#PBA2015: Commish Cup Finals Game 3 Preview

A 17-point lead in the first half and a 44-point explosion from Jayson Castro, which was a career-high for “The Blur”, could not catapult Talk ‘N Text towards a 2-0 lead in the #PBA2015 Commissioner’s Cup Finals. The Rain or Shine Elasto Painters delivered a marvelous team effort that gave them a 116-108 win over TNT and now the series is tied at 1-1. Anyway, here are some ideas for adjustments (or things that they need to continue doing) which both teams can use in preparation 

for Game 3.

Paul Lee and Wayne Chism have been solid for ROS in their first 2 games
(Image from: pba-online.net)

The 2013 NBA Finals: Re-HEAT

Shane Battier played his best game of the season in Game 7.
He had 18 points on 6-8 from downtown.
(Image from: ESPN.com)

#Game7 #back2back #champs
It was not as good as Game 6 but the last game of the season came very close to matching the previous game. Miami had the lead in the 4th quarter but they could not pull away from San Antonio. The Spurs always had an answer for every big play by the Heat. The biggest lead was 7 points and it could have gone either way. A lucky bounce here, a clutch jumper there and an unlikely missed shot decided the champion of 2013. All the players played to exhaustion and The Miami Heat earned every bit of their trophy after an epic and competitive series versus the San Antonio Spurs. The two heavyweights punched back and forth with neither team going down for the count. The game was very close for 47+ minutes and the Spurs were right there until Duncan missed a "bunny", then LBJ nailed a jumper which he was doing all-night long. The Heat escaped with a win and now they are on top of the basketball world with their 2nd straight title. Miami was the best team in the regular season and they had the best player in the NBA. Nothing was easy in the Finals. This was one of the best Finals Ive seen and Im already looking forward to next season. Im crossing my fingers that Miami and San Antonio have NOT seen the last of each other.

#jumpers #mvp #flash #shane
LeBron James made jumper after jumper to finish with 37 points, a finals high for him. He snagged his 2nd Finals MVP trophy after he made 5 threes and 9 jumpers in total. The Spurs kept giving LBJ space to shoot instead of him attacking the paint. That was a good strategy for the Spurs since James struggled shooting in the first 6 games of the finals. But for the past season, LBJ was among the best and most efficient shooters in the NBA. His jumper felt good in the most important game of the season and even Dwyane Wade had enough in him to deliver an adequate supporting role. Wade was active defensively (10 boards, 2 blocks) and his jumpers were falling during isolation plays. Kudos to Shane Battier who played his best game as a Heat with 18 points on 6 threes. Battier was on a shooting slump prior to Game 6 and was not playing much. In the last 2 games, he shot 9-12 from downtown. Miami needed all the points they could harness from Battier and Chalmers (14 points). Only 5 players scored for Miami since Mike Miller, Ray Allen and Chris Bosh combined for ZERO points but all of that will be forgotten thanks to the brilliance of LeBron James.

#class #respect #gospursgo 
The Spurs deserve a lot of praise and credit for their performance this season. Many (including myself) did not expect them to reach the Finals as we opted to select the OKC Thunder or LA Lakers to represent the West. The Spurs exemplified team ball and unselfishness as they marched their way to the Finals with only 2 losses. The Spurs almost became champs in Game 6. They faltered in that game but they recovered and battled hard in Game 7. Ultimately, they could not stop LeBron James, so they fell short to the best player in the game. After the buzzer, the Spurs congratulated and hugged the champs. San Antone oozed class and respect from their players to their coaching staff. This series displayed the shooting talents of Danny Green and Kawhi Leonard's superb play on both sides of the floor. Kawhi had 5 double-doubles while primarily defending James. Tim Duncan delivered vintage performances in the last 2 games but Tony Parker was clearly limited by injury while Manu Ginobili was erratic. Manu had a better performance in this game than Game 6 but he committed 3 turnovers in the 4th including a crucial one in the last seconds with the Spurs down by 4. If this was the last hurrah of the Spurs Big 3, they went out with dignity and class. I truly applaud that.

#nextseason #3-peat? #basketballneverstops
Winning their second straight title was tougher and harder than the first one. For the Heat to compete and win their 3rd straight, a lot more will be required of them. Other teams in the East will be better, hungrier and stronger. The Bulls will have a refreshed Derrick Rose while the Pacers will get Danny Granger back (or he could be traded for someone who can contribute instantly). The Knicks and Nets will be competitive while the Sixers could have Andrew Bynum ready, if he stays with them. Miami will have most of their players back and they need to retain Chris Anderson. Meanwhile, Ray Allen has a player option for next year and hopefully he will exercise that to remain with Miami. The Heat might use their amnesty clause on Mike Miller, James Jones or Joel Anthony to search for another big man who can battle the likes of Roy Hibbert. As for the Spurs, Ginobili will be a free agent or he might retire. If Manu does leave, the Spurs have adequate players (Green & Leonard) who can fill the void. Tim Duncan has already expressed his desire to play out his contract and that means Coach Pop will be back as well. Overall, this was a great and exciting NBA season and the finals proved to be an epic way of ending the 2012-2013 season. Basketball never stops and our focus will be on the NBA Draft and the upcoming free agent season starting on July.  

#Player of the Night
LeBron James (Heat) - 37 points (finals high), 12 rebounds, 4 assists and  5 threes

#Highlight of the Night
Top Plays of the Finals

#Tweets of the Nights

Steve Kerr ‏@SteveKerrTNT

LeBron's defensive range is incomparable. David West one series, Tony Parker the next. The man is a machine.

Phil Jackson ‏@PhilJackson11

Good game-good game. Congrats to the Heat they won it on a great effort by LJ in both games 6 and 7. Spurs gave a great team effort.

Dwight Howard ‏@DwightHoward

Congrats to the 2x champion Heat and Spurs for a great NBA Finals. Great series, worthy champions.

enzo flojo ‏@hoopnut

My students were saddened by how the #NBAFinals ended. At least I know they can still tell who the good guys are. #HeatWon #OfCourseItSucks

The 2013 NBA Finals: Heat Escape in OT

Ray Allen made a tough corner three with 5 seconds left in regulation to force OT
(Image from: Wilfredo Lee/AP)

#epic #classic #cardiacgame
Twitter thought the game was over. I thought the game was over, twice! Miami was down 13 in the 4th, then down 5 with less than 30 seconds left. Security people were getting ready to bring the trophy on the court. A yellow rope around the sidelines was prepared to prevent fans from storming the court after the Spurs win. The Finals MVP ballots were being distributed to the voters. A bunch of Heat "fans" left with still time on the clock (Im glad they were not allowed back in during OT). I did not stop watching until the end and I got rewarded with an epic game and an instant classic. This game had a dominant first half by Duncan which was followed by a monster 4th quarter by LeBron. There were highlights allover the place including a facial by Kawhi Leonard and a couple of Wade drives to the paint. Heck, we even saw LeBron without a headband and Mike Miller without a shoe. This was the best game and most exciting thing Ive seen this year. My heart was pounding during the 4th quarter and OT. I can only hope, wish and pray that Game 7 will be a better game.  

