NBA Finals -- Spurs crush Heat for 2-1 lead
By Maloney L. Samaco
PhilBoxing.com
Thu, 13 Jun 2013
The San Antonio Spurs set a record of 16 three-point shots made in an NBA Finals game as they massacred the Miami Heat, 113-77 in Game Three at the AT&T Center. The 36-point loss was the worst in Miami playoff history.
Danny Green continued his scoring streak and top scored for the Spurs with 27 points. Gary Neal added 24 points off the bench and the starters had plenty of time to rest. Kawhi Leonard contributed points 14 points and Tim Duncan 12 points.
LeBron James played one of his worst playoff games in his career, hitting only seven baskets out of 21 attempts, for a 15-point anemic performance. It was reminiscent of the 3-for-11, eight point production against the Dallas Mavericks in Game 4 of the 2011 Finals.
It was the third consecutive game that the league MVP failed to score at least 20 points. The last time he did it was during the 2011 Finals. He admitted though the failure own his part to deliver and took the blame for not playing well.
The Spurs employed the same strategy on James in the 2007 Finals when San Antonio battled with the Cleveland Cavaliers. They kept him out of the paint and would not let him shot near the basket, forcing him to take long shots.
In Game 3, James scored 5 of 7 inside the paint but went 2 of 14 from outside. But the Spurs have anticipated that LeBron and teammates would come up something different in Game 4. After all, during the playoffs last season they were trailing 2-1 against the Indiana Pacers, behind the Boston Celtics, 3-2, and lost to Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 1 of the Finals. But they went on the win all the series and the title.
Games 4 and 5 will also be played at the Spurs' homecourt. If Miami could not make drastic changes in their brand of play, then the series would end in San Antonio.
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