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Final Score: San Antonio Spurs 111-92 Miami Heat – Spurs lead series 2-1
In order to get back home court advantage the Spurs had to make history. A clinical first half gave them a healthy advantage but Miami didn’t roll over and take it closing the gap to 7 points in the 3rd quarter.
You can single out every Spurs players that played significant minutes with no one really deserving a lion’s share of the credit. Great ball movement, fantastic activity on defence (led by Kahwi and Green) and experience to withstand a Miami charge.
Miami’s role players have some soul searching to do. Mario Chalmers doesn’t look sharp, Bosh wasn’t really involved and the Birdman wasn’t a factor.
Join me for Game Four on Friday morning as the Spurs look to take a 3-1 lead and a potential close-out game at home.
The Miami Heat have thrown the first real punch of the NBA Finals by taking home court advantage. Can the San Antonio Spurs respond in South Beach? Join us at 11am (AEST) for Game 3 of this thrilling NBA Finals series.
LeBron James bounced back from the ‘cramp-gate’ that sent the internet crazy after Game 1 with a clinical display of efficient scoring and red-hot outside shooting to steer Miami to a 98-96 Game 2 victory.
After a shaky start to the game with 1-4 from the field in the first quarter, he demonstrated why he was one of the leaders in field goal percentage during the regular season by regularly getting to the rim.
James attempted all seven of his field goals in the second quarter within two feet of the basket, making five of them.
In his explosive third quarter he didn’t shoot from inside 18 feet but was just as lethal, scoring 14 points on 6-7 shooting including a 50-second heat-check period where he scored 8 straight points.
While James was taking charge, it was the underrated play of Chris Bosh, with 18 points including a late three-pointer and a game-sealing assist to Wade, and the shooting of Rashard Lewis which kept Miami in touch at crucial moments.
The Spurs had their moments as well. Their Big Three provided most of the scoring in combining for 58 points, and they cut their turnovers right down from the lofty numbers in Game 1.
Tim Duncan notched his 157th playoff double-double, equalling Magic Johnson’s record, but looked visibly frustrated when calls didn’t go his way and picked up a rare technical foul. Credit should go to Chris Andersen for his physical defence on Duncan, not allowing him to get settled on the block or get close to the basket.
Although the Spurs lost, there were plenty of positives to take away. Both Manu Ginobili and Kawhi Leonard were in foul trouble for most of the game – Ginobili thanks to a cheap flop by Wade – so their impact was affected to a certain degree.
Tony Parker was not 100 per cent for the final few minutes after receiving an elbow to the chest courtesy of Mario Chalmers, who was unlucky to pick up a flagrant foul for it. Patty Mills took over for Parker and despite a flawless performance off the bench up until that point, his play in the fourth quarter was not what the Spurs needed at that stage.
The Spurs face an uphill challenge to get home court advantage back, but they have an experienced team led by one of the greatest coaches in NBA history. There’s also the added motivation of returning to the building where their title dreams were dashed last season.
With LeBron James seemingly back to normal, the Heat need to continue to execute and play the kind of basketball that has them three games away from a historic three-peat.
Spurs by 2
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