#tripdub #bosh #JesusSaves
LeBron James came alive in the 4th quarter and overtime to help save Miami's season for one more game. The Heat needed his triple double (2nd of the Finals) to force overtime, then some more luck to see Game 7 on Thursday. James was struggling scoring in the first 3 quarters with just 14 points and on some occasions, LBJ could not capitalize when Diaw was guarding him. James had a lot of help in securing this win. Chris Bosh was great defensively in OT and he finished with his 4th double-double of the series. Bosh helped limit Duncan to 5 points in the 2nd half plus Bosh made two key blocks in OT to preserve the Heat win. The biggest shot of the night went to Ray Allen who made a clutch corner three to force OT after a Bosh offensive rebound. Allen was quiet early on but he scored 9 points in the 4th and overtime. Miami also got major contributions from Mario Chalmers who led Miami in scoring in the first half. Super Mario was a welcome sight to Heat fans. Shane Battier finally made his shots as he made 3 threes while Mike Miller finished with 8 points and 7 rebounds including a shoe-less 3-pointer. D-Wade was sloppy and ineffective with his shot selections. He finished with a team worst -20.  

#Timmy #Kawhi #Manu
Tim Duncan wanted no part of Game 7. He unleashed a vintage performance that saw him outscore Miami's Big 3 all by himself in the first half. Timmy was so dominant to start the game as he showed Bosh all his moves which thoroughly embarrassed Bosh. Duncan had 25 points and 8 rebounds on 11 of 13 shooting in the opening half. The latter part of the game was a different story as TD only scored 5 points. Miami defended him better and maybe Duncan got tired after he played 44 minutes, easily his most of the season. Danny Green had a forgettable game of just 3 points as Miami finally clamped down on him defensively. Meanwhile, the hero of Game 5 Manu Ginobili struggled mightily with just 9 points and 8 turnovers including 2 in overtime. Tony Parker didnt shoot well until he made 2 clutch baskets in regulation to give the Spurs a 5-point lead. He did not score in OT. Kawhi Leonard was their most consistent player but he missed a crucial free throw in regulation that could have iced the game for the Spurs. Can the Spurs recover and bounce back in Game 7? The world will be watching.

#ThisIsIt #ForAlltheMarbles #Game7
This series has been amazing. It's only right to have a Game 7 to decide the best team of 2012-13. Anything can happen and it does not matter that Miami has home-court. The Spurs already won in South Beach and losing Game 6 in disappointing fashion does not automatically make the Heat champions. If Miami loses Game 7, their epic win will only serve as a footnote to a failed season. Their 27-game win streak will not be forgotten but its brilliance will be diminished. No team has an advantage for Game 7 especially with momentum being non-existent in the Finals. Miami has not won consecutive games in 5 weeks while the Spurs have not lost 2 straight since the start of the playoffs. Will Miami play with intensity and desperation for the whole game or will they only show up once the Spurs are leading? Can the Spurs forget their latest loss and recover in Game 7? Will LBJ be in attack mode immediately after the opening tip or will he be passive again? Can Manu and/or Timmy deliver one more vintage game for the trophy? Will Danny Green continue his hot shooting? Will Wade be a positive influence and can Bosh provide another strong defensive game? So many questions but so little answers. Anyway, we will know on Thursday.

#Player of the Night
LeBron James (Heat) - 32 points, 10 rebounds, 11 assists and  a dominant 4th quarter run

#Highlights of the Night
Ray Allen Corner 3
Classic Game 6 Recap

#Tweets of the Nights

PBA interAKTV ‏@PBAinterAKTV

He Got Game: Ray Allen saves Heat’s season from — where else? — the three-point line

Ethan J. Skolnick ‏@EthanJSkolnick

Ray Allen: "When it went in, I was ecstatic. But at the same time, I was expecting to make it."

The 2013 NBA Finals: Spurs Push Heat to the Edge

Manu Ginobili came alive in Game 5 with a vintage performance.
The Spurs are 1 win away from the trophy
(Image from: Getty Images)

#Ginobili #vintage
The Spurs led from start to finish. The Heat came close a couple of times but the Spurs controlled this game with their tempo, pace and extremely hot shooting. It did not matter that they had 18 turnovers since they had more rebounds and points in the paint than Miami. Plus, the Spurs shot an outstanding 60% from the field for the whole game! Miami in comparison struggled making shots (43%) and failed miserably in finishing in the paint. Major credit goes to Coach Pop for making adjustments especially inserting Manu Ginobili into the starting lineup. Manu has not started a game all year before Game 5 of the Finals and he responded with 24 points and 10 assists to go with a handful of tough shots. That was a vintage performance from him after only scoring a total of 17 points in the previous three games. Does Manu have another good game after this? Boris Diaw also played well defensively against LeBron James especially in the post. No Kidding. Diaw managed to hold his ground versus James. LBJ struggled in the 2nd half with only 5 points. Overall, the Spurs played an excellent team game with balanced scoring as the starters scored 107 points. Tony Parker's hamstring didnt bother him at all as he finished with 26 points while attacking Cole and Chalmers all game long.

#FinalsMVP #DG
The Spurs are 1 win away from the title and they will have 2 tries in Miami to accomplish that. They already won on the road in Game 1 so they know that winning in Florida is very doable. Tony Parker and Tim Duncan both have been solid while Kawhi Leonard and Gary Neal have displayed instances of inspired production. But the best player and most consistent guy has been Danny Green. He leads them in scoring (18 ppg) and is shooting an amazing 66% from threes. Green already has the Finals record for most threes made in a series with still 1 game, possibly 2 more left. He beat Ray Allen who owned the previous record. Green is 25 of 38 from deep and if the Spurs win the title, he could realistically win the Finals MVP. Green has also played stellar defense on Wade and James on numerous instances. His transition defense is much improved and on a couple of times in Game 5, Green bothered Wade and James enough on fast breaks to make them miss shots they normally make with ease. Credit goes to Green for playing with energy and motivation but Miami also needs to focus defensively to prevent him from being this hot.

#NoDefense #Rayray
Dwyane Wade had another good game offensively with 25 points and 10 assists but his defensive pressure and attention to rotations were terrible. Wade only had 1 steal after having 6 in their last game. He failed to finish multiple shots around the rim and often whined, bitched and complained after missed shots. His slow transition defense gave the Spurs all the space they need for easy baskets. D-Wade's lackluster defense led to numerous open shots for the Spurs, especially his defensive assignment, Danny Green. It has been 5 games already yet Green is still taking open shots and naturally making them. Miami needs to shut him down if they want to win both games in South Beach. Meanwhile, Ray Allen played his best game of the finals in their loss. Rayray had two 4-point plays and he scored 15 points in the 4th quarter to keep Miami around but it was not enough. Miami needs to stay away from Chalmers-Cole in the next game and give Allen more time on the court. LeBron James had an average game and he shot poorly again. It was baffling to see Boris Diaw bother him too much on defense. The Heat 3 need to show up and dominate again if they want to see at least Game 7.

