 in the clinching game -- didn't just refute the old arguments against his "clutchness," but obliterated them, rendered them ridiculous. Do yourself a favor: take a minute to appreciate the mastery of the sport we witnessed these last eight weeks. It doesn't happen often."

Sunnergren says it best: the arguments have to stop. LeBron deserved the MVP honor this season and he deserves it again for the postseason. This is the game's best player showing it at every stage of competition and he deserves the moment.

Oklahoma City Thunder Could Turn To Phil Jackson If Scott Brooks Leaves

Could Phil Jackson land with yet another talented young set of stars on the verge? That's the word being tossed around by Tom Haberstroh of ESPN the morning after the 2012 NBA Finals. The Oklahoma City Thunder made their first Finals appearance in 2012 and lost in five games to the Miami Heat but with such a young talented core, they're bound to be back a few more times. However the team's head coach is a free agent, and Scott Brooks' future with the team has yet to be addressed.

Brooks could be allowed to walk and he'd have his choice of options if he wanted to go elsewhere given the way his team played this season. Perhaps the team's front office wants to go in another direction. Brooks was certainly in the spotlight for his tactics quite a bit this postseason, whether it was keeping Harden on the bench or refusing to change starters or sitting players like Russell Westbrook for longer stretches.

However it was also his coaching that helped get them here. His team-first mentality kept superstars from going overboard and any coach that makes it to the NBA Finals shouldn't worry about job security. Yet that doesn't stop Haberstroh from speculating about the best coach on the market.

Haberstroh writes, "It's hard to tell at this point, but the Thunder could re-up with the coach who was talented enough to lead them to this point, a coach who also reflects the youthful identity of the organization. Or they could move in another direction and find a more experienced coach who has won a title before -- 11 of them, in fact. Don't count out a return from Phil Jackson to take a dream job coaching the most promising crop of young talent the league has seen recently."

Phil Jackson and the OKC Thunder could be another long-term marriage made in heaven -- certainly for Thunder fans. Does Phil want to add more rings and come back for another run? OKC would be his best bet if so. However Brooks has to be addressed first.

For more on the 2012 NBA Finals, check out SB Nation's NBA page. For Thunder news, go to Welcome To Loud City, and for Miami Heat coverage, check out Peninsula Is Mightier.

LeBron James Establishes All-Time Greatness With NBA Finals Performance

The ring is finally his. And with the 2012 NBA Finals win on his resume, LeBron James officially moves squarely into the conversation for best players of all time in NBA history.

While LeBron already had staked a claim among the elite players among NBA greats, the elusive ring was always going to be an issue. No longer is James listed alongside Steve Nash, Karl Malone and Patrick Ewing. He now joins names like Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant -- players who not only obviously elite in their production on court but also those who have tasted what it's like to be at the top.

Last night's dominant win over the Oklahoma City Thunder gave the Miami Heat the NBA title in just five games when most believed it would be a long, drawn out series. The reason? LeBron's performance. There's no doubt who the best player was on the court for the entire course of the NBA playoffs. Others rose to help him from time to time, but LeBron was the consistent force for the Heat in their title quest.

The role players were the story of game four, establishing a new record for three-pointers in a Finals game with 14. Mike Miller and Norris Cole both had their moments. In previous games, Dwyane Wade would step up as a co-star with LeBron. In game three, it was Mario Chalmers' 25 points that helped seal the win. The one thing holding this team together through it all was a dominating effort by LeBron each and every time.

Last night, the case was no different. A triple double from LeBron with 26 points, 11 rebounds and 13 assists ended the series. It was a beautiful all-around performance in a series with many of them and a sign that LeBron truly is the best player in the game today.

The Thunder will likely have their own day, too, but LeBron has been due for some time. He earned this moment and he has the right to enjoy it.

Video: Kevin Durant Emotional After Finals Loss

While many believe the Oklahoma City Thunder will be back in the NBA Finals, that didn't make Thursday's loss to the Heat any easier for Kevin Durant.

After leaving the court and heading down the tunnel, Durant hugged his parents for a long time, consoling him for what might be the lowest point of his professional career.

2012 NBA Finals, Thunder Vs. Heat Game 5: Miami Wins NBA Championship With 121-106 Victory

As a high school prodigy, he welcomed the hype and the fame. As Ohio's native son, he took the hometown team to new heights, before slamming the door in their faces on his way south. He thought it would be easy. But the pressure, both on the court and off it, seemed to wear on him.

After a year of redemption, LeBron James finally is an NBA champion.

The Miami Heat won the 2012 NBA Championship with a 121-106 win over the Thunder in Game 5 on Thursday night in Miami.

James capped the greatest moment of his career with an all-time Finals performance, recording a triple-double with 26 points, 13 assists and 11 rebounds. As for the rest of the Big Three, Chris Bosh, quietly had 24 points and seven rebounds, while Dwyane Wade had 20 points and eight rebounds. They came together to win a championship, and they did it.

For the Thunder, they marched to the Finals on one of the best runs in recent memory, taking down the Mavericks, Lakers and Spurs. But the Finals experience of the Heat proved to be too much in the big moments, and there was no fight left in the second half on Thursday night.

Kevin Durant finished with 32 points, while Russell Westbrook had 19. The Thunder struggled all night, but were within seven points in the third quarter. However, the Heat had too much. A 16-1 run turned the game into a clinic, and the rest of the night was about people accepting the fact that James had reached the pinnacle.

On the road to becoming a champion, you usually have to have some heartbreak. The Bad Boy Pistons had to lose to the Celtics and Lakers. Michael Jordan and the Bulls had to lose to those Pistons. The Heat had to lose to the Mavs last year.

The second-youngest starting five in Finals history will be back. They have lost to the eventual NBA champion in each of the past three years, getting a step farther each season. The future is bright for OKC. Thursday night was about the greatest player of his generation getting what he earned.

2012 NBA Finals, Thunder Vs. Heat Game 5: Miami 1 Quarter Away From NBA Championship, Leads 95-71

The world is one quarter away from having to throw a bunch of jokes in the trash.

At the end of three quarters in Miami, the Heat lead the Thunder 95-71 and LeBron James is closing in on his first NBA Championship.

A 16-1 run late in the third quarter pushed a seven-point deficit into 22 points and the party began on South Beach. There was a lot of this:

The Thunder have been led by Kevin Durant's 26 points on 11-for-20 shooting, along with nine rebounds. Russell Westbrook has 19 points on 4-for-17 shooting. He's 11-for-13 from the three-throw line .

But the man of the night as been James, who has 19 points, 11 assists and seven rebounds, turning in a great performance at the most important time. Soon, he'll get to celebrate.

2012 NBA Finals, Thunder Vs. Heat Game 5: LeBron James Leads Miami To 59-49 Halftime Lead

The Thunder have played their worst half of the 2012 NBA Finals, by far.

However, they're down by just 10, trailing the Heat 59-49 at halftime in Miami.

The biggest problem for OKC has been the defense. The Heat are shooting 55 percent from the floor, including 7-for-13 from three-point range. On the other side, the Thunder are making just 36.6 percent of their shots.

A three-pointer from Derek Fisher with 10:48 left in the quarter cut the deficit to 34-32, but the Heat answered with a 19-4 run to take a 53-36 lead. Mike Miller, who was 0-for-3 from three-point range in the first four games of the series, went 4-for-4 from long range before picking up his fourth foul and limping off while he deals with a back injury.

But OKC finished on a 13-6 run to stay within striking distance. Kevin Durant leads the Thunder with 14 points on 6-for-14 shooting. He made just two of six shots in the second quarter. Russell Westbrook has 13 points on 2-for-9 shooting, while going 9-for-9 from the free-throw line. James Harden has eight points, with six of them coming on free throws.

One half away from shedding the dissenters, LeBron James has 15 points on 6-for-9 shooting, along with five rebounds and five assists. Nearly all of his buckets have come by driving to the hoop. Chris Bosh has 10 points and four rebounds, while Dwyane Wade has nine points.

The Thunder have 24 minutes to try to head back to OKC with another game to play.

2012 NBA Finals, Thunder Vs. Heat Game 5: Miami Leads 31-26 After First Quarter

The Miami Heat and LeBron James are three quarters away from an NBA championship. After the first quarter of Game 5 in Miami, the Heat lead 31-26.

The focus of the night, James scored the opening basket on a driving dunk, igniting the Miami crowd that was wild from the beginning, hoping to see a championship won. The Thunder defense was quite porous. The Heat made nine straight shots from from 9:14 remaining in the quarter to 1:19 left. The Heat shot 11-for-19 (57.9 percent), while the Thunder shot 9-for-24 (37.5 percent)

Despite that, the Thunder are very much in this game because of Kevin Durant.

Durant has nine points on 4-for-8 shooting. Russell Westbrook has eight on 1-for-5 shooting, but he's 6-for-6 from the free-throw line. The Heat have been led by seven points from James who is 3-for-4 from the floor with three rebounds and two assists. Miami led by as much as eight in the period.

But if there's one thing we've learned about this series, an early lead means little.

For more on the 2012 NBA Finals, check out SB Nation's NBA page. For Thunder news, go toWelcome To Loud City, and for Miami Heat coverage, check out Peninsula Is Mightier.

GIF: Scott Brooks Is Really Focused

Note the people moving in the background. This isn't a still image, this is Scott Brooks being super serious during team introductions. Watch him stare into your soul.

Heat Vs. Thunder: TV Time, Game Schedule, Live Stream, Odds

The Oklahoma City Thunder have one more night guaranteed to them in the 2011-12 NBA season. For anything more than that, they're going to have to earn it by winning game five of the NBA Finals. The Miami Heat stand in their way and LeBron James and company hope to close out the championship on their home turf in the last game in American Airlines Arena.

If the Thunder can win tonight, they'll bring the action back home to OKC and things get very interesting again. However, no team has ever come back to even force a game seven when down 3-1 in the Finals. Tonight should be a great game. Here's the info you need to check it out.

Date / Time: Thursday, June 21, 8 p.m. CT

Location: American Airlines Arena, Miami, Florida

TV: ABC

Radio: Thunder Radio Network

Streaming: Watch ESPN

Line: Miami (-3.5)

For more on the 2012 NBA Finals, check out SB Nation's NBA page. For Thunder news, go toWelcome To Loud City, and for Miami Heat coverage, check out Peninsula Is Mightier.

Kevin Durant Gains Hope From Oklahoma City Residents And Story

It's pretty clear that the character of the city he represents has rubbed off on Kevin Durant. Now that the Oklahoma City Thunder's title hopes are on the line, down three games to one in the 2012 NBA Finals, Durant is speaking with confidence and clarity despite the odds he's facing.

KD on the Thunder not giving up: "That's the type of city we play for, a city that never gives up. That's the type of team we are."

— Royce Young (@dailythunder) June 20, 2012

Every new acquisition for OKC spends time at the Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum. After such a tragedy, the city has found a beautiful way to remember those who lost their lives and show the strength of the community. The Thunder are in such a position to need some of that resolve now.

No NBA team has ever come back from a 3-1 deficit in the NBA Finals. Yet the Thunder also defied long odds when coming back on the Spurs down 2-0 in the Western Conference Finals. The Heat are definitely the favorites at this point, but Durant holds out hope for a team and a city.

For more on this 2012 NBA Finals, be sure to read our StoryStream here. Check outWelcome To Loud City for more on the Thunder and Peninsula Is Mightier for more on the Heat.

2012 NBA Finals: LeBron James Expects To Play Game 5

Hardly surprising news, but Miami Heat superstar LeBron James expects to play in Game 5 of the NBA Finals, as the Miami Heat look to clinch the NBA title over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Thursday night.

James was unable to finish Game 4 because of leg cramps, and it was quite clear that James was in pain toward the end of the game, as he was visibly limping. James, though, expects to be fine by Thursday night.

"I feel a lot better than I did last night, that's clear," said James, who had 26 points, nine rebounds and 12 assists in Game 4. "I'm still a little sore because of the muscles being at an intense level -- very tight. ... I should be fine."

James will be looking to exorcise his demons on Thursday night and capture his first NBA title, so it's certainly not surprising that he's expecting to suit up.

For more on the Oklahoma City Thunder, be sure to head over to Welcome to Loud City and join the discussion.

NBA Finals 2012: LeBron's Playmaking Ability The Difference In Game 4

While there were an innumerable amount of storylines from Tuesday night's dramatic Game 4 between the Miami Heat and the Oklahoma City Thunder, the biggest was LeBron James' continued development as a player on the biggest stage in basketball.

LeBron not only put up a 26/9/12 stat-line on 50% shooting while defending positions 1-5, he totally dominated the flow of the game in the low post. Over at RealGM, I have a column talking about how he brought Miami back from a huge early deficit from the post:

The biggest change in his game from the 2011 Finals is how he is attacking the paint. He's playing more with his back to the basket, the easiest way to exploit a smaller defender. LeBron spent the vast majority of Game 4 overpowering Kevin Durant, Thabo Sefolosha and James Harden, none of whom have the strength to prevent him from establishing post position. Whether it was face-ups, hook shots or spin moves, he went 8-for-11 on field goals near the rim.

