Heat close within one victory of NBA championship
MIAMI – LeBron James could hardly stand, certainly couldn’t run. Good thing all he needed to do was shoot.
Better get well fast, James. You’re one win away from the biggest party of your life.
A limping, grimacing James shook off left leg cramps to hit a tiebreaking 3-pointer with 2:51 remaining and the Miami Heat held off the Oklahoma City Thunder for a 104-98 victory Tuesday night and a 3-1 lead in the NBA Finals that no team has blown.
Game 5 is Thursday night and James will have a chance to finish a nine-year chase that started in Cleveland before he famously – or infamously – left for South Florida before last season.
“Of course it’s there to think about,” James acknowledged.
With James watching the final moments, Mario Chalmers finished off a stellar 25-point effort that matched Dwyane Wade. James had 26 points, 12 assists and nine rebounds, missing a shot at a triple-double only because he was on the bench at the end after thigh cramps emerged following a fall near the Thunder basket.
The Heat needed all James could give and more to hold off Russell Westbrook. He scored 43 points for the Thunder, who wasted an early 17-point lead but were never out of the game because of their sensational point guard. Kevin Durant had 28 points but James Harden threw in another clunker, finishing with eight points on 2-of-10 shooting. Westbrook and Durant were the only Thunder players to score in the last 16:46.
“Shots were falling,” said Westbrook, who was 20 of 32. “It really doesn’t mean nothing. We didn’t come out with the win.”
James stumbled to the court on a drive midway through the fourth quarter, staying on the offensive end of the floor as the Heat regained possession on a blocked shot, and he made a short jumper that made it 92-90. After Westbrook missed a jumper, the Heat called timeout as James gingerly went to the court. Unable to walk off, he was carried to the sideline by a pair of teammates.
He returned to a huge roar with a little over 4 minutes left and the Heat down two, and after Chris Bosh tied it, James slowly walked into a pull-up 3-point attempt – perhaps doing so knowing he couldn’t drive by anyone – and drilled it.
That made it 97-94, and when Wade followed with a layup with 2:19 left, the Heat finally had enough room to withstand Westbrook, who kept coming all night.
“Whatever it takes. No excuses,” said Wade, who had to shake off his own aches and pains after landing hard on his back in the first half. “You don’t want to leave this arena saying you missed opportunities.”
Chalmers sure didn’t. The player who was struggling so badly that the Thunder put Durant on him in hopes of avoiding further foul trouble made 9 of 15 shots, scoring more points than he had in the previous three games.
“Mario Chalmers is a winner,” Wade said. “He was due for a big game and he came through for us.”
The Heat couldn’t have done it without James, who refused to let any pain prevent him from taking the biggest step of his career. The Heat never got past their second finals victory last year, with James’ struggles their biggest problem as they lost the last three to Dallas. But he was at his brilliant best in this one, keeping up his scoring surge but also willingly kicking it out to open teammates.
He tried to play through the pain, but the Heat had to call another timeout and remove him for good shortly after his go-ahead basket.
But there’s no doubt he will play Thursday: “I’ll be ready,” James said. “I’ll be ready for Game 5.”
Bosh finished with 13 points and nine rebounds for the Heat.
Miami quickly climbed out of the 17-point hole by scoring 16 straight points, with Chalmers and backup Norris Cole helping steady them until James and Wade got going.