#Game6Preview #Check #WinOrGoHome
The Heat was outplayed and out-coached. This was a total team loss from the players and coaching staff. Miami did not match the effort, desperation and intensity of the Spurs. They came to San Antonio content on winning just 1 game and now the pressure is on Miami to win 2 straight at home after not winning consecutive games in over a month. Erik Spoelstra did not alter his lineup to counter what the Spurs were doing correctly. The Spurs went to their small ball lineup with Ginobili starting and he responded with his best game of the playoffs. Mike Miller has started the last 2 games and has not scored. He took 1 shot in 25 minutes in Game 5. There's no point in playing Miller that much when he isnt shooting and scoring. Shane Battier would have been a better choice even if his shot aint falling because he plays better defense and will take shots. Udonis Haslem had no points and was -20 while Birdman was glued to the bench again. Spo should give the minutes to Birdman next time because he is a better rim protector and finisher. His energy should also boost the Heat. Lastly, the PGs have struggled so Ray Allen should play more. Norris Cole has disappeared in the last couple of games.  

#Player of the Night
Manu Ginobili (Spurs) - 24 points, 2 rebounds, 10 assists and +19

#Highlight of the Night
Danny Green for THREEs

#Tweets of the Nights

Michael Wallace ‏@WallaceNBA_ESPN

Tony Parker, when asked how could Heat continue to leave Danny Green open for 3s: "You can't stop everything."

Zach Lowe ‏@ZachLowe_NBA

Wade's whining before getting back on defense costs Miami three more points.

The 2013 NBA Finals: Miami Fights Back

Dwyane Wade was the 2006 Finals MVP. He reminded us that
 when he delivered his best game of the playoffs in Game 4
(Image from: Eric Gay/AP)

#smallball #Heat3 #aggressive
The first 3 games of the finals featured the trio from San Antonio (Neal, Green, Leonard) who collectively have outplayed the Heat 3 of Miami. The Heat 3 needed to play better if Miami wanted to tie the series. The Heat coaching staff decided to go small by inserting Mike Miller into the starting lineup and sitting Udonis Haslem. That slight adjustment allowed Dwyane Wade and LeBron James to start aggressive and active. LBJ was looking for his shot early and so was D-Wade. The Spurs decided to go small to match up with the Heat which resulted to more open spaces that allowed Wade and James to attack and penetrate. The Heat trio played their best games of the finals and their effort on defense was impressive. A couple of defensive plays that stood out: Wade blocking Splitter (poor Tiago) and LBJ blocking Duncan showed how engaged Miami was on protecting the rim. The Heat also defended the perimeter much better as they limited the Spurs to "just" 8 threes made after giving up 16 in the last game. The Heat also had more assists and less turnovers. Which team will be more aggressive in Game 5?

#flashback #LikeABosh #finally
Dwyane Wade a.k.a. Flash finally made an appearance in this series for the whole game. Wade has struggled in the playoffs and has been a non-factor for the finals. Flash had decent first halves in the first 3 games but he would disappear in the last 24 minutes. All of that changed in Game 4 as D-Wade produced his best game since March. The former Finals MVP started strong with 14 points in the opening frame, then he followed that up by scoring 18 more in the 2nd half. The best part of Wade's game was his 6 steals and ZERO turnovers. Flash was focused on defense and he was very active on passing lanes. Does he have more games like that left? Much credit to Chris Bosh for battling in the paint and playing a superb defensive game. Bosh finished with his 3rd double-double of the series plus he was doing an awesome job challenging shots (2 blocks). CB1 did not settle for jumpers and he loitered around the paint where he got easy baskets. Bosh was competing hard and he helped limit Tim Duncan to only 5 rebounds.

#hamstring #turnovers
Tony Parker had a fantastic first half with 15 points and 6 assists while playing on an injured hamstring. The 2nd half was a different story as he failed to score and added 3 assists. Parker was somewhat limited by fatigue that came from his injury. The two days rest will give him all the time he needs to be 100% ready for Game 5. Meanwhile, Danny Green, Gary Neal and Kawhi Leonard all had decent games but none of them exploded like they did in Game 3. Neal and Green had subdued outings due to the extra pressure that Miami  dedicated to the shooters. Both Tiago Splitter and Manu Ginobili had forgettable performances again. Tiago got blocked twice while Manu failed to score in double digits for the 3rd time in the finals. Boris Diaw was effective with 9 points in his limited action. The Spurs had 19 turnovers which gave way to the transition attack of the Heat. The team with the fewest turnovers has won every game so far.

#Game5Preview #BestofThree #pivotal
The Spurs adjusted to the Heat by playing small ball. That allowed Miami to dictate the pace and tempo which led to big games from James and Wade. Playing small also helped Miami out-rebound and outscore the Spurs in the paint due to their penetrations. Miami exhibited a frenetic and intense defensive pressure which forced a bunch of bad shots and turnovers. They were also contesting jumpers and challenging shots at the rim (7 blocks). If Miami can continue that pace, the Spurs will have a hard time winning on Sunday. The Spurs need Parker to be healthy and Manu needs to contribute something to them. They cannot rely on Green and Neal to continue shooting at high levels from the perimeter. As for Miami, they cannot relax and wait for another loss before playing to their potential. James and Wade have to be in attack mode at the opening tip while Bosh must not settle for jumpers. Miami has not won consecutive games in a month. Will it finally happen on Sunday?

#Player of the Night
Dwyane Wade (Heat) - 32 points, 6 rebounds, 6 steals and ZERO turnovers

#Highlight of the Night
Vintage D-Wade

#Tweets of the Nights

Dan Le Batard Show ‏@LeBatardShow

Got a whole lot of people crowing about never doubting Wade. These people are big, giant, fraudulent liars.

enzo flojo ‏@hoopnut

So DWade showed up. Haaaay… Manonood na lang ako ng Be Careful with My Heart. #NBAFinals

The 2013 NBA Finals: Spurs Extinguish the Heat

Danny Green and Gary Neal played the best games of their careers in Game 3.
The back court duo combined for 51 points and made 13 threes together.
(Image from: Eric Gay/AP)

#blowout #payback #embarrass #annihilate 
The game was close in the 1st half but the Spurs were in control. Miami tied it at 44 all and that was the closest they ever got. The Heat never led in this game and they were lucky to be down just 6 at the break. Gary Neal was the best player in the first half as he led all scorers with 15 points. Then the Spurs had a run in the 3rd quarter that was similar to the Heat's run in Game 2. This run was a lot BETTER though as it carried over to the 4th quarter and finished as a 36-point beat down. The Spurs utterly embarrassed the Heat and dominated all facets of the game. The Spurs rained threes all over the court as they made 16 of them which is a finals record. They were +16 on the boards, +8 in assists and -4 in turnovers. Needless to say, they owned all the winning categories. San Antonio played with more intensity and focus which was headed by their support players while Miami's star players lacked energy and urgency. Miami settled for a bunch of jumpers which they missed and they hardly attacked the paint. The Heat managed just 10 FTs with LBJ getting none. Credit to the Spurs for limiting the Heat but as Danny Green said, Miami (or LBJ) was also stopping themselves more by settling and being passive.

