NBA Finals Game 7: A Night to Remember

     For six games, the Heat and Spurs played to a stalemate. It was a series that featured feats of excellence, drama, the sweet taste of victory and the agony of bitter defeat. We saw both teams play basketball the way it was supposed to be played.  It was a riveting 7 game series that gave fans a riveting and compelling drama.   

       Tonight, was no different. Both teams played each other with vigor, determination and a never give up never say die demeanor. Yes, it was sloppy at times, with the sloppy passing and execution.  Yet, both teams left everything on the floor because tomorrow, there would be no basketball to be played.

     Both teams played so well this series that any of them was deserving of the trophy. Alas, only one team can win and that was the Miami Heat.  It was a hard fought 95-88 victory and a very deserving one to say the least. 

      Miami did the little things: hustle, rebounding, and making timely shots. They were the aggressive team going to the 50/50 loose balls. One such example, the Spurs had three chances to score at the rim. Miami stopped them and hustled for the ball in the baseline to gain possession.    

      It was a team that has been polarized in the last two years, that came through when the moment presented itself. None have been more polarized than Lebron James. 

       Lebron was once again stupendous and downright dominant. The Spurs dared him to shoot jumpers, which has been inconsistent. On this night, he was making big shot after big shot. His shooting especially from beyond the arc, was amazing as he was deadly. 

    None bigger than the jumper with 29 seconds left. For years, the narrative was that he was never a closer or crunch time killer. Whether true or not, Lebron made perhaps the biggest shot of his career to date, with a jumper over Kawhi Leonard. It would put the Heat in the driver seat to their 2nd championship in 3 years. Additionally, it was the cherry on top of a dominating 37 and 12 tour de force performance along with his 2nd NBA Finals MVP. 

    Not to be outdone, Dwayne Wade gave big support as his jumper was spot on. He came up with important shots in the 1st Half and in the 4th and final quarter to keep the relentless Spurs at bay.

         Miami also  got timely shooting from Mario Chalmers and a guest appearance by Shane Battier. They came up huge with their shooting, which was the catalyst for the Heat runs. Shane was a sniper whose shot finally returned after a long absence. He made the Spurs pay for leaving him open. Chalmers played solid  defense and made perhaps the biggest shot of the third quarter. with heat down two in the final seconds, he nailed a 35 foot buzzer beater that turned it into a one point advantage with the 4th and deciding quarter looming.

  As for the Spurs, this was another bitter pill to swallow for such a classy group of guys. If they had won, it would have been a feather on the cap of a franchise that has quietly been in contention for a long long time. They came very very close but they could not convert. None more devastating than when Duncan drove to the paint for a driving hook that 9 times out of 10, he would convert.  Alas, it cruelly did not go thru or when Danny Green stole a lazy Heat pass and missed an open three point shot that could have tied the game. It is moments like this, that will haunt this Spurs team long after they have hung up their sneakers and until the day they pass on from this planet.

  As for the back to back champs, it is a job well done for persevering in the face of adversity. They earned the title and that is something that no one will take away. 

  That is, until next November where everyone will be going after them.But, they will also be chasing something else as well, history. Miami will be chasing a 3-peat and becoming the first team to reach the NBA Finals for the 4th consecutive year since 1987 Boston Celtics. We'll certainly tune in next Fall when they come back for a new season. Till then, have a wonderful Summer.

NBA Finals Game 6: Heat live to fight another day.

          Once again, Miami faced perhaps its biggest game in its history. It was a night where it could have gone any different direction. In fact, it seemed that the Heat were just about dead at various points in the game.

           At one point, the fans were leaving with just under 30 seconds left. The champagne was being loaded into the Spurs locker room to prepare for the coronation of their 5th NBA Championship. The tarp to cover the lockers may have been a few steps from the locker entrance.

           The prognosis for the Heat was bleak and the turnovers by Lebron in crunch time, would have been the topic of conversation for the whole summer. It seemed that the Spurs were gonna win the title. That was....except the Miami Heat.

           Miami got the crucial rebound and made the big shots. Yet, they needed some luck. They got it from a missed free throw by Kawhi Leonard and an amazing corner three point shot by Ray Allen as he was falling away.


           All of a sudden, the Heat had life and for the next five minutes, made the necessary plays to win the game. Yet, it was not easy as the game was perilously going sideways. One moment, it was the Spurs who had the advantage and in the blink of an eye, the Heat and so on. To put it simply, this game was roller coaster thriller that kept you guessing till the final buzzer sounded.

         Lebron James was invisible and a non factor for three quarters. In fact, it seemed that we were seeing flashbacks of that infamous 2011 NBA Finals for most of the game. Suddenly, when his headband came off, his game went up several notches. He was aggressive to the paint and posted up to get the Heat back from a 10 point deficit in the 4th Quarter. No matter what people will say, Lebron came to play tonight. He left it all on the floor with a triple-double (32 pts. 11 rebounds and 10 assists). 


