The 2012 NBA Finals have lived up to the hype, thanks in large parts to stellar performances from both team s Big Three. Entering this series, there was plenty of excitement due to the star power and exciting brand of basketball that both teams employ. Through two games, neither trio has disappointed.
Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and James Harden have combined for 148 points, 31 rebounds and 28 assists. LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh have combined for 131 points, 47 rebounds and 23 assists. While role players such as Shane Battier and Nick Collison have stepped up, this series will be won or lost by the stars, as we ve already seen in Game 1 and Game 2.
Obviously for our team to be our best, LeBron, Chris and myself need to be playing well at the same time, Wade said. But even if we are playing well at the same time, we need other guys to step up at certain moments, at key moments, to make big plays and big shots.
We know who the guys are on the team, Durant said. We know who the scorers are, who the rebounders are, who the passers are, who the screen setters are, who the three point shooters are and we play off each other well. There s going to be games where Russ may score big, James may score big and I may score big, but everybody comes in and does their job. Serge does his role well, Nick does his role well, Perk does his role well and Thabo does his job well.
In Game 1, Oklahoma City received huge performances from Durant and Westbrook to secure the win. The duo contributed 63 points, which was tied for the most combined points for a pair of teammates making their Finals debut. In NBA history, only one other duo had matched that total: Julius Erving and Doug Collins in 1977.
In Game 2, Miami s Big Three had arguably their best game of the postseason. James was once again outstanding, Bosh played well after returning to starting lineup and Wade attacked the basket. The trio combined for 72 points, 29 rebounds, 11 assists, 3 blocks and 2 steals.
Which Big Three will go off in Game 3? The answer to that question will likely decide tonight s game.
Westbrook Tunes Out Critics: Russell Westbrook can t win. How many point guards could lead their team to the NBA Finals at 23 years old and then average 27 points, 9 assists and 8 rebounds? Westbrook has a unique game and he s a huge part of Oklahoma City s success. However, that hasn t stopped critics from questioning his decision-making ability or shot selection through two games.
At halftime of Game 2, Magic Johnson criticized Westbrook s first half, saying it was the worst performance from a point guard that he had ever seen in an NBA Finals game. Johnson said he was disappointed in Westbrook because he wasn t getting Kevin Durant involved or running the offense efficiently.
At this point, Westbrook is used to the criticism and he says it won t affect him going forward.
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