#Spurs3 #Kawhi #Danny #Gary
The biggest stars of Game 3 all came from the Spurs' Big 3. The names though are a lot different: Gary Neal, Danny Green and Kawhi Leonard. Neal and Green played their best games in their careers while Leonard finished with another double-double. This trio had more points and rebounds than the Heat 3 plus they made 15 threes. They have been playing very well in this series which bodes well for the Spurs. The "new" Big 3 actually has more points than Parker, Manu and Duncan in this series while they have matched the total output of Wade, Bosh and James. Wow. It does not even matter that Manu and Parker only combined for 13 points when the role players exploded for 51 points. Green and Leonard have also been impressive defensively against Wade and James. Green made Wade pay often for missed rotations and bad decisions as he connected on 7-9 from deep. Meanwhile, Kawhi was active on the glass again beating James for a few loose balls. If this continues for the Spurs, the Heat wont win another game in this series. It wont even matter if Tony Parker is injured/limited for the rest of the series due to a hamstring problem. The Spurs play as a team and they can compensate for anything. The same cannot be applied to Miami.  

#StepUp #NoExcuses #LetsGoHeat
Mike Miller was the best player for Miami as he finished with 15 points on 5/5 shooting from distance. Super Mario was nowhere in sight as he battled foul trouble. Instead, "Wario" Chalmers showed up with ZERO points and 4 turnovers. Dwyane Wade was great in the first half AGAIN (12 points) but predictably came up missing in the 2nd half. As for Bosh, he settled for jumpers which he mostly missed. LeBron James had less than 20 points AGAIN as he settled for jumpers and remained tentative offensively. The 4-time MVP appears to show signs of fatigue and mental breakdowns similar to what happened in the 2011 Finals. At least during that time, Wade was scoring over 25 points and that aint happening this year. The Spurs are doing a good job defensively but James can certainly overcome their defense. He needs to be aggressive and look for his shot early on instead of always passing. He cannot settle for jumpers as his ZERO FTs indicated.  The worst part of his game (and Wade too), Leonard and Green are doing more than them. That is unacceptable for the so-called superstars. They still have a chance to rectify the situation and it needs to happen in Game 4 because if they lose, it is most probably over.  

#Game4Preview #MustWin #WinOrGoHome
Miami was fortunate that this loss only counted as one because this blowout felt more than that. This loss was the worst in the era of the Heat 3. It was their worst loss of the year and it came at a terrible time. Everything that worked in Game 2 was going against them in Game 3. They now enter a "must win" situation on Thursday because a loss would almost guarantee a parade in San Antonio next week. The Heat has not lost 2 straight in 6 months but what they need is a string of consecutive wins because alternating wins and losses would give the Spurs the trophy. Miami knows what it needs to do: rotate on threes, force more turnovers and battle on the boards. Now, can they actually do all of that in Game 4? The biggest wildcard is LeBron James who continues to struggle shooting. Even his defense has been sub par. It's not all his fault but as the MVP and best player in the NBA, LBJ needs to score more and do more. Last year vs the Thunder, he averaged over 30 a game and Miami won. This year, he has not scored more than 18 points in 3 games and they are down in the series. I know James is passing and getting his teammates involved but if he scores more, wont the Spurs focus and help on him more which leaves his mates open more for better shots? LBJ needs to become unpredictable when it comes to forcing the issue instead of simply passing.

#Players of the Night
Danny Green (Spurs) - 27 points, 4 rebounds and 7 of 9 from downtown
Gary Neal (Spurs) - 24 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists and 6 of 10 from downtown

#Highlight of the Night
Raining Threes

#Tweets of the Nights

Tom Haberstroh ‏@tomhaberstroh

Heat's Big Three in this series: 130 points. Spurs Big Three of Danny Green, Gary Neal & Kawhi Leonard? Yup, 130 points.

Jemele Hill ‏@jemelehill

Dear Mark Jackson: Are you sure Steph Curry and Clay Thompson are the best shooting backcourt ever? -- Signed Danny Green & Gary Neal

The 2013 NBA Finals: The Heat Dulls the Spurs

Was this LeBron's best block of his career?(Image from: SI.com)

#blowout #skirmish #turnovers
That was quick. This game was close for 33 minutes with both teams trading leads. No team had a lead bigger than 5 points during that stretch. The Spurs actually had a one-point lead at 62-61 with more than 3 minutes left in the 3rd frame. Then, the floodgates opened in favor of Miami via 33-5 explosion that put the Spurs away. The bulk of that lead occurred with both Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh on the bench. Miami turned up their defensive pressure as the Spurs committed 5-6 turnovers during that skirmish while the Heat started making their shots, a few threes as well courtesy of Ray Allen and Mike Miller. Coach Pop decided to wave the white flag with about 7 minutes to go in the game. LeBron James was not particularly dominating in Game 2 until the 4th quarter started where he had 9 points including a powerful block on Tiago Splitter. The encouraging part about the Heat's run was that their shooters found their touch and the defensive pressure increased. The discouraging part has to be Wade and Bosh still not playing at their best levels.  

#SuperMario #roleplayers
Can you believe that Super Mario Chalmers was the best PG on the floor yesterday? When that happens, you can assume that the Heat won the game. Chalmers was brilliant in picking his spots and being aggressive. He attacked Tony Parker a few times and drew And1 calls. Super Mario ended up having more points and less turnovers than Parker. Chalmers had games like this in the Finals last year and if he keeps this up, Miami has a very good chance of winning in San Antonio. The other role players played stellar roles too with Miller hitting all 3 of his shots for 9 points, Ray Allen with 13 points and Birdman chipping in 9 points and 4 rebounds. During the first half, the Heat 3 combined for only 20 points but the Heat scored 50 and was up by 5 at the break. Miami needs their support players to bring their games to Texas because LeBron James has struggled shooting while Dwyane Wade seems to disappear in the 2nd half after having productive 1st halves.

#Kawhi #DG #roleplayers
Kawhi Leonard and Danny Green were having fantastic games for the Spurs. Both of them kept San Antonio close with their scoring and defense. Leonard had a monster game on the glass with 14 rebounds while Green was amazing from the field with 17 points on 6-6 shooting including 5 threes. Green at one point had more points than LeBron. DG also played terrific defense on LBJ including stopping him on a transition layup plus blocking a post move by LBJ. Heck, Green even dribbled past James for a nifty floater after James crowded him to prevent another three. Credit also goes to Gary Neal who had a good 2nd quarter to keep the Spurs close to the Heat. The support players of the Spurs played good enough to win but their Big 3 did not play well. Tony Parker only had 13 points on 5-14 shooting plus he had 5 turnovers after having ZERO in Game 1 while Tim Duncan and Ginobili combined for 14 points on 5-19 shooting. Manu in particular looked old and was very sloppy with the ball. The Spurs need Manu to be more careful and productive especially when Parker rests on the bench since the PG duties transfer to Manu.