After Oklahoma City raced out to a 27-12 lead to start the game, he quarterbacked a lightning-fast comeback from the post. In four minutes, he created 14 points without scoring: finding Norris Cole for two 3 pointers, Wade on a breakaway and James Jones for a 3. It was beautifully efficient basketball: either LeBron would score in the paint or he would command a double team and create a wide open 3 pointer for a teammate.

People have been clamoring for LeBron to play more with his back to the basket for almost his entire carer, and the Thunder got a chance to see why in Game 4. There's no defense for a 6'9 265 monster with LeBron's passing ability in the paint.

For more on this 2012 NBA Finals, be sure to read our StoryStream here. Check out Welcome To Loud City for more on the Thunder and Peninsula Is Mightier for more on the Heat.

Russell Westbrook Comes Out With Career Game On NBA's Biggest Stage

While the Miami Heat won Game Four, it was a personal coming out party of sorts for Russell Westbrook, the 1A to Kevin Durant’s 1 on the Oklahoma City Thunder roster. The performance he put up in the Thunder’s losing effort in the Heat’s 104-98 victory was incredible, the sort of performance rarely displayed on the NBA’s biggest stage: the Finals.

Westbrook’s final line was sick. Forty three points. Seven rebounds. Five assists. He hit 20 of 32 field goals from the floor. Those are the sorts of the numbers that Hall of Fame candidates point to as proof that they gave their best when it mattered the most.

“I was just trying to stay in attack mode,” he said in the post-game conference. “Shots were falling, but it really doesn’t mean anything. We didn’t come out with a win.”

His teammates acknowledged that Westbrook became the focus since he was playing so well.

“He had it going since the beginning of the game, and when a guy has it going, we have to keep feeding him,” Kevin Durant said. “He was making shots and keeping us in the game and we just tried to play off of him.”

Now the Thunder have to hope that Westbrook’s performance will continue and that they can turn the tide. The odds are against them, but every player has shown an ability to rise up and be the star. The Thunder just have to put it all together.

For more on this 2012 NBA Finals, be sure to read our StoryStream here. Check outWelcome To Loud City for more on the Thunder and Peninsula Is Mightier for more on the Heat.

Oklahoma City Thunder Coach Scott Brooks: 'I'm Proud Of The Way Our Team Played'

If a team wins, they're heroes and lauded for all the reasons they beat the opposing team. If a team loses, they're chided and analyzed for what went wrong. But the reality of a competition is that someone has to win and someone has to lose. Despite an effort that Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Scott Brooks said he was proud of, the Thunder lost to the Miami Heat 104-98 in Game Four and their chances of winning the 2012 NBA Finals are next to zero.

"Sometimes it comes down to a couple of plays," Brooks said. "I think our guys have played with great poise and composure all year. They made a few extra plays down the stretch."

The Thunder played a close game and even had the lead in the fourth quarter, but the hot shooting from three-point range by the Heat kept Miami out front. Despite the strong performance by Thunder point guard Russell Westbrook with 43 points, 7 assists and 5 rebounds, the team is now down three games to one -- a deficit no team has ever overcome in the NBA Finals.

"Russell got off to a great start and he finished the game with the same type of tenacity," Brooks said. "That guy competes every time. He’s all about the team, he cares about his teammates. He gives everything he has. He never misses a practice, never missed a game in four years and I’m proud of the way he played. Quite frankly I’m proud of the way our team played."

For now people might shake their heads and find ways to slam the Thunder, but sometimes it's simply about one team playing better than the other. That's what the Heat are doing right now and it might say more about Miami than it does OKC.

For more on this 2012 NBA Finals, be sure to read our StoryStream here. Check outWelcome To Loud City for more on the Thunder and Peninsula Is Mightier for more on the Heat.

VIDEO: Heat Vs. Thunder Game 4 Highlights And Breakdown From SB Nation

Last night's game four win in the 2012 NBA Finals by the Miami Heat over the Oklahoma City Thunder now places Scott Brooks' team on the ropes given the 3-1 edge enjoyed by LeBron James and company. LeBron should now validate The Decision with just one more win and bring NBA glory to his own legacy as well as the career impact of Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade.

Lost in the shuffle of the stars is Mario Chalmers most of the team but it's hard to ignore 25 points on 9 of 15 shooting by anyone and the Kansas product didn't disappoint last night on the biggest stage. He had only 1 turnover all game while contributing 3 assists and 2 steals.

Check out the breakdown from SB Nation below:

For more on this 2012 NBA Finals, be sure to read our StoryStream here. Check outWelcome To Loud City for more on the Thunder and Peninsula Is Mightier for more on the Heat.

NBA Finals 2012: Mario Chalmers Plays Hero Role For Miami Heat

With the Miami Heat so close to NBA glory, it wasn't LeBron James who was the hero of game four. Nor was it Dwyane Wade. It wasn't even Chris Bosh. Instead it was former Kansas Jayhawk Mario Chalmers who rose to the occasion to become the hero for the Heat in their 104-98 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday night.

Chalmers had an incredible 25 points on 9 of 15 shooting from the floor in a performance that was efficient on all levels. Chalmers was the scoring presence the team needed from the backcourt as an answer to the Thunder's scoring prowess and it came on a night when injuries flared up for both LeBron and Wade.

ESPN's Tom Haberstroh writes, "We saw Super Mario Chalmers in Game 4. That Chalmers clutch layup with LeBron sidelined might have been the biggest bucket of his career. Newly flat-topped Norris Cole tried to steal the show with huge buckets early, but Chalmers took the baton and never looked back. More impressive than Chalmers' 25 points? He tallied just one turnover. Chalmers lives for the Finals."

The Thunder are now backed into a corner they likely won't get out of.

For more on this 2012 NBA Finals, be sure to read our StoryStream here. Check outWelcome To Loud City for more on the Thunder and Peninsula Is Mightier for more on the Heat.

NBA Finals Grades: Oklahoma City Thunder Earns 'B-' From ESPN

When instant post-game grades are being given out, it's understandable that the winning team would earn the higher marks and the losers would shake their heads in frustration. The Oklahoma City Thunder earned a "B-" grade from ESPN shortly after game four of the 2012 NBA Finals went down with the Miami Heat topping OKC 104-98

From the ESPN report by Tom Haberstroh, "Russell Westbrook was a wrecking ball early and late, destroying the Heat defense with laser jumpers and furious paint attacks. He established a new career-high in points (43) and gave the Heat whiplash seemingly every time down the court. But alas, they can't win with James Harden playing like this."

The Heat are in a historically great position given that no team in NBA history has ever come back from a 3-1 deficit in the Finals. The Thunder have the talent to be the first but this is a hole even the mighty Kevin Durant likely won't climb out of.

For more on this 2012 NBA Finals, be sure to read our StoryStream here. Check outWelcome To Loud City for more on the Thunder and Peninsula Is Mightier for more on the Heat.

2012 NBA Finals, Thunder Vs. Heat Game 4: OKC Falls 104-98; Miami 1 Win Away From Championship

If the Thunder want to win the 2012 NBA championship, they're going to have to do something never accomplished before.

With Tuesday night's 104-98 loss in Miami, OKC is in a 1-3 hole in the series, from which no team has ever come back in the NBA Finals. Teams down 1-3 in the finals are 0-30 all-time.

Russell Westbrook scored 43 points on 20-for-32 shooting, along with seven rebounds and five assists. But it was a late foul that many people will be talking about. With 17 seconds left and Miami leading by three, the teams had a jump-ball. Miami won the ball with a few seconds remaining on the shot clock. Westbrook thought the shot clock reset, so he sent Mario Chalmers to the free-throw line rather than letting the Heat take what likely would have been a difficult shot.

Chalmers hit both free throws and the Heat held on for the win. After scoring a total of 17 points in the first three games, Chalmers had 25 in Game 4.

LeBron James didn't play the final few possessions while sitting out with some sort of leg injury. He finished with 26 points, 12 assists and nine rebounds. Wade scored 25 for the Heat.

From 4:09 remaining in the third quarter to the end of the game, only Westbrook and Kevin Durant scored for the Thunder. Durant finished with 28 points on 9-for-19 shooting. The inability of a third scorer to step up hurt OKC. James Harden often is that third player, but he scored just eight points on 2-for-10 shooting. However, he did grab 10 rebounds.

The Thunder trailed 90-83 with 7:35 to go, but went on a 7-0 run to tie the game. They took a 94-92 lead with 4:20 to go with James out of the game. But James returned, Chris Bosh tied the game on a layup and James hit a three to give the Heat the lead for good.

Now the series moves to Game 5, where the Heat will have a chance to win the championship and get the giant, public monkey off their back. The young Thunder will just be hoping to head back to OKC with a game to play and take things from there.

VIDEO: LeBron James Is Clutch Just After Cramp Injury With Incredible 3-Pointer

There's apparently no stopping LeBron James. The moment it appears that he's hurt and down for a few minutes with a leg cramp of some kind, he's back out on the court and making such an incredible play that it's obvious to all that he's ready and willing to do whatever it takes to win a ring. Even those on the opposite side are crediting him with an incredible clutch performance tonight in game four of the 2012 NBA Finals.

Well, after that sequence, it might just be LeBron's time. That was impressive.

— Royce Young (@dailythunder) June 20, 2012

Check out this incredible three-pointer by LeBron James just moments after having the injury and then coming back into the game.

For more on this 2012 NBA Finals, be sure to read our StoryStream here. Check outWelcome To Loud City for more on the Thunder and Peninsula Is Mightier for more on the Heat.

Video: LeBron James Leaves With What Appears To Be Cramps

He has since re-entered the game, but Miami got awfully silent when LeBron James had to be carried off the floor with what appeared to be leg cramps. Some more bad news for the Heat: the Thunder have retaken the lead in the fourth quarter.

VIDEO: LeBron James Injured In Heat-Thunder Game With Leg Cramps

While we already noted that LeBron James was down for a few minutes with some obvious leg cramps, here's the video of the whole event in case you missed it. It's clear that he's getting better after stretching out and receiving attention from the medical staff. Catch it all in the video below:

For more on this 2012 NBA Finals, be sure to read our StoryStream here. Check outWelcome To Loud City for more on the Thunder and Peninsula Is Mightier for more on the Heat.

LeBron James Injury Update: Heat Star Hurting With Leg Cramps

First it was Dwyane Wade grimacing on the ground while his back was in pain in the first half. Now LeBron James is having issues of his own.

James on all fours, looks like he's trying to stretch whatever the injury is out.

— Chris Mannix (@ChrisMannixSI) June 20, 2012

James is apparently having some sort of leg cramps as game 4 nears its competion and the Oklahoma City Thunder simply must take advantage of a team hurting before them. To lose this game with the Heat ailing like they are would be to lose out on a chance to even the series. If they fall down 3-1, no team in NBA history has ever come back from that deficit in the NBA Finals.

While everyone will say they want to beat their opponents at full strength, a win is a win at this point for OKC.

For more on this 2012 NBA Finals, be sure to read our StoryStream here. Check outWelcome To Loud City for more on the Thunder and Peninsula Is Mightier for more on the Heat.

2012 NBA Finals, Thunder Vs. Heat Game 4: OKC Trails 79-75 After 3 Quarters

The Thunder have one quarter left to avoid a deficit that has never been overcome in the NBA Finals.

After three quarters in Miami, the Heat lead 79-75. The Thunder are looking to avoid a 1-3 series hole, out of which no Finals team has ever climbed and won the championship.

OKC led by three at halftime, but the Heat opened the third quarter on an 18-11 run to take a 64-60 lead. The teams went nearly an entire quarter's worth of time before a team led by more than three. LeBron James scored eight straight Miami points to give the Heat their biggest lead at 79-72 before a Russell Westbrook jumper and Kevin Durant free throw in the final seconds of the period.

Westbrook still leads OKC in scoring, with 26 points on 13-for-23 shooting. Durant has 22 points on 7-for-16 shooting. LeBron James has 20 points, 12 assists and nine rebounds to lead Miami, while Dwyane Wade also has 20 points

VIDEO: Kevin Durant Puts Fancy Moves On Heat Frontcourt

A lay-up is hardly considered the stuff of highlights, but Kevin Durant froze the Miami Heat frontcourt players in tonight's third quarter with a sweet move that's worth watching again. The Thunder in general have been playing poorly coming out of halftime in Game 4, but plays like this show that the game is far from over.

For more on this 2012 NBA Finals, be sure to read our StoryStream here. Check out Welcome To Loud City for more on the Thunder and Peninsula Is Mightier for more on the Heat.

2012 NBA Finals, Thunder Vs. Heat Game 4: Wild Second Quarter Leaves OKC Leading 49-46 At Haltime

Well, we knew early leads in this series haven't held up.

The Thunder had a 14-point lead after the first quarter, but it quickly disappeared in the second. At halftime, Oklahoma City leads 49-46 in Miami in what basically is a must-win.

