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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LeBron James and Dwayne Wade are playing as one. Do the Boston Celtics have an answer for the Heat duo./AP

The Boston Celtics are old and hurt.

This is their Big 3′s last stand.

The Miami Heat are going to the close the final chapter on the Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen and Paul Pierce era of the Celtics, but the truth is, they should put them away.

Miami has the game’s best player – three-time MVP LeBron James – and Dwyane Wade has reemerged. The two are working in unison and everyone else is falling in line.

Just don’t see how those aging and aching Celtics get past them.

Boston struggled with the Atlanta Hawks, but won. Got pushed to a Game 7 by the eighth-seeded Philadelphia 76ers, but won.

Now the Celtics got Miami.

They shouldn’t win, should they?

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If anyone has ever checked out Stephen A. Smith on ESPN’s First Take, you know how he gets down.

Like the “Nature Boy” Rick Flair, he’s custom made from head to toe.

In debates with Skip Bayless, Smith is direct, detailed and downright devastating when on a roll.

For those who haven’t caught Smith’s face-to-face verbal battles with Bayless, Saturday Night Live’s Jay Pharoah comes about as close as one could get in impersonating ESPN’s NBA expert.

Hilarious.

Germany's Dirk Nowitzki has always been a scorer (Avg. 23 PPG in 13 NBA seasons), but being a more complete player has turned him into an even tougher cover./AP Photo.

Dirk Nowitzki is not better than LeBron James. He’s just been playing better in the playoffs. At least that’s what everyone is saying.

All we hear now is how Nowitzki has become this unstoppable player.

Hello?

Dirk  has always been a tough cover. The difference is he’s finding teammates so he’s making opponents pay for however they guard him.

Making his second trip to the NBA Finals, the 7-footer, one-legged shot maker with range from El Paso is one of the five keys to the series. If he can force Miami to have to double team him, that opens up the entire Dallas offense.

Here are other four keys for Dallas in the finals, which begins Tuesday at 9 p.m. in Miami.

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If Oklahoma City can't find an answer for Memphis PF Zach Randolph, it will fall to the eighth-seeded Grizzlies in Sunday's Game 7./AP Photo

1-2 so far. Not good.

Chicago over Atlanta is the only conference semifinal prediction I’ve gotten right in this year’s NBA Playoffs.

Picked Boston in six games. The Celtics lost in five to the Miami Heat.

Picked the Los Angeles Lakers in six games. The two-time defending NBA champions were swept by the Dallas Mavericks.

I could see the Miami one, coming because age was going to catch Boston sooner or later, but Dallas sweeping the Lakers? The only people who picked that besides Charles Barkley (He’s been on during these playoffs) are Dallas owner Mark Cuban and his closest family members.

Everyone else went with the Lakers.

Now I picked Oklahoma City to take down Memphis in six games, but we’re going to have a deciding Game 7 today to determine who will face the Mavericks in the Western Conference finals.

Can’t see Kevin Durant having two bad games in a row so I’m pretty confident in my Thunder pick, but Memphis won’t go down easily. Got too many tough guys. The Grizzlies are more than capable of winning today.

But they won’t.

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1. LeBron James starts the Q on the bench. Never comes back in game.
2. D-Wade and Chris Bosh come out with 6:56 left in the Q.
3. Cup came out of the stands. Security surrounds the Heat bench.
4. LeBron laughing.
5. 6:12 Daniel Gibson 3.
6. Sign “We should have signed Darko”
7. 5:09 Fans leaving.
8. LeBron talking to J.J. Hickson as Hickson walked on the court.
9. Fans cursing at Cavs to play better.
10. Technical fouls on Eddie House (Heat) and Daniel Gibson (Cavs).
11. Timeout Miami (Why). 2:25 left.
12. James salutes a fan.
13. More security behind the bench.
14. Wade, James, Bosh having fun on bench.
15. Mario Chalmers hits 3 (LeBron stands up) :56 seconds left.
16. LeBron smiling.
17. Guy takes picture of LeBron on bench wearing a Cavs jacket.
18. End of game. LeBron hugs Cleveland forward Jawad Williams. Rest of Cavs leave.
19. Final score: Heat win 118-90. Final line for James (38 points, 8 assists, 5 rebounds).

1. Dwyane Wade started second Q
2. Chris Bosh playing soft. Turning ball over
3. James Jones 9 points 3-of-3 from 3.
4. Ramon Sessions 3pt play.
5. D-Wade dunk. Got LeBron off the bench.
6. 3 Mario Chalmers 3 (LeBron stood up on the bench)
7. LeBron James coming back in.
8. Juwan Howard cut (bucket)
9. 6:02 James in.
10. Anthony Parker 3
11. LeBron talking to Cavs bench. Seems to be joking with them.
12. Joey Graham getting physical with LeBron (LeBron took a dive, Graham called for foul)
13. 3 for LeBron
13. Z/Mo smiling at each other after Mo got fouled by Z
14. Pick and pop with James (Bost J)
16. Andy lays out Z on pick (Offensive foul)
17. Wade drive
18. Bosh J
19. Talking to Cleveland bench, again. Is it Bobbie. Or Poe.
20. Half Miami 59-40 (James 14 points 5-of-13)