I Hate LeBron James, NBA Finals Game 1 Blog

Heat 94           Thunder 105

I’m going to tell you all straight up, I hate LeBron James.  I loathe and disdain everything about him.  His interviews, his demeanor, his stupid hipster glasses.  The only thing I enjoy about LBJ is watching him try to hide his receding hairline.  Yes, the Boston Celtics were eliminated by LeBron James with the help of the NBA Commissioner, David Stern… but I think it’s only appropriate that I share with you my thoughts on the NBA Finals.  It’s personal for Boston fans now.  I am rooting for OKC just as much as I was rooting for the Celtics because I hate the Miami Heat that much.  And I still miss Kendrick Perkins, of course.  Okay, got that outta my system… here are some observations from game 1. 

The Heat came out shooting in the first half.  Shane Battier, Mario Chalmers and even Chris Bosh had success shooting beyond the arch.  LBJ and Dwayne Wade were able to take advantage of the defensive attention they were receiving from the Thunder and dish it out for wide-open shots from the field.  Shane Battier scored a postseason high 17 points on 6/9 shooting, including 4/6 3-point shots.  The Heat were so successful that they were able to establish themselves with a 13 point lead going into the second half. 

However, as we all know, LeBron can’t finish.  Oklahoma City made adjustments in the second half, giving Thabo Sefolosha the responsibility of guarding LBJ.  This was extremely successful, as LeBron only had 7 points on 29 FG% against him.  When Kevin Durant covered him, he was seemingly able to score at will.

In addition to this adjustment, OKC was able to speed up the tempo of the game, outscoring the Heat 58-40 with 11 fast break points.  Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant outscored the Heat Big Three alone 63-59.  The Thunder clearly grew throughout the game and made adjustments where adjustments needed to be made.  With great role-playing performances by Nick Collison, Thabo Sefolosha, and Old Man Derek Fisher, the Thunder were able to put the Heat in its place.  Now that they’ve seen what it takes to win against the Heat, I expect this series to be all Durant and Westbrook.  Kevin Durant is the best player in this series, not LeBron James.  I hope I don't get slapped with a Technical Foul for saying that… #davidstern.  I’m hoping and praying for OKC in 5. 

Instead of taking accountability for his inability to finish, LeBron James claimed it was just a “feel out game.”  I hope he enjoys the feel of his finger without a ring this summer.