#Game3Preview #Bestof5 #Adjustments
Miami was the more intense and desperate team in Game 2. They needed this win more than the Spurs and it showed during their impressive run. The game was a blowout but it still counts as one loss and all it assured us was that there will be a Game 5. All the pressure is still on Miami since the next 3 games are in Texas where the Spurs are 6-1 during the playoffs. The Spurs dont necessarily need to win all 3 games since they know they can come back to Florida in win there. Miami can also win on the road (best road team in NBA) and they have to win at least one game there if they want to come back to South Beach for Game 6. The winner of Game 3 in a 1-1 series during the Finals has won 11 of the last 12 championships. So far, the keys to the game have been turnovers and points in the paint. The team with less turnovers and edge in points in the paint has won both games. Miami forced the Spurs to 17 turnovers after only 4 from Game 1. The Heat showed us another gear during their run which was mostly evident during their 27-game win streak. Can Miami showcase that in Texas OR can the Spurs match that gear?

#Player of the Night
Mario Chalmers (Heat) - 19 points, 4, rebounds and 2 assists and was +30

#Highlight of the Night
The BLOCK

#Tweets of the Nights

Bill Simmons ‏@BillSimmons

Best block I have ever seen in person. I'm sitting behind basket, it was incredible. Could see it coming too. LeBron is the Smoke Monster.

Metta World Peace ‏@MettaWorldPeace

Miami is bringing the lettuce!!!!!!!! No matter good the spurs burger is, if Miami brings the lettuce , they win!!

The 2013 NBA Finals: Spurs Stay Sharp

Buzzer-beater and dagger from Tony Parker that won Game 1 for the Spurs
(Image from: Noah Graham/Getty Images)

#clutch #dagger #whatashot
He stumbled with the ball while LeBron James was all over him with the shot clock winding down. Then with roughly 0.4 seconds left on the shot clock, Tony Parker managed to elude James for a bank shot that rattled in to give the Spurs a 4-point lead with about 5 seconds left in regulation. That dagger effectively ended all hope of Miami forcing overtime or winning the game. Tony Parker spearheaded the Spurs' rally in the 4th quarter with 10 points as he outscored the Heat 3 in the last period. Parker dominated the PGs of the Heat and he delivered a sublime performance with 21 points and ZERO turnovers. Miami only had 9 turnovers for the game but they fumbled the ball a lot in the 4th with 5 turnovers which allowed the Spurs to take over. Parker did not carry the Spurs alone since he got ample support from Tim Duncan who almost had a double-double by halftime. Timmy finished with 20 points and 14 rebounds to go with his solid defense in the paint. His presence discouraged James and Bosh from attacking the paint.

#StayingSharp #GreatGame #turnovers
Game 1 provided us with entertaining and exciting basketball. Both teams only had 2 turnovers each in the first half and the pace favored scoring. The largest lead  was 9 points which belonged to the Heat as they led most of the 2nd and 3rd quarters. The Spurs actually started strong with a quick 9-2 lead which removed any doubts that the 9 days of rest hurt them. Even Manu Ginobili seemed to bust out from his shooting slump. Meanwhile, the Heat struggled in the 4th quarter with 5 turnovers and awful isolation sets that resulted to long jumpers. The Spurs countered those by having zero turnovers and making their shots. They outscored Miami 23-16 in the 4th with contributions from Danny Green and Kawhi Leonard. Coach Spo decided to sit LeBron and Wade together in the 4th for about 3 minutes and that might have been his worst decision in Game 1. Miami was unable to build a lead without them and whatever rhythm they had in the 3rd quarter was lost with all their turnovers. The Spurs, led by Parker quickly took over during that stretch and led by as much as 7 points.

#tripledouble #awfulshot
LeBron James had a monster stat line of 18 points, 18 rebounds and 10 assists. But Miami still lost. It is not entirely his fault that they lost since this was a collective losing effort from the Heat. D-Wade had a great 1st half with 13 points but he disappeared in the 4th with ZERO points while Bosh chipped in 2 points in the 4th.  Chris Bosh then took an awful three with the score at 90-86 for the Spurs with a minute left. He missed (0-4 from deep) and the Spurs managed to hold on for the win. The Spurs left Bosh open for a reason and he bailed the Spurs out by taking that terrible three. Miami had 3 other shooters on the floor who were better than Bosh from deep (Allen, Miller, James) yet Bosh decided to launch that shot. He must reconsider his approach in the Finals and avoid those bad threes. As for LBJ, he was not that dominant offensively as he settled for long shots and did not operate on the post often. A lot of the credit goes to Kawhi Leonard and the Spurs for making James look passive. Miami needs him to score more if they want to win Game 2.

#Game2Preview #LetsGoHeat #Adjustments
Being behind in a series is a recurring theme for Miami. They have won the past 4 series after being down and just last year, they beat the OKC Thunder in 4 straight after losing Game 1. To expect Miami to beat the Spurs 4 straight times WONT be happening. All the pressure is on the Heat to come out stronger and play better in Game 2 to tie the series because the next 3 are in San Antonio. If the Heat loses on Sunday, we could be talking about a parade in San Antonio by next week. The Spurs wont be satisfied stealing one game so Miami needs to bring their very best. This includes LBJ who must force the issue more and attack the paint. He settled for jumpers (1-5 threes) and rarely challenged the Spurs' front line (3-4 FTs). Others need to help especially Bosh who stayed on the perimeter again even though Roy Hibbert no longer plays in this series. Miami also needs to explore trapping Tony Parker when he has the ball at mid-court or send double teams early to force him to pass the ball. Putting LBJ on him most of the time will tire James early so maybe try D-Wade. As for the Spurs, they got out-rebounded and had less assists but they won the game due to their 4 turnovers and clutch shooting.

#Player of the Night
Tony Parker (Spurs) - 21 points, 6 assists, ZERO turnovers and 10 points in the 4th

#Highlight of the Night
Dagger from Parker

#Tweets of the Nights

Skip Bayless ‏@RealSkipBayless

That shot was CLEARLY out of Tony Parker's hand before the shot clock. That shot was big-time CLUTCH with LeBron all over him.

Dick Vitale ‏@DickieV

@EvaLongoria @NBA your ex is AWESOME BABY - Mr Clutch!

Game 1 Highlights

The 2013 NBA Finals: San Antonio Spurs vs. Miami Heat

Tony Parker and the Spurs stand in the way of LeBron James 
and the Heat who are seeking for back-to-back titles 

Season Series:  Heat 2-0

How the Heat got here: The Heat played only 9 games in the first 2 rounds of the playoffs as they barely got challenged by the Bucks and the Bulls. The 3rd round against the Pacers was a different story. Indy pounded the paint and dominated the boards to give Miami all sorts of problems. The Pacers played physical and tough while using Hibbert's "verticality" defense to bother James and Wade when they drove to the rim. Even Chris Bosh was thoroughly outplayed by Hibbert. Bosh simply avoided going to the paint and settled for long jumpers even  though he only made 38% of his shots and averaged 11 points. The Indiana Pacers stretched Miami to 7 games due to brilliant performances coming from Paul George and Roy Hibbert. The Heat needed to click on all cylinders and activated another gear in Game 7 to dispose of the pesky and gritty Pacers. Miami needed the "Heat 3" to contribute and they will need them again against the Spurs. 

