Tuesday, June 18, 2013

Heat Force Game 7 in Crazy Overtime Thriller

Final Score: NBA Finals Game 6 @ MIA SA 100 MIA 103 (OT)

What a game 6. So many times the Spurs were inches away from clinching their 5th NBA title, but choked it away from a furious Miami Heat rally.

The San Antonio Spurs, so close, so close. This game is definitely going to be an ouch game and possibly a blow to their morale heading into game 7. Tim Duncan, out of all the players from the Spurs, I think he was one who wanted it more. Duncan finished 30 points and 17 rebounds, he was like the Duncan of old this game and if the Spurs were to win it, he could've made a strong case for Finals MVP. Kawhi Leonard and Tony Parker are in a limbo in the positive/negative range. Leonard had a strong game all-around, scoring 22 points and 11 rebounds, but he couldn't help seal the game, missed a critical free throw and had like one or two chances to grab the game winning defensive rebound. Tony Parker was magical the final minute of the 4th quarter, scoring a game tying 3 and a layup to give Spurs the lead, but finished on a horrid 6-23 shooting with 19 points and 8 assists. Negatives, obviously I mentioned the free throws with Kawhi Leonard and failing to make the defensive stands and boxing out in final minutes. Another negative, Danny Green. He was playing so well this whole series, but he finished on a whopping 1-7, obviously the Heat did a great job defensively freezing him out of the 3 point line. Ginobili, another negative this game, magical in game 5, but what the hell happened I don't even know. Final negative for the Spurs, Coach Pop's adjustments in the final seconds, should've kept Tim Duncan in the final seconds, Bosh heavily out-rebounded Boris Diaw and Leonard to give Allen the game tying 3. Bad game management by Pop and giving the game away on free throws, a critical mistake that cost the Spurs ultimately.

To the Miami Heat, they got lucky, I'm not saying that because I hate the Heat, although I projected them to win in 6, but they escaped this one big time. The true positive of the Heat, Mario Chalmers, I thought Chalmers showed up big this game scoring 20 points on 7-10 shooting, obviously the X-factor for the Heat coming into this game. LeBron James, I'd barely consider him a positive. LeBron's a positive, but barely. He recorded a triple-double scoring 32 points, 10 rebounds, and 11 assists. During the game, he was shooting poorly like for the the first half he was 3-9 and was 3-13 before his 4th quarter eruption. Don't get me wrong, he showed up the most where it counted, but during the game it looked like he didn't want it. Ray Allen, is another barely positive, even though he scored only 9 points, but those 9 points were big buckets and you can't deny Ray Ray's clutch ability. Chris Bosh is in a limbo of the positive/negative, didn't shoot well, didn't get any touches, but he was crashing the board offensively and defensively and was an integral part in the game winning defensive stand and the offensive board that gave Ray the go ahead 3 with like 5.2 seconds left in the 4th. Negatives, foul trouble. Allen, Wade, Miller, and Andersen were in deep danger of fouling out, obviously if you guys saw the game Andersen and Miller were picking up quick fouls because they were over-aggressive on trapping Duncan in the paint and that was a factor as to why the Heat won in a close one.

Game 7, do or die for both teams. Will the Spurs recover from this heartbreaking defeat? Will the Heat repeat. Remember the last team to win the next two games on their home floor in the finals while being down 3-2 was yours truly, the Lakers in 2010. Will the Heat be the next to do it?

Next Game: NBA Finals Game 7 @ MIA (06/20/13)

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