Heat-Spurs, Game 7: The Champ is Here (Again)

Extra bullets. No intros. No time…no f***ing time for that s***!

1. Not a bad encore for the Game 6 thriller. Tuesday night’s game will go down as an instant classic, and given that a letdown was somewhat expected last night. Game 7 was much sloppier and poorly played offensively (especially early on). The effort and intensity was there all night, and the level of play picked up as the game went on, but the physical and emotional toll of Game 6 was telling. Still, you would be hard-pressed to ask for a better ending to a truly epic series.

2. LeBron James saved his best for last. Having been dared by the Spurs to shoot the ball from the outside all series long, James finally truly obliged last night. He scored 37 points, including 5 3’s. The 3’s were huge, but to me the more crucial shots toLeBron’s game are those pull-up 16-18 footers, which he was burying last night as well…this included the last dagger midrange jumper with under 30 seconds to play, a shot that pretty much iced the game for good. James struggled for much of the series offensively, but if any questions still remained about his clutchness they should surely be answered now. His legacy also seems to be cemented now as well…but that is another blog post saved for another day in a summer where only baseball, tennis, and golf remain.

3. Oh, and Dwyane Wade wasn’t too shabby either. James actually started slowly on offense. The Spurs strategy against Wade was basically the same one they employed for James, but Wade was the one that started the game off drilling midrange jumpers whenever Spur defenders backed off. After some actually wondered aloud whether it would serve Miami better to bring Wade off the bench in Game 7, Wade delivered his typical D-Wade thanks for doubting me, f*** you performance. WhileLeBron had a line of 37 points and 12 rebounds, Wade had a double-double himself with 23 and 10. I still wonder how rapidly he will decline over the next couple of years, but he looked like vintage Flash for one more night at least when his team needed him the most.

4. Shane Battier made up for the Heat’s others. Let’s just say that Chris Bosh, Ray Allen, and Mike Miller earned their championship rings in Game 6. Game 7 saw them go a combined 0 for 14 with 5 turnovers. Bosh’s doughnut is slightly unfair because he had the unenviable task of guarding Tim Duncan 1-on-1 again, and I thought he got a couple of bogus foul calls that caused him not to get his usual minutes, but still…Battier’s 18 points on 6 for 8 shooting on 3’s couldn’t have come at a better time for Miami.

5. The Spurs were valiant in defeat. There were several instances in the 4th quarter where it looked like Miami dealt a knockout blow, stretching the lead to 5 or 6 after hitting a big shot…and San Antonio continued to answer with a big play of their own. I’m not sure if he’s the type of player you canactually build a team around, but Kawhi Leonard is very verygood, and Tim Duncan was a warrior again with 24 points and 12 rebounds…

6. …and yet, the Spurs have to be kicking themselves. They were down 1 heading into the 4th quarter. They were down 2 when Duncan missed the bunny and the put-back late in the game. They were still down only 4 when they turned the ball over with like 20 seconds left. And let’s not even bring up the sequence of events that led to them choking away Game 6…yeesh.

7. Tony Parker, Danny Green, and Gary Neal were non-factors. Green and Neal are still great shooters, but they had to regress back to the mean a little bit eventually, right? Especially after Miami shifted a more defensive attention their way in Games 6 and 7. But Parker seemed to be completely shut down once the Heat decided to put LeBron on him on a more regular basis. So much so that Gregg Popovich actually thought better to leave him on the bench for the critical play with 20 seconds left down only 4 referenced above.

8. Was Manu Ginobili on the take? Ok, that’s probably not fair. But after having his best game of the year in Game 5 he was awful in Game 6. He was slightly better in Game 7, but he had 3 crucial 4th quarter turnovers that could have been the difference in the series. You have to wonder what his plans are for the future, because as a big time player I would say he’s done.

