This time, with a chance to clinch, the Heat took control in the second quarter, briefly lost it and blew the game open again in the third behind their role players, James content to pass to wide-open 3-point shooters while the Thunder focused all their attention on him. And Miami made it clear in the second half of Friday's game that it won't go easily. © 2004-2020 CBS Interactive. Summary and statistics for the 2012 NBA Finals - Heat vs. Thunder On Friday night, Davis was absolutely dominant against the short-handed Heat, who were missing their best defender, center Bam Adebayo (shoulder), as well as one of their leading scorers, point guard Goran Dragic (foot). But Davis continues to make good on Bryant's faith in him throughout these playoffs. They did a great job of keeping him away from the basket. Serge Ibaka is at 20/1 if you feel like setting fire to some cash.It'll be interesting to see how the Heat perform as underdogs, the superteam behind the young guns in the oddsmakers' eyes. For that split second, his height becomes a disadvantage, as smaller defenders are closer to the ball. He's going everywhere I go this whole Olympics.' Davis was so good Friday night, he and James were fielding postgame questions about how they compare to Bryant and O'Neal as all-time great Lakers duos. In the clincher it was Miller, banged-up from so many injuries that he limped from the bench to scorer's table when he checked in. Davis had 32 on 75 percent shooting. Best team in the league. Subscribe to our Free Newsletter, This Month in Sports ReferenceFind out when we add a feature or make a change. By Matt Moore. It may not. Durant is favored to win the Finals MVP award at 1/1 odds with James behind him at 2/1. We have tools and resources that can help you use sports data. MIAMI -- Music blared and confetti fell, the only celebration LeBron James really wanted in Miami. "I wanted to become a champion someday," James said. He scored only 15 points in Game 3, his second-lowest total this postseason. He dreamed of this moment, with teammates surrounding him and the NBA championship trophy beside him. Entering his 10th NBA Finals appearance, James, 35, has made it clear that he does not want to make the series about him and the Heat. Over the years, their relationship grew behind the scenes. "He's a great guy, great motivator, someone that just knows what it takes to win, and he's shown that over the course of -- what -- 40 years. "Things just didn't go our way.". Facing elimination there, James poured in 45 points on the road to force a Game 7, and the Heat won it at home. "He's won at every level. The Thunder are also five-point favorites at home Tuesday night in Game of the 2012 NBA Finals. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. Are you a Stathead, too? The Heat were able to play such an extreme style because their intent was never to win the series in a single game. We know we have something special with us two and this team, and just trying to capitalize on it.". James didn't even score in the run until it was almost over, hitting a pair of free throws after he was flagrantly fouled by Derek Fisher while powering toward the basket. The most vulnerable moment for any tall player is when he brings the ball down. But Miami will have a hard time coming back if Dragic and Adebayo aren't able to contribute at some point. But Anthony Davis does not appear to agree, saying that a championship joust against Miami has to be ranked ahead in James’ long list of Finals trips. section: | slug: 2012-nba-finals-thunder-favored-by-vegas-oddsmakers | sport: basketball | route: article_single.us | There are two former NBA Finals MVP winners in this series: LeBron James (2012, 2013, 2016) and Andre Iguodala (2015). The 2-3 zone is designed to protect the paint, but in the process, it creates an enormous hole in the middle of the defense. I think me and Bron are the same way. Davis and James still need two more wins over the Heat to finish this season with a title. Finals MVP: LeBron James (28.6 / 10.2 / 7.4) 2012 Playoff Leaders: PTS: LeBron James (697) TRB: LeBron James (224) AST: Rajon Rondo (227) WS: LeBron James (5.8) More playoffs info. Davis' defender, most often Jae Crowder, fronted Davis in the post aggressively: The concept is simple. "It hurts, man," Durant said. We present them here for purely educational purposes. It's a great moment for myself.". Phil Ellsworth / ESPN Images. Against the Heat's zone defense, he hit 9 of 14 shots. He came to Miami seeking an easier road to the finals but found it tougher than he expected, the Heat coming up empty last year and nearly getting knocked out in the Eastern Conference finals this time by Boston. No matter who had the ball in Game 3, their plan was to pack the paint: Doing so