NBA Basketball Box Scores

National Basketball Association

BOXSCORE | RECAP

Miami 91, Oklahoma City 85

When: 8:00 PM ET, Sunday, June 17, 2012
Where: American Airlines Arena, Miami, Florida
Officials: #19 James Capers, #17 Joe Crawford, #41 Ken Mauer
Attendance: 20003

By SportsDirect Inc.

HEAT 91, THUNDER 85: LeBron James scored 29 points and hauled in 14 rebounds as host Miami took a 2-1 lead in the NBA Finals.

Another virtuoso performance from James moved the Heat to within two victories of their first championship since 2006. The reigning league MVP was active on the offensive end while putting Thunder superstar Kevin Durant in foul trouble for the second game in a row.

Dwyane Wade added 25 points in the victory while Chris Bosh contributed 10 points and 11 rebounds.

Durant led the way with 25 points while Russell Westbrook chipped in 19 for the Thunder, who will try to even the best-of-seven Tuesday night in Miami.

With the Heat up by a single point at the half, the Thunder used an early third-quarter surge to pull ahead. Westbrook capped a quarter-opening 10-4 run by faking a behind-the-back pass, freezing his defender as he went in for a finger-roll layup that put Oklahoma City in front 56-51.

The Heat caught a break when Durant earned his fourth foul midway through the frame. Oklahoma City grew its advantage to as many as 10 points before Miami finally capitalized on Durant's absence, using eight free throws sandwiched around a Wade jumper to even the score.

James completed the comeback with a 3-pointer inside a minute remaining, and Miami went into the fourth quarter with a 69-67 lead.

The Heat extended the gap to five before the Thunder roared back, surging back in front on a JamesHarden shot with 7:31 remaining. Miami countered with a driving teardrop runner from Wade, who completed the three-point play to put the Heat up 81-77 with 4:51 left.

James then brought the crowd to its feet with an emphatic fast-break layup that drew Durant's fifth foul. James converted the free throw for a seven-point Miami advantage, but the Thunder scored the next six points - the final two coming on a Westbrook pull-up jumper - to make it a one-point game with 1:30 left.

Bosh hit two free throws on Miami's next possession, and Oklahoma City didn't score again.

Kendrick Perkins had 10 points and 12 rebounds in defeat as the Thunder were outscored 19-12 on the fast break and 46-42 in the paint.

James burst out to a fast start, pouring in 10 points and adding five rebounds as the Heat opened up a 26-20 first-quarter advantage. Oklahoma City trimmed the deficit but couldn't surge ahead, as Shane Battier knocked down a pair of 3-pointers late in the second quarter to keep Miami in front.

Westbrook answered with a tough contested 3-pointer with 2.3 seconds in the half as the Thunder went into the break down 47-46. James led the Heat with 16 points and eight rebounds while Westbrook paced the Thunder with 13 points.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Durant had scored 20 or more points in the second half of his previous five games. ... James has scored at least 25 points in 13 straight games. ... Miami scored 20 of its 26 first-quarter points on layups and dunks. ... Miami went 31 for 35 from the free-throw line while Oklahoma City was just 15 for 24.

Top Game Performances

Oklahoma City		Miami
Kevin Durant 25	Scoring	LeBron James 29
James Harden 6	Assists	Dwyane Wade 7
Kendrick Perkins 12	Rebounds	LeBron James 14
James Harden 5	Free Throws Made	Dwyane Wade 9
Thabo Sefolosha 3	Steals	Mario Chalmers 2
Kevin Durant 2	Blocks	Chris Bosh 2

Team Stats Summary

Team	Points	FG%	3PM-3PA	FTM-FTA	Assists	Rebounds	Blocks	Steals	Turnovers
Oklahoma City	85	42.9	4-18	15-24	11	38	8	9	14
Miami	91	37.8	4-13	31-35	13	45	5	6	15

Upcoming Games

Miami will play their next game at home against Oklahoma City. The Heat have a W/L % of .000 after a win and .000 after a loss.

Oklahoma City will play their next game on the road against Miami. The Thunder have a W/L % of .000 after a win and .000 after a loss.