How the Heat will win: Forcing turnovers and creating transition baskets are major components of the Heat's attack. Miami is unstoppable on fast breaks and almost unbeatable when their opponents commit more turnovers than them. For the playoffs, Miami commits about 3 turnovers less than the opposition. Against the Pacers, they forced Indy to average 17.3 TPG while Miami only had 11.9. Miami can also increase their defensive intensity and pressure to incite horrible shots which in turn can lead to more transition chances for them. The Heat prefers to play small ball often which opens up the floor more for Wade and James to attack and penetrate. If the defense sends double teams or collapses to help on drives, Miami will certainly launch it from beyond the arc. Lately, their shooters have missed more than their usual attempts but the Finals provides them a fresh start. The Spurs are also not as good as the Pacers when it comes to closing out on corner three-point shooters.    

X-Factor for Heat: Ray Allen still got his usual minutes vs the Pacers even though he struggled shooting. Allen finally delivered the goods in game 7 when he had 10 points in the 2nd quarter to boost Miami towards a big lead. Allen signed with Miami to be in this position. They need Rayray to make more shots since Battier and Cole struggled shooting in the last series. 

How the Spurs got here: The San Antonio Spurs had a dominating run to the Finals. They are 12-2 with two of the series being sweeps. Most of the experts did not expect them to reach this far since they had the LA Lakers or OKC Thunder (me included) reaching the Finals instead of the SAS. They can play any type of basketball while their coach wont hesitate to mix up the rotations. The Spurs managed to handily win each series by either playing small ball (vs Warriors) or big ball (vs Grizzlies & Lakers). Not a lot of people expected them to win the series against the Grizzlies yet they swept them. Much of the credit goes to Tony Parker who has played like the best PG in the NBA. Tim Duncan continues to defy old age while Manu Ginobili made clutch shots while struggling to shoot for most of the playoffs.

How the Spurs will win: The Spurs employ lots of high pick and rolls with Parker which either frees him for a jumper or a drive to the lane. Plan B of that play results to a pass to the screener for a jumper or a roll to the rim. Miami can defend both sets but the Spurs are very good at executing plays and showing misdirection sets. The Spurs also have capable bigs (Duncan, Splitter & Bonner) who can finish plus they are able passers. San Antonio is similar to Miami since both teams are unselfish (1 & 2 in assists), commit fewer turnovers than their opponents and shoot a lot of threes. The Spurs have the advantage in the low post with Timmy still making a fair amount of his shots down low while Splitter has developed a solid inside game. The Spurs also have Ginobili who can run isolation plays from time to time.

X-Factor for Spurs: Kawhi Leonard will be the primary defender of LeBron James. It's his job to make things somewhat harder for LBJ if possible. We saw how Paul George had problems producing while guarding LeBron most of the time. Can Kawhi score and guard James at the same time? The most important part is for Leonard to avoid being in foul trouble.

What will probably happen: The Spurs can play a similar style to the Pacers which gave the Heat big problems. The Spurs can pound the glass and throw the ball in the low post. San Antonio decimated the Grizzlies with big lineups featuring Bonner and/or Splitter with Duncan. The Spurs can go small when Manu enters the game which can match up better with Miami's small ball approach. It will be up to Miami's Big 3 to outplay and ideally outscore the Spurs 3. The Spurs had problems last year with athleticism and speed vs the Thunder so the Heat should capitalize on that weakness. Tony Parker has a big advantage over any guard the Heat throws at him so expect the Spurs to funnel most of their offense through him. Chalmers and Cole (maybe Wade occasionally) should attack Parker on defense to try and limit TP's effectiveness, maybe get him in foul trouble as well. Expect LeBron James to guard Parker during clutch situations, similar to when LBJ harassed Derrick Rose during the 2011 ECF. That leaves Manu handling the ball more to initiate their offense which is good for the Spurs if he gets out of his slump. As for Dwyane Wade, his match-up with Manu will probably dictate this series, similar to last year's Finals when Wade outplayed James Harden. Meanwhile, Chris Bosh normally plays better against Duncan so expect him to bounce back in the Finals because if Bosh struggles again, Miami will not win the series.

Key Match-up: Wade vs Ginobili. Both guys are hurt and both have struggled in the playoffs. Manu has more room for error since Duncan has played very well while Wade needs to contribute more due to Bosh being a non-factor most of the time. Parker and LeBron will probably negate each other's impact so the secondary scorer could dictate the winner of the Finals.  

Prediction: The Finals look very even and will surely be competitive. Both teams are capable of winning on the road and both are well-coached. My head tells me that the Spurs will win in 7 games but my heart argues that the Heat will win in 7 instead. I made the mistake of picking against the Heat last year vs the Thunder and that wont happen this time. I will go with my heart and pick Miami Heat in 7. Enjoy the Finals!

The NBA: Preseason Predictions for Playoffs

The exhibition games are finally over. The Lakers were the only team to go winless in 8 games while non-playoff teams like the Raptors and Warriors finished with 6 wins each. These games did not count so everyone starts with a clean slate on October 30. All 30 teams will have the same win-loss record and an equal chance of going to the playoffs and maybe winning the NBA title. Unfortunately, only a handful have a realistic shot at the Larry O'Brien trophy in June. Which teams are those?

Will the Miami Heat Repeat as NBA Champs?
Read on and find out.

EASTERN CONFERENCE
Atlantic Division Champs: Boston Celtics
This division got tougher and stronger with the roster upgrades that each team did over the summer. It's not impossible to see all five teams actually get .500 or better records, even the Toronto Raptors. Overall, the Celtics improved their backcourt immensely with Jason Terry and Courtney Lee while their frontcourt will be better with the return of Jeff Green and their rookie Jared Sullinger.

Central Division Champs: Indiana Pacers
The Chicago Bulls will not end up with the best record in the NBA or the number 1 seed in the East like they did in the last 2 years. This shows how important and essential Derrick Rose is to the Bulls. The Indiana Pacers will take this chance to win the division while Rose recovers from his ACL injury. The Bucks might make some noise but it probably wont be loud enough to win the division.

South-East Division Champs: Miami Heat
The Heat will have no competition in their division. Only Atlanta can provide a small challenge to their supremacy in this division. This division might produce 3 teams (Orlando, Charlotte, Washington) that could compete for the first pick in next year's draft. The Heat should win the division by New Year.

Eastern Playoffs
1. Miami
2. Boston
3. Indiana
4. Brooklyn
5. Atlanta
6. New York
7. Philadelphia
8. Chicago
Sleeper Pick for 8th Spot: Toronto
The Raptors could sneak in if D-Rose misses the whole year or just comes back after the All-Star Break. The Raptors upgraded their roster with a very capable PG in Kyle Lowry who is among the top 10 point guards in the league and their rookie, Jonas Valanciunas could provide a decent inside presence that Bargnani cant provide.

East Finals: Miami over Boston
This could be decided with another Game 7 in South Beach. The Heat still has the best player in the league and they are still a better team than the Celtics. For the 3rd year in a row, the Heat will send the Celtics home.

