The Oklahoma City Thunder have been plagued by slow starts during the 2012 NBA Finals, but that all changed in Game 4 on Tuesday night. With their season seemingly on the line, OKC's offense came out on fire to promptly take a double-digit lead over Miami. Russell Westbrook, who's been criticized for his shooting during the series, was hitting all his shots, particularly from mid-range. He finished the first quarter five of eight from the floor for a game-high ten points.
The Thunder led by as much as 17 points, but a late three by Norris Cole cut it to 14 as the first 12 minutes expired. It's still their first first quarter lead of the series, built on 62.5 percent shooting from the field. In addition to Westbrook, Kevin Durant added eight points and Nick Collison was extremely active, chipping in six points.
For Miami, LeBron James is just two of seven from the floor for four points. As a team, Miami shot just 35 percent from the floor. It's unlikely OKC will stay this hot from the the field, but Miami will have to start attacking the rim to get back into it.
Stick with this StoryStream for all your news throughout the 2012 NBA Finals. For more on the Heat, visit Peninsula Is Mightier. For the opponent's perspective throughout the series, visit Welcome To Loud City and SB Nation Kansas City. For all your Finals analysis, visitSB Nation's NBA hub.