Live Blog: NBA Finals Game 5--Spurs Win

Live Blog: NBA Finals Game 5--Spurs Win
LeBron James #6 of the Miami Heat looks to shoot over Boris Diaw #33 of the San Antonio Spurs in the second half during Game Five of the 2013 NBA Finals at the AT&T Center on June 16, 2013 in San Antonio, Texas. (Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
6/16/2013
Updated:
6/16/2013

End of Fourth Quarter--Spurs win 114-104

See a recap of the game by Dave Martin here

STATS: Leaders

Points:

Spurs: Tony Parker (26), and Manu Ginobili and Danny Green (24 each)

Heat: LeBron James and Dwayne Wade (25 each) and Ray Allen (21)

Rebounds:

Overall: Spurs 36 to Heat 34

Spurs: Tim Duncan (12) and Kawhi Leonard (8)

Heat: LeBron James and Chris Bosh (6 each)

Assists:

Overall: Heat 25 to Spurs 21 

Spurs: Manu Ginobili (10) and Tony Parker (5)

Heat: Dwayne Wade (10) and LeBron James (8)

Fourth Quarter, 1:37 left Spurs 114 Heat 101

Andy: The most entertaining game from a standpoint of adjustments and fighting back.

Dave: Green is ridiculously hot.

Dan: Tony Parker ends the 9-0 run, and Green hits another wide 3. That’s game.

Zachary: Heat forgot about Allen--who was making a bunch of shots--while the Spurs remembered who has stayed hot--Danny Green. Big lesson for the Heat. Trust.

Fourth Quarter, 1:37 left Spurs 109 Heat 101

Dave: Ray Allen just won’t give up....

Andy: The closest contest since Game 1. And the Spurs are committing turnover after turnover.

Fourth Quarter, 2:23 left Spurs 109 Heat 98

Zachary: A huge call--Allen makes another 3! But James is called for an offense foul. 3 waived.

Dan: Ray Allen cuts it to a 11-pt game with 2:23 to go. Dan: A few more buckets with great D and Heat stand a chance.

Fourth Quarter, 2:30 left Spurs 109 Heat 98

Dan: Ray Allen behind-the-back misses, but comes back with open 3.

Zachary: Heat now know they have 2 to win--at least they are at--wait Allen makes another 3!

Andy: Both teams with mostly starters on the floor. The Heat are hanging close.

Fourth Quarter,4:18  left Spurs 107 Heat 89

Dan: James throws it away.

Dave: Where is McGrady???

Andy: It’s the Spurs Big 3 who are controlling the game right now. With this big deficit, it will be tough for the Heat.

Fourth Quarter, 5:55  left Spurs 102 Heat 87

Dan: LeBron hasn’t made a point since last quarter.

Andy: Back to the Old Reliable, Tim Duncan on the block.

Zachary: That was a strong move by Duncan; an equally strong move by Wade on the other end.

Fourth Quarter, 7:24 left Spurs 98 Heat 85

Dan: After all those Danny Green shots, we almost forgot about Ray Allen.

Zachary: Strong move by Bosh! The Heat may be coming back! Don’t leave those screens!

Andy: This timeout could be pivotal. The Heat haven’t given up, and the Spurs need to up their intensity. 13 points is not a big lead in the NBA.

Fourth Quarter, 7:50 left Spurs 98 Heat 83

Dave: 4-0 run by Heat to cut it to 16!!

Zachary: Allen gets another 4 point play! The Heat look like they know--their best shot is get Allen going. Then other things will open up. Allen hits another on the next possession.

Andy: The game is not over. If any team can overcome a 20-point deficit, it’s the Heat.

Fourth Quarter, 9:13 left Spurs 96 Heat 76

Dan: Doesn’t seem Miami will catch up this time. Blow-out for Spurs?

Dave: The only question left in this game is how many points Tracy McGrady will put up.

Zachary: The Heat show a little sign of life for several possessions. The Spurs still show much more energy.

