NBA Finals So Far, and Moving Forward

This is the first time in almost a decade that the entire NBA Finals has captured my interest.  In past years, we've certainly seen some strong matchups, but maybe not since the days of MJ and the Bulls have I been this excited to watch each and every game of the NBA Finals that I can.  Except for the first half of game 3 (due to being on the road), I've been able to catch every moment of the games and all I can say so far is wow.  Keep bringing it on.

Here are five things I've noticed so far.

1. LeBron James is playing like the best player in the league.  After all of the criticism that has gone his way, there's very little for the critics to point at now.  LeBron understands that he's not a great shooter so he's been taking it to the whole, and there is no harder player to defend than the freight train that is LeBron coming into the lane.  LeBron also understands that despite Dwyane Wade's longer tenure in Miami, the Heat is LeBron's team and he needs to lead them to victory.  LeBron is dictating the game on the offensive end, and contributing on defense when he is called.

2. Russell Westbrook needs more time.  The Thunder may still win this series so I don't want to be rash, but Westbrook looks like he hasn't quite fully grasped his role in Oklahoma City yet.  He will never be the offensive player that Kevin Durant is because he will never be 6'9"-6'11" and have over a 7-foot wingspan.  Don't get me wrong: Westbrook is explosive and a great offensive player.  We've seen him do a good job for the majority of this series leading this team and dictating the offense.  Maybe coach Scott Brooks has told Westbrook that he should take the most shots each game, but it would seem more logical that the primary shooter should be the 3-time NBA scoring champion, Kevin Durant.  Either Westbrook needs more time to grow into his role on this team, or he needs to go.

3. Kevin Durant needs to stay out of foul trouble.  Desperately.  His presence on the floor alone, whether he's shooting the ball or not, changes the game dramatically.  He needs to be on the floor.

4. Chris Bosh is the second-most important player on the Heat.  Whether James or Wade is the most important, the other is third, because Bosh has proven how important his presence is by returning to the starting lineup.  Remember the days when Bosh played in Toronto and put up numbers like a superstar?  I think he's still capable of that, but he chooses to do what is required of him.  If I'm part of Miami Heat management, and I hate to say this, but Dwyane Wade has become more expendable than Chris Bosh.

5. Some of the role players for each team have stepped up and some have not.  Thus, they are cancelling each other out.  I really feel that the difference between each of the three games has simply come down to the big three players on each side.  Wade disappeared in game 1.  Durant found foul trouble in games 2 and 3.  Harden scored almost nothing in game 3.  Westbrook is hoarding the ball too much late in the game.  Miami's big three is more experienced and more consistent (so far), so OKC's three needs to grow up, and fast.

Moving forward, I think it's pretty simple: if Oklahoma City doesn't win tonight, they will not win the series, even if they can take it to seven games.  The Miami Heat are just too hungry to give up the title easily, and OKC is not showing enough determination to counteract that right now.  One of the beauties of this series, though, is that it has been impossible to predict.  All of the plays, even the ones in the first quarter, are making a difference.  It's exciting to see two athletic, stellar basketball teams going at it, and I'm excited for the series to continue tonight.