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FULL TIME – Spurs 107 – Heat 86
Junk time is over and the Spurs have come in and embarrassed the Heat in their own building.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Miami – Another disappointing performance by the two time defending champs. No intensity early and that really put them on the back foot all game. As well as LeBron played in the 3rd quarter, you don’t scare the Spurs by playing well 20 points down. He needs to be aggressive from the start and put the Spurs on the back foot.
Having said that he was not backed up at all by anyone. Wade couldn’t get anything to go and looks old, Bosh disappeared once again after a good start and not one of their role players put their hand up and took responsibility. This type of performance was not expected by the Heat and if they can’t find motivation out of the past two games then they don’t deserve a three-peat.
Spurs – Another basketball clinic over and they only have to go home and execute on their own court. While they won’t be as silly to start planning the street parade (2006 Mavs style) they must be feeling confident of another title.
Kahwi Leonard has truly come out of the shadows and become the star that the Spurs know he can be. Averaging 24.5ppg while defending the most gifted athlete of our generation on his home court is quite an accomplishment and cannot be understated.
Patty Mills hasn’t put a foot wrong in this series and today’s game may have earned him a big contract over the summer. He shot when he was open and set up others with his speed. A pest on the defensive end, he has done everything the Spurs needed him to do and more.
Credit must also go to the old dogs in Duncan (all time leader in playoff double doubles now) and Tony Parker. Add in Boris Diaw and this Spurs team has to go down as one of the greatest in NBA history.
After being shown who is boss in Game 3, can the Miami Heat respond in kind and get even with the San Antonio Spurs? Join us at 11:00am AEST for Game 4 of this intriguing NBA Finals series.
The painful memories will still be fresh for the Miami Heat as they take to their home court again to try and stop the offensive powerhouse that is the San Antonio Spurs.
What changes can be made to avoid the kind of performance that they put up in Game 3?
Firstly, they need Mario Chalmers to start showing he is good enough to be on an NBA roster after a truly horrible series so far. It’s hard to put a finger on why he hasn’t been effective other than a confidence/maturity issue, but something needs to change and quickly if the Heat are going to keep their three-peat dream alive.
Chris Bosh is also another Heat player who needs to step up. Often he is the quiet achiever who doesn’t get the praise he deserves but when he actually does go quiet the Heat suffer big time.
Finally, LeBron James, as good as he is, really can’t sit back and post a stat line of 22-7-5 and think that will get the job done. Fair enough he was well held by an inspired Kahwi Leonard, but he must do more to impose himself on the game or get his teammates fired up.
More Game 2 LeBron will be needed and perhaps even a version of 1993 NBA Finals Michael Jordan (41ppg average).
The Spurs on the other hand just need to keep doing what they are doing, which is moving the ball well on offence and working together to limit the Heat’s effectiveness at the other end of the court.
It was a very pretty sight to watch these 2014 Spurs attack Miami like nobody’s business and shoot a record 75.8 per cent in the first half. While that won’t happen again in Game 4, they have the tools at their disposal to keep Miami flustered on defence.
Can Kahwi Leonard put up a repeat performance and avoid foul trouble at the same time? Will Spurs coach Gregg Popovich stick with Boris Diaw in the starting line-up? Can Tim Duncan summon one last great playoffs game to put the Spurs a home win away from title number four?
Apart from a late fade-out in Game 2, the Spurs have looked in control of the series, but anything is possible in the NBA Finals. Don’t put it past LeBron to put in a bounce-back effort in a must-win game for the Heat.
Prediction – Miami by 5.
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