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Third Quarter recap by Dave Martin

Note: Danny Green of the Spurs set a new NBA Finals record for 3-pointers with his 23rd of the series during the third quarter. Ray Allen, who now plays for the Heat, set the previous record while with the Boston Celtics with 22 shots made form behind the 3-point line in 2008.

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Fourth Quarter, 10:38 left Spurs 94 Heat 75

Zachary: The Heat look defeated....eerily reminiscent of Game 3.

Andy: Now the Spurs are stretching out the lead, on their own terms and their fast pace.

Fourth Quarter, 10:38 left Spurs 89 Heat 75

Andy: Both teams have gone 4 deep on the bench. Still wondering where Chris Andersen is for the Heat.

Dave: Wild three by Ginobili there. Can’t imagine Pop liked that one.

Andy: Duncan and Parker on the bench for some strategic rest at the start of the quarter. If the lead shrinks, they’ll be back in quickly.

Andy: Battier has been involved in a lot of physical plays this game. He’s not keeping his composure well.

End of Third Quarter, Spurs 87 Heat 75

Dan: Everytime we say a player isn’t playing well, he comes into the next game to blow our minds.

Zachary: At the end of 3, it’s very simple: The Heat have to play better D, but most importantly they have to make shots!

Andy: Lebron is getting banged around. Boris Diaw did a good job on him defensively while he was in there. End of Three, the Spurs look strong, but the game is not over by any stretch.

Third Quarter, 2:21 left, Spurs 80 Heat 74

STAT: Spurs have 27 rebounds, to the Heat’s 24.

Dave: A rare kind of three-point play there....Green is ridiculously hot.

Zachary: Important stat: The Spurs are shooting an unbelievable 58.7 percent from the floor. The Heat are shooting 42.6 percent. However, the Heat have taken over 60 shots to the Spurs 47.

Zachary: OKAY, Green hits another 3! I can’t believe it.

Dave: Spurs have had an answer every time the Heat get close.

Andy: The Spurs are playing their game now, and pushing the pace as Pop wants. But they can’t pull away.

Third Quarter, 3:53 left, Spurs 75 Heat 71

Dave: I smell a Spurs’ run right now....Heat are a step slow still.

Dan: James had a fast break with only Danny Green in front. Now Green can strip the ball from James.

Andy: James in a rare moment of getting caught off balance, falls to the floor. No foul called.

Andy: The Heat are not backing down mentally here, tenacious is the word.

Third Quarter, 3:53 left, Spurs 75 Heat 71

Dave: James and Wade have combined for 41 points so far, but the team’s defense isn’t where it was in Game 4.

Dan: After all those Danny Green three’s, the Heat currently have made more threes than the Spurs.

Andy: This game is strength on strength. No one giving an inch.

Third Quarter, 5:09 left, Spurs 73 Heat 67

Zachary: On a missed 3, the whole of both teams just watched the ball.

Andy: James and Wade 2 on 1 fast break and they couldn’t convert--how often do you see that?

Zachary: James would have rebounded the missed Wade lay-up. but 3 Spurs hustled back. Wade should have made it in the first place.

Third Quarter, 6:54 left, Spurs 70 Heat 65

Dave: Horrible fast break by Heat...

Andy: The torrid pace of scoring has resumed.

Zachary: The torrid pace because there isn’t good defense on either side for many possessions.

Zachary: Leonard, the other hot hand over the past few games for the Spurs, missed a 3.

Third Quarter, 7:30 left, Spurs 70 Heat 65

Dave: Nice ‘teardrop’ shot by Wade there....

Dan: Danny is 70% from 3-point range this series.

Andy: Mad Dash Ginobili is back, for a moment anyway.

Zachary: Ginobili has a career waiting for him after retiring from the NBA. Acting.

Third Quarter, 9:39 left, Spurs 66 Heat 59

Dan: Spurs have 11 TO compared to Heat’s 6.

Zachary: That’s a surprising number, as usually the team that’s up has less turnovers.

Andy: It’s the shooting percentage that makes all the difference tonight, so far. But we’ll see.

Third Quarter, 9:39 left, Spurs 66 Heat 59

Dan: Heat are 4 points behind. From 7 at halftime.