WESTERN CONFERENCE
North-West Division Champs: OKC Thunder
The Thunder traded James Harden for Kevin Martin and Jemery Lamb. This weakens the Thunder since Harden is a top 25 player in the NBA and on some nights, he is the best player on OKC. Nonetheless, the Thunder still have enough talent to win their division.

Pacific Division Champs: LA Lakers
This is not a surprise pick. The Clippers will give the Lakers a battle  for the division crown but the Lakers will come out on top. Both teams upgraded their rosters but the Lakers added better players. The Lakers have a superior starting five but the Clips have the better bench. If Odom can get back in shape and Billups recovers nicely from his injury, the Clippers could be the division champs.

South-West Division Champs: San Antonio Spurs
Yes, the Spurs are a year older and yes, they are still the best team in their division. The injury to Dirk hurts the Mavs from gaining on the Spurs while Memphis could pose a threat but that depends on how healthy and great Zach Randolph plays.

Western Playoffs
1. OKC
2. San Antonio
3. Lakers
4. Clippers
5. Denver
6. Memphis
7. Mavericks
8. Warriors
Sleeper Pick for 8th Spot: Minnesota or Utah
If healthy, the Warriors (Bogut and Curry) should compete for a playoff spot. The T'wolves had the upper hand until Kevin Love broke his hand doing knuckle push-ups. Love possibly missing 2 months and with Rubio still out until January, the Warriors have the chance to build a lead. The Jazz could sneak into the last spot like last season but I prefer the overall roster that the Warriors possess, IF healthy.

West Finals: Lakers over OKC
Originally, I had the Thunder over the Lakers but the Harden Trade swayed me to pick the Lakers. Harden was integral in beating the Lakers last year and with him gone this year, the Thunder wont be able to exploit the match-up problems that Harden brings. Kevin Martin can score and make jumpers but he is not a playmaker and he cannot defend like Harden.

NBA Finals: Miami over Lakers
We will finally have the match-up between LeBron vs. Kobe. Unfortunately, LBJ is too dominant at this stage and he will be no match for Bryant (similar to how LBJ outclassed Durant last finals). The Heat also have a better supporting cast and better chemistry than the Lakers. Like the Heat during 2010-11, the Lakers will taste defeat in their first year together.

Follow me on Twitter: @rollzter 

The 2012 NBA Finals: LeBron Has Been Crowned

LeBron James finished off the Thunder with
a triple-double and he was named the Finals MVP
(Photo by Associated Press)

0

Kevin Durant gave it his best shot and did not give up
but the Thunder lost. Look for them to be back next year
(Photo by Associated Press)

#champs #letsgoheat
After 66 games in the shortened regular season and then 2 months of playoff basketball, the Miami Heat is the best team in the NBA. The Heat managed to win their 4th straight game in the Finals as they defeated the OKC Thunder in 5 games. The Thunder barely led in this game but they were within striking distance midway through the third quarter down by only 5 points. That was when the Heat decided to throw their best punches to deliver the knockout blow. The Heat bombarded the Thunder with a barrage of threes and drives to the hoop as the Heat went on a 27-8 rampage to end the third quarter up by 24 points. At that time, the Thunder looked beaten and demoralized. Everything was clicking for Miami while OKC labored on both ends of the floor. This was the Heat's game for the taking and the Thunder knew it. The Thunder would not recover and they hardly made a dent at the big deficit. The Thunder got blown out in the closeout game and the fourth quarter was just a formality.

#finalsMVP #ring
Was there any doubt on who the Finals MVP would be? LeBron James was unanimously chosen as the best player in the Finals. LBJ dominated the game from start to finish and he ended the Thunder's season with a triple-double: 26 points, 11 rebounds and 13 assists. The King finally earned his first ring to go along with his three MVP awards. The best player in the NBA and the world was spectacular during the playoffs and he displayed his amazing talents

#HesOnFire #LightsOut
Mike Miller has been injured for the whole season. He probably has multiple ailments that impede his productivity on the court and his minutes and numbers show that. You can even see the pain and grimace on his face whenever he steps on the court. But for one night and one game, Mike Miller was money from three. He made seven treys out of eight shots in game 5 after not making any during the first four games. The Heat made 14 treys as a team which tied the NBA record in a playoffs game. No one was going to beat the Heat when they shoot from outside like that. No one.
#Big3 #theOthers
The Heat 3 played well together for their last game of the 2011-12 season. All 3 of them scored at least 20 points for the first time in the playoffs. Wonderful timing on a closeout game. James was passing the ball effectively and dominating the post while Bosh was playing good defense and making his shots. Dwyane Wade undressed Westbrook during one sequence where Wade blocked a Westbrook layup then Wade went the other way for a Eurostep layup plus a foul from Russell. The role players stepped up again as Chalmers and Battier scored over 10 points and made treys. The Heat dont win the finals without the help of the others and they played more as a team during the playoffs. They evolved during the finals and they were rhe better team. #OKC #nextyear The Thunder is a young and athletic team that will be back in the finals next year. They were inexperienced and quite possibly not ready for the big stage. They have the best scorer in the league in Kevin Durant and Westbrook is an elite player. James Harden needs to find his game again plus he needs to tone down his flopping. It has been said that the Heat learned and grew from their loss last year to Dallas and that helped them prevail this year. The same thing could happen to the Thunder and hopefully it will be the Heat and Thunder again next June. I cant wait for next season already!

The 2012 NBA Finals: Super Mario to The Rescue

Mario Chalmers deserved the hug and the game ball for coming up huge
in Game 4. He scored 12 points in the fourth quarter and finished with 12.
(Photo by Associated Press)

#ComeBack #TeamGame

There was no slow start for the Thunder in Game 4. They started strong with Westbrook hitting jumpers and  Collison getting 6 points early. They ended up with the lead in the first quarter for the first time in the finals. The biggest lead was 17 points but the Heat managed to get back in the game by going on a 16-0 run. The Heat defense woke up in the second quarter and Miami had the lead at the end of the third. Russell Westbrook was a scoring machine and Thunder offense relied on him while the Heat had more balance with James scoring 26 while Wade and Chalmers had 25 each and then Bosh chipped in 13 points and 9 rebounds. The Thunder ran so many isolation plays for Westbrook since he got to the basket with ease and he was making most of his jumpers. Still, it was not enough for the Thunder since they missed crucial shots at the end and had some mindless mistakes. Their inexperience showed and that cost them a chance to win Game 4. 

SuperMario #MrClutch

With LeBron James on the bench due to leg cramps, Super Mario unleashed his best performance in the playoffs and the finals. Mr. Clutch delivered the final 5 points for the Heat and they escaped Game 4 with a win. Chalmers scored 25 points on 9-15 shooting and he had a great 4th quarter where he scored 12 points coming from threes, floaters and daring layups. With Kevin Durant often guarding him, Super Mario was active and more aggressive with his drives to the basket. This was such a big game from Chalmers who had struggled in the finals as he came in scoring 17 combined points in the first 3 games. Extra credit to Heat rookie Norris Cole who had a productive 8 points in 7 minutes. His timely baskets allowed the Heat to get back in the game and his contribution probably ignited Chalmers' competitive spirit. Mario did not want to lose his minutes to Cole so Mr. Clutch stepped up real BIG.  

