LeBron James and Kevin Durant are perhaps the top two players in basketball today, making the NBA Finals matchup between their Miami Heat and Oklahoma City Thunder especially compelling. It's about to get better, too, following some adjustments the Heat plan to make now that they find themselves in an early hole.
LeBron James Will Guard Kevin Durant Following Loss To Open NBA Finals
Miami led through the majority of the first three quarters on Tuesday night and then, with the game’s results hanging in the balance, Durant took over. James has vowed to change that, however, as detailed in a column from Sports Illustrated’s Ian Thomsen.
"KD got a couple looks that we don't like," James said. "He had two transition threes that we gave up where he had nobody on him, and he had a couple jumpers that we didn't like either, with nobody on him. We need to make adjustments. We will make adjustments."
Yes, they will. James will guard him.
"No, it wasn't my choice," James said of his defensive assignment. "It was a suggestion that Spo [coach Erik Spoelstra] brought up, and I thought it was good early on for us. It gave us an opportunity to switch a lot of pick-and-rolls. ... Whatever the case may be, we had a good game plan to start the game."
That likely isn't going to be music to Durant's ears considering he was able to exploit the other Miami defenders late, even despite a really solid effort from an over-matched Shane Battier. It's probably not what James was hoping for either, considering a lot more effort is going to have to be exerted defending Durant when compared to his planned role as a rover.
No, in this switch, only the fans really win -- the two best players in the game will be defending each other in the NBA Finals. Ah, basketball.
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.
See More:
