Kevin Durant stumbles in Oklahoma City Thunder's Game 3 loss - USA TODAY

By Jon Saraceno, USA TODAY

Updated

MIAMI â€" In the closing moments of Game 2, Kevin Durant did not hear the whistle he wanted.

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  By Derick E. Hingle, US Presswire

  Thunder forward Kevin Durant had a frustrating Game 3 of the NBA Finals on Thursday, struggling with foul trouble.

By Derick E. Hingle, US Presswire

Thunder forward Kevin Durant had a frustrating Game 3 of the NBA Finals on Thursday, struggling with foul trouble.

Ultimately, the 6-9 forward was blanketed and thwarted by three-time NBA MVP LeBron James, one of the NBA's finest defensive players. Some observers thought Durant was fouled. The officials did not. The Miami Heat won.

In Sunday night's Game 3, Durant did hear a whistle in the third quarter â€" and the 23-year-old three-time scoring champion was angered by it because it forced him to the bench with his fourth foul. It also might have delivered a blow to the Oklahoma City Thunder's chances at winning the NBA championship.

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Why?

Teams that win Game 3 of the NBA Finals win the title 85.3% of the time.

The Heat won 91-85 despite a flood of turnovers in the final quarter. Averaging 34 points in the series entering Game 3, Durant was limited to 25. He only got to the free-throw line four times.

A pivotal moment in the game was the foul called on Durant, his fourth, on Dwyane Wade. The Miami guard attempted to drive the baseline with slightly less than six minutes remaining in the third quarter.

At the time, Oklahoma City led 60-54.

Durant showed his displeasure with the call but took a seat on the Thunder bench.

Despite his absence, Oklahoma City built on its lead in the third quarter, leading by as much as 10 before the Heat closed fast and snatched the lead 69-67 entering the final quarter.

But Durant never seemed to get back into the same rhythm again after shooting 6 for 10 in the first half and scoring a team-high 13 points.

In Game 1, Durant poured in 17 fourth-quarter points. In Game 2, he tallied 16.

Sunday, he scored 12.

"We just tried to put bodies in front of him, make it as difficult as possible," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. "Really have to sweat and work for those looks."

Durant did not have a good final 12 minutes.

After re-entering the game, he missed a pair of free throws with Miami nursing a 76-75 lead. Then, battling for position with James, he broke free but had a hook shot blocked by Heat forward Chris Bosh.

Durant's fifth foul came with 3:47 in the game. There was no debate on that one, and it couldn't have come at worst time. As James charged down court dribbling the ball, Durant attempted to take a charge against the powerful forward. Instead, he fouled James, who still made the shot and then converted the free throw for an 84-77 Miami advantage.

With about 1:10 left and Miami leading 88-85, Durant missed a runner off the glass that never touched the rim.

"I just tried to keep my body on him in the fourth quarter," James said.

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