Heat vs. Thunder: The Outliers of NBA Finals Game 1

Less than 24 hours ago, the Oklahoma City Thunder surged back from a 13-point first-half deficit to stun the Miami Heat, 105-94.

Kevin Durant was his usual, nightmarish self, going off for 36 points, including 17 in the final period. His counterpart, LeBron James, put up his best Finals performance to date, notching 30 points on 11-of-24 shooting. It was the first of at least four matchups between the two teams, and in just 48 minutes, produced many intriguing results.

The first game of the NBA Finals saw a number of aberrations occur, some of which could be telling signs of where this series is headed. Let’s take a look at a few surprises from Game 1.

Russell Westbrook's Unselfishness

Despite his reputation for being a shot-happy floor general, Westbrook reminded us why he is one of the premier point guards in the game, dishing out 11 assists to go along with his 27 points.

He has become one of the faces of a new generation of point guards, along with Derrick Rose and Kyrie Irving. Westbrook tends to be more of a driver and scorer than playmaker, and this game made it apparent why that style is so valuable.

Despite registering only five double-digit-assist games during the regular season and playoffs prior to last night’s showdown, Westbrook methodically broke down the Heat’s defense, forcing them to collapse as he dropped nifty passes into the hands of an eagerly waiting Serge Ibaka or Nick Collison.

His drive-and-dish ability also proved effective, as it drew perimeter defenders in, allowing him to defer to Kevin Durant and James Harden for four of the team’s five made three-pointers.

If Westbrook can navigate the lane consistently and draw in the defense, it will create more opportunities for role players like Thabo Sefolosha and Collison. 

Shane Battier Coming Alive on Offense

Shane Battier was brought in to do two things: defend and make open shots.

Suffice to say, he has only lived up to half of his contract. Battier had a rough 2011-12 campaign, to say the least, registering career lows in field-goal, three-point and free-throw percentage.

Averaging only 34 percent during both the regular and postseason, Battier found his rhythm from outside, stroking 4-of-6 outside attempts for 17 points—his second-highest point total of the season. Playing well on both sides of the ball in the first NBA Finals game of his 10-year career, Battier’s confidence should grow from this.

He is sure to receive plenty of open looks, as defenses tend to leave him open in favor of doubling LeBron James and Dwyane Wade. While he has only registered double digits in 12 games all season, consistent production from Battier is vital to the Heat winning a championship.

One statistic worth noting: Boston won Games 3 through 5 of the Eastern Conference finals, where Battier averaged a paltry 3.7 PPG. In Miami’s victories throughout the series, his scoring jumped to 9.8 per game. 

Points in the Paint

To say Oklahoma City had their way with Miami inside is a bit of an understatement. After holding teams to 51 percent all season in the paint, Miami’s interior defense absorbed a punishing array of dunks and layups.

The Thunder obliterated the lane, shooting 28-of-41 (68 percent), according to NBA.com. It was the second-highest percentage against the Heat this season, trailing only the regular-season finale where the Washington Wizards shot 72 percent in the paint, primarily due to the absence of Chris Bosh, LeBron James and Dwyane Wade.

That being said, this is one aberration that could become a constant variable.

Oklahoma City features a number of competent slashers and scorers, headlined by their own Big Three of James Harden, Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant. With overwhelming speed and athleticism, it’s not out of the realm of possibility for the Thunder to replicate this break-neck performance.

That being said, expect Eric Spoelstra to review the tape, Miami to ratchet up their defense and OKC to regress to the mean.

Fast-Break Points

The first game of the Finals saw Oklahoma City apply formidable pressure off of missed shots, streaking down the floor to the tune of 24 fast-break points.

It was the second-most fast-break points scored against Miami all season, once again coming against the laughable Wizards. Miami only had five live-ball turnovers, meaning they were rarely left scrambling to get back following an offensive error.

Instead, the Thunder used every available opportunity to run the open floor, immediately pushing the ball up the court in transition.

Whether it was due to exhaustion from the strenuous seven-game series they just closed out or merely a lack of anticipation, OKC ran the Heat ragged. The Thunder routinely drilled shots and floated in layups before Miami’s defense had a chance to set, essentially trouncing the Heat at their own game.

The overall energy from their team was evident, as even Derek Fisher managed to sneak in a fast-break layup midway through the second quarter. Watching Fisher run the fast break was akin to seeing Craig Sager in a suit that isn’t flashy or ostentatious…It just doesn’t happen. 

Dwyane Wade and James Harden's Dueling Ineffectiveness

LeBron James will surely be chastised if Miami doesn’t win an NBA title this season, but the more realistic culprit might be Dwyane Wade’s erratic play.

There has been major speculation that Wade is playing through injury, which would lend credence to his five-point dud against Indiana or his 7-of-19 outing against OKC. Regardless of injury, Wade has been all over the map this postseason and has seemingly shied away from driving into the lane.

According to Basketball-Reference.com, he showed more of a proclivity to settle for mid-range jumpers against the Thunder, shooting just 3-of-10 from beyond 10 feet.

Harden, on the other hand, was limited to just 2-of-6 shooting in 22 minutes, plagued by foul trouble. LeBron James, who exploited a definitive size advantage over the 6’5” shooting guard, posted him up numerous times.

Harden’s only points of the game came on a buzzer-beating jumper at the end of the first quarter and a Russell Westbrook-assisted three-pointer. Defensive stalwart Thabo Sefolosha played the bulk of the minutes at shooting guard, leaving Harden nearly 12 points below his postseason average.

The Thunder have to feel good knowing that they were able to pull off a double-digit victory despite limited effectiveness from their third-best player.