The Miami Heat are just one win away from their second NBA Championship and their first since bringing LeBron James and Chris Bosh to Miami to play with Dwyane Wade. While the scoring is a huge reason that the Heat are now a win away, one basic fundamental of basketball could push the Heat over the top in this series and that's rebounding.
SB Nation NBA writer Steve Perrin simply takes a look at the box scores and sees that while the difference between both teams' rebounding is a mere eight rebounds in the first four games, every team that has had more rebounds has won the game.
He specifically brings up Heat forward Chris Bosh. After only grabbing five boards in Game one of the finals, Bosh has averaged nearly 12 rebounds in the last three games, all Heat victories. Oklahoma City Thunder forward Kevin Durant on the other hand has seen his rebounding numbers drop from eight boards in Game 1 to averaging less than four per game in the last three games.
In a series between two such evenly matched teams, the difference may come down to effort. Rebounding is about hard work and concentration, and Durant and his Oklahoma City teammates simply need to do better. Keep an eye on the rebounding in Game 5, in particular Durant and Bosh. If the game follows the same pattern as the first four, the rebounds will tell the story.
Rebounds are one of those little stats that seem to get lost in the NBA, but if Bosh wins the rebounding battle Thursday against Durant, South Beach may be party central for Heat fans.
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, visit SB Nation's NBA hub.