Vancouver Sun

Spurs turn off Heat to take command of NBA Finals

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MIAMI — LeBron James had a pained expression on his face during warm- ups, left the court for a trip the locker- room just before tipoff and retreated there again in the first quarter.

He was clearly not feeling his best. His teammates weren’t making him feel much better, either.

James’s final numbers from Game 4 of the NBA Finals looked stellar on paper: 28 points, 10- for- 17 shooting, four for eight from three- point range, and eight rebounds. That alone just wasn’t anywhere near enough, and the Miami Heat are now in a colossal amount of trouble — the sort from which no team has ever successful­ly emerged before.

The Heat trail this title series 3- 1 now, having been embarrasse­d at home once again by the San Antonio Spurs, who took command from the outset and beat Miami 107- 86 on Thursday night. Game 5 is in San Antonio on Sunday night, when the reign of James and the Heat atop the NBA could end by being denied a third straight championsh­ip.

Kawhi Leonard had 20 points and 14 rebounds to lead the Spurs on this night. Tony Parker added 19 points for the winners.

No team in NBA Finals history has ever blown a 3- 1 lead. And the Spurs haven’t as much as lost three straight games since January.

The Spurs took control with balance, eight players scoring in the first quarter alone.

The Heat? They didn’t have anyone besides James reach double figures in scoring until 7: 37 remained, and by then there were streams of Miami fans filing out of the arena, quite possibly for the final time this season, maybe even for the final time in this Big Three era.

Dwyane Wade missed nine of his first 10 shots, finishing three for 13 from the field for 10 points. He has played in 151 playoff games. He has shot worse than three for 13 in only three of them.

Chris Bosh, meanwhile, was five for 11, good for 12 points.

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