LeBron James and Kevin Durant
Photographer: Getty Images
Copyright Getty Images
Posted: 06/18/2012
For the second year in a row, the Miami Heat find themselves up 2-1 in the NBA Finals after Sunday's 91-85 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Last season the Heat took a 2-1 lead over the Dallas Mavericks before dropping the next three games of the series and missing out on winning the NBA title in the first year after the "Big Three" was formed.
Lebron James has taken the brunt of the criticism following last year's loss in the Finals, mostly due to his lackluster performances in the fourth quarter of nearly every game in that series.
This year however, James is coming up big in the fourth, and he's done so in a multitude of ways, not just by scoring.
James has taken on the task of guarding three-time scoring champion Kevin Durant, and after his 17-point fourth quarter in the Thunder's only win of this series, James has kept Durant quiet in the final 12 minutes in Games 2 and 3, both Heat victories.
While the Heat are in familiar territory up 2-1, the Heat now have the next two games at home, while last season the next two games were in Dallas.
The Heat are 9-2 this postseason at home, and that, as well as the crunch time play Joof James, could make this year's outcome different for Miami.
Game 4 tips off Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. at American Airlines Arena on ABC15.
Stay tuned following the game for post game analysis from ABC15 sports director Craig Fouhy and Phoenix Suns head coach Alvin Gentry.
Copyright 2012 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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