Thunder-Heat Preview

By JEFF MEZYDLO
Posted Apr 04 2012 12:25AM

A little more than a week ago, the Oklahoma City Thunder had their way with the Miami Heat.

Looking to bounce back from a rare home defeat, the Western Conference-leading Thunder try to snap the Heat's 16-game home winning streak with a second victory in 11 days over one of the East's best teams Wednesday night.

Even with All-Star guard Russell Westbrook saddled with some early foul trouble, Oklahoma City (40-13) shot 52.7 percent and forced 21 Miami turnovers en route to a 103-87 home win March 25. Kevin Durant had 28 points, nine rebounds and eight assists for the Thunder, who have won two in row against the Heat.

"They beat us in all facets of the game - from the beginning to the end," said Heat star LeBron James, who had 17 points and seven assists in that contest.

The Thunder have won four of five versus Miami (38-14) by an average margin of 10.6 points. Oklahoma City also has won the last two meetings in Miami by a combined 24 points.

Last month's win over the Heat was part of Oklahoma City's six-game winning streak that included a 92-78 blowout of East-leading Chicago on Sunday. However, that winning stretch ended one day later with a 94-88 home loss to Memphis.

Durant scored 21 points and Westbrook added 19 as the Thunder shot 45.2 percent and committed 18 turnovers in their lowest scoring home game of the season.

"We can't get discouraged by this loss," Durant told the Thunder's official website. "Of course we want to win every game, but I think we have to get past it and get ready for the next one."

Durant has averaged 31.5 points on 53.3 percent shooting in the last six games versus Miami. Westbrook, meanwhile, is averaging 24.0 and shooting 51.1 percent in three career road contests against the Heat.

Oklahoma City, which last lost two in a row Jan. 2-3, could catch a break Wednesday if Miami All-Star Dwyane Wade misses a second consecutive contest with a sore left knee. Wade banged his knee during Sunday's 91-72 loss at Boston, and his status for this game remains uncertain.

"We want to be very smart about it right now," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. "It's nothing serious. It's just a bruise. But he is sore and hopefully he is able to make some progress."

Wade has averaged 27.8 points in the last eight games versus Oklahoma City.

Miami improved to 9-1 without Wade this season after Tuesday's 99-93 win over Philadelphia. In the midst of their longest home winning stretch since an 18-game run Jan. 23-April 5, 2005, the Heat are 22-2 at American Airlines Arena where they last lost 91-82 to Milwaukee on Jan. 22.

James scored 14 straight Miami points in the fourth quarter and finished with a season-high 41 on Tuesday as the Heat rebounded from the defeat at Boston to move within 2 1/2 games of the Bulls in the East.

"It was a grind," Spoelstra said of his team's latest performance. "No question, it was a grind."

An MVP candidate along with Durant, James is averaging 26.7 points for the season but 19.7 on 43.4 percent shooting in three games against the Thunder while a member of the Heat.

Heat win 17th straight at home, top Thunder, 98-93

By TIM REYNOLDS
Posted Apr 05 2012 12:30AM

MIAMI (AP) LeBron James twisted his ankle falling over a videographer, got smacked in the back by a referee, took what he thought was excessive contact twice while attempting dunks and dealt with more pain from his injured left ring finger.

All worth it by night's end.

James had 34 points and 10 assists, Dwyane Wade scored 19 points and the Miami Heat rallied to beat the Oklahoma City Thunder 98-93 on Wednesday night to extend the NBA's longest home winning streak this season to 17 games.

The Heat were down 11 in the second quarter before getting a boost from two hard Oklahoma City fouls, the second being Russell Westbrook pulling James down from behind on a fast break.

And if this was a 1-on-1 battle for the NBA MVP, then advantage James. Kevin Durant scored 30 points for the Thunder, but had a career-high nine turnovers.

"You take the personal challenge," James said.

Mario Chalmers scored 13 points, and Chris Bosh had 12 for Miami (39-14), which moved within two games of Chicago (42-13) in the race for the NBA's best record. Oklahoma City fell to 40-14.

Westbrook scored 28 points for Oklahoma City, but like Durant, he also had his struggles, shooting 9 for 26. James Harden had 12 for the Thunder, who lost despite holding Miami to 37 percent shooting.

"We could have played a lot stronger," Durant said, "but you have to give credit to Miami."

Durant had two shots late that would either have given Oklahoma City the lead or pulled the Thunder into a tie. He backed James down with about 1:30 left and the Heat up by one, then tried a turnaround that caromed off the top of the backboard. Later, with it still a one-possession game out of a timeout, the Thunder went for the quick 3, but Durant's try to tie hit the front of the rim and went out of bounds.

Wade made a pair of foul shots, stretching the lead to five, and it was soon over.

"It was a physical game," Thunder coach Scott Brooks said. "I like that. I'm sure they like it. Neither team backed down."

Oklahoma City's win at home over Miami last week was largely one-sided. For a while, this one looked as if it would go the same way.

Westbrook's three-point play with 7:27 left in the second quarter gave Oklahoma City a 36-25 lead, and that sort of margin typically means a Thunder win - they came into Wednesday 32-2 when they held a double-digit lead.

Then the game's complexion changed.

The first salvo came with 5:45 left in the half, when Perkins struck Wade in the head while trying to block a shot and both got called for technical and personal fouls, much to the ire of both sides - Brooks couldn't understand why Perkins merited both, while Heat coach Erik Spoelstra asked why contact to the head wasn't worth a flagrant foul.

The flagrant came 12 seconds later.

