Headed into today’s Heat - Thunder match-up, in games decided by 5 or fewer points, the Heat were 2-8 while the Thunder were 9-5. In overtime games, the Heat were 2-2 and the Thunder were 5-0. These statistics suggest that the Thunder have had significantly more success in close games.
With 34 seconds to go, Kevin Durant made a 19-foot jumper in front of his home crowd to give the Thunder a 103-102 lead, the team’s first lead in the fourth quarter. The fans erupted and seemed confident the Thunder would survive another close game. The Heat immediately took a time out, bringing in Eddie House – he had only attempted one field goal in the game and did not connect. After a Dwyane Wade miss, House drained a wide open three, giving the Heat a lead they would never relinquish. House had only 5 points, but they all came in the last 22 seconds of the game. When people think of the Heat, they immediately think of Dwyane Wade, LeBron James and Chris Bosh, but House is the guy that came through for his team. He is a proven clutch shooter – in pivotal game 4 of the 2008 NBA Finals, House gave the Celtics their first lead of the game with 4:07 remaining in the fourth quarter after he made an 18-foot jumper. He has played and performed well in crucial games, and while his veteran experience does not translate into big numbers in the box score, his confidence and ability to perform under pressure will continue to be incredibly valuable to the Heat.
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