#cramps #backpain

Midway in the fourth quarter, LeBron slipped to the floor without any contact and he got up slowly. On the next trip, he made a bank shot but he limped after the basket. He collapsed to the floor and he was grimacing in pain. He had to be removed from the game because he was unable to move properly. At first, I thought he sprained his ankle or pulled a muscle. Either injury could have been a serious setback for the Heat. Luckily, it was just a leg cramp for LeBron and he should be ready for Game 5. James almost got a triple-double and he missed it by one rebound. Meanwhile, Dwyane Wade hurt his lower back in the 2nd quarter when Serge Ibaka blocked his shot and then they collided. Wade hit the floor hard with his tailbone and he was on the floor and in pain. He was not removed from the game and he was able to continue. The Heat got lucky that nothing major bothered Wade and he still ended up playing 42 minutes. 

Russell Westbrook had a magnificent game with 43 points but his foul
at the end  prevented the Thunder from getting the chance to tie the game.
(Photo by Associated Press)

#Russell #AllBeardNoBrain

Westbrook played superb and he kept the Thunder in the game. He almost got them the win with his 43 points on 20-32 shooting. Russell was on fire and he was making difficult shots with ease and his jumper was on target last night. The Heat could not stop him and his foul after the jumpball was not the reason the Thunder lost. It was a stupid foul and that could be due to a misunderstanding among the Thunder players and their coach. In fact, Westbrook kept them in the game since James Harden was a no-show for the 2nd straight game. The Beard came up with 8 points on 2-10 shooting and he had 4 turnovers. Most of his shots were open looks and he simply did not make them. Things were so bad for Harden offensively that he missed a non-contested layup on a fast break. On defense, Harden was getting pounded by LeBron in the post or by Wade in the perimeter. The Thunder only had their Big 2 last night and it was not enough to upset the Heat who had contributions from everyone. 

#OneMoreWin #LetsGoHeat

The Heat is in good shape to win their second title in 6 years. No team has won in the finals after being down 3-1 and only 8 teams have won a series in the playoffs after being down 3-1. The history is on the Heat's side but nothing is guaranteed especially against the OKC Thunder who is very capable of coming back and winning the series. The Thunder won 4 straight against the Spurs and winning 3 straight versus the Heat is not an impossible task. The Heat is also capable of losing 3 straight games in the finals since that happened to them last year when Dallas beat them 4-2 after the Heat had a 2-1 advantage. The hardest game to finish is the closeout game and this will be the toughest of them all. The Heat cannot relax now and they need to be calm and poised to overcome all the punches that the Thunder will deliver in Game 5. A loss on Thursday brings back the series to OKC and that would give the Thunder confidence that they can still win the series. The Heat definitely dont want that. 

#Tweet of the Night

J.A. Adande ‏@jadande

Chalmers has GOTS to go to the podium tonight. #podiumgame

#KeyStats

• Westbrook's 43 points is his playoff career-high, same with Chalmers and his 25 points
• Wade made 2-3 three-point shots, his first two of the finals
• Heat finally made jumpers: 10-26 from downtown
• Heat won the rebounding battle for the 3rd straight time, all resulting in wins
• Heat is 8-0 after trailing in a series
• Heat is 3-1 in closeout games
• Thunder is 4-6 on the road

The 2012 NBA Finals: Free Throws Help the Heat Win

LeBron James bullied his way into the paint early and often.
He only made 2 baskets outside of the paint.
(Photo by Associated Press)

#layups/dunks #nojumpers
LeBron James and the Miami Heat started strong and aggressive. They were very physical in attacking the paint in the first quarter. The Heat got an early lead on the Thunder again due to all the layups and dunks that the Heat received due to their spectacular ball movement. The Heat started the game with 3 dunks and 2 layups as they were relentless in their penetrations and low post plays. They finished the first quarter scoring 20 of the 26 points in the paint and only getting one jumper. It was a good start for the Heat but they were in a funk when it came to outside shots. They could not make any jump shots at all. LeBron finished with 2 shots made outside the paint while Bosh and Wade did not make any jumpers. If the Heat made some of their outside shots, this could have been a blowout.

#5fouls #freethrows
For the 2nd straight game, Kevin Durant battled foul trouble as he picked up his 4th foul midway of the 3rd quarter and he finished with 5 fouls again. Some of his fouls could have been avoided by resisting reaching in during fast breaks. His fifth foul was the right call by the referees because Durant was just a tad slow in drawing the charge and he got called for a blocking foul. Durant needs to play smarter and safer to avoid being stuck on the bench on a crucial time. The Heat made their comeback run when he and Westbrook were on the bench. Meanwhile, the Heat feasted on fouls and free throws. They made 31-35 foul shots and they were shooting at around 85% as a team in the Finals. The Thunder is tops in free throw percentage but they have struggled in the Finals shooting in the low 70s. In Game 3, they missed 9 FTs, going for 15-24.

Kevin Durant had 5 fouls for the second straight game and
had to miss significant  minutes during the 3rd quarter
(Photo by Getty Images) 

#uglygame #turnovers
This was an ugly game for both teams, filled with missed shots and turnovers. The Heat shot a measly 38% while the Thunder shot 43%. The teams combined for 29 turnovers with most of those happening in the fourth quarter. Miami alone had 9 turnovers in the 4th as Wade (mosthly him) and James started piling up the miscues due to isolation plays and too much dribbling. Kevin Durant did not explode in the 4th quarter as he managed only 4 points in the final frame while Chris Bosh missed his last 8 shots. James Harden struggled all night long with his shot, going 2-10 plus he committed a bad foul during the last 15 seconds of the game. The low-scoring games favor the Heat since they are a "grind it out" team and they have superb team defense. The Thunder will have a very difficult time trying to win games if they don't score over 90 points.

#Heat3 #Thunderup
LeBron played better than Durant, Wade was more effective than Westbrook and Bosh outplayed Harden. The Heat 3 scored the last 15 points for Miami in the fourth quarter. When the Heat 3 outscore the Thunder 3, it's a good bet that the Heat would win the game. Wade and James played heavy minutes (45 and 44) but they were still able to play excellent defense albeit they committed a bunch of turnovers. Wade played the whole second half and he shot a low percentage going 8-22 and he made 4 turnovers during the 4th quarter. He almost lost the game for the Heat at the end, again. Luckily, Westbrook could not hit an open trey. Shane Battier continues to be hot from three while Chalmers played awful going 1-8 with 2 points.


#Tweets of the Night

Israel Gutierrez ‏@IzzyESPN

If Harden didn't try to flop there, that would've been a no-call. He did it to himself.

Metta WorldPeace ‏@MettaWorldPeace

No brain All beard

#KeyStats

• Bosh had another double-double while Perkins had his first in the finals
• Thunder shot 4-18 in treys, Heat 4-13
• Heat with the edge on rebounds +7 and fast break points +7
• Battier 11-15 in threes for the series
• Durant is the only player shooting over 50% in the series