With Russell Westbrook scheduled to be coming back tonight, tonight could be a preview of the NBA Finals. Last time these teams met in Miami, the Thunder were without their star point guard, but still won behind Kevin Durant’s 33 points and 7 rebounds. Â Durant does not, however, see this game any bigger than any other game.
“It’s not a championship game,” he said. “It’s not a deciding game in the playoffs. This game is not going to get us into the playoffs or knock us out. This doesn’t really decide anything. It’s a regular-season game. If we try to go into this game thinking about it too much, focusing on it too much and making it bigger than it is, we’re going to come out a little too tense and not play our game.”
Miami guard Dwyane Wade disagrees with Durant and considers this a big game. Â “It’ll be one of our biggest challenges of the regular season. Â Anytime we play them, especially now, after losing to them at home. And bringing in Westbrook, you’re bringing in a dynamic player at home, where they play very well. We’re going to have to play as close to flawless as we can to beat this team,” he said.
The Heart are currently at the last game of a six-game road game stretch. Â They are still two games behind the Indiana Pacers for first place in the Eastern Conference. Â The Thunder are in first place in the Western Conference despite Westbrook missing 27 games this season with a knee injury. Oklahoma City won 20 of those 27 games in his absence.
This might be one of the best games of this season with both Lebron James and Kevin Durant playing some of their best basketball of their careers. Â Thunder vs. Heat- who you takin?
