Russell Westbrook's 43 points was not enough to lead the Thunder past Miami in Game 4 on Tuesday night in Miami./AP Photo

Just a week ago, Oklahoma City had won its fifth consecutive playoff game to take a 1-0 series lead in the NBA Finals.

The Thunder had taken four straight against the top-seeded San Antonio Spurs in the Western Conference finals and disposed of the Miami Heat in Game 1 by 11 points, 105-94.

Now they’ve lost three straight to Miami by a total of 16 points.  The Heat beat them in Game 4 on Tuesday night, 104-98, despite having a 17-point, first-quarter lead and Russell Westbrook going bonkers with 43 points.

If the Thunder lose Thursday night in Miami, their season will end on a four-game skid just San Antonio’s did at their hands.

Wouldn’t that be ironic.

Can OKC avoid this early of an elimination and force a Game 6 at home? Sure, but this franchise is going to through the same process great teams had to do before signing free agents to win now, not later.

The Detroit Pistons had to get through the Boston Celtics before winning back-to-back titles (1989-90). The Chicago Bulls had to get through the Pistons before winning three straight championships. (1991-93).

The Thunder’s time will come as they will learn from these 2012 finals:

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I grew up in the 1980s.

Saw the Sixers-Celtics rivalry, the Lakers-Celtics rivalry and the Pistons-Bulls rivalry.

Doc choked Bird. McHale took down Rambis. Bad Boys put the Jordan Rules on M.J.

Saw the New York Knicks when they dueled with the Miami Heat and Indiana Pacers in the ’90s.

Zo  and Grandmama went at it. John Starks head butted Reggie Miller.

Those were battles. Tough. Physical. Intense. The essence of playoff basketball.

What’s going on between the Heat and Pacers in this year’s Eastern Conference semifinals isn’t at that level. In fact, it’s reach a point of bush league.

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Dwyane Wade and LeBron James (w/headband) are eying an NBA title, but Indiana is doing the same./AP Photo.

It’s just a formality.

The Indiana Pacers will be just a footnote in their storybook championship journey. Just another team the Miami Heat had to beat because they’re going to win it all right?

Right?

They’ve got the game’s best player in LeBron James, who won his third NBA MVP today.

They’ve got the league’s second and third best option in Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh, respectively.

And they don’t have to contend with the Chicago Bulls, who lost Derrick Rose to a season-ending injury and their first-round series to the eighth-seeded Philadelphia 76ers in six games.

The road is paved for Miami to take it all. Indiana is just a speed bump in the road right?

Right?

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Up next for Kevin Garnett and the Boston Celtics? An familiar rival. The Philadelphia 76ers./AP Photo.

Whenever these two teams met in the 1980s, it was classic.

Bird vs. Dr. J. McHale vs. Barkley. Moses vs. Parish.

Go back even further to the 1960s. Legends emerged.

Wilt vs. Russell. Havlicek vs. Greer. Jones vs. Walker.

On Saturday, the Sixers and Celtics will renew their rivalry in the Eastern Conference semifinals as the two teams haven’t faced each in the postseason since 2002 when the first round was still a best-of-5 series.

Boston won 3-2.

Who will take this series and likely face Miami in the conference finals?

Go Green.

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Ivan Johnson's first NBA season ended with the Boston Celtics beating the Atlanta Hawks in the first round of the NBA Playoffs, but he'll be remembered for more./AP Photo

Ivan Johnson is out.

So is Mike James. Include Blake Ahearn as well.

The three former Erie BayHawks are on NBA teams that have been eliminated from the playoffs. Last night, the Boston Celtics escaped the Atlanta Hawks, 83-80, to win Game 6 and the series, 4-2.

Johnson has been with the Hawks all season. Not playing in Game 6, Johnson gave a fan the middle finger as he left the TD Garden court in Boston.

There were better ways for him to end the season.  After having a great year with Erie in 2010-11, Johnson, for the most part, took advantage of his first NBA season, but didn’t end it graciously.

Before the Celtics eliminated the Hawks, the Philadelphia 76ers pulled out a miraculous 79-78 win in which Andre Iguodala hit a game winning free throws with 2.2 seconds left.

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Rookie power forward Ivan Johnson (44) is averaging five points for the Atlanta Hawks in the NBA Playoffs./AP Photo

Three former Erie BayHawks – PF Ivan Johnson (Atlanta Hawks), PG Blake Ahearn (Utah Jazz) and PG Mike James (Chicago Bulls) – are still flying in the NBA Playoffs.

How long will their teams stay in postseason flight is the question.

The Hawks are tied 1-1 in their best-of-7 series against the Boston Celtics. Had they won Game 2 at home with Boston not having Rajon Rondo, the Hawks would be in good shape to advance to the Eastern Conference semifinals.

Boston already the edge in experience and resolve. Now they have home court advantage and Rondo is back from his one-game suspension for bumping a referee. This isn’t looking too good for the Hawks.

As for Johnson he’s averaging five points, five rebounds and a steal in this series, but is shooting just 36.4 percent from the field. Johnson shot 51.3 percent during the regular season.

Game 3 is today at 7:30 p.m. on ESPN.

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Erie BayHawks rookie guard D.J. Kennedy scored 12 points for the Cleveland Cavaliers in his first NBA action Wednesday night.

The Cavs lost to the Washington Wizards, 96-85, in their home finale. They’re closing out the 2011-12 season tonight at Chicago against the Bulls.

Mike Gerrity averaged 7.3 points in 18 games for Erie./Photo by Janet B. Kummerer/Erie Times-News

Mike Gerrity says it’s part of business.

That’s a nice way of saying it sucks.

In a month’s time, the Erie BayHawks waived him twice with the latter coming Feb. 9.

Ten days later, the Maine Red Claws claimed him out of the D-League player pool.

Today, Gerrity, 25, returned to Erie to face his former team and somehow didn’t vent about how the BayHawks parted ways with him twice.

“It’s hard, but you understand what you’re getting yourself into at the beginning of the year,” Gerrity said. “I knew it was going to be an uphill battle all the way, but it’s about the sacrifices you’re willing to make if you love the game.”

Gerrity had four points and four assists off the bench in his return, but it wasn’t too long ago he joined Erie, was waived, rejoined Erie and got waived again.

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Point guard Mike James played three games for the Erie BayHawks before the Chicago Bulls signed him last month. The Bulls needed a point guard because Derrick Rose was out with a toe injury.

James returned to the BayHawks and has played two games with the latter being Monday night when the Los Angeles Clippers lost Chauncey Billups to a season-ending injury as he tore his Achilles tendon against the Orlando Magic.

So now the Clippers need a backup point guard.

Wouldn’t be surprised if James, a 10-year NBA veteran, got the call as NBA teams could begin to sign players to 10-day contracts Monday. James averaging 24 points and 6.5 assists in his last two games with Erie, which both ended in blowout losses to the Los Angeles D-Fenders in El Segundo, Calif.

The Chicago Bulls called up NBA veteran point guard Mike James on Wednesday after he had played just three games with the Erie BayHawks.

It’s the quickest call up for any player the BayHawks have had. Guard Quincy Douby was with Erie for five games in the 2008-09 season. It was Erie’s expansion season.

Here’s James, who played 40 seconds in Chicago’s 14-point win against Washington on Wednesday.