NBA
Finals Game 3: Miami Heat - San Antonio S. 92-111
Date: June 10, 2014
You’re never as good as you look when you’re scoring 71 points in a half. Or as bad as you look putting up just 15 in a third quarter. Just ask the Spurs. San Antonio, returning to the scene where last year they compiled one of the worst collapses in Finals history, rewrote the record books in the first half, stumbled through the third quarter as everyone thought back 12 months. But after seeing a 25-point lead go down to seven, the Spurs regrouped and never allowed the Heat to get the lead into single digits in the fourth quarter. So San Antonio regained the homecourt advantage by forging a 111-92 victory for a 2-1 NBA Finals lead Tuesday. It’s was the Heat’s first home playoff loss after eight victories. Though all of the usual suspects contributed for the Spurs an unlikely hero rose above them all. Kawhi Leonard, who had been criticized for his Ghandi-like passive aggression in the first two games, began in attack mode and never quit, scoring his NBA career-high 29 points — he had 18 in the first two games. On the other end, Leonard hounded LeBron James much of the game. James finished with 22 points. Danny Green added 15 points and five steals for the Spurs. “Just try to make him back down and try to shoot some [tough] shots,” Leonard said of the approach to James. “[If] he gets going, you really can’t do nothing.” James never really got going. Or the Heat, except for a 25-15 third quarter. The Heat were within 90-80 in the fourth quarter when Leonard dunked and then added a pair of free throws. After a Wade drive, Tony Parker (15 points) drilled a 3-pointer for a 97-82 lead. The benefit of the greatest offensive half in Finals history was eroding in the third quarter for the Spurs. Their best-ever 76 percent shooting half morphed in 6-of-19, 32 percent indigestion. And a lead that was 25 in the first half plunged to seven, 81-74. The Spurs regrouped a bit and took an 86-75 lead into the fourth quarter. "You could see a different level of intensity,” said Heat coach Erik Spoelstra of his team’s third quarter that contained 11 of Wade’s 22 points. Coach Gregg Popovich’s To Do list for his Spurs in Game 3 had some fairly simple entries. Move the ball. Get Leonard into an aggressive mode. With the results he got, Popovich for Game 4 might just change his wish list. Give me money. Introduce me to Kate Upton. The Spurs proceeded to embark on a first half that folks will talk about for as long as they talk about first halves in NBA Finals. The Spurs led by 25 points early in the second quarter, hitting an astounding 19-of-21 shots (for most of the half, they were more efficient from the floor than the line). Those two misses? They came from noted slackers Tim Duncan (14 points) and Parker, one each. “People have to move, the ball has to move. It’s pretty basic basketball,” said Popovich, who started Boris Diaw over Tiago Splitter at power forward. People moved, swinging the ball and shredding the Heat. And the ball sure moved, usually ending up in the bottom of the nets. By halftime, the Spurs had amassed more playoff points in a half against the Heat than any team ever and led, 71-50. And it did not feel nearly that close. The Spurs finished the half shooting 25-of-33 (75.8), the greatest shooting half in Finals history. And the 71 points were the most in a Finals half since the Lakers scored 75 in 1987. Their 41 first-quarter points made them the first team to score 40 in a first quarter since Game 6 in 1967 when both Philadelphia and San Francisco did it. The Heat had James again unleashing an offensive attack that produced inside on post-ups and outside. James was his typical self: take whatever the defense gave. “Experience,” James said about what brings his comfort level against the Spurs. “Having last year’s experience under my belt, being able to use those games to better my mind, to calm my mind, understand what I need to do and just trying to go out there and make plays.” He did. And still the Heat trailed by 21 at halftime. Leonard was a big reason. He made his first six shots, three of them 3s, and equaled his combined first two games point total of 18 in the half. Green was a perfect 6-of-6 and had 13 points at intermission. Courtesy of: nypost.com
Terms:
Field Goals : 2PM-A (2 point Field Goal made-attempts) 3PM-A (3 point Field Goal made-attempts) FTM-A (free throws made-attempt)
Rebounds : OFF (Offensive) DEF (Defensive) TOT (total)
Fouls : CM (Committed) RV (received)
