NBA Daily: Miami See Off Blazers By Two Points, Pelicans Thwart Nets In OT

NBA

BY NISAR KHAN

Miami HEAT topped the Blazers by two points while Pelicans got an overtime win in Monday’s NBA action. Here is the full round-up.

LeBron James scored 32 points as Miami HEAT defeated the Portland Trail Blazers. GETTY IMAGES

There were ten games in total, including East conference leaders Pacers in action, an overtime win for the Pelicans, and another loss for the 76ers.

Indiana Pacers 77 – 89 Chicago Bulls

HIGHEST POINTS: Taj Gibson (23 PTS)
HIGHEST REBOUNDS: Lance Stephenson (10 RBs), Carlos Boozer (10 RBs)
HIGHEST ASSISTS: Joakim Noah (8 assists)

Chicago Bulls topped the East-leaders Indiana at the United Center in a convincing win, as Taj Gibson lead the charge for the hosts with 23 points on the board, with his coach Tom Thibodeau calling him “a monster” from his performance. Meanwhile, his teammate in the backcourt, Kirk Hinrich, contributed 18 points to the total.

ESPN

As for the Pacers, who will face defending Champions Miami HEAT on Wednesday, Paul George had a lackluster 8-22 from the field. Lance Stephenson added 10 boards, alas in vein though as Pacers were out of it from a game-defining 12 – 0 run from the Bulls.

Indiana Pacers, however, lead by one point going into the half – the game closely knit from poor field percentages from either side, falling shy of 35%. Chicago Bulls would control the game. 

A 12 – 0 run was accumulated by a superb shooting showcase to start the third, as the Bulls made nine of their first eleven shots, setting up for an easy win as they controlled the game from then on in.

Portland Trail Blazers 91 – 93 Miami HEAT

HIGHEST POINTS: LeBron James (32 pts)
HIGHEST REBOUNDS: Chris Anderson (10 RBs)
HIGHEST ASSISTS: Damian Lillard (6 assists)

LeBron James and Chris Bosh helped Miami HEAT to go within two games of Pacers atop the Eastern Conference, managing to protect their 17 point lead in the fourth quarter that they came uncomfortably close to squandering.

With 11.4 seconds left, highest point scorer LeBron James scored his final two points, before Chris Bosh denied Damian Lillard’s lay-up in the final play for a slender, thrilling win. 

Damian Lillard, though, was key in the resistance effort as he assisted 6 field goals and scored 19 points. 

More prosperous for Miami HEAT was seeing Chris Bosh deliver another huge performance, the types that will come welcomed with open arms in the postseason.

With the game tied at 91, LeBron James hit it of the glass for the game-winning shot to cap of a brilliant performance, meanwhile Chris Bosh celebrated his 30th birthday contributing a key block in the final play. 

Blazers’ biggest downfall came from their shooting beyond the arc. Just 11 were made from 39 attempts, allowing the HEAT to take control.

Around The League

With Spurs and Nets also in action, there were some 8 other games around the NBA.

Houston Rockets 100 – 89 Charlotte Bobcats
James Harden’s game-high 31 points over the Charlotte Bobcats kept the Houston Rockets on hot form, while Dwight Howard’s return was also a positive one with double digits on the boards count. The Bobcats lead 66 – 65 in the third, before Rockets ran away with it and propelled past the North Carolina side.

Phoenix Suns 102 – 95 Atlanta Hawks
The Suns won their fourth straight as five team members got double digit to tie even with Dallas Mavericks for the final playoff spot in the West conference. Eric Blesdoe was key as he scored twenty points to overturn the Hawks’ early lead with magnificent three-point shooting. PJ Tucker crashed 11 boards for the winning side.

Minnesota Timberwolves 92 – 109 Memphis Grizzlies
Grizzlies’ built an early lead out in their home arena, and shut out the Timberwolves for the whole game. Mike Conley’s 23 points were part of the comfortable win in Memphis.

Brooklyn Nets 104 – 109 New Orleans Pelicans
The Pelicans turned around a game where they were 22 points down in the third quarter to win in overtime, thanks in part to Tyreke Evans, scoring 22 out of his 33 season high points tally. They were looking on course to lose in the third as they were down by 22 points – until they forced overtime and thwarted the Nets emphatically.

