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Miami Heat show Oklahoma City Thunder need defensive boost - USA TODAY

By Jon Saraceno, USA TODAY

Updated


MIAMI – Well, what do you know? Defense still wins championships, after all, at least in the NBA.

• By Steve Mitchell, US Presswire
  Thunder forward Kevin Durant shows his disappointment in Game 5 of the NBA Finals, which his team lost to the Heat.

By Steve Mitchell, US Presswire
Thunder forward Kevin Durant shows his disappointment in Game 5 of the NBA Finals, which his team lost to the Heat.


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The Miami Heat played aggressive, lights-out defense more consistently during the NBA Finals than the Oklahoma City Thunder. They hustled, banged bodies and scrambled for loose balls with greater determination. They played harder and smarter.
That was the major reason why the Heat captured the NBA title Thursday night with a 121-106 victory. After three close defeats, the Thunder experienced a total meltdown defensively in Game 5 as the Heat logo of a flaming basketball searing through a hoop became Miami's championship-night motto.

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"Defense and playing a little smarter," ABC analyst Magic Johnson told USA TODAY Sports.
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Of course, Thunder coach Scott Brooks puts a premium on defense. That is what he constantly preaches.
"We take pride in our defense," Brooks said after Thursday morning's shoot-around. "We really have to lock up."
He sounded concerned about what his team was about to confront. Know we know why.
"It's always about our defense," Brooks said. "When we defend, we put ourselves in position to shoot quickly. If we take it out of the net (after a Heat field goal), it gives the other team a chance to set up their defense and we get frustrated. We can't give them 30-point quarters. It's important to keep them in the low 20s, or under 20."
So, what happened after the opening 12 minutes?
Miami led 31-26.
Then again, attempting to throw a net around LeBron James and company isn't the easiest assignment on the planet.
In the first half, Thunder defenders had too many breakdowns; they were caught out of position far too often. Meanwhile, the Heat turned up the temperature inside American Airlines Arena with a blistering-hot shooting hand because they were handed wide-open looks.
Nothing the Thunder tried to do defensively in the first 24 minutes worked. They trailed at halftime 59-49, their worst defensive effort since surrendering 63 points to the San Antonio Spurs in Game 6 of the Western Conference finals.
It only got worse in the second half, as Miami turned up the heat in the third quarter and pulled away.
The Thunder's disappointing defensive effort came hours after backup point guard Derek Fisher expressed concern about that very topic following the team's Game 4 defeat when the Thunder blew an early 17-point spread.
"Defensively, you have to keep getting stops," he said then. "We started having breakdowns in the second and third quarters."
When Oklahoma City tried to pack the paint to slow Miami's aggressive inside attack early in the first quarter, the Heat quickly rotated the ball to the perimeter despite double-teams on James and Dwyane Wade. That led to a bushel-full of 3-point field goals as the Heat converted 7-for-14 from beyond the arc (53%).
The Heat tied a record for three-pointers (14) in a Finals game.
The Heat's Mike Miller, ailing back and all, came off the bench and drilled four three-pointers for 12 first-half points.
Down low, the Heat dominated the Thunder with easy penetration in the paint.
Miami shot a solid 55% in the first half. Heat defenders limited Oklahoma City to 36%.
The only statistic that kept the Thunder within remote striking distance was their vastly improved shooting from the free-throw line. The NBA's No. 1 free-throw shooting team during the regular season had struggled in the Finals but nailed 17 of 18 (94%) in the first half.
Miami's vaunted Big 3 of James, Wade and Chris Bosh combined for 34 first-half points with James, the NBA's MVP, leading the way with 15.

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