Where does one begin to discuss last night’s game between the Spurs and Heat? Emphasis on the word heat, of course. Do we talk about a semi-sloppy, but entertaining first half that consisted of several lead changes? There’s no doubt that the Heat “heat” jokes are in full swing right now, so i’ll spare everyone that forced laughter. But when I think about it, there’s no doubt that it was the biggest x-factor from last night’s game. LeBron cramp jokes aside, I didn’t think something like a broken AC system would be such a big factor in last night’s game. Did anyone? More than bench production, spacing or the health of Tony Parker. Nope, it all came down to the fact that because of a hot and humid atmosphere, LeBron James couldn’t play during crunch time and the Spurs took advantage of the situation, turning the game into a lopsided win. The Spurs were dealing with the same conditions and were able to avoid setbacks, enabling them to finish the game nicely, with a barrage of 3-pointers that put the game out of reach. It’s actually a shame that something “silly” like cramps kept LeBron out of the game. I’ve dealt with cramps when playing sports and while they’re no joke, I think LeBron can handle everyone making fun of his for it. It’s just an unorthodox reason to miss the final minutes. Up to that point of the game, it was a complete toss up for either team. Yes, the game was a bit sloppy (41 total turnovers) but despite the uncanny turnovers by both teams, last night’s game was more or less what we expected from these teams. Match up problems were clear for both teams but like any great team does, they were able to make adjustments and better their situation. I enjoyed how well both teams played; from Tim Duncan’s paint control (almost getting a triple-double) to Chris Bosh’s effective shooting night, it was overall a very enjoyable game.
Much like this past Super Bowl between the Broncos and Seahawks, it’s obvious that the Heat and Spurs are the two teams that belong here. But unlike the Super Bowl, this series will be competitive. Miami, for many stretches of the game, looked like the better team. The biggest concern that i’d have if I were a Heat fan is, first of all, will the Spurs fix their AC system. Second, i’m hoping that the starting five can continue to carry the lead. Because of the Spurs big line up, the Heat started Rashard Lewis at PF and while the stats don’t stick out, Lewis did a nice job with the heavy minutes. Ray Allen was the only player that did well (circa early-2000s) off the bench and it’s worrisome heading forward. What do the Spurs need to do if they want to get a good grip in the series? Well, the obvious answer is to limit their turnovers. Luckily for San Antonio, the Heat were just as careless with the ball. The Spurs just need to keep playing their style and force the Heat to keep their big line up on the floor. In typical Spurs fashion, they controlled the paint, out-rebounding the Heat by 10. Couple that with their effective shooting from beyond-the-arc (52%) and San Antonio is going to be very, very difficult to beat over a 7-game series. Do I expect Miami to bounce back and tie the series? It’s tough to say. As I stated before the series began, every game is going to be impossible to predict and last night’s game epitomized that. If LeBron is in the game during crunch time, do the Heat come out on top? It’s one of the many questions that I expect will arise as the series develops. For those reasons alone, there’s a feeling that we’re in store for an all-time classic NBA Finals.
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