9. Could we see a rematch in next season’s Finals? Possibly…you would have to think back-to-back rings would be enough for Pat Riley to bring the band back 1 more year. Yes, Chicago and Indiana will presumably be better after getting D-Rose and Granger back, but you would still have to look at Miami as the favorite in the East regardless. The West is a lotdicier to navigate. The Thunder will be back. Memphis will be there. What are the Clippers going to look like next season? Could Houston land Dwight Howard? Despite Kobe’s injury and all the Dwight-drama, you know the Lakers will always be up to stuff. However, Tim Duncan had his best season in 4 years, Tony Parker is still Tony Parker, and the Spurs have a habit of finding great surrounding pieces. Once again, it will mostlycome down to health though.

10. But this night was all about the Miami Heat. Watching the Heat was really interesting during the postgame festivities. After last year’s series clincher against OKC, you could sense the unbridled joy and relief from the whole team. The series with the Spurs was probably their toughest as a group to date, but whereas last year’s time looked like they finally got the chance to exhale, this year’s team exuded a quiet confidence…not the brash cockiness they exhibited when James and Bosh 1st teamed up with Wade, but a man that was hard, but we knew we had this look. That was definitely not the vibe you got from this team 2 years ago, but the completed transformation was something pretty cool to see.

Heat-Spurs, Game 6: A Game for the Ages

I think I should be allowed to say this without making it a bullet, but that was probably the most dramatic NBA Finals game I’ve ever seen. So tense was it that I basically forfeited all hope of sleep later that night and productivity today, as I turned to Krissy once the 1st overtime started and said, “I guess I’m going in late to work tomorrow.” To say the least, just a wild finish…

1. You could have written a novel about LeBron James’ night. Starting out an ugly 3 for 12 as Miami trailed by double digits entering the 4th quarter, the Heat surrounded James with 1 big and 3 shooters, and let him go to work. He still threw in a couple of turnovers and missed shots at the end of regulation for good measure, but the Heat wouldn’t have even been in that position to begin with without him. His block on Tim Duncan (his 3rd great block of the series) and his 3 to pull Miami within 2 with under a minute to play will be remembered as his signature plays of the night. Despite the shaky 1st half shooting, James still finished with a triple-double.

2. Let the headband fables begin! This is one of those things that people tend to get carried away with, but at some point in the 4th quarter James lost his trademark headband, and from that point on it was like release the Kraken! James gets a lot of flack because as his hairline has receded like a low tide over the years, his headband seems to travel farther and farther up his forehead. It was like the headband was part tribute to LeBron’s youthful exuberance, part vanity object…but did anyone else notice the huge gash on the back of James’ head that the headband also seems to serve to cover up? The mysterious scar was almost the most fascinating part for me. Anyway, I think it would be kind of cool if from hence forth LeBron ditched the headband and rocked his balding dome. Male pattern baldness or not, it’s a much more mature grown-up look (like when Melo ditched the cornrows…still sporting a headband and double arm sleeves, but I will pick my battles), but I suspect we will see the usual head accessory again come Thursday night.

3. Tim Duncan turned back the clock for one night at least. Miami was obviously tired of the barrage of Danny Green 3’s through the 1st 5 games of the series, and TD reaped the benefits, as whenever he got a post touch in the 1st half he was afforded ample time and space to operate. Personally, I don’t think Chris Bosh did a terrible job defending either (not great, but not terrible), but even a 37 year old Duncan is going to work over almost anyone on the low block if you don’t send help, and he abused Bosh in single coverage for much of the game.

4. Please don’t tell me anything about the refs. I don’t want to hear a word about how Bosh’s block at the end of the game or Ray Allen’s strip on Manu Ginobili should have been fouls. Did you watch the game (or any game this series for that matter)? Both teams are finesse teams that aren’t really interested in playing bully-ball anyway, but nothing was a foul last night…as in all night. So please, save your officiating complaints for somebody else…at the same time, if I don’t see Joey Crawford’s cueball head for a few months, that couldn’t come soon enough.