Dave: Wow, can’t believe Popovich didn’t call timeout after that sequence of turnovers. Aggressive defensive start by Miami....

Dan: Back-to-back steals for the Heat. Chance for 5-0 run.

Andy: Parker is the go-to guy when the clock is running down.

Zachary: Green sets a NBA Finals record for three-pointers in a series with 23

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Second Quarter Recap from Dave Martin! Read here

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Half-time leaders:

Points:

Spurs: Danny Green, Tim Duncan 13 each.

Heat: LeBron James, 16.

Rebounds:

Spurs: Chris Bosh with 4 OFF and 1 DEF Rebound.

Heat: Tim Duncan with 6 DEF Rebounds.

Assists:

Spurs: Manu Ginobili, 6

Heat: Dwyane Wade, 6

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Start of Third Quarter, Spurs 61 Heat 52

Dave: Heat may be somewhat close in score right now, but they clearly don’t have it tonight.

Dan: Tim Duncan getting with his Kids outside for locker room for Father’s Day before the game.

Dan: If Spurs continue to lead they might be able to pull away and close this game out in the early 4th.

Andy: This has been a lively game, full of action, great plays, muffs, superstars doing their thing, and no-names playing sharply. A nine-point lead for the Spurs doesn’t feel safe at all right now. If Miami’s Big 3 keep getting in to the paint, this will be close all the way.

Zachary: Nothing is safe in this game, it seems; from one perspective the Spurs have done very well in the first half, maintaining a lead the whole time, but on the other hand, they did lose a lot of their big lead so the Heat showed they can score a lot, fast.

Andy: The key quiet player of the first half: Chris Bosh. 10 points, 4 offensive rebounds, a block, a steal, no turnovers. Those 4 offensive rebounds have, with along with fewer Heat turnovers, enabled the Heat to take 11 more shots than the Spurs.

End of Second Quarter, Spurs 61 Heat 52

Zachary: Battier gets a big 3! If he and Allen are both getting going, that would be big.

Dan: No call for James’ layup attempt. On the other end, Shane gets called for Ginobili 3.

Andy: Tony Parker shows something different every time down the court. Including an ill-advised quick jumper in the last minute!

Zachary: The Heat are showing they are not to be discounted--for now--but again they must not get too caught up in how well the refs are doing.

Second Quarter, 1:15 left Spurs 57 Heat 47

Dave: I guess James thought he was fouled....

Andy: As the first half winds down, nothing is settled. The Heat proved they won’t cave in. And the Spurs will stick with their game.

Zachary: The Heat are starting to worry about the refs too much, regardless of how well the game is being called. Play the game and see what happens.

Second Quarter, 2:19 left left Spurs 52 Heat 46

Zachary: Classic Ginobili dive to the floor after a questionable drive, draws the foul. Heat players throw hands in the air.

Dan: James is slowing looking more and more like how he played in Game 4.

Second Quarter, 2:46 left left Spurs 49 Heat 44

Dave: Spurs are lethargic since Green’s last three. Heat have no business being this close. It’s like the opposite of Game 4 when the Spurs tied the Heat at the half.

Andy: Something to watch for later in the game: The Heat are picking up a lot of fouls. Miller, Bosh, and Chalmers with multiple fouls before the break.

Second Quarter, 4:09 left left Spurs 49 Heat 42

Zachary: Allen, with his most three pointers in a Finals record threatened by Green, drains a 3 and gets a free throw too!

Andy: The differential is below 10 and the fans are wondering now...

Zachary: Diaw clunks a long 2. Ill-advised shot. Get the ball to Green! James gets a nice reverse lay-up on the other end.

Second Quarter, 5:45 left left Spurs 47 Heat 36

Dan: Why can’t Ray Allen start putting it up like Danny Green?

Dan: Finally put Chalmers on the Bench. All he’s doing is missing, offensively and defensively.

Zachary: Allen was put on Green and played him well but he still made another 3. Meanwhile, Wade gets a bucket after a nice offensive rebound.