The Heat opened the second quarter on a 16-2 run to tie the game at 35 four minutes into the period. Chris Bosh was pleased.

The remainder of the period was back-and-forth. For the final 6:45 of the second quarter, neither team led by more than three.

[Related Link: Video of Kevin Durant's Sweet Lay-Up]

Russell Westbrook leads OKC with 18-points on 9-for-15 shooting. Kevin Durant has 12 points. The Thunder are shooting 47.7 percent from the field, while Miami is shooting 44.2. The Heat have been led by 10 points each from LeBron James and Dwyane Wade. James nearly recorded a triple-double in the half, adding eight assists and six rebounds. The Thunder have a 22-21 edge in rebounds.

ANIMATED: Dwyane Wade Has Serious Back Issues In Heat-Thunder Game 4

Dwyane Wade is down for what looks to be a very painful moment below in the first half of game 4 of the 2012 NBA Finals between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Miami Heat. Wade is the key presence opposite of LeBron James to help Miami close out another win at home, but after colliding with Serge Ibaka of the Thunder, that might be a problem.

Here you clearly see Wade wincing and grimacing around on the floor in pain. While flopping has been a concern so far, it's hard to believe that Wade is overdoing it too much here. At this point, LeBron must step it up, Bosh must do his part and the Heat must find a new party to step in.

via assets.sbnation.com

For more on this 2012 NBA Finals, be sure to read our StoryStream here. Check outWelcome To Loud City for more on the Thunder and Peninsula Is Mightier for more on the Heat.

Dwayne Wade Injury Update: Heat Guard Hurts Back After Bump With Serge Ibaka

LeBron James is already feeling the pressure on many nights of the 2012 NBA Playoffs due to his teammates failing to also step up alongside him. Many moments, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh have been woefully silent in the NBA postseason. Now LeBron might have to make due because Wade is hurting with a back injury after a collision in the Thunder frontcourt.

Dwyane Wade is hurting after that collision with Serge Ibaka. He's on the ground, grabbing his lower back.

— Alex Kennedy (@AlexKennedyNBA) June 20, 2012

Further details are not known at this point, but it's clear that LeBron faces more pressure now than ever before. The Heat are hoping to close this out to put the Thunder on the ropes. But if Kevin Durant and company can't take advantage now, then they might as well close the books.

For more on this 2012 NBA Finals, be sure to read our StoryStream here. Check outWelcome To Loud City for more on the Thunder and Peninsula Is Mightier for more on the Heat.

2012 NBA Finals, Thunder Vs. Heat Game 4: OKC Leads 33-19 After First Quarter

For the first time in the 2012 NBA Finals, the Thunder have gotten off to a hot start. At the end of one quarter in Miami, Oklahoma City leads the Heat 33-19.

The Thunder made six of their first seven shots and took a 13-3 lead. The Heat answered with a 9-4 spurt, but OKC finished on a 16-7 run.

Russell Westbrook leads the Thunder with 10 points on 5-for-9 shooting, while Kevin Durant has eight points on 3-for-6 shooting. The Heat have been led by six points and five rebounds from Chris Bosh.

The Thunder finally got off to a quick start, but this series has shown that early leads are anything but safe. But to sum up the quarter:

GIF: Russell Westbrook Dunk Denied By The Rim

To be fair, Chris Bosh definitely affected this dunk attempt, but this still goes down as a great NBA Finals blooper.

Thunder Vs. Miami: TV Schedule, Game Time, NBA Finals Preview

The Oklahoma City Thunder simply have to tie the series tonight. Otherwise, history shows that the 2012 NBA Finals is basically over if the Miami Heat go up three games to one after game four. The Heat already have a 2-1 lead heading into tonight's home game and it's clear to everyone involved on all sides just how much is at stake in this pivotal contest.

Kevin Durant hopes to avoid foul trouble tonight so he play as aggressively late in the game as his team needs him to do. Foul shots are also an issue tonight for the Thunder to address. Simply put, they can ill afford to miss key opportunities.

LeBron James and Dwyane Wade are waiting to put the clamp down on OKC's title hopes. Tonight should be a good game.

Here's your broadcast information for tonight:

Date/Time: Tuesday, June 19, 8 p.m. CT

Location: American Airlines Arena, Miami

TV: ABC

Read more about the Oklahoma City Thunder at Welcome To Loud City. Check out Peninsula Is Mightier for more on the Miami Heat.

NBA Finals 2012, Thunder Vs. Heat: Oklahoma City Needs To Avoid Slow Starts

The Oklahoma City Thunder have gotten into a habit of starting slowly. In four of their last eight games, they have had first quarter deficits of at least 10 points.

While the Thunder were able to come from behind against the San Antonio Spurs, the Miami Heat is too good defensively to consistently play from behind, according to Jim Cavan of The New York Times.

But while that might make for good theater, the Heat’s ability to summon vise-like defense – similarly at a moment’s notice – makes coming from behind a much harder proposition for the Thunder than in series past. From the get-go in Game 2, Miami’s plan was clear: Attack early, attack often; get the lead, keep the lead.

Without a good start on Tuesday, the Thunder might find themselves on the brink of elimination.

For more on this 2012 NBA Finals, be sure to read our StoryStream here. Check out Welcome To Loud City for more on the Thunder and Peninsula Is Mightier for more on the Heat.

NBA Finals 2012, Thunder Vs. Heat: OKC Has Game 4 History

On Tuesday, the Oklahoma City Thunder will attempt to even up the 2012 NBA Finals at 2-2 as they take on the Miami Heat in Florida. This, of course, is far from the first Game 4 that the Thunder have been involved in, but they have come a long was since last year's playoffs.

J.A. Sherman at Welcome To Loud City took a look at two of the big Game 4 matchups that the Thunder had in the 2011 NBA Playoffs. He compares the performances against the Memphis Grizzlies and the Dallas Mavericks to what the Thunder will need to accomplish on Tuesday.

I think that tonight's game is going to carry a similar tenor as the Game 4 against Memphis. Miami is rolling right now with just enough of a mix of great defense and LeBron James offense to outlast the Thunder. There is going to come a point in tonight's game when OKC looks like it is about to slip and lose all traction in these Finals. It is at that moment that the Thunder will have to consider what they are going to become in 2012 and decide to either ride out the string or fight back.

Game 4 is there for the taking. OKC is good enough to do it, smart enough to do it, and strong enough to do it. The only question left is this - when the game-deciding plays are there to be made, will OKC be ready to make them to decide the game?

The whole article is well worth check out if you have a moment.

For more on this 2012 NBA Finals, be sure to read our StoryStream here. Check out Welcome To Loud City for more on the Thunder and Peninsula Is Mightier for more on the Heat.

2012 NBA Finals: LeBron James Calls Serge Ibaka 'Stupid'

Serge Ibaka made the mistake of coming out after game three of the 2012 NBA Finals and calling out LeBron James on his defense. In comments about James and Thunder star Kevin Durant, Ibaka said James was the worse player and said James was "not a good defender." It's the sort of dumb statement that only distracts when a team is already down in the playoffs.

As for James, he dismissed the comments when asked about them before Tuesday night's Game 4 battle.

"I don't really care what he says, he's stupid," James said. "Everyone says something to me every series then (the media) tries to get a quote. It's stupid."

"For me as a defender, I just try to make plays and try to keep my body in front of a great player," James continued. "First of all I'm not playing 48 minutes and Kevin's not playing 48 minutes. I'm not guarding him for 48 minutes. When I'm on him, I'm just trying to make it tough for him to make shots, which he's going to make."

For more on this 2012 NBA Finals, be sure to read our StoryStream here. Check out Welcome To Loud City for more on the Thunder and Peninsula Is Mightier for more on the Heat.

VIDEO: 6-Year-Old Has Meltdown Over Miami Heat Win In Game 3

You'll likely love this vid or hate it, but it's hard not to at least give some attention to the six-year-old kid featured here who hates the Miami Heat. Even LeBron? Yes, although he apparently used to like him. Bosh? Yes. He hates the Heat and likes Durant and it's clear that the volatile NBA fan might turn out to be the next Bill Simmons.

For more on this 2012 NBA Finals, be sure to read our StoryStream here. Check out Welcome To Loud City for more on the Thunder and Peninsula Is Mightier for more on the Heat.

VIDEO: Bomani Jones On The Old Miami Heat And The Young OKC Thunder

Experience is the one aspect of the game of basketball that the Oklahoma City Thunder can do nothing about. The Miami Heat have them beat in spades in that precious category and that's the focus of Bomani Jones' latest rant about the 2012 NBA Finals. Wanna know why the Heat are up 2-1 heading into Game 4, perhaps that's due to the Thunder's lack of game-time experience compared to the multiple seasons played by the Heat's stars.

Check out Bomani's take below on what he calls the "old man game."

For more on this 2012 NBA Finals, be sure to read our StoryStream here. Check outWelcome To Loud City for more on the Thunder and Peninsula Is Mightier for more on the Heat.

NBA Finals 2012: Serge Ibaka Does Not Respect LeBron James As A Defender

Serge Ibaka could be using his most recent comments on LeBron James' defensive ability to motivate Kevin Durant, or at least psych the three-time NBA scoring champion into thinking he can do a number on James if he gets loose.

Either way, Ibaka is showing absolutely no respect for James' defensive prowess, not that the NBA Finals is a time to be friendly a praise the opposition, especially when it's kicking your tail at the moment.

Read Ibaka's comments, via CBSSports:

"LeBron is not a good defender," Ibaka said about the player who received the most votes for the league's all-defensive team, which is selected by the coaches.

"He can play defense for two to three minutes but not 48 minutes. LeBron can't play (Durant) one-on-one," Ibaka said. "They're playing good defense like a team."

For more on this 2012 NBA Finals, be sure to read our StoryStream here. Check out Welcome To Loud City for more on the Thunder and Peninsula Is Mightier for more on the Heat.

NBA Finals 2012, Thunder Vs. Heat: Game 4 Preview, TV Info And More

The pressure is really on this young Oklahoma City Thunder team to even the NBA Finals against the Miami Heat at 2-2. Failure to do so would me Miami goes up 3-1 in the series, with one more game to play at home, before two opportunities to close the Thunder out in OKC, if necessary.

To add; no team in NBA history has been able to comeback from a 3-1 deficit in the Finals, though it has been done several times at other stage of the playoffs.

If the Thunder is going to have any more success in this series, Russell Westbrook is going to have to shoot better than what's led to his 28-of-68 field goal shooting up to this point. Many are calling for Westbrook to dial it down since he's taken more shots than Kevin Durant this series. But the truth is, they could use some of those Westbrook buckets with the defense LeBron James proved himself capable of playing against Durant.

Take a look at the game schedule and broadcast information right here:

Date/Time: Tuesday, June 19, 8 p.m. CT

Location: American Airlines Arena

TV: ABC

Read more about the Oklahoma City Thunder at Welcome To Loud City. Check out Peninsula Is Mightier for more on the Miami Heat.

Thunder Vs. Heat: Scott Brooks Not Trying To Send Message To Russell Westbrook

Russell Westbrook sat on the bench for several minutes in a stretch of game three of the 2012 NBA Finals that had several people wondering whether or not something was wrong. Scott Brooks, the head coach of the Oklahoma City Thunder, said that despite notions to the contrary, he was not trying to send any message to his star point guard after he struggled against the Miami Heat.

Scott Brooks on sitting Westbrook in the third: "No, there was no message, I just took him out. He had a bad stretch."

— Royce Young (@dailythunder) June 18, 2012

Westbrook ended up with 19 points in game three, but it was clear he was off his game for a while. Yet the Thunder also clearly seemed to miss him on the floor, and it had fans and NBA analysts wondering why Brooks kept him out for such an extended stretch. Clearly, Brooks didn't mean anything by it. It was a cut and dry benching for a few minutes that's likely been blown out of proportion.

Still on the NBA's biggest stage and with so much at stake, the Thunder's best players need to be on the floor as much as possible. it was an interesting move by Brooks and one that's still a bit mysterious despite his efforts to explain it.

Read more about the Oklahoma City Thunder at Welcome To Loud City. Head over toSB Nation's outstanding NBA Finals coverage for more news and analysis.

2012 NBA Finals, Thunder Vs. Heat: Bomani Jones On Game 3

In the latest Monday Morning Jones, you'll read Bomani Jones' take on the overreaction to Oklahoma City's win in Game 1 of the NBA Finals against the Miami Heat. The Thunder haven't won since then and now trail 2-1 in the series, with two more games to play in Miami.

By the time Game 4 tips off, fans and media will wonder if the young OKC squad has it in them to avoid this series ending in South Beach. Like Bomani said: "My, how things have changed."

All of sudden LeBron James is the veteran playoff performer so many seemed to have forgotten he was, and Kevin Durant is the young scoring champion who doesn't play physical enough to get the superstar treatment from the referees in Finals games.

That wasn't the narrative a week ago.

This, from Bo's column:

Less than a week ago, the supposedly knowledgeable determined the Heat had to win Game 2 against Oklahoma City to have a shot at a championship. Not this championship, mind you, but any championship at all. Like, ever.