5. Can the Spurs recover in time for Game 7? They wasted a 30 point game from Duncan, a 10 point lead heading into the 4th quarter, and a 5 point lead with less than a minute to play. Now, they will be forced to turn around in less than 48 hours and win a Game 7 on the road. One might think that it all could be emotionally, physically, psychologically too much to overcome. And yet, if there’s any team professional and tough enough to do it, it’s the Spurs, and I have a feeling we are in for an almost equally wild game on Thursday night.

Heat-Spurs, Game 5: A Manu Ginobili sighting

I’m falling asleep in my chair as I write this, so forgive me if something isn’t factually correct…like if I write that last night’s game hinged on the David Robinson-Alonzo Mourning matchup or something.

1. Manu Ginobili finally showed up. So much for the last bullet from my Game 4 post. I did give the caveat that while we shouldn’t expect more from Ginobili anymore at this stage of his career that it didn’t mean he didn’t have a 20 point game left in him. He was inserted into the starting lineup to match Miami’s small-ball unit and played the hero with 24 points and 10 assists.

Ginobili!!!

2. If the Finals ended today, Danny Green would be the series MVP…no, really. Green leads San Antonio in scoring through the 1st 5 games of the Finals, and he’s already set the Finals record for 3’s made with 2 potential games left to the play. Plus, he’s been responsible for at least 2 he’s shooting that from where comments a game (which are going in more often than not).

3. LeBron James continues to struggle in this series. It’s a far cry from the disappearing act he gave in the Finals 2 years ago, and he’s still putting up decent numbers (25 points, 8 assists, 6 rebounds, 4 steals last night), but other than Game 4 he hasn’t dominated the way I expected either. And I don’t think it has anything to do with him being too passive or anything like that…it more seems to be a combination of him just not being able to put the ball in the basket, good individual defense being played against him, and the Spurs’ overall defensive strategy, which he just hasn’t been able to figure out.

4. I think Eric Spoelstra is a good coach, but he’s going up against a coaching mastermind in Gregg Popovich. Spoelstra was lauded for going small in Game 4, but Popovich gave a very effective counter (starting Ginobili) last night. This series has been back-and-forth, so it should be interesting to see what adjustments Miami comes out with in Game 5. Spoelstra has made some decisions that I don’t really understand though throughout the postseason. He loves Udonis Haslem, but other than 1 game against Indy, Haslem appears to not be able to play anymore. He’s an undersized big guy who also happens to be slow and extremely limited offensively. He’s got great heart and toughness, but loyalty aside you would think that if Miami was going to play this 1 big at a time scheme logic would dictate that Chris Anderson would be that 2nd big guy. However, he hasn’t so much as sniffed the court the past couple of games. Similarly, while Mike Miller has shot the lights out since getting more playing time, and Shane Battier has been in a severe slump this postseason, Battier is the much better defender of the 2. San Antonio constantly tried to get Miller on an island against either Parker or Ginobili in Game 5, and Miller often gets lost in defensive rotations as well.

5. Will the win-a-game/lose-a-game pattern continue in this series? That is the question going into Tuesday night. This is also the same position Miami found themselves in 2 years ago in the Finals against Dallas: down 3-2 and heading home. The Heat are not the same team as they were then, and it’s hard to imagine them at least not forcing a Game 7, but the situation is eerily similar.

Heat-Spurs, Game 4: And Back and Forth We Go

Do I need an introductory paragraph at this point? No, I didn't think so.

1. Before I get into anything about this game specifically, I'm tired of everyone's overreactions from game to game. After Game 1, everyone was on the Spurs' d***. After Game 2, people pronounced San Antonio dead even though the series was only tied at 1-1. After the Game 3 beatdown, the media was quick to throw dirt on Miami's grave. Now, after the Heat evened the series at 2-2, the talking heads are picking the Heat in 6. Really? It's embarrassing how quickly everyone flip-flops back and forth. I'm putting Sportscenter on mute whenever anything about this series comes up from now on.

