December 25, 2012 – OKC Thunder at Miami Heat
Final Score: Miami 103, OKC 97
Kevin Durant Statistics:
33 Points (11-of-21), 7 Rebounds, 3 Assists
LeBron James Statistics:
29 Points (12-of-20), 8 Rebounds, 9 Assists, 2 Steals
Ah, the holiday spirit of giving. The NBA sure knows how to schedule some matchups filled with drama on Christmas Day and they didn’t disappoint with this game in 2012. It was the first meeting of the two teams since the painful five-game elimination in the Finals just a few months before. James Harden was gone, the team was searching for a new identity and there was an opportunity to exact some revenge on James and the Heat. The game was tightly contested in the second half and Miami held a 1-point lead with just 17 seconds left. The Thunder had no choice but to foul in order to save time and both KD and Westbrook missed key tying opportunities as time expired. The game ended in frustration, a painful reminder of the missed opportunity to secure a championship.
Next: A Tale of Two MVPs