Spurs’ late surge too much for Heat
San Antonio takes 1-0 lead
SPURS 92, HEAT 88
MIAMI — The San Antonio Spurs returned to the NBA Finals just the way they left — with a victory over LeBron James.
Tim Duncan overcame a slow start to finish with 20 points and 14 rebounds, Tony Parker banked in a desperation jumper with 5.2 seconds left and the Spurs withstood James’ tripledouble to beat the Miami Heat 92-88 on Thursday night in a thrilling Game 1.
Parker ended up with 21 points after referees reviewed his shot to make sure it beat the shot clock, giving San Antonio a fourpoint edge in a game that was close the whole way.
James had 18 points, 18 rebounds and 10 assists in his second straight NBA Finals triple- double, but he shot only 7 of 16 against good defense by Kawhi Leonard, and Miami’s offense stalled in the fourth quarter.
Playing for the championship for the first time since sweeping James’ Cleveland Cavaliers in 2007, the Spurs improved to 5-for-5 in Game 1’s, hanging around for three quarters and then blowing past the defending champions midway through the fourth.
Manu Ginobili, the third member of San Antonio’s Big Three, who have combined for 99 postseason victories, finished with 13 points, and Danny Green had 12. Game 2 is Sunday night. James became a champion on this floor last year in Game 5 against Oklahoma City, but he hasn’t forgotten his first taste of the Finals.
The Spurs swept his Cavaliers in 2007 and James spoke Wednesday like someone who had payback in mind. He was 22 then, a fourth-year player headed for greatness but with holes in his game that San Antonio exploited in a fourgame sweep.
Revenge won’t come easily, if it comes at all.
Dwyane Wade scored 17 points for the Heat but was shut out in the fourth quarter. Chris Bosh had only two of his 13 in the final period.
James shot an air ball on a 3-pointer on his first shot, then was soon back to his usual game.
But San Antonio handled that and everything else Miami did, even while shooting 42 percent from the field.
Forced to seven grueling games by the rugged Indi-
ana Pacers in the Eastern Conference f inals, the Heat clearly enjoyed the more wide-open flow of this game, making 18 of their first 30 shots. But the Spurs’ defense got better as the game went along, and San Antonio held the Heat to just seven points in the first 8½ minutes of the final quarter.
Miami outshot and outrebounded San Antonio in the first half but led only 52- 49 after coach Gregg Popovich hurried Duncan back onto the floor for an inbounds pass with 0.8 seconds left, which the three-time finals MVP caught and lofted for a jumper that fell in at the buzzer.
The Heat stayed ahead until Parker’s free throws gave San Antonio a 77-76 edge with 7:47 remaining. James set up Bosh for a jumper on the next possession for his 10th assist, but Leonard made a follow shot and Parker turned James’ turnover into a spinning layup and an 8178 lead exactly halfway through the fourth.
Green’s 3-pointer right after James missed one pushed the Spurs’ lead to seven at 88-81 with 2:12 to go, before a drive by James and three free throws by Ray Allen pulled Miami back within two, setting up Parker’s basket that put it away.
It was an entertaining start to a matchup that seemed years in the making between perennial contenders, with the Spurs making their fifth appearance and the Heat their fourth. Commissioner Da- vid Stern called it “probably the most anticipated finals in who knows, 30 years,” likely more a bit of hyperbole in his final stateof-the-league address than a comment meant to slight fans of the Celtics, Lakers, or Michael Jordan’s Bulls.
Stern announced last year that he would retire and be replaced his longtime deputy, Adam Silver, who has worked with him in five different capacities over the last 22 years.
The Spurs hadn’t played since May 27, when they finished off a sweep of the Grizzlies in the Western Conference Finals, and even Popovich said he didn’t know what to expect.
San Antonio turned it over on its first possession, leading to Wade’s fast-break dunk. Then the Spurs ran off nine straight points.
Only Duncan, who has remained among the NBA’s best at 37, looked out of sync. He missed all five shots in the first quarter before going to the bench late in the period with his second foul.
The Heat had a 38-29 lead by the time he returned, and he quickly got on the board with an inside basket en route to a 12-point second quarter.
It was a disappointing start for the Heat at the arena where they celebrated last year after closing out Oklahoma City in five games behind James’ 26 points, 11 rebounds and 13 assists. Fans arrived to white shirts reading “Witness Miami” draped over their seats.
The Miami fans didn’t like what they witnessed, many leaving as referees reviewed Parker’s shot.