2. If Miami's Big 3 plays like that, they are going to be almost impossible to beat. I don't need to go through all the stats, do I? They all individually had their best games of the series at the same time. LeBron James and Dwyane Wade got to the basket and got their midrange game going as well. Chris Bosh actually did some decent work in the paint. 85 combined points and swarming defense will do the trick.

3. Aside from that, turnovers killed the Spurs. They doubled up the Heat's number of cough-ups, 18-9. That's not going to get it done.

4. Miami's decision to go small in their starting lineup with Mike Miller forced San Antonio's hand. Not only that, Shane Battjer saw more time. Udonis Haslem's minutes were reduced. Chris Anderson didn't even enter the game. This forced the Spurs to matchup, and their complimentary bigs (Tiago Splitter, Boris Diaw, and Matt Bonner) were rendered irrelevant.

5. Don't expect more from Many Ginobili. Many people are wondering what has happened to the Spurs' Big 3, but nothing's happened to it. There is no Big 3 there anymore. Anyone who has watched them play this year knows this. That doesn't mean he's still not a good player. It doesn't mean that he can't put a 20 point game together. But it's stupid to wait around for it. San Antonio's most likely going to have to get contributions from other people (such as the Game 3 heroes) to have a chance to win the series.

Ad Nauseum: Creepy Babies and State Farm is There

I’m getting my wisdom teeth pulled tomorrow, so if you don’t hear from me again I’m probably dead…if anyone has even died from a wisdom tooth extraction ever anyway. Ok, now I’m fighting the urge to Google has anyone ever died from getting a wisdom tooth pulled…good job, me.

In light of that, let’s have a double dose of Ad Nauseum today. 1st, what’s with these creepy looking TV commercial babies lately? Admittedly, I never paid babies much mind before, but I can say that since Krissy and I have had our 1st I take notice of them much more often now. I have never seen a real-life baby look like these babies before! Are they dolls? CGI? Are they wearing infant contact lenses? The worst part is that these spooky dead-eyed babies ruin (for me at least) 2 otherwise pretty funny commercials, by Samsung and Nissan, respectively.

2nd, I’m going to give some love to 2 not-so-new State Farm commercials that still tickle my funny bone. The 1st is their 1st installment of the “magic jingle” ads. Almost all of these induced at least some kind of chuckle from me, but the best part of this one in particular was obviously the line, “Can I get a hot tub?” Later on, Krissy and I became big fans of the NBC show “Revolution,” where a character on the show was played by non other than the can I get a hot tub guy. This of course caused us to blurt out in our best preacher-speaking-to-the-congregation voice, “Can I get a hot tub?” even in the most serious and heart-wrenching scenes of the show where he appeared. The 2nd State Farm ad here I found funny as well, but it didn’t truly catch on with me until “Bonjour” became somewhat of a catchphrase on “The Tony Kornheiser Show.” Bonjour, motherf***er!

Heat-Spurs, Game 3: Turnabout's Fair Play

We're pros at this by now. Let's get at it.

1. Danny Green and Gary Neal (my boy) were unconscious last night. So much for not being able to rely on Green for the kind of production he had in Game 2 every night, right? He and my fellow Snap Fitness alum took turns dropkicking Miami in the face, combining for 51 points on 13 for 19 shooting from 3-point territory, on the way to a NBA Finals team record of 16 made 3's. F***.

Like seriously, f***.