       Bosh made some big plays and came up with the big rebounds that may perhaps have saved the Heat season for a few more days. He played timely post defense when Duncan was putting up a classic performance with 30 and 17. In addition, a crucial block on Danny Green's potential game tying three point shot. Mario Chalmers played well and put up 20 big points. None bigger than that three point shot that brought the Heat to within 5 after being down 10 early in the 4th Quarter.
 
    As for the Spurs, it's a bitter pill to swallow. They had that game in their possession. It was theirs for the taking along with the accolades for a low key Franchise who has been viewed as bland and businesslike. Unfortunately, they couldn't hold on to it. Now, they'll face a seventh game where the road teams rarely win  Game 7 in the 2-3-2 format.


     The Heat were very very lucky to win this game. But sometimes, it's better to be lucky than good. Miami will take it as they head to a Game 7 where anything no matter how impossible is possible.

NBA Final Game 5: The Wrath of Manu and Danny Green.

        Over the last three days, their was talk of the Heat regaining control of this series. In addition, Manu contemplating his retirement after four subpar performances. Manu was once a magician with the ball and turning flops into an art form. He gave fans two emotions: amazement and boiling hot resentment.

        He was part of  perhaps, the best group of basketball players (Andreas Nocioni, Luis Scola, Carlos Delfino, Fabricio Oberto and Walter Hermann to name a few) to ever come from the country of Argentina.    A country best known for corned beef, Eva Paron, economic turmoil, Argentinian soccer (including the colorful Diego Maradona), and the best soccer player in the world, Lionel Messi. Internationally, he was a superstar who won the highest accolades that Euroleague, FIBA and the Olympics had to offer since he first showed up in 1995 at the tender age of 17.

       Yet, it seemed though he had seen better days as Manu looked more and more closer to retirement than someone who could help the Spurs go over the hump to capture their 5th NBA Championship. His shots that once tickled the twine at any time, were hitting the rim or just falling very short. His dazzling passing vision looked as though they were covered in cataracts. To put it simply, Manu was heading to the end of the NBA line.

     Tonight, he gave the world, a performance that was beautiful to watch. It made us remember why we loved watching him play every single night. He was put into the starting lineup in what may have been the his final game in a Spurs uniform, since Game 6 of the Western Conference Finals against Oklahoma City.

      It was a risky gamble by the Spurs, but it paid off in more ways than one. Manu started off by hitting his 1st shot, a three point shot, which got him going for 26 points. He was fitting passes into tight windows for easy buckets, which led to 10 assists. Overall, Manu was just incredible but the question is, Will he have enough in the tank to push the Spurs over the top for their 4th NBA Championship with Parker and Duncan? Only time will tell.......

    Not to be outdone, Danny Green continued his hot shooting where he made six three point shots on the way to a 24 point night along with 3 blocks. Not only that, but he broke the All Time NBA Finals three point field goals record, which was set by Ray Allen in the 2008 NBA Finals. He came out firing along, which keeping the Heat defense honest and scrambling alongside Manu. Not bad for a guy, who was waived by two teams and seemed ready to play overseas.


    Together, these two alongside Tony Parker's 25 points, Kawhi's defense (3 steals) and Tim Duncan's all around performance (17 points, 12 rebounds and 3 blocks) helped power the Spurs to victory. While shooting an out of this world, 60% against a Miami Heat team that keeps the lid on the basket. It was a night eerily similar to Game 3 but the Spurs will  take it as the scene shifts to Miami for Games 6 and 7.

  As for the Heat, they will need clamp up the Spurs 3pt. shooting, which has proven to be handful. In addition, they will have to contain Tony Parker, which at this point, is easier said than done. They must make the appropriate adjustments if they want any chance at defending their NBA championship.Otherwise, Miami will face the prospects of an unrelenting Summer of uncertainty where anybody and anything is on the table.

NBA Finals Game 4: Resiliency is in Miami's DNA

       For two days, there was a sense that the Miami Heat's championship aspirations of a Dynasty was fading from view. Should the Heat not comeback from such an embarrassing defeat, the question would arise about their future. Where will Lebron go next year? Will Chris Bosh get traded? What will become of the roster? It seems that the epitaph of the Heat's run was being written before Game 5 was set to begin.

       Lebron, Wade and Bosh along with the supporting cast needed to respond. It was another test to their mettle. Time after Time, they have been written off and have resoundingly shown resilience in the face of adversity. Will Tonight be any different?

   Tonight, they proved once again that they will not go into that gentle goodnight and showed us why  at one point, why they won 27 straight games this season. It was a vintage performance by the Big 3 and the supporting cast. They presented a much better effort on the defensive and offensive side.

    They trapped, disrupted and forced the Spurs sterling offensive movements into unforced errors. As a team, the Heat forced the Spurs to commit 17 turnovers and fueled the dormant Miami fast break. They set out to minimize the effectiveness of the Spurs three point shooters. There were bodies crashing the boards and tipping the ball out to friendly teammates wearing black and red.
  
