NBA Finals 2012: Why Kevin Durant Will Go off in Game 5 of NBA Finals

Where has Kevin Durant disappeared to during the past two games of the 2012 NBA Finals?

What has happened to Mr. Oklahoma City Thunder himself since June 14?

After a LeBron James defense-inhibiting Games 3 and 4, and partially Russell Westbrook's shootathon-obstructing Game 4, Durant will reappear and go off against the Miami Heat tonight.

(Worry not: this is not a hate-on-Westbrook piece).

KD is simply too good—especially in the clutch—and the Heat face too much pressure.

Durant scored 36 points on an incredibly efficient 12-for-20 shooting in the first matchup, including 17 in the fourth.

He was nearly as efficient in the second game (12-for-22) with 32 points and 16 points in the final frame. After a three that cut the Thunder’s deficit to two, LeBron blatantly fouled Durant on a seven-foot jumper that the officials inexplicably didn’t call (let’s just say he’ll earn that call in the next couple of years).

This was a game-tying moment and one in which Durant would have made those two free throws.

And just to verify his clutch fourth quarter performances with a little more statistical backing, 82games.com rank Durant No. 2 in production during “clutch time.”

As for LeBron and the rest of his Miami teammates, they’ll face pressure at an all-time high. Forget the correlation between last game and the beginning of their meltdown against Dallas in last year’s finals (both with Miami up 2 to 1).

LeBron and Co. (Mr. James especially) will feel the weight of a pending return to Oklahoma City and reversal of odds favoring OKC if they were to lose Game 5. LeBron’s cramping issues hampering his coverage of Durant is a legitimate concern as well.

Some will say that the Heat will use that pressure to their advantage and play like a must-win Game 7 to close things out. That’s a fair statement, but I’ll say they’ll fall in the face of a monster night by Durant.

(I still have the Heat winning in six games).

The Durantula can’t save the series for his Thunder. He will, however, bring a Game 6 back to his home crowd for one last hurrah in 2012.

I’ll go with 35-plus, nine boards and five assists.

Your thoughts on Mr. Durant’s upcoming performance in Game 5?

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