2. LeBron James played like dog s***. And in fact, outside of his Game 2 4th quarter, he's shot the ball like dog s*** for all 3 games of this series so far. Should I stop saying dog s***? Sorry, I'm just trying to emphasize the appropriate amount of dog s***tiness he's shot the ball with. Now, some credit deserves to be thrown Kawhi Leonard and the Spurs' D's way. They clearly are not going to let him waltz freely into the paint for layups and dunks, but for the most part James is just missing wide open, makeable shots. And at this stage of his career, James usually does an excellent job of not settling for jumpers, and instead picking his spots with his jumpshot. But at this point, you would like to see him get the ball and just go...not necessarily go to the basket, but don't catch the ball, turn, make a bunch of moves, pause, look for an open man, then shoot. Catch the ball in rhythm, get on balance, and shoot the ball...a la his playoff performance in Boston last season. He's getting so much cushion he almost has no choice but to operate this way, even if his shot isn't on because San Antonio's D is sagging so far into the lane that there isn't much room for him or anybody else to operate.

Now, that was ugly.

3. Oh by the way, Wade and Bosh stunk last night too. Wade started off strong, but couldn't throw the ball in the ocean in the 2nd half when things started to go south. Bosh at least contributed 10 rebounds, but they combined for 28 points and both shot under 50% as well.

4. Despite those last 2 bullets about the Heat's putrid offense from their Big 3, there has been some great shooting in this series. See above for Green and Neal, but Mike Miller's ability to make shots was the only thing keeping Miami in the game for a while there. It seems like he hasn't missed a 3 this whole series, and he went 5 for 5 from that range again last night.

5. What's up with Tony Parker's hamstring? Just as the sky was raining Skittles for the Heat after Game 2, the Spurs should feel just as high following their Game 3 performance, but Parker seems to be a legitimate question mark for tomorrow night. They could afford to rest him most of the 2nd half last night because they ran Miami out of the gym, but if he can't go the Spurs will have to rely on some combo of Manu Ginobili, Neal, and Cory Joseph at the point, and as good as Neal has been that would certainly change the dynamic of this series.

Heat-Spurs, Game 2: Miami Block Party

You know the drill...5 (hopefully more brief than last time) observations about Game 2. Hammer time, y'all.

1. LeBron James' block on Tiago Splitter was one of the best I've ever seen. James was suffering through a miserable game for most of last night. Through the 1st 3 quarters, nothing would drop. He missed open shots. He got blocked from behind on a layup attempt. He even, in effect, got the chair pulled on him in transition that resulted in an almost-airball layup. But his pancake of Splitter's dunk attempt was so good it actually made me jump out of my seat, a rarity given how much basketball I've seen over the years. I'm not alone given how it seems to be all anyone talked about from last night's game as well. Despite the poor start, James still finished with a pedestrian 18 points, 8 rebounds, and 7 assists.

2. The Spurs' Big 3 had an abysmal night...no, I mean they were really bad...like maybe one of the worst collective games I've ever seen them play. Tim Duncan seemed nonexistent. Manu Ginobili couldn't seem to either dribble or catch the basketball. And very early on it was clear the refs were not going to give Tony Parker any free throws on plays where he just wildly threw his body into the lane. Combined, they finished only 10 for 33 from the floor, and given the lopsided score Gregg Popovich decided to let them hit the showers early.

3. All of which wasted a great shooting night from Danny Green. Green has quietly developed into one of the league's best sharpshooters, but even he can't be relied on to be a perfect 6 for 6 from the field with 17 points every game.

4. If Miami shoots the ball and plays D like that, there is no answer. In Game 1, San Antonio forced the ball out of LeBron's hands in hopes that their other players would miss shots. At 1st, it looked like a recipe for disaster, but their patience with that plan paid off in the 2nd half. Last night they had no such luck, as Miami shot a blistering 10 for 19 from 3. The Spurs were just as white hot, going 10 for 20 from long range, but Miami turned them over 16 times, which offset that shooting percentage.

5. This appears to have the makings of a long series where homecourt advantage might not matter a whole lot. The Spurs have to feel encouraged getting a split in Miami, but both teams are so good, experienced, and evenly matched that you could envision the road team winning another 2 or 3 times before all is said and done.