A few days later, and the Thunder are down 2-1 with the following anvil over their heads -- no team, out of 30, has ever won the NBA Finals after trailing 3-1. It was silly to start counting OKC's rings after one game, and it would be just as silly to bury them after two losses. Lose the next one, however, and get ready for questions on whether OKC will ever win a ring itself, given how either James Harden or Serge Ibaka will have to leave town soon. Isn't it funny how quickly the media can turn on a team?

Read more about the Oklahoma City Thunder at Welcome To Loud City. Head over to SB Nation's outstanding NBA Finals coverage for more news and analysis.

Thunder Vs. Heat: Scott Brooks And Oklahoma City Struggling In Extension Talks

On the court, the Oklahoma City Thunder are two losses away from losing the NBA Finals, and off the court, the team might be getting close to losing its head coach. Scott Brooks and the Thunder are not close in talks for a contract extension, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports.

Brooks and the Thunder stopped contract talks before the NBA playoffs, and there's a chance that he will hit the open market at the end of the season.

In four seasons at the helm, Brooks has coached the Thunder to a 174-125 record, won an NBA Coach of the Year and led the team to the NBA finals.

The Thunder have offered Brooks a three-year deal with around $11 million, but he did not accept. The Charlotte Bobcats, Orlando Magic and Portland Trail Blazers all have head coaching vacancies.

For more on the Thunder, visit Welcome To Loud City.

Thunder Vs. Heat: What Oklahoma City Needs To Correct To Win

The Oklahoma CIty Thunder find themselves two losses away from elimination after falling to the Miami Heat on Sunday night. After winning the first game of the series, the Thunder have faltered in key moments and allowed the Heat to take the series lead.

With Tuesday's Game Four a near must-win for the Thunder, NewsOK.com outlines what the team must improve on to win. Free-throw shooting is at the top of that list.

The Thunder is missing far too many free throws: After leading the NBA the last two seasons at 82.3 percent and 80.6 percent, OKC is shooting just 70.1 percent (54 for 77) from the free-throw line in the Finals. Game 3 was the worst showing yet at 62.5 percent (15 for 24). OKC is getting its usual number of attempts at the line compared to the regular season (26.4), but it's nowhere close to its usual number of makes (21.3).

The Heat aren't doing the Thunder any favors from the line either. Miami is shooting 85.9 percent at the stripe this series.

Read more about the Oklahoma City Thunder at Welcome To Loud City, and for more on the Miami Heat check out Peninsula Is Mightier.

VIDEO: OKC Thunder PG Russell Westbrook Misses 3-Pointer To Tie Miami Heat

The Oklahoma City Thunder certainly had their chances at the end of game two in their loss to the Miami Heat at Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City and the same be said of game three at Miami. The 2012 NBA Finals might be in favor 2-1 to the Heat, but OKC could easily have turned the tables if some of the team's last second shots could go in.

On Sunday night, Thunder point guard Russell Westbrook missed a three-pointer near the end of the game that could have tied it after he had a surprising open look at the basket. Westbrook had a nice night with 19 points and 5 rebounds to go with 4 assists, but it's clear he wishes that total was 22 points instead. Check the video below:

For more on this game Thunder fans should check out Welcome To Loud City and Heatfans should visit Peninsula Is Mightier. For more news and notes from around the NBA head over to SB Nation's NBA Basketball page.

LeBron James Comes Up Big For Miami Heat In Win Over Oklahoma City Thunder

The 2012 NBA Finals are largely known as the high profile match-up between two of the NBA's brightest stars -- perhaps even the biggest. LeBron James of the Miami Heat and Kevin Durant of the Oklahoma City Thunder have led their respective teams against each other every night so far in this championship series, and the results have been exactly as expected. Someone had to take charge in game three, and LeBron did exactly that with a strong performance that might help him shake the monkey from his back.

James has taken a lot of slack since The Decision to move to Miami with Dwyane Wade, but winning a title would go a long way toward answering his critics. Last night's tremendous display of 29 points and 14 rebounds on 11 of 23 shooting was the sort of strong performance at home his team needed at the right time.

As for Durant, he went for 25 points and 6 rebounds himself, but it clearly wasn't enough. An early first quarter deficit happened again, but the missed free throws were simply too much down the stretch.

Durant will have another chance to redeem himself soon enough and this might come down to Game 7 in the end. It's a fitting match-up that's great for business and fans of the NBA.

For more on this game Thunder fans should check out Welcome To Loud City and Heat fans should visit Peninsula Is Mightier. For more news and notes from around the NBA head over to SB Nation's NBA Basketball page.

Kevin Durant: 'We Have To Keep Playing Together And Believing'

Kevin Durant has been the model citizen of a superstar in his time with the Oklahoma City Thunder, so it's not surprising to hear him sound like a seasoned head coach when he responded after the Thunder's game three loss to the Miami Heat on Sunday night.

KD after the game. "It's frustrating...tough loss but it's not over.We have to keep playing together and believing"

— OKC THUNDER (@okcthunder) June 18, 2012

Durant scored 25 on the night and did his part, but the Heat defense deserves credit for the job they did despite questionable fouls from the referees. LeBron James also put up an incredible 29 points and 14 rebounds. Yet the Thunder were also down 2 to 0 against the San Antonio Spurs, who were previously undefeated in the playoffs and for 20 consecutive games overall and they came back. They are down just 2-1 at this point, so anything is possible.

For more on this game Thunder fans should check out Welcome To Loud City and Heat fans should visit Peninsula Is Mightier. For more news and notes from around the NBA head over to SB Nation's NBA Basketball page.

Thunder Vs. Heat Final Score: Oklahoma City Falls To Miami, 91-85

The Oklahoma City Thunder find themselves down in the series 2-1 after losing Game 3 of the NBA Finals 91-85 to the Miami Heat. The Thunders poor free throw shooting is one of the key points that caused them the game Sunday night. for the night the Thunder only made 15-of-24 while the Heat were much better by converting 31-of-35.

Possibly what caused the game to slip away from the Thunder is that with 32 seconds left and trailing by three points the Thunder decided to wait to foul LeBron James until there was 10 seconds on the shot clock. James made one of two free throws to put the Heat up four, but the biggest error came when Thabo Sefalosha thew away the inbound pass.

The Heat offense was all James as he scored 29 points on 11-of-23 shooting plus 14 rebounds, and while Dwyane Wade scored 25 points he was only 8-of-22 plus turned the ball over five times.

Kevin Durant did all that he could to keep the Thunder in the game but his 25 points were not enough. Russell Westbrook chipped in with 19, but James Harden did not add that third scorer the Thunder desperately needed. Harden scored only nine points on 2-of-10 shooting. The Thunder also had trouble shooting the ball from beyond three-point range by making only 4-of-18.

For more on this game Thunder fans should check out Welcome To Loud City and Heat fans should visit Peninsula Is Mightier. For more news and notes from around the NBA head over to SB Nation's NBA Basketball page.

Thunder Vs. Heat: Oklahoma City Continues To Struggle From Free Throw Line

The Oklahoma City Thunder continue to struggle from the stripe tonight and the team can ill afford to not take advantage of foul shots in the 2012 NBA Finals if they expect to best the Miami Heat for the NBA title. As Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated notes below, OKC has to shake their inconsistency to stand a chance.

If OKC loses, we will be talking about missed free throws. Thunder 11-18 tonight from the line.

— Chris Mannix (@ChrisMannixSI) June 18, 2012

For now, the Thunder and Heat are fighting back and forth and this should go down to the wire. Those free throws stand out as a key point already, so hopefully OKC can turn things around. The worst offenders? James Harden is 3 of 5 and Nick Collison is 0 for 2.

For more on this game Thunder fans should check out Welcome To Loud City and Heat fans should visit Peninsula Is Mightier. For more news and notes from around the NBA head over to SB Nation's NBA Basketball page.

PHOTO: World's Biggest LeBron James Jersey Shows At Miami Heat-OKC Thunder Game 3

LeBron James has to sell jerseys of all sizes to all types of people. But the planets have aligned for this stay-puff. Not sure what size this is, but just had to pass this along.

via assets.sbnation.com

For more on this game Thunder fans should check out Welcome To Loud City and Heat fans should visit Peninsula Is Mightier. For more news and notes from around the NBA head over to SB Nation's NBA Basketball page.

VIDEO: Russell Westbrook Pulls A Rajon Rondo In Thunder-Heat Game

Russell Westbrook is one of the elite point guards in the NBA without question, but he's added another move to his repertoire. Check out Westbrook channeling his inner Rajon Rondo in tonight's game three of the 2012 NBA Finals as the Oklahoma City Thunder take on the Miami Heat. The video is below:

For more on this game Thunder fans should check out Welcome To Loud City and Heatfans should visit Peninsula Is Mightier. For more news and notes from around the NBA head over to SB Nation's NBA Basketball page.

Thunder Vs. Heat Halftime Score: Miami Leads OKC, 47-46

The Thunder are trailing the Heat 47-46 at the half of Game 3 of the NBA Finals.

2012 NBA Finals: Scott Brooks Sticking With Starting Lineup

Don't expect the Oklahoma City Thunder to overreact to their first loss in the 2012 NBA Finals. Scott Brooks will stick with his starting lineup tonight for Game 3 despite slow starts in each of the first two games.

"It hasn't even crossed my mind to change the starting lineup. It's important to have a good start and a good finish," Brooks said. "Every fight is important. You can't just say we're going to knock the guy out in the final round, you have to punch him in the first round just as many times in the last round. We have to fight every possession and every round and that's what we have to do. I've never considered changing the starting lineup, we're pretty good."

Miami doesn't have a dominant big man so therefore many are calling for Kendrick Perkins to be replaced in the starting lineup by James Harden with the Thunder going small. However, Scott Brooks like the continuity that his team has had all year and is sticking with it at least at this point.

For more on this game Thunder fans should check out Welcome To Loud City and Heat fans should visit Peninsula Is Mightier. For more news and notes from around the NBA head over to SB Nation's NBA Baskeball page.

Thunder Vs. Heat: Game Time, TV Schedule, Radio Info For NBA Finals Game 3

The Oklahoma City Thunder now take to the road after going even in the first two games at home in their hopes of winning the 2011-12 NBA title in what many believe will be a long string of appearances for Kevin Durant and company this late in the playoffs. The Miami Heat are also fighting for the same and game three will provide a pivotal win for some team looking for bragging rights and long-term glory.

The Thunder and Heat are tied at one game apiece and both games told vastly different stories. The Thunder dominated the Heat in game one after being down early. The second game featured a Heat team that came alive and held off the Thunder from beginning to end. LeBron James, Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade will all have to be effective tonight to top the Thunder, but if that happens, OKC will have a tough go of it.

Here's the info you need to catch tonight's game:

Game Date/Time: Sunday, June 17, 7 p.m. CT

Series: Tied 1-1

Location: AmericanAirlines Arena, Miami, Florida

TV: ABC

Radio: Thunder Radio Network

For more on this game Thunder fans should check out Welcome To Loud City and Heat fans should visit Peninsula Is Mightier. For more news and notes from around the NBA head over to SB Nation's NBA Baskeball page.

2012 NBA Finals: Quotes From The Thunder On Their Slow Starts And Game 3

Captain Obvious here. Hey, if the Oklahoma City Thunder want to cure their ills in game three versus the Miami Heat in the NBA Finals, they might want to work on fixing their slow starts in the series.

Thanks Captain Obvious.

Its a narrative that's been beaten into the ground, and its something that the Oklahoma City Thunder players, coaches, staff, fans, ball boys, vendors and security guards all recognize as well. Looking at film helps, and as Kevin Durant noted in interviews yesterday, it was "painful" to watch.

Kevin Durant on the slow starts the Thunder have endured in the first two games:

"We just have to play harder to start the games. We have to play harder. We're doing it a little too late. We watched the film, first 10 minutes of the game, we're kind of relaxed. I don't know why, but we've just got to play harder. I think we will after watching that. It was tough to watch, go to the film and look at it and say, wow, did I really just do that? It falls back on me as a leader."

Scott Brooks on what's plaguing the Thunder in the slow starts, and how they can improve:

"We got off to a bad start. I mean, that's the obvious thing to everybody. We have things that we could have done better. We missed some shots. We missed layups, we missed some pull-up shots. Defensively we didn't match up in transition. There's a lot of things that we could have done better and hopefully Game 3 we do better."

Thabo Sefolosha on the Thunder's chances to win on the road:

"We have shown all year we can play well on the road. We have three games here, but we're only concerned about Game 3."

Game 3 between the Miami Heat and the Oklahoma City Thunder at 7:00 pm Central Time.

For more on the 2012 NBA Finals between the Thunder and Heat go check out Welcome To Loud City and Peninsula Is Mightier. For more news and notes from around the NBA head over to SB Nation's NBA Basketball page.

