Haisten’s three storylines
1. Tip your hat to the Heat
The Oklahoma City Thunder seems destined to capture an NBA title or two, but LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh and the Miami Heat very impressively earned this championship. After losing in Game 1 of the NBA new era caps at Oklahoma City, the Heat answered with four consecutive victories. The Game 5 finale was a blowout as the Heat rolled to a 26-point, third-quarter cushion and danced to the finish line with a 121-106 victory. The Thunder was dealt its first four-game losing streak since April 2009 – near the end of its first season in Oklahoma. The Heat celebrates its second championship, having vanquished Dallas in the 2006 Finals.
2. Improbable heroes for the Heat
During the regular season, Miami’s Shane Battier averaged 4.8 points per game and connected on 34 percent of his 3-point attempts. Mike Miller, dogged by a constantly aching lower back, averaged 4.8 points. But when a championship was at stake, Battier and Miller were phenomenal role players for Miami. For the series as a whole, Battier was a stunning 15-of-26 on 3-pointers. In Game 5, after having totaled only two baskets in four previous Finals contests, Miller scored 23 points on 7-of-8 shooting from 3-point range.
3. The process continues for Oklahoma City
The Thunder was eliminated in the first round of the 2010 playoffs, in the Western Conference finals last year and on wholesale new era fitted hats in Game 5 of the NBA Finals. A few days ago, while discussing the development process of such a young OKC team, Heat forward Chris Bosh said, “You’re going to have more tough experiences than easy ones. They’re (called) growing pains for a reason – they hurt.” After scoring 43 points on 20-of-32 shooting in Game 4, OKC’s Russell Westbrook scored 19 on 4-of-20 shooting in Game 5. Kevin Durant needed 24 shots to get 32 points on Thursday. In Games 3, 4 and 5, James Harden was a combined 9-of-31 on shots from the field
Player of the game: Mike Miller
Through the first four games of the NBA Finals, Miami reserve forward Mike Miller had two field goals and eight points. In Game 5, in only 23 minutes, he scored 23 points on 7-of-8 shooting from 3-point range.
Turning point
Heat stops Thunder momentum
After getting popped with a 19-4, second-quarter Heat run and trailing by 17 points, the Thunder answered with an 18-5 run. At the 10:40 mark of the third period, after a Serge Ibaka dunk, OKC trailed only 61-56.
Miami snuffed OKC’s momentum with consecutive 3-pointers by Mario Chalmers and Shane Battier.
The roster needs more weapons
Durant averaged 30.6 points during the Finals. Westbrook averaged 27.0. The rest of the Thunder players contributed an average of only 40.4 points and did it on 42 percent shooting.
Two MVPs and a title for King James new era hats snapback
Miami’s LeBron James was the NBA’s regular-season MVP and, after a 26-point performance in Game 5, was voted the MVP of the NBA Finals. James became only the 13th player to win the regular-season MVP award and an NBA title in the same season
1. Tip your hat to the Heat
The Oklahoma City Thunder seems destined to capture an NBA title or two, but LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh and the Miami Heat very impressively earned this championship. After losing in Game 1 of the NBA new era caps at Oklahoma City, the Heat answered with four consecutive victories. The Game 5 finale was a blowout as the Heat rolled to a 26-point, third-quarter cushion and danced to the finish line with a 121-106 victory. The Thunder was dealt its first four-game losing streak since April 2009 – near the end of its first season in Oklahoma. The Heat celebrates its second championship, having vanquished Dallas in the 2006 Finals.
2. Improbable heroes for the Heat
During the regular season, Miami’s Shane Battier averaged 4.8 points per game and connected on 34 percent of his 3-point attempts. Mike Miller, dogged by a constantly aching lower back, averaged 4.8 points. But when a championship was at stake, Battier and Miller were phenomenal role players for Miami. For the series as a whole, Battier was a stunning 15-of-26 on 3-pointers. In Game 5, after having totaled only two baskets in four previous Finals contests, Miller scored 23 points on 7-of-8 shooting from 3-point range.
3. The process continues for Oklahoma City
The Thunder was eliminated in the first round of the 2010 playoffs, in the Western Conference finals last year and on wholesale new era fitted hats in Game 5 of the NBA Finals. A few days ago, while discussing the development process of such a young OKC team, Heat forward Chris Bosh said, “You’re going to have more tough experiences than easy ones. They’re (called) growing pains for a reason – they hurt.” After scoring 43 points on 20-of-32 shooting in Game 4, OKC’s Russell Westbrook scored 19 on 4-of-20 shooting in Game 5. Kevin Durant needed 24 shots to get 32 points on Thursday. In Games 3, 4 and 5, James Harden was a combined 9-of-31 on shots from the field
Player of the game: Mike Miller
Through the first four games of the NBA Finals, Miami reserve forward Mike Miller had two field goals and eight points. In Game 5, in only 23 minutes, he scored 23 points on 7-of-8 shooting from 3-point range.
Turning point
Heat stops Thunder momentum
After getting popped with a 19-4, second-quarter Heat run and trailing by 17 points, the Thunder answered with an 18-5 run. At the 10:40 mark of the third period, after a Serge Ibaka dunk, OKC trailed only 61-56.
Miami snuffed OKC’s momentum with consecutive 3-pointers by Mario Chalmers and Shane Battier.
The roster needs more weapons
Durant averaged 30.6 points during the Finals. Westbrook averaged 27.0. The rest of the Thunder players contributed an average of only 40.4 points and did it on 42 percent shooting.
Two MVPs and a title for King James new era hats snapback
Miami’s LeBron James was the NBA’s regular-season MVP and, after a 26-point performance in Game 5, was voted the MVP of the NBA Finals. James became only the 13th player to win the regular-season MVP award and an NBA title in the same season
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