NBA Finals Schedule: Role Players Who Need to Step Up in the Middle Games

The new 2-3-2 format for the NBA Finals was changed in 1985 in order to cut down on all the traveling the 2-2-1-1-1 format created. However, there is a downfall to making such a switch to the new version of the Finals.

Now, the middle three games of the series that take place in Miami will only have one day off in between each game, creating a grueling three-game schedule in just five days. The cutback on travel isn't as advantageous in this case considering the Miami Heat and Oklahoma City Thunder are a reasonable distance from one another.

After a condensed season like the one that took place in the 2011-12 season, rest is the most important thing at this point in the season and the current format doesn't allow for such a break in the action during the middle games of this series.

If fatigue sets in, the job of some of each team's most important role players will be magnified.

First, let's take a look at the NBA Finals schedule and then which role players for each team must step up to aid their tiring teammates in Games 3, 4 and 5.

2012 NBA Finals Series Schedule (courtesy of NBA.com):

Game 1 - Miami vs. Oklahoma City - Tuesday, June 12, 9:00 PM ET, ABC

Game 2 - Miami vs. Oklahoma City - Thursday, June 14, 9:00 PM ET, ABC

Game 3 - Oklahoma City vs. Miami - Sunday, June 17, 8:00 PM ET, ABC

Game 4 - Oklahoma City vs. Miami - Tuesday, June 19, 9:00 PM ET, ABC

*Game 5 - Oklahoma City vs. Miami - Thursday, June 21, 9:00 PM ET, ABC

*Game 6 - Miami vs. Oklahoma City - Sunday, June 24, 8:00 PM ET, ABC

*Game 7 - Miami vs. Oklahoma City - Tuesday, June 26, 9:00 PM ET, ABC

*if necessary

All games on ABC and ESPNRadio (Check local listings for exact channels).

 

Thunder's Key Role Players

James Harden

I'm not sure if you'd consider the Sixth Man of the Year a role player with how important he is, but he isn't a starter, thus falling under the necessary category.

Harden's scoring abilities are absolutely vital to OKC's success on a normal basis, but in this series it might become even more important.

Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook are humans too and they can experience fatigue, no matter how much older folks reading this will say young people should never be tired.

That's hogwash.

KD and Westbrook might not be as hot scoring the ball some nights thanks to playing a ton of minutes on very little rest. Harden has the ability to go above and beyond the nearly 17 points per game he averaged during the regular season in order to make up for lost scoring of one, or both, of his superstar teammates.

Serge Ibaka

The Thunder power forward is one of the best defenders in the NBA, as evidenced by his status as the runner-up to the Defensive Player of the Year award.

Ibaka's presence down low ensures that the Heat won't be getting easy buckets in the paint thanks to his size and elite ability to block shots. He will also be tasked with covering Chris Bosh who will try and stretch the floor, taking Ibaka out of the paint.

However, the big man must try to remain in the post as much as possible in order to give the Thunder's perimeter defenders a break. It won't be easy guarding Dwyane Wade and LeBron James on tired legs, thus making Ibaka's defense even more vital to his team's success.

Heat's Key Role Players

Udonis Haslem

It won't be easy keeping Durant and Westbrook out of the paint, but Haslem must make sure of it.

Miami is at a huge disadvantage (no pun intended) in the size department, having to go up against Ibaka and Kendrick Perkins down low. Haslem will be tasked with erasing that advantage for the Thunder.

Haslem must hit the boards and hit them hard. He can't allow OKC to get the rebounding advantage that they will seemingly have. Also, Haslem must make up for what the Heat lose defensively with Bosh who will spend the majority of his time banging bodies with Ibaka.

The format won't leave nearly enough rest for Miami's perimeter defenders and, once again, on tired legs it won't be easy to guard Durant and Westbrook.

Haslem will be Miami's insurance policy in the paint, making his role defensively vital to the hopes of raising a champion banner in South Beach.

Shane Battier

Defense will be a must in this series, and that is Battier's specialty night in and night out.

He will have the job of guarding Kevin Durant during stretches of this series if King James isn't doing it himself. But if the Heat want a fresh LeBron for the entirety of this series, Battier's defense on Durant becomes much more important.

LBJ has logged crazy minutes this postseason. He's averaged 42 minutes per game, the most on the team, and no other player has averaged 40 on the entire roster. Wade's 39 is the next closest amount.

Battier can give James a break from the strenuous task of guarding the scoring champion.

On top of that, Battier's perimeter shooting must come to play if the Heat can't penetrate the way they know how. Look for the former Duke star to be on the baselines looking for open shots from deep in his sweet spot.