2012 NBA Finals: Kevin Durant Says Thunder 'Have To Seize The Moment'

Kevin Durant is not buying the dynasty hype. Even when he's surrounded by talents like Russell Westbrook and James Harden, he still doesn't believe the talk that has NBA fans and media talking about a potentially great run with several NBA titles. Despite disposing of the Lakers, Mavericks and Spurs to get to this point, Durant believes the NBA features enough competition that they must take care of things now.

"Nothing is guaranteed with the way this league is going with so many great teams," Durant said. "You never know. This is a great opportunity for us. We have to seize the moment and be ready."

It's easy to love the talent and youth of the Oklahoma City Thunder and see how they're constructed for the long run, but Durant is right to focus on the present. OKC head coach Scott Brooks has his players focusing on the right things and it's easy to see why they've done as well as they have. To finish the job ahead of them against the Miami Heat, they will have to stay that focused.

"I think when we put ourselves in this position it was about seizing the moment and taking advantage of this great opportunity," Derek Fisher said. "There are really no guarantees. I don’t think anybody in this building can promise these guys that they’ll be back in the Finals in the future in their careers. So it’s just about enjoying this and taking advantage of it now and getting the most out of it."

For more on the 2012 NBA Finals between the Thunder and Heat go check out Welcome To Loud City and Peninsula Is Mightier. For more news and notes from around the NBA head over to SB Nation's NBA Basketball page.

Chris Bosh Questions Miami Heat's Effort Not Talent When Discussing 2012 NBA Playoff Deficits

In nearly every series of the 2012 NBA Playoffs, the Miami Heat have made the work harder than it was supposed to be. When The Decision was made and LeBron James and Chris Bosh joined Dwyane Wade in South Beach, the Heat were supposed to dominate a weaker Eastern Conference and enjoy the spoils that several superstars bring.

However, that has not been the case against gritty teams like the Indiana Pacers or the experience of the Boston Celtics. The Playoffs are always hard, but there were definitely moments that put the Heat on the edge of not making the Finals at all. Yet Chris Bosh says it’s not a matter of talent for the Heat in any of these series. Instead, it’s just about getting these players to put forth the effort required.

"I don’t think it’s a question of talent with this team," said Bosh to the Miami Herald. "It’s always a question of the effort. As long as we bring the effort and determination and play in that desperate form, we’re really tough to beat. We can’t let our guard down because we’re at home. I’m expecting a much harder fought game than Game 2."

That’s definitely the case given how Wade has seemed to quit at times. If the Heat can convince each of their stars to give it their all, it’s going to be very difficult to keep them from hoisting the trophy at the end of the 2012 NBA Finals.

For more on the 2012 NBA Finals between the Thunder and Heat go check out Welcome To Loud City and Peninsula Is Mightier. For more news and notes from around the NBA head over to SB Nation's NBA Basketball page.

Thunder Must Avoid Early Deficit Against Heat To Win Game 3 At Miami

The Oklahoma City Thunder and Miami Heat are tied with one win apiece in the 2012 NBA Finals, and game three in Miami is Sunday night. But the Thunder could easily be up by two games at this point if it wasn't for the early deficit they seem to put themselves in during games. In game two, it was a hole that Kevin Durant and company couldn't dig themselves out of.

In the first quarter of game two, the Heat went up 27-15. They came back to almost win the game, but that sort of early deficit is unacceptable, especially at home. The game quickly got out of control and it spiralled just a bit too far out of reach. Royce Young of the Daily Thunder says it's to blame for the team's woes so far in the series.

I think they're trying too hard, if that's believable. I think they want to get off to such a fast start, to try and bury the Heat, that they're overdoing it. They're pressing, playing tight and trying to go on 8-0 runs each individual possession. The Thunder are best when the game comes naturally, in flow and rhythm. When they force the issue, whether that's Westbrook, Durant or anyone else, it doesn't work as well. I would add this too though: It has something to do with the starting five. Not everything, but something.

Scott Brooks team can change things when they head into Miami tonight for game three.

For more on the 2012 NBA Finals between the Thunder and Heat go check out Welcome To Loud City and Peninsula Is Mightier. For more news and notes from around the NBA head over to SB Nation's NBA Basketball page.

2012 NBA Finals, Heat Vs. Thunder Game 3: Game TIme, TV Schedule And More

The 2012 NBA Finals shifts to Miami with the Oklahoma City Thunder looking to regain homecourt advantage over the Heat.

Russell Westbrook Will Not Change His Game

Oklahoma City Thunder point guard Russell Westbrook took some heat from ABC analyst Magic Johnson after calling his Game 2 NBA Finals performance one of the worst ever by a point guard. Westbrook's stat line was impressive as he scored 27 points, eight rebounds and seven assists.

Nonetheless, Westbrook received criticism from Johnson and Westbrook commented by saying that he will not change his game:

"I'm not making no adjustments, regardless of what anybody says," Westbrook said Saturday before the Thunder's practice. "I'm going to play my game regardless of what happens." [...]

"It's just something that comes along with the territory," Westbrook said. "We're in the NBA Finals now and the more negative you hear, the better you're doing. That's how I look at it."

The critique of Westbrook's game is likely coming his way because he has shot the ball a team-high 50 times in the NBA Finals which is eight more than Kevin Durant, and Westbrook is also shooting only 40 percent from the field. Both his coach Scott Brooks and Durant are backing up the point guard and his play.

For more on the 2012 NBA Finals between the Thunder and Heat go check out Welcome To Loud City and Peninsula Is Mightier. For more news and notes from around the NBA head over to SB Nation's NBA Basketball page.

VIDEO: What To Expect As NBA Finals Heads To Miami

The series is tied at one game apiece in the 2012 NBA Finals, and now the series heads to Miami for games three, four and five. SB Nation's Ben Golliver breaks down what to expect for the next three games between the Oklahoma City Thunder and Miami Heat.

The Heat needed to split the first two games of the series, and by doing so that gives them a chance to win the series. Had the Thunder gone up 2-0 over the Heat the series would have been essentially over, because the Heat would have needed to win at least two of three games at home which would be extremely difficult against a deep Thunder team.

The Thunder have multiple options starting with Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and James Harden, so if the Heat are going to have a chance to get past the Thunder they will need to find an additional scorer beyond just LeBron James and Dwyane Wade.

For more on the 2012 NBA Finals between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Miami Heat go check out Welcome To Loud City and Peninsula Is Mightier. For more news and notes from around the NBA head over to SB Nation's NBA Basketball page.

2012 NBA Finals, Thunder Vs. Heat: Key Adjustments By Miami Led To OKC Game 2 Loss

Oklahoma City Thunder beat writer Darnell Mayberry points out two key adjustments by Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra before Game 2 even started that put the Thunder at a disadvantage from tipoff.

OKC had to be anticipating Chris Bosh being re-established into the Heat starting lineup. But leaving Battier in, taking Udonis Haslem out, and starting Bosh at center threw the matchups for a loop. And Battier's unlikely deadly shooting on the road carried over from Game 1.

Not just that. But Bosh somehow managed to outplay Scott Brooks' confusing mix of Kendrick Perkins, Serge Ibaka and Nick Collison in terms of rebounds production and energy.

These graphs from Mayberry's notebook:

Spoelstra changed his starting lineup for this one, inserting Chris Bosh and sitting Udonis Haslem. It worked like a charm. Bosh gave the Heat a boost of energy and a presence down low. He had a game-high 15 rebounds and scored 16 points and spent a good portion of the first half diving all over the floor for loose balls. Bosh's energy and hustle early illustrated how the Thunder was getting outworked.

The Heat started LeBron James out on Durant this time, and it too worked to perfection. Much of the reason the Thunder struggled was because Durant couldn't shake free from LeBron. His defense broke down the Thunder's entire offense. As a result, Russell Westbrook had no choice but to start jacking jumpers, Serge Ibaka, too. The Thunder even had to go inside to Kendrick Perkins, who was being guarded in the post by Battier. None of it worked.

Read more about the Oklahoma City Thunder at Welcome To Loud City, and for more on the Miami Heat check out Peninsula Is Mightier.

2012 NBA Finals Ratings: OKC, Miami And Cleveland Among Top TV Markets, Seattle Far Behind

The 2012 NBA Finals is earning high marks when it comes to television ratings due to the presence of the Miami Heat and Oklahoma City Thunder and the stars they bring. LeBron James and Dwyane Wade bring a major presence and Kevin Durant is turning into a marketable icon as well. With several elite players and well-known celebs, it's going to be a great Finals.

That's why it's not surprising, then, that the ratings are so high across the board for game two last night. From the overnight press release:

The two-game NBA Finals overnight ratings average for 2012 is an 11.8, up 11 percent from last year. Game 2 peaked with a 15.1 rating from 11:30 to 11:45 p.m. ET.

What's specifically interesting about the ratings are the markets involved. The two teams involved dominate the local markets, but check out what Josh Krulewitz notes as well.

Top 5 markets for NBA Finals Game 2 ratings on ABC: OKC, Miami, Tulsa, West Palm Beach, & yes CLEVELAND. (Seattle was 39th)

— Josh Krulewitz (@jksports) June 15, 2012

For all of the fuss over the loss of the Seattle Supersonics to OKC, which was definitely handled the wrong way, the evidence isn't present so far in the Finals that there's a solid group of NBA fans who just want to watch great basketball. Perhaps that's a small sample size and an unfair comparison point, but it's interesting to say the least.

For more on the 2012 NBA Finals between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Miami Heat, check out Welcome To Loud City and Peninsula Is Mightier. For more news and notes from around the NBA head over to SB Nation's NBA Basketball page.

NBA Finals 2012: OKC Thunder Won't Change Starters For Game 3 Versus Miami Heat

The Oklahoma City Thunder have toyed with various line-ups this season while keeping the same stars on the floor most of the time. The team could shift things in the middle at center or even at shooting guard if they want, but apparently Scott Brooks is fine with his starting five despite the game two loss 100-86 against the Miami Heat in the 2012 NBA Finals.

When asked about shifting his line-up, he acted as if that wasn't even an option.

"No, not at all," Brooks said. "We just lost 30 minutes ago, so I just think we were missing shots. We didn't come out with the defensive toughness, the disposition that we need to play with. We have to do that first, and then if it doesn't work, then we'll think about doing other things. But right now we have to play better from the very start."

He's right about playing better from the start. The team went down early to the Heat and left the first quarter down by 12. The team had to come back from another deficit in game 1 and it's clear that the Thunder are setting a precedent of putting themselves in a hole early, making a tough situation that much harder.

For more on the 2012 NBA Finals between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Miami Heat, check out Welcome To Loud City and Peninsula Is Mightier. For more news and notes from around the NBA head over to SB Nation's NBA Basketball page.

2012 NBA Finals: Thunder Coach Scott Brooks Won't Worry About Officiating Against Heat

Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Scott Brooks has gotten the most from his team all season long with a mature approach that has helped bonded a team filled with stars and kept them focused on doing what it takes to win by executing the right game plan. That's not going to stop heading into Game 3 at Miami even though plenty of fans are complaining after Game 2.

Some officiating issues came into focus in the final seconds wondering if Kevin Durant was fouled or not. But the head coach properly refused to worry about that after the game.

"That's one play," Brooks said. "We have so many other plays that we could have done better to put us in a position to stay closer in the game. I'm not going to get into that. I haven't in the past, I'm not going to start doing it now. It was a play, he didn't get the call.

"The bottom line is we play aggressive basketball, we play tough basketball, and we didn't do that to start the game. The last minute, I won't even look at that. I'm going to focus on the first six to eight minutes of the game," he continued. "That's more important than the last minute of the last play of the game. You know what, he missed a shot."

Kevin Durant seemed to agree that the main focus should have been the hole the team put themselves in to start the game.

"That was the game," Durant said. "We can't start off down 18 to 2."

The series is now tied at 1 win apiece and heads to Miami for Game 3.

For more on the 2012 NBA Finals between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Miami Heat, check out Welcome To Loud City and Peninsula Is Mightier. For more news and notes from around the NBA head over to SB Nation's NBA Basketball page.

Thunder Vs. Heat: LeBron James' Performance Colored By Officiating Issues

For those wanting to watch the very end of game two of the 2012 NBA Finals between the Oklahoma City Thunder and Miami Heat, you can check it out yourself below. The game officially ended in a 100-96 win for the Miami Heat, but Thunder fans have a lot of complaining to do around the water cooler today given the officiating in last night's game.

Give Miami credit for coming out strong and the Thunder simply put themselves in a hole they couldn't come out of. The free throws missed and last second shots that didn't fall had nothing to do with the officials, but there were certainly questionable moments for LeBron as well. Was Kevin Durant fouled at the end? Did LeBron travel? Check it out for yourself.

For more on the 2012 NBA Finals between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Miami Heat, check out Welcome To Loud City and Peninsula Is Mightier. For more news and notes from around the NBA head over to SB Nation's NBA Basketball page.

2012 NBA Finals, Thunder Vs. Heat: Kevin Durant Was Fouled By LeBron James, Still A Good Shot

2012 NBA Finals, Thunder Vs. Heat Game 2: OKC Rally Falls Short In 100-96 Defeat

In Game 1, the Thunder used a dominating fourth quarter to cruise to a victory over the Heat. In Game 2, Oklahoma City used another strong fourth quarter to cut a deficit, but couldn't complete the comeback, falling 100-96.