Andy: What are the Heat going to do to get back in this? They make a 2 and then the Spurs answer with a 3 every trip.

Dave: Would hate to be the ref that Pop is giving it to right now....Wade has a quiet 14 points.

Dan: Coach Pop screaming at the Ref after a LeBron James Dunk!

Andy: Spurs getting a little careless with the ball. Pop is most likely telling them not to fall in love with the 3, and keep the Heat from operating in the lane.

Second Quarter, 7:30  left Spurs 42 Heat 26

Dan: Chalmers rushes to the WIDE OPEN Danny Green. What happens next we all know.

Zachary: Green, shooting lights out throughout the Finals, is left wide open. We’re all confused why Green was left so wide open. This is looking like Game 3 all over again, and if it ends the same way the Heat would have to win two straight at home to win the series.

Dave: Green’s first three of the game isn’t until the second quarter, yet the Spurs already have a double-digit lead. His second three blow the game open. Amazing....

Andy: This is starting to look like Game 3. That’s bad news for the Heat.

Second Quarter, 8:08 left Spurs 39 Heat 26

Dan: Parker is on the bench. Take advantage of this Miami!

Dan: Almost well into the 2nd. What if Spurs still lead by 14 at halftime?

Zachary: James and Wade both haven’t scored for a while, and Bosh hasn’t showed up yet this game. The Spurs big 3 is doing much, much better, with 21 combined points spread evenly across.

Andy: As in Game 4, the Heat have kept Chris Andersen on the bench, even though he was effective in the first three games. Maybe he doesn’t fit the adjusted game plan.

Second Quarter, 8:59 left Spurs 36 Heat 22

Andy: The theme of Quarter 2 so far: butterfingers.

Dan: Manu attempts a Houdini pass, but Wade intercepts. Then...Wade throws it away.

Dave: Heat do not have same intensity on defense as they did in Game 4. Not even close.

Andy: Lots of action, little scoring this quarter. With both James and Wade on the bench, Miami can’t force the game on offense.

Second Quarter, 10:07 left Spurs 36 Heat 22

Dan: Tiago goes Duncan-style and nothing but reject by the rim!

Dan: Not sure what it was, but it looked like James threw the ball in the air...

Zachary: The Spurs are starting to pull away, but it is only the second quarter.

Dan: Tiago Splitter dunks! And there wasn’t a block!

Dave: Whoa, Battier with a 3! Welcome to the NBA Finals, Shane.

Andy: Both teams using their benches liberally, which you have to in a game of this pace.

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First Quarter Recap from Dave Martin! Read here

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End of First Quarter, Spurs 32 Heat 19

Dan: It feels so hard looking at the Heat offense.

STAT: Dan: Spurs are 61.1% FG. Heat 29.4%!

Zachary: Ray Allen with a good move after good ball movement by the Heat. They knew they needed a bucket. But then Leonard makes a 3 at the other end!

Andy: the Spurs wanted to push the pace, and with 32 points in the first quarter, they can say “mission accomplished.” But--it is a 4-quarter game. Stay tuned!

First Quarter, 59.6 left, Spurs 29 Heat 17

Dan: 12-0 run Spurs. Mami Time-out.

Dave: Okay Spurs are looking good now....

Andy: A travelling call is slowing them momentarily, but the Spurs are starting to make the Heat pay. Boris Diaw is guarding James successfully and seems to be in all the right spots on offense.

First Quarter, 1:29 left, Spurs 27 Heat 17

Dave: Parker looks pretty good. Of course he looked good in the first half of Game 4 as well, and didn’t score in the second half.

Zachary: True!

Zachary: Parker is taking on Norris Cole right now. Time to put someone bigger on him?

Dan: Heat: Not In Paint. Spurs: In Paint.

First Quarter, 3:17 left, Spurs 23 Heat 17

Dan: Both team’s Big 3 have 17 each.

Zachary: Ray Allen for the Heat is in for the first time.

Dave: Diaw is now guarding LeBron?? I guess someone else was already guarding Wade....

First Quarter, 3:46 left, Spurs 21 Heat 17

Dan: Tim Duncan doing whatever he wants low in the paint. No stopping him.

