The Miami Heat were unable to close out Game 1 of the 2012 NBA Finals and allowed the Oklahoma City Thunder to pick up a 105-94 victory. The Heat led by as many as 13 points in the second quarter before squandering that permanently with 16 seconds left in the third quarter. The Thunder were unstoppable in the fourth quarter, outscoring the Heat 31-21 on the way to the 11-point victory.
Thunder Vs. Heat, 2012 NBA Finals Game 1: Oklahoma City Battles Back For 105-94 Victory Over Miami
Kevin Durant led the way for the Thunder with 36 points on 12-of-20 shooting. He nailed 4-of-8 three-pointers and contributed eight rebounds. Russell Westbrook nearly pulled off a triple-double, scoring 27 points, dishing the ball out for 11 assists and grabbing eight boards. Durant and Westbrook combined for 41 points after halftime, outscoring Miami's entire roster (40).
Thabo Sefolosha and Nick Collison had solid defensive games, especially in the fourth quarter, with the latter grabbing 10 rebounds.
LeBron James scored 30 points and had nine rebounds for the Heat, but the team shot just 46.2 percent from the field. The Thunder hit 51.9 percent of its shots. Dwyane Wade was second on the team with 19 points and Shane Battier, who was instrumental in the Heat's early lead, added 17 points.
Game 2 of the NBA Finals stays at the Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City and will be played at 9:00 p.m. ET on Thursday. Will Oklahoma City take a 2-0 series lead?
For more on the Heat, head over to Peninsula Is Mightier and SB Nation Tampa Bay. For Thunder news and notes, visit Welcome To Loud City. And for news, analysis and everything else revolving around the NBA Playoffs, be sure to visit SB Nation’s NBA page.
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