The series is evened up at one game apiece and shifts to Miami for the next three games.

OKC entered the fourth quarter trailing 78-67, but chipped away in the final period. When Thunder cut the deficit to three points with 1:47 to go, the Heat answered with a bank shot from LeBron James and dunk from Chris Bosh to up the lead back to seven with 53 seconds left.

But it wasn't over. Kevin Durant scored on a drive and the Thunder stole the ball, leading to a Durant three-pointer that cut it to a two-point game with 37 seconds left. James missed a quick three and OKC had the ball with a chance to tie or take the lead. Durant appeared to be fouled on a baseline shot attempt, but no foul was called (see video below). James hit two free throws and iced the game.

Durant finished with 32 points. He made his first seven shots of the second half and scored 16 points in the fourth quarter. Russell Westbrook scored 27 points on 10-for-25 shooting. James Harden was the only other Thunder player in double figures, scoring 21. James led Miami with 32 points, along with eight rebounds and five assists. He went 12-for-12 from the free-throw line. Dwyane Wade scored 24, while Chris Bosh had 16 points and 15 rebounds.

Was Durant fouled? You be the judge. Durant had the benefit of a questionable blocking foul that would have been his sixth, so maybe it evens out.

Video: Kevin Durant Dunks On Shane Battier

The Thunder are starting to make a run in the fourth quarter, highlighted by this monster jam from Kevin Durant.

2012 NBA Finals, Thunder Vs. Heat Game 2: Miami Leads 78-67 After Three Quarters

If the Thunder are going to make their run, it's going to have to happen soon. After three quarters in Oklahoma City, the Thunder trail the Heat 78-67.

The third quarter was back-and-forth. Every time the Thunder look to cut the game close, Miami answered. Kevin Durant has 16 points on 7-for-13 shooting, but sat for the final few minutes of the period with four fouls. James Harden has 17 points on 5-for-9 shooting but didn't score nor attempt a shot in the quarter. Russell Westbrook has 18 on 6-for-18.

LeBron James has 26 points, with most of them coming within a few feet of the rim. The Thunder have zero transition buckets, according to the ABC broadcast, as the the Miami defense has frustrated them all night. But OKC outscored Miami by 10 in the fourth quarter of Game 1.

2012 NBA Finals, Thunder Vs. Heat Game 2: Miami Leads 55-43 At Halftime

We've seen this before.

On Tuesday, the Heat jumped off to a hot start and led at halftime. On Thursday, the same story has played out again, as Miami holds a 55-43 lead at the break in Oklahoma City.

James Harden leads all scorers with 17 points on 5-for-9 shooting. OKC's two stars, Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant have combined for just 15 points. Westbrook has nine on 2-for-10 shooting, while Durant has six on 3-for-9 shooting, including 0-for-5 from three-point range. The Heat are led by 14 points from LeBron James.

Miami led 27-15 after the first quarter. The Thunder cut the deficit to single digits in the second, but a 7-0 run gave the Heat a 51-34 lead with 2:10 to play in the half. OKC finished on a 9-4 run. The Thunder shot 37.1 percent in the half, while the Heat had a 25-21 rebounding edge.

Miami has used a physical offense and defense to hold the lead. But in Game 1, the Heat appeared to wear down as the game went on and the Thunder had taken the lead by the end of the third quarter. We'll see if this story continues to repeat itself.

For more on the 2012 NBA Finals between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Miami Heat, check out Welcome To Loud City and Peninsula Is Mightier. For more news and notes from around the NBA head over to SB Nation's NBA Basketball page.

Video: Serge Ibaka Blocks LeBron James Dunk Attempt

Serge Ibaka isn't going to be on many posters, even if LeBron James tried to put him on one. (First the live shot, then the replay)

2012 NBA Finals, Thunder Vs. Heat Game 2: Slow Start Has OKC Trailing 27-15 After First Quarter

For the second straight game, the Thunder got off to a slow start in front of a raucous home crowd.

After the first quarter in Oklahoma City, the Thunder trail the Heat 27-15.

OKC missed 10 of its first 11 shots and fell behind 18-2 with less than five minutes to play in the period. But the Thunder righted the ship a bit and outscored the Heat 13-9 the rest of the way. Oklahoma City shot 5-for-20 (25 percent) in the half.

James Harden leads the Thunder with 10 points off the bench on 3-for-4 shooting. Kevin Durant has two points on 1-for-3 shooting, while Russell Westbrook has three points on 1-for-7 shooting. The Heat have been led by eight points from LeBron James. Dwyane Wade has seven points.

For more on the 2012 NBA Finals between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Miami Heat, check out Welcome To Loud City and Peninsula Is Mightier. For more news and notes from around the NBA head over to SB Nation's NBA Basketball page.

GIF: Thunder Vs. Heat: Up Close With A Serge Ibaka Block

Ever wonder what it's like to get blocked by Serge Ibaka? Get up close and personal.

via assets.sbnation.com

Russell Westbrook Injury Update: Thumb Issues Continue To Linger For Thunder Point Guard

Russell Westbrook put up an incredible stat line in game one of the 2012 NBA Finals as the Oklahoma City Thunder beat the Miami Heat and took control of their destiny. But that doesn’t mean the star guard is firing on all cylinders. In fact, he continues to nurse a thumb injury that’s lingered for the last week.

From the AP report, “Westbrook was taking one-handed shots with his right hand after reporters were allowed in to see the end of the session. He then pulled the wrap back and tried a couple with both hands. Westbrook has been dealing with the injury since the Western Conference finals but did not wear any sort of wrap during Oklahoma City’s Game 1 victory on Tuesday night or during practice on Wednesday.”

Westbrook had 27 points and 11 assists in game one and should be okay to suit up tonight for game two, but it’s a sensitive subject for now that will likely be analyzed closely in case Westbrook seems off in any way on Thursday night.

For more on the 2012 NBA Finals between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Miami Heat, check out Welcome To Loud City and Peninsula Is Mightier. For more news and notes from around the NBA head over to SB Nation's NBA Basketball page.

2012 NBA Finals: Oklahoma City Thunder Remain Hard At Work

Scott Brooks isn't letting his Oklahoma City Thunder rest on their laurels after winning Game 1 of the 2012 NBA Finals. Channeling his inner Bill Belichick, Brooks held a film session prior to Game 2 to illustrate what the Thunder must do a better job with on Thursday night, if they're going to take a 2-0 series lead headed to Miami.

"We had a film session just to clean up some things that we feel that we need to do going into tomorrow night's game and we looked at some of the things that we did well," Brooks said. "We looked at what they did. It's always been our philosophy is just coming in, doing your work, trying to get better little by little and we still have a chance to do that, even in a Playoff series. We can do that, we did that all Playoffs long and we still want to keep working on things, the adjustments that we have to do."

Oklahoma City's hard working mentality is a large part of the reason why the Thunder are even in the NBA Finals. It's certainly no surprise that they're remaining diligent.

It's certainly something the players have bought into, too. Speaking of practice (yes, we're talking about practice), Russell Westbrook said:

"They've done a lot," Westbrook said. "It has helped us mature as players, as leaders of this organization. It's helped us win a lot of games this year and it's helping us win games now. Hopefully we can continue to do that."

Hopefully for the Thunder and Thunder fans, that hard work pays off with a Game 2 win on Thursday night.

For more on the Oklahoma City Thunder, be sure to head over to Welcome to Loud City and join the discussion.

James Harden Trade Rumors: Oklahoma City Thunder Would Be Foolish To Swap With Bobcats

The latest word buzzing around NBA circles is that the Charlotte Bobcats are looking to trade out of the No. 2 position in the upcoming 2012 NBA Draft. Given the high nature of the pick and the depth of the draft, a team is guaranteed an impact starter like Thomas Robinson from Kansas or Michael Kidd-Gilchrist of Kentucky or perhaps Andre Drummond of Kentucky. But is that enough to lure a team’s veteran star? It shouldn’t be if it’s James Harden of the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Jeff Goodman of CBS Sports recently posted the rumor that Harden could potentially be moved for a high draft asset like Charlotte’s if the Bobcats liked Harden enough to make the move and if the Thunder didn’t want to approach luxury tax territory. Certainly Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook are going to get paid, and that means the team must make a decision on stars like Harden and Serge Ibaka.

It’s possible that one of the two must go if the team wants to stay below the salary cap threshold established by the new collective bargaining agreement. Thus, on paper, it makes sense to say that Harden could be deemed expendable. But that’s a foolish scenario.

In short, the Bobcats should pull the trigger on this trade in a heartbeat if it were presented. Harden is already a star and yet he could truly flourish if made the primary player on an offensive unit. He’s a well-rounded athlete with no real weaknesses whose best game is yet to come. But the Thunder should never even think offering Harden up — even if he’s going to cost them money.

The reality is that no one in the NBA can stop the Oklahoma City Thunder as they are currently set up. With Durant, Westbrook, Ibaka and Harden, the team has the perfect core construction to make a long run at the best NBA dynasties. They are undefeated at home in the 2012 NBA Playoffs and are currently up in the Finals — a chance for the first of many NBA championship rings.

To break this up makes no sense. It’s akin to a someone breaking up with their mate because they are paranoid of possible future heartbreak. It’s a "beat the bad news to the punch" sort of move that Sam Presti will likely never think of making. The OKC front office is keenly aware of the beauty of the current roster and they’d be ridiculous to even mess with it.

Is it possible the team could continue its run of dominance with Thomas Robinson instead? Certainly. The Thunder will be a great team with or without Harden on the floor — especially with a top draft asset in addition. However, they are already the NBA’s best team. They will be the NBA’s best team next season and likely the next few seasons beyond that. What’s the point of making a move just to make a move?

Sometimes the best step a person can take is staying right where they are. The Thunder are sitting in the driver’s seat in the NBA for the next half decade. It makes no sense to make a move and the genius minds behind the make-up of the current roster aren’t also foolish enough to tear it apart.

For more on the 2012 NBA Finals between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Miami Heat, check out Welcome To Loud City and Peninsula Is Mightier. For more news and notes from around the NBA head over to SB Nation's NBA Basketball page.

James Harden To Charlotte Hornets? Bobcats Reportedly Open To Trade No. 2 Draft Choice To Thunder

Sometimes rumors come out of nowhere, and the latest from Jeff Goodman when it comes to the Charlotte Bobcats certainly qualifies. In his latest column looking at NBA Draft trade possibilities, he talks about the Oklahoma City Thunder potentially looking to move James Harden — to the league’s worst franchise.

Goodman writes, “One source said that Oklahoma City’s James Harden could be in play due to the Thunder’s salary situation following next season. GM Sam Presti already has Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook on the books for more than $29 million next season — and both Harden and Serge Ibaka will command huge contracts after the 2012-13 campaign.”

Thomas Robinson or Michael Kidd-Gilchrist or Bradley Beal would be in play at the No. 2 overall slot in the 2012 NBA Draft. The Thunder would certainly benefit from having an impact young player join the team, but the Thunder are already rolling along as it is with the NBA’s best young core. The team has committed to locking up its young players and, if it’s wiling to pay the tax, they can continue to keep all players together.

Simply put, there’s no reason to move Harden with the money this team is bringing in as it is currently formed. Harden has proved that the best is yet to come and even a No. 2 overall choice might not be enough to sway Sam Presti to break up his core.

Still it’s an interesting rumor to say the least and it should get people talking — one way or the other.

For more on the 2012 NBA Finals between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Miami Heat, check out Welcome To Loud City and Peninsula Is Mightier. For more news and notes from around the NBA head over to SB Nation's NBA Basketball page.

2012 NBA Finals, Thunder Vs. Heat: Game 2 Preview, TV Info And More

The Oklahoma Thunder will look to take a 2-0 advantage over the Miami Heat and preserve home court advantage. While much of the narrative surrounding this series has been on the play of LeBron James and Dwayne Wade, The Oklahoman focused on Kevin Durant's apparent mid-game scoring droughts, which may or may not be an elaborate play on Durant's part. With only eight points in the second and third quarter of Game 1, was he playing "possum?"

"I'm a guy that lets the game come to me but is also aggressive at the same time," Durant said. "I know when to take shots, when to make the right play. People can say this and that. I learned to just tune it out and just play my game."

It seems a part of it is becoming a game of possum.

Date / Time: Thursday, June 15, 8 p.m. CT

Location: Chesapeake Energy Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

TV: ABC

Radio: Thunder Radio Network

Streaming: Watch ESPN

Line: Oklahoma City (-5)

For more on the 2012 NBA Finals between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Miami Heat, check out Welcome To Loud City and Peninsula Is Mightier. For more news and notes from around the NBA head over to SB Nation's NBA Basketball page.

2012 NBA Finals: Dirk Nowitzki Praises Kevin Durant As 'Way Ahead Of My Curve'

Kevin Durant is one of the most admired players in the NBA, and the praise comes not only from fans and commentators, but many of his peers in professional basketball. As Durant tries to capture his first NBA title at the young age of 23, last year's NBA Finals MVP, who went through an arduous journey to get his first title, has decided to weigh in on the uber-talented Durant.

