NBA Finals Schedule 2012: Complete Listings for the Remainder of the Series
Many predicted that this year's NBA finals matchup between the Miami Heat and the Oklahoma City Thunder would go down as one of the best finals in recent memory.
Three games in, that prediction certainly seems to be coming true. Oklahoma City stormed through the fourth quarter of Game 1, outscoring the Heat by ten in the final frame to win by 11, but Miami has battled back to win two straight by a combined total of 10 points to regain momentum and take a 2-1 series lead.
Tonight, Game 4 tips off at 9:00 p.m. EST on ABC from Miami as the Heat look to take a commanding 3-1 series lead.
Miami has been here before. They held a 2-1 lead in last year's NBA Finals before dropping three straight to the Dallas Mavericks to lose the series four games to two. They will look to use that experience to avoid suffering a similar fate this year.
The two superstars in the series, LeBron James and Kevin Durant, have not disappointed in the series first three games. James is averaging 30.7 PPG, while Durant is scoring 28.3 a contest. Together they are only the third duo in finals history and the first since Jerry West and Walt Frazier to both average 25 PPG in the NBA Finals.
With James now covering Durant for a majority of the game, that will be the matchup to look at, especially in the fourth quarter.
In Game 1, Durant exploded for 17 points in the fourth quarter, but in Game 3, Durant managed just four in the final frame, while being covered by James for most of the period.
Russell Westbrook and James Harden, the other members of the Thunder's big three, will also need to step up their performances going forward as they combined for just 28 points in Game 3.
No matter the result of Game 4, we will be seeing a Game 5 of this year's finals, which will take place this Thursday, June 21st at 9:00 on ABC in Miami, thanks to the 2-3-2 format.
Will the Heat be trying to wrap up their second NBA Championship in franchise history? Or will the two teams be vying for control once again in a deadlocked 2-2 series?
Miami must win either Game 4 or Game 5 to ensure they don't have to go back to Oklahoma City having to win two games on the road to win the championship. The Thunder, on the other hand, must win one of these two games to avoid losing the series before it ever gets back to Oklahoma.
The way the series has been going, it would be a surprise if it didn't make it back to OKC. These two teams have been evenly matched all series long, with each game coming down to which team could take over the game in the fourth quarter.
The great thing about this year's finals is that all of the star players (James, Wade, Bosh, Durant, Westbrook, Harden, Ibaka) are all in their prime. If the teams can hold on to them for the next several years, this may not be the only time they meet with the Larry O'Brien trophy up for grabs.
But as for 2012, if Oklahoma City manages a win in either Game 4 or 5, they will have an opportunity to raise the trophy in front of their home fans.
Game 6, if needed, will be this Sunday, June 24th at 8:00 on ABC. If it gets to Game 7, as most non-Heat and Thunder fans who just want to see a great series hope it will, the final game of the NBA season would be a week from today, Tuesday June 26th at 9:00.
But we have a long way to go before we get to that point. Will Kevin Durant and company turn it around tonight and steal back home-court advantage? Or will LeBron and D-Wade continue their dominance and take a commanding 3-1 lead?
Either way, basketball fans from around the globe will be tuning in tonight, and for the rest of the NBA Finals, as the quest to crown the 2012 NBA Champions continues.