Zachary: Stat check? Duncan and Ginobili both have 7 points for the Spurs, while James has 7 and Wade has 8 for the Heat. Few points from anyone else. This is a game of stars.

Andy: They are daring Miami’s outside shooters, and the Heat are taking the bait, and they’re clanking them now. Watch the Spurs defenders give them lots of room outside.

First Quarter, 4:09 left, Spurs 19 Heat 17

Dan: Parker misses his first FT, seems like he was massaging his thigh.

Dave: Duncan has been pretty aggressive thus far.

Dan: James makes from downtown to tie the game at 17.

Zachary: Norris Cole will get the Best Hair award, regardless of who wins. Chris “Birdman” Anderson is a close second, but we’re not seeing him on the court in the last couple games.

First Quarter, 4:32 left, Spurs 17 Heat 17

Dan: Green airballs a completely open shot.

Dave: Wade’s confidence is back, drawing fouls at the rate he did in the 2006 Finals when he was almost untouchable.

Andy: Some sloppy play on both sides now, airballs, fumbling it away.

Zachary: Good D by Bosh on Duncan but Duncan’s always had a good hook, and he utilizes it there. On the other end, the Heat are hustling a lot and getting some loose balls and second chances.

First Quarter, 6:43 left, Spurs 16 Heat 12

Dan: Wade finishes Euro-step

Dan: LeBron gets the oop from Chalmers this time.

Zachary: Neither team seems to want to slow down at all, and basically every play has been a quick shot or fast break. Both teams are shooting well but the Spurs--especially Ginobili--are shooting better.

Andy: Every Spurs miss, the Heat are making them pay with a fast break.

Dave: Quite a fast pace to this game....Ginobili with 8 points already....what gives??

Dan: What did Manu do? He’s making baskets.

Andy: The Heat are indeed getting inside now, and it will be a difficult night for San Antonio if that continues. However--the Spurs are up by 4, due to the sharp 3-point shooting.

First Quarter, 8:28 left, Spurs 13 Heat 8

Dan: LeBron James misses alley-oop from Wade. Wade and Miller go down hard. Miller limping, Wade soothing his head.

Andy: Having said that, Lebron took it hard all the way and got fouled. So the Heat are not going to fall into the passive mode.

Zachary: This could be Ginobili’s last home game as a Spur. Read more about that here 

First Quarter, 9:57 left, Spurs 9 Heat 6

Zachary: Lots of scoring in the first couple minutes, punctuated by a dunk by Duncan! Spurs look a little hungrier than the Heat so far. They’re aggressively looking inside and not settling for outside shots. Then again, that (shooting outside) was the Heat’s weakness in Game 3 but their strength in Game 4.

Andy: So far, the Heat are settling for jumpers and the Spurs are attacking the basket, especially Duncan with an authoritative dunk.

First Quarter, 11:16 left, Spurs 3 Heat 2

Zachary: Ginobili off the bat! He’s sick of the criticism he’s been getting

Dave: Spurs going with Ginobli, small lineup to start Game 5? Interesting. At least Splitter won’t be guarding Wade.

Andy: Mike Miller is starting, and there’s something unique about him. He is the only player to win both the Rookie of the Year and the Sixth Man of the Year awards, albeit in separate years.

Start of Game

Andy: Keys to the game: 1. Tony Parker’s hamstring, 2. Will the Heat Big 3 get in the paint like in Game 4, or will they be locked down by the Spurs defense, like in Game 3?, and 3. Who will bring the most defensive poise and intensity?

Dave: Heat need to bring it’s trademark intense defense again to win. That’s the team’s biggest strength.

Zachary: The Spurs need to score early and maintain a lead most of the game. They also need more people to have more people score, and especially need to have Parker, Tim Duncan, and Manu Ginobili step up.

Andy: A no-brainer prediction: If James and Wade get 30 each again and Bosh gets 20, it will be in  Miami victory.

Zachary: My no-brainer prediction: If one team scores more points, than they will win--and they will also win the series!