Heat Win, But I Think They're In Trouble

Yes, the Heat pulled out a victory in Game 2, seizing the homecourt advantage in the NBA Finals. Big victory. But I don’t think it bodes well for Miami’s prospects in the series. Consider:

— Shane Battier went 5 of 7 from 3-point range and scored 17 points.

— The Heat led 18-2 after 7 1/2 minutes.

— Miami went 6 of 14 from 3-point range and made 22 of 25 free throws. LeBron James went 12 of 12 from the line.

— Oklahoma City, which led the NBA in free-throw percentage at .806, missed seven attempts (19 of 26).

— Kevin Durant got into foul trouble and was limited to 39 minutes, his lowest total of the playoffs in a game that wasn’t a blowout.

Despite all that, the Heat led by just two points with nine seconds to go and got bailed out by a non-call. Granted, winning at Oklahoma City is a tall task for any road team. But without nearly everything going perfectly for Miami, the Heat would have lost.

Miami got outstanding games from its Big 3. LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh combined for 72 points, 29 rebounds and 11 assists while shooting 47 percent from the field and making 20 of 23 free throws.

They’re great players — or maybe they’re one all-time great, one great, and one really, really good player; they conceivably can repeat those performances. But without a whole lot of other things going the Heat’s way, I don’t see them keeping up with the Thunder in the long run.