News » Hoops News

NBA Finals Game 3: "The HEAT is on"

By: Jeff Meadows

Miami, FL-If you thought game 2 was a nail bitter then you must have thought game 3 was a "Shock & Awe" experience as both teams would struggle in attempts to pull away from one an other but in the end, it was the "Never say Die" mentality and experience of the MIAMI HEAT that proved to be the difference as the HEAT would go on to win game 3 and take a 2-1 series lead.

ANOTHER "DOWN TO THE WIRE" FINISH

With 2:10 left in regulation, MIAIMI (G) Dwayne Wade was stripped at half court by THUNDER (F) Thabo Sefolosha who then finished the play with a reverse, two hand slam which cut MIAMI's lead down to a three point, 83-86 lead. On the THUNDER's very next possession (G) Russell Westbrook connected on a mid range jumper cutting MIAMI's lead down to a one point, 86-85 lead with 1:30 remaining in regulation which was the last time that the THUNDER would scored and MIAMI on the other hand, would go on to score five more points, closing out the game with 91-85 win. NBA's MVP/MIAMI HEAT (F) LeBron James led all scores with 29 points and 14 rebounds and Dwayne Wade also put up big numbers scoring 24 points 7 rebounds and 7 assist while OKC's All-NBA (WG) Kevin Durant led the THUNDER with a 25 point 6 rebound effort and (G) Russell Westbrook wasn't far behind in the statistically, scoring 19 points 5 rebounds and 4 assist.

GAME DECIDING TIME SPAN

With 3:31 remaining in the third OKC (P) Serge Ibaka was fouled and made two free throws giving the THUNDER a nine point 65-56 lead but oh how things would change. From 3:13 to 52.3 is all the time needed for MIAMI to come from nine points down and take the lead by two, all in the matter of 2:40 time span.

QUARTER BY QUARTER SCORING

OKC (20) (26) (21) (18) 85

MIA (26) (21) (22) (22) 91

MIAMI HEAT PLAYER STATS

L. James (29) (14) (3)

S. Battier (9) (3) (0)

C. Bosh (10) (11)

D. Wade (25) (7) (7)

M. Chalmers (2) (3) (3)

M. Miller (4) (2) (0)

U. Haslem (6) (3)

J. Jones (6) (2)

OKC THUNDER PLAYER STATS

K. Durant (25) (6)

S. Ibaka (5) (5)

K. Perkins (10) (12)

T. Sefolosha (6) (2) (1)

R. Westbrook (19) (5) (4)

J. Harden (9) (6)

D. Fisher (9)

N. Collison (2) (2)

Stay logged on to HoopsReport for your SPECIAL EDITION coverage of the NBA Finals.

Follow me on TWITTER @ Meadows_scout

POSTED: 6-17-2012

[ RETURN ]