Blocks : FV (In Favor) AG (Against)
Other terms : MIN (minutes) AST (assists) ST (steals) TO (Turnovers) PTS (points) RNK (ranking)
Finals Game 3: Miami Heat - San Antonio S. 92-111
Date: June 10, 2014
You’re never as good as you look when you’re scoring 71 points in a half. Or as bad as you look putting up just 15 in a third quarter. Just ask the Spurs. San Antonio, returning to the scene where last year they compiled one of the worst collapses in Finals history, rewrote the record books in the first half, stumbled through the third quarter as everyone thought back 12 months. But after seeing a 25-point lead go down to seven, the Spurs regrouped and never allowed the Heat to get the lead into single digits in the fourth quarter. So San Antonio regained the homecourt advantage by forging a 111-92 victory for a 2-1 NBA Finals lead Tuesday. It’s was the Heat’s first home playoff loss after eight victories. Though all of the usual suspects contributed for the Spurs an unlikely hero rose above them all. Kawhi Leonard, who had been criticized for his Ghandi-like passive aggression in the first two games, began in attack mode and never quit, scoring his NBA career-high 29 points — he had 18 in the first two games. On the other end, Leonard hounded LeBron James much of the game. James finished with 22 points. Danny Green added 15 points and five steals for the Spurs. “Just try to make him back down and try to shoot some [tough] shots,” Leonard said of the approach to James. “[If] he gets going, you really can’t do nothing.” James never really got going. Or the Heat, except for a 25-15 third quarter. The Heat were within 90-80 in the fourth quarter when Leonard dunked and then added a pair of free throws. After a Wade drive, Tony Parker (15 points) drilled a 3-pointer for a 97-82 lead. The benefit of the greatest offensive half in Finals history was eroding in the third quarter for the Spurs. Their best-ever 76 percent shooting half morphed in 6-of-19, 32 percent indigestion. And a lead that was 25 in the first half plunged to seven, 81-74. The Spurs regrouped a bit and took an 86-75 lead into the fourth quarter. "You could see a different level of intensity,” said Heat coach Erik Spoelstra of his team’s third quarter that contained 11 of Wade’s 22 points. Coach Gregg Popovich’s To Do list for his Spurs in Game 3 had some fairly simple entries. Move the ball. Get Leonard into an aggressive mode. With the results he got, Popovich for Game 4 might just change his wish list. Give me money. Introduce me to Kate Upton. The Spurs proceeded to embark on a first half that folks will talk about for as long as they talk about first halves in NBA Finals. The Spurs led by 25 points early in the second quarter, hitting an astounding 19-of-21 shots (for most of the half, they were more efficient from the floor than the line). Those two misses? They came from noted slackers Tim Duncan (14 points) and Parker, one each. “People have to move, the ball has to move. It’s pretty basic basketball,” said Popovich, who started Boris Diaw over Tiago Splitter at power forward. People moved, swinging the ball and shredding the Heat. And the ball sure moved, usually ending up in the bottom of the nets. By halftime, the Spurs had amassed more playoff points in a half against the Heat than any team ever and led, 71-50. And it did not feel nearly that close. The Spurs finished the half shooting 25-of-33 (75.8), the greatest shooting half in Finals history. And the 71 points were the most in a Finals half since the Lakers scored 75 in 1987. Their 41 first-quarter points made them the first team to score 40 in a first quarter since Game 6 in 1967 when both Philadelphia and San Francisco did it. The Heat had James again unleashing an offensive attack that produced inside on post-ups and outside. James was his typical self: take whatever the defense gave. “Experience,” James said about what brings his comfort level against the Spurs. “Having last year’s experience under my belt, being able to use those games to better my mind, to calm my mind, understand what I need to do and just trying to go out there and make plays.” He did. And still the Heat trailed by 21 at halftime. Leonard was a big reason. He made his first six shots, three of them 3s, and equaled his combined first two games point total of 18 in the half. Green was a perfect 6-of-6 and had 13 points at intermission. Courtesy of: nypost.com
 MIAMI HEAT (coach: Erik Spoelstra)92 |
