On offense, he deliberately drained one unreasonable mid-range shot after another, leaving the Heat helpless. On defense, he could even take on George's burden, helping shoulder some of the pressure of providing help defense.
With their offense attacking from both directions, the Miami Heat had come within a hair of being blown out in a single run.
If Kawhi hadn't stepped up at a crucial moment and scored four straight points to stabilize the lead, the Heat might have conceded early...
Of course, even though they didn't concede early, things on the court still looked grim.
Sadly, the Heat gritted their teeth—or, more accurately, fought tooth and nail—right up until the final minute, but in the end, they still fell to Durant.
In the final minute, KD first sank yet another crucial mid-range jumper, then drew a defensive foul on Kawhi.
After scoring four straight points, the Nets had firmly secured their lead.
So in the end, the Brooklyn Nets won this crucial Game 7 War, beating the Heat 126–118 in their own arena.
Kevin Durant put up 37 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists, and 1 steal, leading his team into the Eastern Conference Finals, where they would face the Milwaukee Bucks.
James Harden also finished with 17 points, 5 rebounds, and 13 assists. Although he shot a dismal 1-for-7 from three, his contribution in the Third Quarter was still crucial.
He gave Durant plenty of time to rest, and that was one of the keys to the Nets' eventual victory.
Another key to the Nets' win was Paul George.
PG took just 11 shots all game, making 4, going 1-for-4 from three, and hitting 3 of 5 free throws, for a total of 12 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 steals.
Looking only at those numbers, he was