NBA Finals 2012: Game 2 Is a Must-Win for LeBron James and the Miami Heat
While one can argue the significance of each and every game in a crucial series deciding the NBA title, Game 2 tonight between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Miami Heat is the clear-cut definition of a must-win game for LeBron James and Co.
Why the NBA playoffs abruptly transform into a 2-3-2 format for the finals after playing 14 series under the 2-2-1-1-1 model throughout the rest of the postseason is a great question. If the intention is to grant more credence to the team with the better regular season record by placing oodles of pressure on the opposition, then kudos to David Stern. Mission accomplished.
This does not bode well for a Heat team that simply has had trouble winning with a lot on the line.
Did James set aside his demons for a brief moment while dismantling the Boston Celtics in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference finals? One word—beast-mode. But Game 7 was back at home in Miami where they were expected to win, so it was back to square one heading into the finals against the Thunder.
The Thunder are a much different team than the Celtics. They are young. They are athletic. They are uber-talented. And they are hungry in a much different way than any team that the Heat have faced during this postseason.
While James is the reigning MVP and the best player in the world, it will take more than a king-like effort out of him to best the Thunder in this series. He will need help—and lots of it—from everyone up and down the lineup (yeah, you, Dwyane Wade), something that hasn’t been consistent all postseason long.
Going down 0-2 heading back to Miami will all but drive the last nail into the coffin of both the Heat’s chances at another NBA title and LeBron’s opportunity to at least force his detractors into a steady whisper—toned down from the perpetual prattle that he is far too familiar with.
Contact Jeremy at jeremy@popflyboys.com, on Twitter @KCPopFlyBoy and at popflyboys.com.
