Miami Heat | featured news

Despite Russell Westbrook scoring a career playoff high 43 points, the Miami Heat took a three games to one lead in the N.B.A. finals after beating Oklahoma City for the third time in a row.

It's there every day for LeBron James and the Heat - the sting of last year's NBA Finals loss. Two more wins and it will be a distant memory. James had 29 points and 14 rebounds, and the Miami Heat took a 2-1 lead in the NBA Finals with a 91-85 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday night. Dwyane Wade had 25 points, seven rebounds and seven assists for the Heat, who were in this same position through three games last year, then didn't win again against the Dallas Mavericks.

Kevin Durant delivered the fourth quarter LeBron James never could last year. So forget those NBA Finals jitters at the start. Durant and the young Thunder showed they have already figured out how to finish. Durant scored 17 of his 36 points in another nightmarish final period for James and his team, leading a Thunder storm that overwhelmed the Heat and gave Oklahoma City a 105-94 victory over Miami in Game 1 on Tuesday night.

The Miami Heat's win over the Boston Celtics to reach the NBA finals has drawn the highest preliminary television rating for an NBA playoff game on cable since records started being kept in 2003.

LeBron James finally got a Game 7 victory, on his third try... James had 31 points and 12 rebounds, Chris Bosh hit a career-best three 3-pointers - the last sparking the run that put it away - and the Heat won their second straight Eastern Conference title by beating the Boston Celtics 101-88 in Game 7 on Saturday night.

LeBron James pushed away elimination, right along with any defender who tried to stop him....

Chris Bosh was moved by the raucous ovation he got when checking into the game... Kevin Garnett scored 26 points and grabbed 11 rebounds, Paul Pierce scored 19 - including a huge 3-pointer over LeBron James' outstretched arm with 52.9 seconds left - and the Celtics moved one win away from the NBA finals by beating the Heat 94-90 on Tuesday night.

Garnett had 24 points and 11 rebounds, Paul Pierce scored 23 points and Rajon Rondo had 21 points with 10 assists to help the Celtics avoid falling into a 3-0 hole in the series after losing the first two games in Miami.