Dirk Nowtizki had one of the most incredible postseasons in NBA history on his run to the 2011 title, but the sharp-shooting German says Kevin Durant is light years ahead. Via Marc Stein of ESPN:

"KD," Nowitzki says, "is way ahead of my curve."

[...]

"He's arguably the best player in the league right now," Nowitzki told ESPN.com over the weekend. "I see a guy that really has no holes.

Nowitzki was effusive in his praise of Durant, calling the former Texas Longhorn a basketball freak. He hopes the Thunder, who look like a potential Western Conference dynasty, will no longer be able to afford Serge Ibaka and James Harden after their impressive run this postseason. As for Durant, he knows he'll have to finish his career matched up against the dynamic young superstar to his north, but that all the praise is justified:

"I think he's such a basketball freak that he just watched it a lot and decided to copy it. At the All-Star Game, their coaches told me that Kevin is such a basketball fanatic and freak that he watches film on everybody in the league all the time. He practices for hours and hours and stays extra to shoot and work on different things. He's a freak of nature and a workaholic and he deserves all the praise he gets."

For more on the 2012 NBA Finals between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Miami Heat, check out Welcome To Loud City and Peninsula Is Mightier. For more news and notes from around the NBA head over to SB Nation's NBA Basketball page.

2012 NBA Finals: The Lil Wayne Vs. Oklahoma City Series Continues

SB Nation NBA writer Tom Ziller - and anyone else paying attention - is completely confused by rapper Lil Wayne's allegiances and perceived sleights at the hands of various NBA teams and arena staffs.

Again I was treated like sh!t by the Thunder arena staff...dam..I hope da Heat beat da dog sh!t out em!!

— Lil Wayne WEEZY F (@LilTunechi) June 13, 2012

Ziller notes that this is far from Weezy's first beef with a NBA team for his "treatment" during a game, and has complained about players from the Heat not greeting him before a game. He's made a spectacle of complaining about the Thunder and Chesapeake Arena staffers after having been turned away in the Western Conference Finals for - and this is a shocker - not having a ticket. Courtesy of the AP:

Lil Wayne caused a stir during the Western Conference finals when he posted on Twitter that the Thunder wouldn’t let him into their arena, with the team saying simply that he needed to buy tickets if he wanted to come. Lil Wayne then said he felt "unwanted" in Oklahoma City after the episode, even though Kevin Durant and James Harden had offered him tickets.

For more on the 2012 NBA Finals between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Miami Heat, check out Welcome To Loud City and Peninsula Is Mightier. For more news and notes from around the NBA head over to SB Nation's NBA Basketball page.

2012 NBA Finals Ratings: Game 1 Provides Huge Audience For ABC

It's the dominating storylines of Kevin Durant versus LeBron James. It's the validation (or lack of it) of The Decision. It's the polarizing Miami Heat against the ultimate team approach in Oklahoma City with the Thunder. Whatever your favorite reason, many people are tuning in for the 2012 NBA Finals and David Stern and company have to be quite pleased with the initial results of game one on Tuesday night.

Game 1 of NBA Finals did an 11.77 nationally, a 44.2 in OKC. #Thunder #Heat

— Steve Layman (@SteveLayman) June 13, 2012

That rating is a major boom for ABC. How big?

How big will the NBA Finals be for ABC? The 11.8 overnight is the best Game 1 metered market rating since ABC acquired the package in '03.

— John Ourand (@Ourand_SBJ) June 13, 2012

With the sparks from game one, it's easy to see Kevin Durant and LeBron James providing much more of the same as the series progresses.

For more on the 2012 NBA Finals between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Miami Heat, check out Welcome To Loud City and Peninsula Is Mightier. For more news and notes from around the NBA head over to SB Nation's NBA Basketball page.

2012 NBA Finals: LeBron James Vows 'We Will Make Adjustments' For Kevin Durant

Like it or not, the 2012 NBA Finals is a story of two superstars in Kevin Durant and LeBron James. The fact that the two combined for 66 points in game one should come as no surprise to those who've been watching them dominate thus far in the playoffs. And now that they face each other, it's clear that only one can claim his first NBA championship ring. So far, Durant is winning the head-to-head match-up.

LeBron James vows, however, that his team will make adjustments. He noted after the game that the plan fell apart after the first half.

"KD got a couple looks that we don't like," James said. "He had two transition threes that we gave up where he had nobody on him, and he had a couple jumpers that we didn't like either, with nobody on him. We need to make adjustments. We will make adjustments."

Durant finished with 36 points on the night to lead all scorers and much of that came with James guarding him at times. On the flip side, Durant was also assigned to LeBron, so the two will continue to lead the storylines of the series

"Kevin always wants to guard the best player," Oklahoma City coach Scott Brooks said. "He was guarding LeBron, and we felt that was a tough matchup. But he wanted to guard him."

Game two is Thursday night in Oklahoma City.

For more on the 2012 NBA Finals between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Miami Heat, check out Welcome To Loud City and Peninsula Is Mightier. For more news and notes from around the NBA head over to SB Nation's NBA Basketball page.

VIDEO: Kevin Durant Dunks Over Chris Both, Joel Anthony

While Kevin Durant was quick to deflect attention to his teammates and head coach after winning game one of the 2012 NBA Finals, there's no doubting his dominant performance in the game itself. While the Oklahoma City Thunder star sheds the spotlight off the court, his 36 points on the court warrant as much attention as he can handle. After all, it's hard to ignore dunks like this one in last night's win over the Miami Heat in game one.

For those who missed Durant's great performance in game one, here's a small sampling of how Durant made himself a poster opportunity over Joel Anthony and Chris Bosh:

For more on the 2012 NBA Finals between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Miami Heat, check out Welcome To Loud City and Peninsula Is Mightier. For more news and notes from around the NBA head over to SB Nation's NBA Basketball page.

Oklahoma City Thunder Display Team Effort Wins In Game One Against Miami Heat

If a team wants to live by the individual, then they will also die by the same. The Miami Heat lived as long as LeBron James was able to take them in game one, but the end result was a 105-94 loss in game one of the NBA Finals to the Oklahoma City Thunder. The reason is simple: they played a better team.

The Thunder might be led by a superstar in Kevin Durant, but he shot an efficient 12 of 20 on the night and was matched all around by Russell Westbrook and Serge Ibaka among others doing what it takes to win. The Heat, on the other hand, were marked by poor shooting all around and an inability for anyone -- including Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh -- to step up and help LeBron, who had 30 points on the night.

Even after the game, Durant speaks in personal pronouns of "we" and references his coach Scott Brooks as a reason for winning.

"We just wanted to continue to keep playing," Durant said. "It's a long game, and every time our coach was just saying play harder, and that's what we did. It's a game of runs so you just have to make sure that every time we got a good shot, and on the defensive end we've just got to contest and play hard. We have to continue to do that."

If the Heat are going to come back in game two and tie the series, it will likely be because they come together and watch others on the team rise to the occasion. There's a reason that the Heat came this far on nights when names like Mario Chalmers is the hero.

Until then, expect the Thunder to continue to roll. This is how they've played all season and, as they say, the best team typically wins.

For more on the 2012 NBA Finals between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Miami Heat, check out Welcome To Loud City and Peninsula Is Mightier. For more news and notes from around the NBA head over to SB Nation's NBA Basketball page.

Kevin Durant Bests LeBron James In Game 1 Of Superstar Showdown

The 2012 NBA Finals is technically between the Miami Heat and Oklahoma City Thunder. But to listen to the media, it comes down to the two superstars involved: Kevin Durant and LeBron James. If game one is any indication, the media partially got it right, seeing as how both players dominated for their respective teams. It also means that Kevin Durant won the first round of seven.

Durant was efficient and well-rounded, just like every night in this year’s playoffs, against the Heat with 36 points, 8 rebounds and 4 assists. He shot well with 12 of 20 on the night and he elevated his game down the stretch. In short, he did everything you’d expect an elite NBA player to do.

On the flip side, LeBron did everything you could ask of him. His 30 points led the Heat and he even shot 11 of 24. It was poor, erratic shooting by his teammates Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh among others that did in the Heat. Still, if it comes down to the pair, Durant took game one in a rather unassuming fashion.

“That’s how it goes when I watch the NBA’s best scorer,” wrote ESPN’s Henry Abbott of his performance. “He always has more points than I think he does. Every time I notice him on offense, he’s doing something professional, unfussy and slick. But often he’s so professional, unfussy and slick that the bucket is scored before anything about the play has really registered.”

The workmanlike effort helped the team come back from a seven point halftime deficit and serve notice to the Heat heading into game two. Durant has taken the first round and it will be interesting to see LeBron’s response.

For more on the 2012 NBA Finals between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Miami Heat, check out Welcome To Loud City and Peninsula Is Mightier. For more news and notes from around the NBA head over to SB Nation's NBA Basketball page.

Thunder Vs. Heat Final Score: Kevin Durant Anchors OKC In Game 1 Win

If game one was any indication, the 2012 NBA Finals is going to be a highly competitive and fun series to watch for basketball fans everywhere. Even if you're not a fan of the Miami Heat or Oklahoma City Thunder, there are an incredible number of stars involved to grab your attention and enough great basketball being played to keep it. Even after being up by 7 at halftime, the Heat could not put game one away as the Thunder pulled off a home win to open the series 105-94.

The highlights before the series were all about Kevin Durant and LeBron James and that was the case in the first game of the series. The two players combined for 66 points and received the lion's share of attention throughout the game. Durant had 36 points, 8 rebounds and 4 assists in the winning effort. Russell Westbrook had 27 points and 11 assists for the home team as well.

The Thunder displayed incredible poise down the stretch and didn't panic when down at halftime. While LeBron shot 11 of 24 for his 30 points, the rest of the Heat shot poorly and Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh were both particularly ineffective. The Heat already have a thin team as it is, but if the stars don't shine every night, then this could be a short series.

For more on the 2012 NBA Finals between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Miami Heat, check out Welcome To Loud City and Peninsula Is Mightier. For more news and notes from around the NBA head over to SB Nation's NBA Basketball page.

2012 NBA Finals, Thunder Vs. Heat Game 1: OKC Rallies, Runs Past Miami For 105-94 Win

It's not about how you start, it's how you finish.

The Thunder didn't lead until the final seconds of the third quarter, but finished with a flurry, taking down the Heat 105-94 in Game 1 of the 2012 NBA Finals.

Kevin Durant led the Thunder with 36 points on 12-for-20 shooting, scoring 17 in the fourth quarter. Russell Westbrook scored 27 on 10-for-27 shooting. He was two rebounds shy of a triple-double, recording 11 assists and eight rebounds.

The Heat led by 11 with less than three minutes remaining in the first half, but OKC slowly climbed back, taking its first lead with 16 seconds to play in the third quarter. In the fourth, the young legs of the Thunder left the Heat in their wake, outscoring Miami 31-21 in the final period for a comfortable win.

LeBron James led Miami with 30 points on 11-for-24 shooting. The Thunder finished with a 43-35 rebounding edge and had just two turnovers in the second half after eight in the first half.

If the first half was any indication, we're in for a wild Finals.

2012 NBA Finals, Thunder Vs. Heat Game 1: OKC Takes First Lead Into Fourth Quarter

There will be no shortage of drama in Game 1 of the 2012 NBA Finals. Heading into the fourth quarter, the Thunder lead the Heat 74-73.

OKC began the second half trailing by seven, but the Thunder slowly chipped away at Miami's lead in the quarter, evening the game at 60 with 6:43 to play in the quarter. The Heat answered with a small 11-6 run, but the Thunder scored the final six points of the half. A Russell Westbrook free throw with 16 seconds remaining gave OKC its first lead of the night.

Westbrook scored 12 points in the half and has 21 for the game on 7-for-17 shooting, along with seven assists and two rebounds. Kevin Durant has 19 points. The Heat have been led by LeBron James' 23 points, along with seven rebounds, four steals and three assists.

For more on the 2012 NBA Finals between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Miami Heat, check out Welcome To Loud City and Peninsula Is Mightier. For more news and notes from around the NBA head over to SB Nation's NBA Basketball page.

2012 NBA Finals, Thunder Vs. Heat Game 1: Role Players Spark Heat To 54-47 Halftime Lead

All the talk leading up to the NBA Finals was about each team's star players. Given the number of stars on each side, the focus made sense.

But it has been the role players, notably Shane Battier and Mario Chalmers, who have led the Heat to a 54-47 edge at halftime of Game 1 in OKC. Battier had 13 points on 5-for-6 shooting, while Chalmers had 10 on 4-for-6 shooting. LeBron James had 14 points on 5-for-12 shooting, along with four rebounds, four steals and two assists. Udonis Haslem had nine rebounds for Miami.