| FIELD GOALS | REBOUNDS | FOULS | BLOCKS | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | NAME | MIN | 2PM-A | 3PM-A | FTM-A | OFF | DEF | RB | AS | F | RV | ST | FV | AG | TO | PT | RNK | +/- |
| 1 | ziBRs, vRmQIj | 47 | 9-68 (02.4%) | 8-8 (655%) | 8-4 (11.9%) | 6 | 3 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 88 | 89 | 5 |
| 4 | WidR, gTFijR | 41 | 2-68 (11.9%) | 5-5 (5%) | 1-2 (90%) | 6 | 4 | 3 | 8 | 8 | 5 | 8 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 88 | 88 | 5 |
| 6 | mIsh, ChQas | 43 | 4-4 (655%) | 6-6 (655%) | 5-5 (5%) | 5 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 7 | 2 | 5 |
| 7 | vRTas, eishiQd | 44 | 6-4 (44.4%) | 3-3 (655%) | 5-5 (5%) | 5 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 63 | 68 | 5 |
| 60 | ChilBRQs, biQaI | 86 | 5-0 (5%) | 5-5 (5%) | 8-8 (655%) | 5 | 8 | 8 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 8 | -6 | 5 |
| 43 | SllRj, eiF | 82 | 6-1 (61.9%) | 8-8 (655%) | 4-4 (655%) | 6 | 6 | 8 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 66 | 2 | 5 |
| 66 | SjdRQsRj, ChQas | 67 | 5-6 (5%) | 5-5 (5%) | 4-3 (90%) | 8 | 4 | 0 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 5 |
| 45 | CIlR, XIQQas | 69 | 8-2 (80%) | 6-6 (655%) | 6-8 (05%) | 5 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 2 | 5 | 5 |
| 88 | zIjRs, ziBRs | 8 | 5-5 (5%) | 5-5 (5%) | 5-5 (5%) | 5 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | -8 | 5 |
| gIuDlis, wIjRF | 6 | 5-6 (5%) | 5-5 (5%) | 6-8 (05%) | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 6 | -6 | 5 | |
| 46 | miUUaRQ, AhijR | 6 | 5-5 (5%) | 5-5 (5%) | 5-5 (5%) | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
| 35 | HislRB, tdIjas | 6 | 5-6 (5%) | 5-5 (5%) | 5-5 (5%) | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | -6 | 5 |
| 85 | PdRj, GQRD | 6 | 5-5 (5%) | 5-5 (5%) | 5-5 (5%) | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
| wIUil | 88-08 (38.4%) | 65-65 (655.5%) | 62-83 (90.5%) | 0 | 86 | 81 | 69 | 81 | 5 | 2 | 6 | 3 | 5 | 78 | 92 | |||
 SAN ANTONIO S. (coach: Mitch Johnson)111 |
| FIELD GOALS | REBOUNDS | FOULS | BLOCKS | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | NAME | MIN | 2PM-A | 3PM-A | FTM-A | OFF | DEF | RB | AS | F | RV | ST | FV | AG | TO | PT | RNK | +/- |
| 8 | vRIjiQd, KiTha | 47 | 9-65 (95%) | 4-4 (655%) | 1-9 (20.9%) | 6 | 4 | 3 | 8 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 8 | 5 | 5 | 87 | 46 | 5 |
| 44 | gaiT, mIQas | 49 | 8-0 (35%) | 6-6 (655%) | 8-3 (05%) | 5 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 7 | 66 | 5 |
| 7 | OiQVRQ, wIjF | 44 | 4-7 (44.4%) | 6-6 (655%) | 1-1 (655%) | 5 | 6 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 60 | 68 | 5 |
| 86 | gujZij, waB | 45 | 3-9 (09.6%) | 5-5 (5%) | 1-2 (90%) | 8 | 3 | 1 | 8 | 8 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 63 | 60 | 5 |
| 3 | GQRRj, gijjF | 86 | 1-9 (20.9%) | 6-6 (655%) | 5-6 (5%) | 5 | 6 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 60 | 67 | 5 |
| 85 | GajIMala, qBijuRl | 89 | 4-9 (38.7%) | 6-6 (655%) | 8-8 (655%) | 5 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 3 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 66 | 9 | 5 |
| 88 | AplaUURQ, waiDI | 60 | 8-4 (11.9%) | 5-5 (5%) | 8-8 (655%) | 8 | 8 | 3 | 6 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 1 | 9 | 5 |
| 2 | balls, OiUQaZV | 60 | 6-3 (80%) | 6-6 (655%) | 5-5 (5%) | 5 | 8 | 8 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 7 | 5 |
| 60 | mIjjRQ, biUU | 7 | 5-5 (5%) | 5-5 (5%) | 8-8 (655%) | 5 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 8 | 3 | 5 |
| 4 | mRlajRlla, biQZI | 1 | 5-8 (5%) | 6-6 (655%) | 5-5 (5%) | 5 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 6 | 5 |
| miFjRs, SQIj | 6 | 6-6 (655%) | 5-5 (5%) | 5-5 (5%) | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 8 | 8 | 5 | |
| 0 | zIsRph, CIQF | 6 | 5-5 (5%) | 5-5 (5%) | 5-5 (5%) | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
| 66 | SFQRs, zRff | 6 | 5-5 (5%) | 5-5 (5%) | 5-5 (5%) | 5 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 5 |
| wIUil | 87-00 (08.9%) | 7-7 (655.5%) | 81-48 (26.4%) | 0 | 83 | 87 | 86 | 80 | 5 | 68 | 3 | 6 | 5 | 666 | 667 | |||
Terms:
Field Goals : 2PM-A (2 point Field Goal made-attempts) 3PM-A (3 point Field Goal made-attempts) FTM-A (free throws made-attempt)
Rebounds : OFF (Offensive) DEF (Defensive) TOT (total)
Fouls : CM (Committed) RV (received)
Blocks : FV (In Favor) AG (Against)
Other terms : MIN (minutes) AST (assists) ST (steals) TO (Turnovers) PTS (points) RNK (ranking)