Philadelphia 76ers 91 – 113 San Antonio Spurs
San Antonio Spurs handed the 76ers their 25th straight loss as Austin Daye topped the stats with 22 points and Marco Belinelli had 8 assists. It was an easy rout for the Texans, not needing to rely on their bigger stars as much in the game, putting 76ers one more loss from equaling the record for most consecutive NBA losses. 

Detroit Pistons 114 – 94 Utah Jazz
It was music, or maybe Jazz, to the ears of Detroit Piston fans as they snapped a five game winning streak to defeat Utah by 20 points. Andre Drummond’s impressive 14 rebound stat was an exemplification of the dominance portrayed from the Pistons, controlling the paint and boards from early on. 

Milwaukee Bucks 98 – 106 LA Clippers
In the final game of the night, as Blake Griffin scored 27 points and crashed 14 boards to get the Clippers to their 50th season win and keep up in the battle for third place in the West conference playoffs. Chris Paul added 7 assists and 3 steals while Bucks have now went a year without winning consecutive games. 

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Miami Ease Past Spurs, Carmelo Anthony Leads Knicks Over Lakers with First Sunday Showcase of Season

NBA

BY NISAR KHAN

Miami thrived in their Finals rematch, and the Knicks picked up a big win at the Garden with Carmelo Anthony’s shooting form continuing – as the NBA delivered some big games on Grammy Sunday.



Pivotal: LeBron James and Chris Bosh contributed to Miami’s 101 – 113 win over the Spurs. ©

In a rematch from the NBA Finals, San Antonio Spurs traveled to the AmericanAirlines Arena in Miami to face the reigning Champions, while painful memories of the renowned Game 7 loss in the same arena were clear.

Chris Bosh delivered a standout performance for his side, scoring twenty-four points and shooting 9-10, while Dwyane Wade came off the bench to play for only the sixth time in his career having rested the four previous games.

Never trailing in the game, and extending a lead as far as 29 points, Miami comfortably raced away in the game after the first half finished closely. 



Spurs, who were without three of their important players used last season, saw ‘The Big Fundamental’ Tim Duncan score a team-high twenty-three points. Meanwhile, the other part of the duo, Tony Parker, put up eleven points.

Despite the subdued atmosphere at the AmericanAirlines Arena – that seemed to be filling up far too slowly for such a big game – Miami HEAT would thrive on their home court.

Miami got off to a great start with an 8 – 0 run to open the game, moving the ball around well to Ray Allen, wide open in space to nail a three pointer forcing a Spurs’ timeout. 

Ray Allen was short of completing a play completely reminiscent to his Game 6 winner last season, with the same motion to get into his corner three-pointer, only missing this time. 

Mario Chalmers also put on a good performance, with himself receiving praise from many-a-pundit for his important, yet sometimes underrated contributions to the HEAT.

It was set up to be a terrific contest with both teams tied at fourty-four points each before the interval. However, it was a very different story when the third quarter wrapped up.

Post-game, Spurs’ coach Greg Poppovich praised the HEAT, while pointing out his side’s problems. Indeed, the HEAT “brought their ‘A’ game”. 

Heat shot 58%, the best any team has shot vs Spurs this season pic.twitter.com/QKKWL3P82b
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) January 26, 2014

Miami saw off a great first half Spurs effort, to thrive in a decisive third quarter of which Chris Bosh stood out in. 

Madison Square Garden would continue the action for the second part of the NBA on ABC double-header, as the Los Angeles Lakers concluded their GRAMMY Road-Trip with a game against the New York Knicks.

Carmelo Anthony continued his scoring form with 35 points against the Lakers. Having scored an incredible 62 points in his previous game, he was influential in the Knicks’  110 – 103 win.

Both teams started off at a very level footrace to open the game. But eventually, despite a run to get back into the game, the Lakers would suffer their fifth, and to many thankfully final, road trip loss on the GRAMMY Road Trip. 

Los Angeles did themselves justice for a while, staying in it till late, scoring twelve of their eighteen attempted shots in the third quarter.

With the minutes left of the fourth, Knicks were clearly on course to a win, as the clock ticked down, and Knicks eased their way to their second straight win. 

