Not long after the comeback was already taken care of, the lead grown to a big enough amount to take the urgency, but not the insanity, out of the home crowd, Game 1 of the NBA Finals firmly in grasp, the Oklahoma City Thunder just kept on going. They go, they attack and cut and launch jumpers and get out on fast breaks not because in a given game situation they know what the right play is, but because they never, ever appear to wear down. Their energy just continues to spring from some bottomless well in Oklahoma City; their energy does everything but tell them when to finally put the game to a simmer rather than maniacal boil. And still, it is not simply this uncontrollable fire that burns within the Thunder that gave them the 1-0 series lead over the Miami Heat on Tuesday night. It is that coupled with the cohesion with which they play and the equally-uncontrollable talent that they play with, that is just any other night for them but an endurance test for how lethal their opponent can be. In these Finals, it is their steadfast beating and pushing on the Heat that will demand even more of LeBron James and Dwyane Wade.
Game 1’s first half saw James and Wade receive quality contributions, most notably from Shane Battier, within a smooth-looking offense. But just like the Spurs, Lakers and Mavericks before them, the Heat soon realized that, especially when the Thunder are at home, no lead is even close to safe. While Miami built their lead in the second quarter, O.K.C. calmly stayed within killing distance as anyone with any memory of the Western Conference Finals could’ve guessed that, really, the only true action you could probably bank on was the upcoming Thunder siege. It’s gotten to the point where their back-breaking runs are expected, yet still incredible fits of basketball beauty. They just have too many explosives to play around with. To see what works, who’s on, who isn’t; to let Russell Westbrook test the pick-and-roll boundaries and his own physical limitations for a spell; to let James Harden fray the defense’s string for another; and then come the fourth quarter, if all else is failing or not, Kevin Durant amplifies his scoring power to a degree that doesn’t feel like it can even be bothered.
James, all told, played a pretty great game on Tuesday. Wade, continuing the trend set in the Eastern Conference Finals, left much to be desired. And in Miami’s case, it is absolutely critical that the Big Three, whether Chris Bosh is still coming off the bench or not, produce massive outputs. The pressure has always been there for them to do so, to be game-changing alpha dogs and win no matter the supporting cast. And oftentimes, when the Heat aren’t at their best, it’s still good enough. It was enough to put the Pacers to bed and their greatness, although sporadic, against the Celtics was indeed the difference in the end of that series as well.
But these Finals are different. A merely okay showing from the Heat might not be able to save them or steal them a game. The Thunder, led by a three-headed monster, surrounded with thorny tentacles like Serge Ibaka and Thabo Sefolosha, do not leave much room for air and do not, ever, stop intently mining and drilling for points. Oklahoma City will just keep going; Miami’s fate will lie in whether or not they can keep up.
Griffin Gotta contributes to The Hoop Doctors and is a co-managing editor of Straight Outta Vancouver on SB Nation. The story arcs and infinite weirdness of the NBA are addictions he deals with every day. Email him at griffingotta at gmail dot com.