Wade stole the ball from Westbrook, flipped it ahead to James, who leaped for a dunk. Westbrook came from behind James, wrapping his left hand over the Heat star's left shoulder and using his right hand to grab him around the waist.

James fell to the court, and emotions started boiling over.

"A scary play. ... A dangerous play," James said.

Referees Bill Kennedy and Olandis Poole jumped into the fray, making sure players didn't go at one another.

Heat President Pat Riley got out of his seat three rows from the court and took a long look at the scene, while normally mild-mannered Miami assistant coach Bob McAdoo had some choice words for anyone who would listen. The end result was a flagrant-1 for Westbrook. James swished a jumper as time in the half expired, and Miami led 50-49.

It was one of the NBA's marquee games this season, and Jets quarterback Tim Tebow - who James raves about - was among those watching.

"Don't know who's gonna win," Tebow tweeted in the third quarter, "but KingJames isn't playing around."

Neither were the Thunder.

As soon as the Heat went up by nine late in the third, their biggest lead to that point, the Thunder came back with a 10-0 run to reclaim the lead. Durant started the burst with a 12-footer with 3 seconds left in the quarter, then Oklahoma City scored the first eight of the fourth to go back on top 81-80.

By that point, it was clear this one was going to the wire.

"Two very good teams," Wade said. "It was a playoff atmosphere here tonight. Good game, great for the fans and great competition."

The Heat believe that there's a perception around the league that they're a "soft" team, one that can be beaten when opponents take it to them physically.

Winning a game like this - with James getting pulled down, Bosh sporting a fat upper lip after needing a stitch, Wade getting hit in the face at one point as well - might change that, Spoelstra said.

"Our truth," Spoelstra said. "That's what tonight was about and that's what really every day is about for our group. ... We know what we're capable of."

NOTES: Word that Wade would play - he missed Tuesday's game against Philadelphia with a bruised left knee - came down about 45 minutes before tip-off. ... NFL stars Julius Peppers and Jeremy Shockey were part of the sold-out crowd, as was actor Michael Douglas for the second straight night. ... About 57,000 people went to a pair of sold-out sports events three miles apart in Miami on Wednesday night, with Heat-Thunder going on not far from the first official baseball game in the history of Marlins Park. ... Thunder guard Derek Fisher and Heat guard James Jones - both NBPA officers who spent much of the offseason dealing with the lockout - exchanged greetings at halftime.

Notebook: Heat 98, Thunder 93

Posted Thursday April 5, 2012 12:27AM

By Shandel Richardson, for NBA.com

THE FACTS: LeBron James scored a game-high 34 points as the Miami Heat defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder 98-93 Wednesday at AmericanAirlines Arena.

James made 11 of 13 from the free throw line and won the matchup of potential regular-season MVPs, besting Thunder standout Kevin Durant. Durant finished with 30 points, but James made it tough on him defensively.

The Thunder trailed 96-93 with under a minute remaining when Durant had a chance to possibly force overtime. James' tight defense caused Durant to rush a 3-point attempt. Heat guard Dwyane Wade, who returned after missing one game with a sore left knee, then made two free throws to seal it.

Wade finished with 19 points, three rebounds and three steals. Thunder guard Russell Westbrook had 28 points and four assists.

QUOTABLE: "It reminded of the summer when we were working out together, both pushing each other, staying on top of each other during those workouts ... It's always good going against the best and he's one of them."
-- James said of his matchup against Durant.

THE STAT: The Heat shot just 37 percent, but hit 26 of 29 free throws to make up for the poor shooting.

TURNING POINT: In the first half, the Heat trailed by as many as 11 before flagrant fouls by Kendrick Perkins on Wade and Westbrook on James seemed to spark a rally. The Heat grabbed the lead by halftime.

QUOTABLE II: "He is a great player. You are not going to hold down a great player often. He missed some shots the first time we played him and we made him take some tough ones also. He was good, his jumpshots were falling and got some buckets in transition off our turnovers."
--Thunder coach Scott Brooks said of James.

HOT: James shot 10-of-20 from the field while also defending Durant, who is perhaps the toughest cover in the league. James was able to settle the score after being outplayed by Durant when they met recently in Oklahoma City.

NOT: Although he scored often, Westbrook struggled from the field. He finished just 9-of-26 from the field and made 1-of-4 from 3-point range.

GOOD MOVE: The Heat made an emphasis on preventing the Thunder's bench from producing. After allowing Serge Ibaka and Perkins to have big outings in the first game, they were a non-factor in the rematch. They combined for just six points.

BAD MOVE: Durant probably rushed the final shot. There was still plenty of time to get a better look instead of the one he took in front of James. The Thunder could have gotten the ball in the hands of Westbrook and perhaps got a shot within the offense.

NOTABLE: The Heat won their 17th straight at home, improving to a league-best 23-2 at home. Heat swingman Mike Miller missed his 13 straight game with a sprained left ankle.

UP NEXT: For the Heat, Friday vs. Grizzlies, Sunday vs. Pistons, Tuesday vs. Celtics. For the Thunder, Friday @ Pacers, Sunday vs. Raptors, Monday @ Bucks.

• Thunder: Jackson, Maynor
• Heat: Curry, Miller

• Thunder: Perkins
• Heat: --

• Lead Changes: 8
• Times Tied: 0

• Arena: American Airlines Arena, Miami, FL
• Officials: #55 Bill Kennedy, #50 Olandis Poole, #33 Zach Zarba
• Attendance: 20104
• Duration: 2:41