There's a very good reason why the Miami Heat are underdogs to Oklahoma City in the NBA Finals, which leaves much work to be done if LeBron James' squad wants championship gold.
It will take a concerted effort on both sides of the ball for the Heat to be successful and there are very specific keys to victory for Miami in Game 1 of this series.
Let's get to it.
Lebron James and Dwyane Wade
Obviously, the Heat are at their best when D-Wade and LBJ are scoring at will. That key factor will not change in the finals.
Wade and James must combine for at least 50-to-60 points in each game of this series if they want to win. With few scoring options other than the three stars on their roster, production from Miami's big three is huge.
If OKC can manage to shut down either Wade or James, it'll be nearly impossible for Miami to raise another banner.
Stretch The Floor
The return of Chris Bosh helps Miami in numerous ways.
Not only does Bosh's presence in this lineup give the Heat another scoring option, it also helps keep the opposing defense honest.
Bosh's ability as a big man to shoot from the perimeter will make it difficult for the Thunder to clog the paint. Their interior defenders, namely Serge Ibaka and Kendrick Perkins, will have to respect Bosh by coming out to guard him outside of the paint.
That will help open the inside for Miami's superstar duo, Wade and James, to do what they do best and score easy buckets.
The Heat can't match up with the Thunder's two huge bodies down low, so stretching the floor also gives Miami a better shot to have success on the offensive glass by drawing Ibaka and Perkins outside.
Hit Open Threes
If the Thunder are ready for Wade, James and the rest of the Heat roster to penetrate the way I think they are, then the Heat better get ready to have some open looks from the perimeter, especially beyond the arc.
The Heat's two best players will be met with unadulterated force down low thanks to Ibaka and Perkins, as well as the rest of the collapsing Thunder defense.
That will create open looks for Miami's perimeter players and guys like Shane Battier and Mike Miller, to name two, could benefit.
However, they must actually hit those shots if Miami truly wants to take advantage. Doing so will once again help keep OKC's defense honest and will ease some of the pressure caused by the Thunder's defensive game plan.
Defensive and Rebounding Effort
Miami's focus defensively certainly begins and ends with keeping Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook in check.
But in between that time, James Harden is a force to be reckoned with and it's a good thing Miami has either Wade or James to take on the task. If the Heat have one advantage, it's the fact that they have no shortage of great perimeter defenders.
It's in the paint where Miami could have a problem.
Udonis Haslem, Chris Bosh and Ronny Turiaf will have to compete with Ibaka, Perkins and on occasion, Nick Collison. OKC is difficult enough to beat when their stars are on fire, but giving them second chances will make this an impossible series to win.
Late Game Strategy
The Heat are not good in the closing seconds of tight games.
Whether you chalk it up to bad strategy on the part of coach Erik Spoelstra, or a lack of clutch shooting from D-Wade and LeBron, it doesn't matter. This is still a huge problem for the Eastern Conference champs.
It remains to be seen which direction the Heat will go, but they are certain to face the scenario with blowouts being at a premium during the NBA Finals.
When the time comes, will it be another case of hero ball or rather a last second shot by one of the team's role players?
Who knows, but Miami had better figure it out and execute.
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