Quick Stats Overview

San Antonio Spurs 101 – 113 Miami HEAT
HIGHEST POINTS: Chris Bosh, 24 pts (MIA)
HIGHEST ASSISTS: Mario Chalmers, 7 (MIA) & Tony Parker, 7 (SAS)
HIGHEST REBOUNDS:  LeBron James, 7 (MIA)

Los Angeles Lakers 103 – 110 New York Knicks
HIGHEST POINTS: Carmelo Anthony, 35 pts (NYK)
HIGHEST ASSISTS: Kendall Marshall, 5 (LAL), Carmelo Anthony, 5 (NYK) & Ray Felton, 5 (NYK)
HIGHEST REBOUNDS: Tyson Chandler, 14 (NYK)

Comment: “From well-contested openings, to runaways – and everything in between”

First of all, like many have noted, the attendance was worse than expected in Miami. For a game which sees two finalists rematch, many wouldn’t expect to see so many empty seats. Such a shame.

It was well-contested to start out, some fine shooting on both ends but the third quarter proved too costly for repair for the visitors. 

Chris Bosh proved not to be the weak-link for the HEAT’s big three, while another member is still in doubt after injuries. A key here is ensuring Dwyane’s health going forward, as he is an important piece to the HEAT’s puzzle – just like Mario Chalmers, who in my opinion had an outstanding performance on Sunday.

For the Spurs, although they lacked three key players, still put up a valiant effort. Even with Miami’s highest lead of twenty-nine points on one occasion, they fought back to reduce the deficit.

Its been a problematic GRAMMY Road Trip for the Lakers, “just bring Kobe back!”. Well, if only things were that simple, in fact far from it. Kobe has some rehabilitation to continue, but will be welcomed with open arms, if not desperate, upon his return to the Lakers.

Games in the near-future will be left to determine how the Knicks can redeem themselves. Carmelo Anthony has quickly went from simmering to stand-out, and now continued form will be pivotal for the Knicks getting back on track.

A big double-header of NBA basketball provides some fantastic sporting action for Sunday, with Miami HEAT getting another one-up over Spurs, while the Knicks continue to build a resurgence.

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LeBron Injures Ankle

BY Neil Mehta

A Twisted Ankle Wasn’t Enough To Stop LeBron…

Image Courtesy: ESPN

LeBron James scored 30 points, grabbed 9 rebounds, and dished out 9 assists to

lead the Miami Heat to victory over the Utah Jazz. The 117- 94 rout of the Jazz did however provide some negative news. LeBron James twisted his ankle in the 3rd quarter and had to leave the game. The Miami Heat play the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday, and the Heat are unsure if LeBron James is ready to go. LeBron expects his ankle to remain sore and may even experience some swelling. 

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Jeff Green Hits Amazing Buzzer-Beater Three to Sink the Heat (Video)

By Adil K

In an enthralling encounter between the Celtics and the Miami HEAT, Jeff Green sealed the game with an incredible three-point shot from the corner.

Jeff Green gave the C’s the win in dramatic fashion. (via AP)



The Celtics (2-4 going into the game) took it right at the HEAT (4-2 going into the game) but it looked all but over when Dwyane Wade had a chance to seal the game with a pair of free-throws with 0.6 seconds left on the clock, the score being Celtics 108 – 110 Heat. Wade missed the first one, then intended to miss the 2nd but the ball hit the backboard leading to a violation and then a timeout for the C’s with 0.6 seconds on the clock.

[SEE ALSO: Canaries’ Second Half Turnaround Topples Hammers]

Wade’s FT hits the backboard. Celtics coach Brad Stevens drew up a fantastic play which consisted of Gerald Wallace throwing an incredible pass to the corner for Jeff Green’s three in the face of LeBron to win the game. Amazing. Celtics improve to 3-4, and the HEAT go to 4-3.

h/t youtube user NBA Highlights

By Âdil K

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Greg Oden Makes Decision, Signs with Miami HEAT

  Former #No. 1 Pick of the 2007 NBA Draft, Greg Oden, who hasn’t played in the NBA since 2009, has agreed to sign with the Miami HEAT, according to his agent. 

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Oden described Miami as the “best fit” “best place” for him to be at. (Photo via BleacherReport)

  
After a long history of turbulent injuries that resulted in Ohio St. University Star to be released by the Portland TrailBlazers in 2012, and ending his stint in the league, Greg Oden will look to make a healthy and positive return to the NBA. Oden spent the week deciding on his team out of 6 potential buyers and ended up choosing the back-to-back champions Miami, signing a two-year deal at the veteran’s minimum with a player option on Year 2.