    Dwayne Wade was vintage Wade. He was spry, aggressive and showed flashes of the 2006 NBA Finals that led to his first NBA ring. Wade slashed and made a dunk that was just plain vicious in the 4th Quarter over hot shooting Gary Neal. Perhaps it was too early to write his obituary as an elite player in the league. His 32 points helped shoulder the load for Lebron and the Heat.

   Not to be outdone, Chris Bosh showed up and played great defense. Bosh blocked shots and rebounded with vigor. His efforts on the defensive end, were rewarded by Wade and his teammates who were feeding Bosh with buckets near the rim. Bosh finished with 20 and 13 along with 2 blocks.

   Lebron was back to being classic Lebron James with a 33 points, 11 rebounds and 4 assist game. Lebron was a defensive hawk who jumped passing lanes to set up the Heat fast break. From the first minute and till the final buzzer, he played with determination in making sure the series would be tied heading into Sunday. He tipped the 50/50 balls to teammates, found the open man for big shots. Most notably on the fast break making a fantastic pass to Ray Allen for a wide open three shot that gave the Heat breathing room as the Spurs were making another run to chip away at the Heat's lead.

  Topping it off, Lebron went on to make three shots in the final seconds with the game well in hand. Was it vindictive? To some,  it will be a matter of topic in the days ahead, but to Lebron, it was perhaps his way of sending a message to those who criticized his passivity two night previously.

    The Heat's shooting stroke returned, as Ray Allen scored 14 points. Mike Miller was Mike Miller with his shooting along with flashes of good defense. Mario Chalmers made two timely three point shots in crucial situations in the second half.

   As for the Spurs, they must regroup and make the necessary adjustments, which they will make heading into Game 5. The minimization of turnovers is an absolute must if they want any chance of winning. They must get better production from Splitter and Manu who made some questionable decisions with the ball that led to damaging turnovers.

   How both teams respond on Sunday, could decide how this series ends in what has become a chess match between two of the best teams in the NBA this year.

  

Game 3: The Heat NEAL BEFORE the Spurs

          Thru two games, the series has been tied which brought both excitement and at the same time awe. It's a series that is billed as a battle between two philosophies. It features a Spurs team that was built thru the draft, excellent player development and scouting. They're the Gold Standard of what every small market team aspires to be in the NBA. A team that has been to 4 NBA Finals and has won all four of them.

      In the other corner, stands a team built thru Free Agency in a city just as attractive as L.A and NYC.  A place with enough salary cap space to compel the great NBA talents to join forces and become perhaps the most polarizing team in the History of Professional sports. A team that currently is writing its own history with a run of 3 NBA Finals and 1 NBA Championship that's hoping to repeat.

   Game 1 was close as San Antonio who won on perhaps one of the greatest shots in NBA Finals History, which has been rehashed into an Oral History . In addition, they were clean in the turnover department. Yet, Miami took control in Game 2, thanks to timely shooting and suffocating D that rendered the Spurs helpless to the 3rd and 4th Quarter onslaught.

    The stage was set as the scene heads to the Alamo where two teams will vie to take control of the series. It's a night where statistically speaking the winner of Game 3 has gone on to win the NBA championship, 92% of the time. The question was which of these two teams would come out of with a decisive 2-1 lead in a series that has many twists and turns yet to come.

   Tonight, it was the San Antonio Spurs who returned the favor to the Miami Heat. Not only did they win the game, but they blitzed them with their three point shooting and were maniacal in their defensive effort/intensity.

     Leading the 3pt. parade down the River Walk, was Gary Neal and Danny Green who were playing out of their collective minds. Neal scored 24 points on 6-10 three point shooting where his shooting was awe-inspiring to watch from a basketball fan perspective and terrifying if you're a Heat fan. 

    Along with Danny Green, they both combined for 51 points and 13-19 shooting from beyond the arc. Their shooting were instrumental in staunching any potential Heat run in the second quarter, culminating in a Neal buzzer beating 3pt that stretched the Spurs lead to six at Halftime.


     In addition, the defensive effort of Kawhi Leonard whose length bothered Lebron and also wreaked havoc on the Heat passing lanes which lead to the barrage of 3pt shots and fast break opportunities. Leonard was a rebounding machine who out-rebounded Chris Bosh with 12 rebounds to go along with 4 steals. His rebounding was one of the big reasons why the Spurs had a 52-36 rebounding edge.

    Along with their rebounding, the Spurs effort was evident as seen by Danny Green and Tim Duncan hustling for the loose ball that led to a Spurs fast break opportunity as well as a put-back layup in the Third Quarter. San Antonio dove for every loose ball, rebound, and played with a purpose. They were relentless and forced Miami into uncomfortable situations in the 3rd and 4th Quarters.

   In essence, the Spurs were just a half step quicker and the Heat just a few steps slower. As a result, the Spurs have a 2-1 lead and the Heat now have to find remedies to yet again turn the momentum to their side. 

   Otherwise, they'll see their chances to defend their Championship sink into the depths of the San Antonio River Walk never to be seen ever again.