The Miami Heat take a commanding 2-1 series lead over the Oklahoma City Thunder

The Heat won a close battle in Oklahoma City 91-85.

The Thunder lost this game more than the Heat won it. But you have to give the Heat credit when credit is due. The Heat made their free throws, the Thuner didn’t. Miami made good decisions, OKC definitely didn’t. The Heat got every call they wanted, the Thuner once again didn’t.

One thing that drives me crazy is missing free throws. Easy points with the clock stopped can either get you back in the game or lose you the game. The Thunder missed 9 free throws and lost by 6 points. That’s huge. 7 made free throws away from being up 2-1. Instead they’re down 2-1 to the Heat.

The biggest reason why the Thunder lost this game in my opinion was poor decision making from their guards. James Harden and Russell Westbrook had multiple key turnovers, missed a ton of wide open shots, Missed free throws and forced a large amount of bad shots. Just all around poor play from two of the big three for OKC.

LeBron James had a great game but also gave the Thunder a few chances to make a comeback with multiple missed shots and a missed free throw late in the fourth. Him missing these shots are not at all surprising. It’s almost a given that it’s going to happen. LeBron is a great player that just lacks a clutch mentality. Most often he will get you there but he will need someone else to cross the finish line. But tonight Russell Westbrook lacked the clutch gene even more than LeBron did. Westbrook missed a game changing three late in the 4th that in my opinion would have lead them to winning game 3 and taking control of the series.

Kevin Durant had a good game, not great. But in the end it wasn’t enough. Harden has been missing in action in this series and if it continues it will cost the Thunder a championship. The Heat’s big three shows up night after night but barely pulls it out in the end. If Harden would just be half the player he usually is the Thunder could have a commanding 3-0 lead. But thanks to his poor play they’re in danger of being embarassed in 5 games.

I still think the Thunder are the better team. But they’re showing their immaturity these last couple of games. If they want to make a comeback they’re going to have to play a lot smarter. They need to cut down on the turnovers, make their free throws and stop forcing bad shots and drive to the hole.

Conrgratulations to the Miami Heat on a huge game 3 victory.

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