Finals React and What’s Next

It was actually nice to watch the Miami Heat win Game 5 in the fashion that they did. Complete domination of the Oklahoma City Thunder in four straight wins after what seemed to be a mere hiccup in a Game 1 loss. Who saw it coming? Almost nobody. In fact, no ESPN analyst picked either team to finish the series in less than six games.

Nobody, including myself, was wrong to think that the Thunder would win that series. After the fact, Heat fans can point and laugh, but it’s very similar to what the Thunder did to the Spurs just two weeks ago. Nobody saw it coming (even their own fans) after Game 1, just like nobody called Thunder in six after the first two games in San Antonio.

But now the basketball world, whether it likes it or not, must respect what the Heat (and LeBron James) did. They were not the best team in the regular season, nor were they the most dominant in the playoffs. But they got it done when it mattered.

Do you realize that they trailed in three of their four playoff series this post season? Miami was 9-0 in their playoff games following those situations (Pacers 3 wins, Celtics 2 wins, Thunder 4 wins). Looking back on it, it was very impressive.

What To Expect In Miami

With the first two games of the NBA Finals in the books and the series headed to South Beach, there are a few things fans should be on the look out for that will likely determine who leaves Miami with the advantage (because this thing isn’t going to be over in five).

What has been talked about by the sports media since the end of Miami’s Game 2 win on Thursday was the slow starts by Oklahoma City. Rumblings of Scott Brooks starting James Harden in Game 3 were put to rest by Brooks today, saying he hasn’t even thought about tinkering with the starting lineup.

It’s the right call by Brooks, who would eliminate most of his bench firepower by starting Harden. Thunder fans shouldn’t panic about their slow starts to the first two games. However, it would seem that Miami fans should be worried about not being able to hold a lead.