As for the Thunder, Kevin Durant had 13 points on 5-for-7 shooting, but he scored just two points in the second quarter — a monster dunk. Russell Westbrook had nine points on just 3-for-10 shooting, but had six assists. Serge Ibaka scored 10 points, but had only two rebounds. Despite not being as talented in the post, the Heat have a 20-17 rebounding edge.

Miami led 29-22 after the first quarter, but the second was a back-and-forth affair — literally. After the Heat took a 37-24 lead on a LeBron James dunk, OKC scored six of the game's next eight points. From the 6:56 mark of the quarter to 0:31, neither team had two straight of the game's scoring plays. The Heat would extend their lead, but the Thunder would answer each time.

Thunder Vs. Heat, NBA Finals Game 1: Miami Leads 29-22 After First Quarter

The Thunder began the 2012 NBA Finals like a team that hadn't been there before.

Using some three-point shots and strong defense, the Heat lead OKC 29-22 after one quarter in Oklahoma City.

The Heat got off to a quick start and took a 10-2 lead less than four minutes into the game. After playing a grind-it-out series against the defensive-minded Celtics, playing the Thunder must have felt freeing. The Heat made some great passes to find some open shots, resulting in nine assists on 11 baskets. Miami's lead was as big as 11 points in the quarter and the Heat shot 52.4 percent.

Kevin Durant led the Thunder with 11 points on 4-for-6 shooting, while Russell Westbrook had three points and shot 1-for-5. James Harden's lone basket beat the buzzer to end the quarter. Miami was led by Shane Battier, who scored nine points on 3-for-3 shooting from three-point range. Mario Chalmers scored eight points on 3-for-4 shooting.

For more on the 2012 NBA Finals between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Miami Heat, check out Welcome To Loud City and Peninsula Is Mightier. For more news and notes from around the NBA head over to SB Nation's NBA Basketball page.

Thunder Vs. Heat: 2012 NBA Finals Presents Philosophical Debate

Heat Vs. Thunder, NBA Finals Game 1: TV Schedule, Game Time

After the lockout that truncated the season and the abbreviated regular season schedule, the playoffs have finally come down to the final two competitors and the 2012 NBA Finals is shaping up to be a fantastic series. The Miami Heat and Oklahoma City Thunder have plenty of stars to focus on and some fantastic storylines involved as well, and game one will begin to unveil how those stories are told in the future with tonight's game one action.

Kevin Durant and LeBron James are the focus of many articles and TV pieces leading up to today's game, but it will be interesting to see how much the actual game play is about them and how much is about the coaches, the schemes and the rest of the talented rosters. Here's the info you need to catch game one:

Date/Time: Tuesday, June 12, 8 p.m. CT

Location: Chesapeake Arena, Oklahoma City

TV: ABC

For more on the 2012 NBA Finals between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Miami Heat, check out Welcome To Loud City and Peninsula Is Mightier. For more news and notes from around the NBA head over to SB Nation's NBA Basketball page.

2012 NBA Finals: Thunder Guard Reggie Jackson Visits Shooting Victim

Norman "Michael" Richards III, who was shot in Bricktown after Oklahoma City's series-clinching win over the Lakers, received a hospital visit from Thunder reserve guard Reggie Jackson last week, Jackson saying he felt "compelled" to do so.

"The shooting, for everybody, ruined the whole glee of winning," Jackson said. "He's a die-hard Thunder fan and he was out here supporting us, and a tragedy happened. I felt like I had to check up on him and see how he was doing.
"He has great support (from family and friends), but I wanted him to know he has the support of this team, also. We'll stick with him. He's an inspiration to the team."

This is just another one of the cases of down-to-earth humility that has come to be associated with this Thunder team, which makes seemingly the sentimental favorite of the NBA Finals against the overtly glamorous Miami Heat.

Not to trivialize this gesture, though. Senseless violence obviously has no place in sports.

Read more about the Oklahoma City Thunder at Welcome To Loud City.

2012 NBA Finals: Lil Wayne Will Sit Courtside At Miami Heat-Oklahoma City Thunder

For all of the whining and complaining that Lil Wayne did about not being able to get into the Western Conference Finals, the rapper apparently found a way to secure two courtside tickets to the 2012 NBA Finals game one between the Miami Heat and the Oklahoma City Thunder.

In the house tonight for Game 1 will be none other than Lil Wayne (@LilTunechi)...He bought two courtside tickets.

— Darnell Mayberry (@DarnellMayberry) June 12, 2012

The ruckus that Lil Wayne caused last time around came because he could not get tickets to attend the Thunder's playoff games against the San Antonio Spurs because they were, wait for it... sold out. Amazing how that works. There's a limited supply of something and then they are all gone. Someone inquires about something after it's gone and then cries over it. Generally that's called childish to a certain point, but Wayne's somehow gotten off easy by throwing out comments about racism.

Nevertheless the rapper has found his way courtside and should now be happy with a series as potent as this one.

For more on the 2012 NBA Finals between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Miami Heat, check out Welcome To Loud City and Peninsula Is Mightier. For more news and notes from around the NBA head over to SB Nation's NBA Basketball page.

2012 NBA Finals: SB Nation's Video Preview

The 2012 NBA Finals will tip off on Tuesday night, as Game 1 between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Miami Heat finally gets underway. If you're not already an expert on the two teams, you might want to take a moment to check out SB Nation's Finals preview.

In this in-depth preview video, Amy K. Nelson and Lang Whitaker talk about rooting choices (Kansas City residents already know the answer to that one), each respective team's strategies and what the keys to victory will be for both squads. You may be pleased to hear Whitaker's prediction for who will win the series. All eyes will definitely be on the eagerly-anticipated matchup between LeBron James and Kevin Durant.

For more on the 2012 NBA Finals between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Miami Heat, check out Welcome To Loud City and Peninsula Is Mightier. For more news and notes from around the NBA head over to SB Nation's NBA Basketball page.

NBA Finals 2012: Must-Click Links From Around The Network

The 2012 NBA Finals is finally upon us. Game 1 between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Miami Heat tips off on Tuesday night and should be every bit as thrilling as advertised. Before the big game, take a few moments to read some of the analysis from around SB Nation.

- First, Mike Prada runs down the keys to success for each team.

- Bomani Jones thinks this will be the series where LeBron James captures his first title.

- Jon Bois writes an open letter to the continually-spurned Sonics fans.

- Andrew Sharp looks at the intertwined stories of James and Kevin Durant.

- Tom Ziller has an in-depth profile on Russell Westbrook.

- Steve Perrin explains why it is imperative for the Thunder to win now.

For more on the 2012 NBA Finals between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Miami Heat, check out Welcome To Loud City and Peninsula Is Mightier. For more news and notes from around the NBA head over to SB Nation's NBA Basketball page.

Thunder Vs. Heat: Generation Y Dominates 2012 NBA Finals

NBA Finals 2012: Kevin Durant Not Concerned With LeBron James Match-Up

If you buy the headlines, then the 2012 NBA Finals is a chance for two of the NBA's best players -- perhaps the single best two players -- to face off against each other. Kevin Durant and LeBron James are largely regarded among the best players in the league, and they both are looking for their first ring. LeBron's is a long-time coming while Durant is on the front end of his career. However, the showcase that's coming is not even on Durant's mind as the Thunder and Heat get set to square off.

"First, all I think about is the Thunder versus the Heat, that's all," he said. "I know everybody in here is worried about the one‑on‑one match‑up, but I can't really control that. All I can control is how hard I play and how we play as a team."

"I mean, that's a sexier match‑up, I guess," Durant continued. "But I don't read newspapers, I don't get on Twitter anymore, I just focus on what I need to do and what we need to do as a team. To be honest, really, outside of me knowing what you guys are thinking, that's all I've heard about the match‑up is from you guys."

That's the best possible answer coming from a team superstar like Durant if he wants to have a serious chance at adding an NBA championship to his resume. The Heat and Thunder both are going to need each player focused on one thing and one thing only: executing the team's game plan against their opponent game by game. Anything else is a distraction and serves to upend the overall course of action.

"It's never been a question," said head coach Scott Brooks. "We've always done everything as a team. That's what makes us a good team, that we defend as a team, we're continuing to improve offensively as a team, but it's always about our guys in the locker room."

For more on the 2012 NBA Finals between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Miami Heat check out Welcome To Loud City and Peninsula Is Mightier. For more news and notes from around the NBA head over to SB Nation's NBA Basketball page.

Heat vs. Thunder: Mike Miller Rebuffs Retirement Talk Before NBA Finals

A few hours after ESPN was among the news outlets reporting that Mike Miller was going to retire after the 2012 NBA Finals pitting the Miami Heat against the Oklahoma City Thunder, Miller shot back with a text message questioning the whole subject and the timing of it all.

Ira Winderman has the story for the Sun-Sentinel and writes, "The fact that retirement talk had gone public was not nearly as upsetting to Miller as the timing. “What I said is I guess I’ve got to figure out what is best for me,” he said, stressing that the last thing that should stand as an issue on the eve of the NBA Finals was his future."

Miller has reportedly put his mansion on the auction block and injuries have plagued the three-point specialist for some time. Yet on the eve of a potential championship ring, it’s hardly the time or place to consider retirement, according to Miller.

“This is not the time for that,” he said. “And it’s not something that I even know what’s going to happen.”

For more on the 2012 NBA Finals between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Miami Heatcheck out Welcome To Loud City and Peninsula Is Mightier. For more news and notes from around the NBA head over to SB Nation's NBA Basketball page.

2012 NBA Finals, Thunder Vs. Heat: Game 1 Preview, TV Info And More

Christmas time for NBA fans has definitely come in June this year and for the season's main event the Oklahoma City Thunder and Miami Heat will play in the best-of-seven NBA Finals.

The road to get here for the Thunder in particularly is what's been so impressive about the young team whose three best players are all under 24 years of age in Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and James Harden. OKC hasn't waited to make their move toward prominence, knocking down the Western Conference juggernauts of the past decade (Dallas Mavericks, Los Angeles Lakers and San Antonio Spurs).

OKC gets to end this storied run against the Heat, featuring league MVP LeBron James and 2006 NBA Finals MVP Dwayne Wade. Take a look here at the game schedule and broadcast information for Game 1:

Date/Time: Tuesday, June 12, 9 p.m. ET

Location: Chesapeake Arena

TV: ABC

Read more about the Thunder at Welcome To Loud City and head over to Peninsula Is Mightier for the Heat fans' perspective.

NBA Finals 2012: Thunder-Heat Series Provides Cover For Chesapeake Energy's Company Woes

Night after night in the 2012 NBA Finals, fans across the country and possibly the world are going to hear the words “Chesapeake Energy Arena” when referring to the home of the Oklahoma City Thunder as they face the Miami Heat. They will undoubtedly equate the brand with the winning image of Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and James Harden at some level — and that’s just the sort of positive PR the company needs right now.

Team co-owner Aubrey McClendon has been stripped of his role as chairman of the board, although he remains CEO, for shareholder frustrations that he used company assets for personal gain. The NBA Finals, therefore, are giving him and his company the chance to rebuild their image a bit.

Kirsten Salyer of Bloomberg Business Week writes, “This opportunity is especially potent with the Thunder holding home-court advantage in the finals, said Dany Berghoff, vice president of business development at 21 Sports and Entertainment Marketing Group. ‘Unless it’s proven that the scandal went beyond the CEO and is endemic to the company, the exposure Chesapeake Energy will get from the NBA finals is the most beneficial it could have gotten for the money they spent,’ he says.”

Of course, this is a small side note most NBA fans could care less about, but within the larger framework of sports business, this could be an invaluable PR asset for the company at just the right time.

For more on the 2012 NBA Finals between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Miami Heatcheck out Welcome To Loud City and Peninsula Is Mightier. For more news and notes from around the NBA head over to SB Nation's NBA Basketball page.

2012 NBA Finals: Schedule Set Against Miami, Game 1 On Tuesday

With Miami's Game 7 win over the Boston Celtics on Saturday the NBA Finals is set with Game 1 tipping off on Tuesday between the Heat and the Oklahoma City Thunder. The first two games of the series will take place in Oklahoma City before shifting to Miami for games 3-5. The series would then shift back to Oklahoma City for the final two games should they be necessary.

Here is a look at the full schedule for the 2012 NBA Finals:

Game 1: Miami at Oklahoma City, Tuesday, June 12, 8:00 p.m. CT
Game 2: Miami at Oklahoma City, Thursday, June 14, 8:00 p.m. CT
Game 3: Oklahoma City at Miami, Sunday, June 17, 7:00 p.m. CT
Game 4: Oklahoma City at Miami, Tuesday, June 19, 8:00 p.m. CT
Game 5: Oklahoma City at Miami, Thursday, June 21, 8:00 p.m. CT (If Necessary)
Game 6: Miami at Oklahoma City, Sunday, June 24, 7:00 p.m. CT (If Necessary)
Game 7: Miami at Oklahoma City, Tuesday, June 26, 8:00 p.m. CT (If Necessary)

For more on the 2012 NBA Finals between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Miami Heat check out Welcome To Loud City and Peninsula Is Mightier. For more news and notes from around the NBA head over to SB Nation's NBA Basketball page.