worked toward the same goal. 3:35 pm ET, 2012 NBA Finals: Thunder favored by Vegas oddsmakers, Heat adjust for A.D. in Game 3, and succeed, Rivers calls coaching 76ers a job I 'couldn't turn down', Heat's Adebayo (neck) hopeful to play in Game 4, Butler responds to LeBron in fourth: 'You're in trouble', Thomas has 'no more pain' after hip procedure, Frustrated LeBron leaves court before end of Game 3. Bosh, who wept as the Heat left their own court after losing Game 6 last year, finished with 24 points and Wade scored 20. That may come in Game 4. "We're trying to get something accomplished, and you just have to go to another level. After he scored 32 points on 15-of-20 shooting and grabbed 14 rebounds in the Lakers' 124-114 Game 2 win over the Miami Heat on Friday, the Lakers are now just two wins away from their 17th NBA title. No, he would need that challenge. "They have great size, and Anthony Davis is an elite player," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. 2012 NBA Finals Heat vs. Thunder 2011 Finals 2013 Finals. Not that one two summers ago, the welcoming rally where he boasted of multiple titles, perhaps without realizing how hard it would be to win just one. He is 34-22, while Riley was just 34-36. "We're never giving up. section: | slug: heat-lakers-nba-finals-how-miami-kept-anthony-davis-out-of-the-paint-in-a-disappointing-game-3-performance | sport: basketball | route: article_single.us | Davis touched the ball only 50 times in Game 3, per NBA.com tracking data, down from his postseason average of 61.5 entering Sunday. We made it to the Finals, which was cool for us, but we didn't want to just make it there. Davis scored on half-court lobs from Rajon Rondo. That regression hasn't come yet. LeBron James says winning against the Miami Heat in the NBA Finals "has no extra meaning", Anthony Davis thinks a championship against the Heat is second for James behind the 2016 title run for Cleveland, James raved about Pat Riley, calling the legendary coach "one of the greatest minds this game has ever had". He made consecutive baskets while being fouled, showing no expression after the second, as if he'd hardly even known he was hit. Miami had outscored Oklahoma City by just 389-384 over the first four games, but the Thunder were buried under a barrage of 14 3-pointers, tying the NBA record. the official stats partner of the NBA. But that choice has buried three Western Conference defenses. "To be back in the Finals against Miami, I think, means a lot more to him winning this than anyone else," Davis said. Keep playing.". The player worthy of taking the torch from him and leading the Lakers would need no sales pitch. ET The Heat are banking on regression to those regular-season numbers. He'd want that challenge. "We don't give a s--- what everybody else thinks. LeBron James won titles with the Heat in 2012 and 2013, so he's well aware of how Erik Spoelstra will have Miami prepared for the NBA Finals. Game notes Having experienced it firsthand, it was imperative that James would heap praise on the organization, which has continued its tradition of success led by team president Pat Riley. ", “This league is not the same without Riley," he continued. But it made life far too easy for Davis, who started Game 2 going 14 of 15 from the field. Appearing fully recovered from the leg cramps that forced him to sit out the end of Game 4, he was dominant again, a combination of strength and speed that is practically unmatched in the game and rarely seen in its history. Heading into each season, winning an NBA championship is the ultimate goal for every team. Defenses can't stop everything he does. 10:55 am ET, How Heat stifled LeBron, Lakers in Game 3, Rivers calls coaching 76ers a job I 'couldn't turn down', Heat's Adebayo (neck) hopeful to play in Game 4, Butler responds to LeBron in fourth: 'You're in trouble', Thomas has 'no more pain' after hip procedure, Frustrated LeBron leaves court before end of Game 3, LeBron passes Stockton for second-most playoff assists. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. Do you have a sports website? EASTERN. Getting this history lesson on 80's music by @KingJames @carmeloanthony and Kobe!! After the Heat trailed by 14 at halftime, franchise icon Dwyane Wade tweeted, "All we wanna see is some fight. The Lakers attempted an NBA Finals-record 47 3s, which was also their season high. It's rare you see it. It started, unlike the zone, with an aggressive first line of defense. ET ", "When you have two guys who want to win as bad as we do and want to be dominant every single game," Davis continued, "you have games like tonight, where two guys, we're able to score the basketball and able to rebound and able to find guys.

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