2012 NBA Finals: Don't Bury Miami Heat After Game 1 Loss

It's only one game.

That's what Miami Heat players, coaches and fans need to tell themselves today. Repeatedly.

Despite losing Game 1 of the NBA Finals to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday night, nothing about this series has radically shifted in the past 24 hours.

We knew, going in, that the Thunder were favored. (They still are.)

We knew, going in, that the one-man LeBron James show wouldn't be enough to topple the depth of OKC. (It wasn't.)

We knew, going in, that Miami needed legitimate production out of at least two members of its Big Three to stand a chance in most games. They got James' best career NBA Finals game (30 points, nine rebounds, four assists and four steals), but Dwyane Wade labored through a 7-of-19 shooting night, while Chris Bosh only chipped in 10 points and five rebounds.

Miami fans, it's not time to abandon ship just yet. This Heat team showed resolve in overcoming a 3-2 deficit against the Boston Celtics in the conference finals, and there's no reason to expect them not to come out firing Thursday night in Game 2.

Realizing that Kevin Durant's fourth-quarter scoring spectacle may have wiped this from our collective memory banks, remember, the Heat actually held a double-digit lead throughout a solid chunk of the first half. They were up 39-26 with just over eight minutes left in the half, and they even held an 11-point lead with 1:09 remaining before the Thunder drained two quick, critical baskets.

There's something to be said about the psychological difference of a seven-point halftime lead and a double-digit halftime lead. You go into the locker room down by seven, and you know you're two buckets and two stops away from getting right back into the game.

Down by 11, 13, 15? The road's that much steeper in the second half.

Lo and behold, the Thunder came out rocking in the second half and wiped out the Heat's halftime lead with just over five minutes gone by in the third quarter. Game on in Loud City.

Miami only needs to make a few basic adjustments to get back to its first-half play and have a real chance at stealing home-court advantage in Game 2.

First and foremost, the Heat need more Bosh. They need Bosh in the starting lineup to combat OKC's length with Serge Ibaka and Kendrick Perkins.

Look, I've got no idea how close to fully healed Bosh is from his abdominal strain. Regardless, Miami needs him to battle down in the post much more in Game 2. Only one of his 11 shots in Game 1 came from within 10 feet, and even that was a nine-foot jump shot.

The Heat need Bosh to get a few easy buckets in the paint, like Ibaka and Perkins did for OKC in Game 1. Sure, having Bosh drift to the perimeter theoretically draws out one of those two Thunder defenders from the interior, freeing up driving lanes for James and Wade.

But when you're 4-of-11 on jumpers, it's time to reassess the game plan—especially when you're three losses away from another massive finals disappointment.

It's become a little too easy to pick on Wade in these playoffs, but he deserves a solid chunk of the blame for the Game 1 loss. Scoring 19 points on 19 shots won't get it done for the Heat.

Wade's running on a balky knee and saying that he doesn't care about scoring (he did register eight assists in Game 1), but much like James, he needs to care for Miami to win this championship.

The Heat got 29 points from Wade and Bosh combined in Game 1. They got 29 points from Shane Battier and Mario Chalmers too.

With the latter being much less likely to repeat itself, the Heat need increased production from all members of their Big Three not named LeBron James. A "Boston Game 6" performance from James wouldn't hurt either.

Assuming Bosh regains his starting lineup spot in Game 2, Miami needs more from its bench to have a chance in this series too. ESPN.com's Michael Wallace reported that James Jones was dealing with a migraine in Game 1 (explaining his Did Not Play), and Mike Miller, clearly hampered by his bad back, only played 10 minutes in Game 1, scoring two points along with two assists.

Presumably, Jones' head will be better by Thursday. Presumably, Miller's back won't. Is it time for a few minutes of the Norris Cole experiment? More minutes for Joel Anthony, who only played two minutes in Game 1?

They'll also need to find a way to shut Durant down in the fourth quarter so he doesn't erupt for 17 points again. Perhaps he just earned himself a fourth-quarter one-on-one date with the reigning MVP?

Heat coach Erik Spoelstra, a tape junkie, will assuredly obsess over the Game 1 footage for the next two days to find some adjustments to make.

Miami will not go quietly into the night. It'll come back with a counter-punch in Game 2 and see how the Thunder respond.

It's not time to dig the Heat's grave yet.

But Game 1 better have gotten everyone's attention.

These Thunder aren't playing around this year. They're here to win it all.

Your move, Miami.