Heating Up: Miami Wins Again, Takes NBA Finals Lead

The NBA Finals posted a 10.4 overnight rating for Game 3 between the Heat and the Thunder, and the current series is the highest rated matchup the league has seen since 2004.

The numbers come per Scott Issacs, who also reports that there were “monster” numbers in Oklahoma City. And while Sports Illustrated’s Richard Deitsch adds that the numbers were down slightly from Game 3 in 2011, the series numbers remain up overall. For some perspective on Sunday’s numbers, the NBA Finals was going head to head with the U.S. Open Sunday night, and beat the golf on NBC by four percentage points.

It was likely the turning point of the game, and as told by Daily Thunder’s Royce Young, Brooks’ decisions when it came to Westbrook played a key part.

The Thunder aren’t likely to pick up too many more ten-point advantages in Miami during the NBA Finals, but even when they had one, Oklahoma City’s coaching decisions didn’t allow them to take advantage.

MIAMI -- “Every day we remind ourselves,” Chris Bosh said after the Miami Heat’s 91-85 Game 3 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder. “We think of that pain that we experienced last year. We carry that pain with us, we think about it every day, and that really helps us to succeed.”

The Heat learned from what happened last June, and this June they’re a better team. That’s definitely the storybook explanation you’ll hear if the Heat win two more games in the next 10 days. And I really really don’t want to buy into it, but it was pretty convincing Sunday night.

James Harden has done a pretty good job fighting LeBron James for post position and making his shots difficult on defense. He is doing an incredibly horrible job with basic tasks like passing the ball to open teammates.

I think these two things are related. Guarding James is tough, even in the fourth quarter. He’s so physical, and he’s become much better at moving without the ball. For a smaller guard like Harden, that takes a physical toll, and that physical fatigue has led to mental fatigue offensively.

Wade is currently at 1.05 points per shot, by the way.

The Thunder have missed nine free throws in this game, which could very well cost them a win. I have no idea why this is happening.

This play gives Durant carte blanche to taunt everyone in the world for being short.

With Kevin Durant, James Harden and Russell Westbrook all in the game at the same time, three of the Thunder’s first four shots in the fourth quarter were taken by Derek Fisher. That probably shouldn’t happen.

Incredibly, the Heat still aren’t making jump shots. James hit a big three-pointer to give the Heat the lead at the very end of the quarter, but their outside shooting has still been absolutely abysmal. The Heat are now 6-30 on the night, which represents an improvement. They made three of those jumpers in the third quarter.

On the other end, Durant is having a stellar night with 21 points on 9-13 shooting, but he can’t score if he isn’t on the floor. His fourth foul caused a massive disruption for the Thunder and has Miami not only leading by two points, but currently looking like the team with the momentum.

With just over five minutes left in the third quarter, Scott Brooks took Russell Westbrook out for a rest. The Thunder were up by six points. Kevin Durant had previously been forced to the bench with his fourth foul, so Brooks elected to play without his team’s two brightest stars.

Since then, the Heat have outscored the Thunder by eight points to take a two-point lead after three quarters.

Why?

1. The Heat are 3-23 on shots outside the paint in this game.

Oklahoma City Thunder coach Scott Brooks normally doesn’t wear glasses. This means one of two things.

Hard to believe it’s the former, which means ... this hipster glasses trend has got to stop.

In the first half, the Thunder did a poor job shutting off the paint, even though the Heat couldn’t hit a jump shot. That has changed, though, in the second half. On a early possession in the second half, all five Thunder defenders were below the free-throw line, forcing the Heat to shoot from the perimeter.

That adjustment is the key to the Thunder’s lead.

For those who aren’t visually inclined: the Heat are 3-22 outside the paint.

The Thunder are in decent shape at the moment, down by just one point on the road with the best likely yet to come from Kevin Durant, but they’re going to need to get some offense out of Harden and they’re going to need to improve defensively in the second half. Sooner or later, the Miami Heat are going to hit some open jump shots. When they do, they’re probably going to open up a lead.

For more on the game, stick with our 2012 NBA Finals, Game 3 StoryStream. For more on the Heat, head over to Peninsula is Mightier and SB Nation Tampa Bay. For more on the Thunder, check out Welcome To Loud City and SB Nation Kansas City.

Chris Bosh’s inability to complete high fives has been well documented on this site. You’d think a low five would be easier for him, a lay up of an assignment if you will. You’d be wrong.

If Mario Chalmers wanted to give Bosh a wrist-five, he probably would have said so beforehand.

Please note the bolded section on the right side of this screenshot.

Dwyane Wade is 6’4’’. That’s tall in almost every walk of life, but it’s not when guarding Kevin Durant. In case Wade forgot, here’s Durant to remind him after hitting a floater over Wade’s outstretched arm.

“Too small” appears to be what Durant was shouting. Short jokes are mean, KD. Wade’s probably going to go cry in his room now.

Backup point guard Norris Cole has played six minutes, and in those six minutes, his presence has hurt the Heat’s offensive flow. The Thunder are not guarding him much, and because of that, none of the other Heat players have as much room to operate. It’s especially odd to play Cole with Mario Chalmers; if the idea is to get LeBron James more rest, it’s better to play big with no point guard.

I get the idea of playing more guys to rest the stars, but there’s a smarter way for Erik Spoelstra to manage this.

For more on the game, stick with our 2012 NBA Finals, Game 3 StoryStream. For more on the Heat, head over to Peninsula is Mightier and SB Nation Tampa Bay. For more on the Thunder, check out Welcome To Loud City and SB Nation Kansas City.

The Miami Heat have scored 24 points thus far on 11-22 shooting.

The Miami Heat have scored 22 points on 10-13 shooting in the paint.

One reason: the Heat have gone back to switching off-ball screens. The strategy failed in Game 1, so they scrapped it for Game 2. Now, they’re back to doing it again, and the Thunder haven’t made them pay. Even with Chris Bosh switched onto Kevin Durant, the Thunder couldn’t score.

I’m a bit skeptical this will work for the rest of the game, but it is definitely working thus far.

It looks like the face of someone who had one too many drinks last night.