Oden told ESPN.com on Friday night that he has chosen the two-time defending champion Miami Heat as his new team, capping a monthlong recruiting process which culminated with Oden spending this entire week making his final selection from a list of six suitors.

At only 25 years of age with a ton of potential, this is a low-risk, high-reward move by Miami. We will see how Oden develops under Bosh and whether he can live up to his elite status coming out of College in 2007.

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Predicting the Top 8 in the Eastern Conference in 2013/14

  The Eastern Conference Predicted Top 8.

(Assuming all players projected to be healthy by the start of the season are healthy and play well) *As of 02/09/13

8. Detroit Pistons

One of the most active teams this off-season, definitely got better, but I don’t know how much better. I am very interested how Monroe, Smith and Drummond play together. Also how Jennings and Smith play together. Who’s team is this, who is the leader? I have a lot of questions about Detroit, but they have too much talent to miss the playoffs.

LEFT TO RIGHT – Brandon Jennings, Chauncey Billups, J Smith, Greg Monroe and Andre Drummond (via wbexclusive)

7. Atlanta Hawks

The Hawks are the most over looked team this off season. They were the 6th seed last season, and swapped Millsap for Smith. I don’t think this is a huge downgrade. Also, Lou Williams is coming back, he is a top 3 6th man in the league. I think Teague will have a breakout season and Atlanta is a lock for the playoffs

I can’t believe how many more people say NO playoffs for the hawks with a roster of: Horford Milsap Teague Lou Will Teague Korver Etc.
— Everything NBA (@Talk_NBA) July 22, 2013

With Andrew Bynum on board, things are looking up in Cleveland.

6. Cleveland Cavaliers

This is my riskiest pick, but I am assuming Bynum will be healthy and playing as a top 3 center in the East. Kyrie is a rising SUPERstar in this league and this is the year he finally gets the Cavs into the playoffs. The Cavs have a balance of young talent, veterans and a great coach looking to redeem himself.

5. New York Knicks

I understand this is a big drop from last year, but everyone above them got better this summer. Adding Andrea Bargnani was not a great move. They have lost 2 great shooters (Novak and Copeland) and that is their bread and butter, shooting 3s. Look for New York to have somewhat of a disappointing season.

The No. 1 pick in the 2006 joins the NY Knicks, but many question the trade. (via GMS)

4. Brooklyn Nets

Brooklyn took advantage of a Celtics team in dire need of change. Adding KG, Pierce and Terry makes the Nets one of the most interesting teams in the league. My biggest question for BK is Jason Kidd. Can he be successful in his first season ever as a coach?

  VIDEO: KG, Paul Pierce and Jason Terry officially introduced as Brooklyn Nets. (via NBA.com)

3. Chicago Bulls

With Derrick Rose coming back look for Chicago to compete for the NBA title this season. Jimmy Butler is a talent on the rise and Dunleavy was an under-rated pick up. I like Chicago as a lock for the top 3 seed in the East.
 

#TheReturn



Luis Scola lands in Indiana (via JFace5)

2. Indiana Pacers

A Superstar was born this past playoffs in Indiana. Look for Paul George to emerge as a legitimate star this season. Getting the elite talent of Danny Granger back and adding Copeland and Scola gives them the depth they need last season. I have Indiana winning the Central division by 3 games over Chicago.

1. Miami Heat

Miami has done nothing this off-season to drop from number 1. They still have LeBron James, Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh. They want to prove they are one of the best teams in NBA history. In order to do that they need to complete the 3-peat. This could be the final run for the Heat as we know them with the 2014 free agency around the corner.

Look for the Eastern Conference to be the most competitive it has been in 10+ years.

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NBA Finals: HEAT, Spurs End An Amazing Season In An Amazing Way

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Talk about high stakes.
 

Miami HEAT and San Antonio Spurs had produced a back-and-forth enthralling NBA Finals, and it would all epitomize in emphatic fashion, Game 7 of the NBA Finals.

Legacies will be made. Legacies will be tarnished. #Game7
— ESPN (@espn) June 21, 2013

With the eyes of the World upon the AmericanAirlines Arena in Miami, Florida, the objective of the HEAT and Spurs was simple – win the game and you become the NBA Champions. But that achieving that objective would not be easy at all, because the passion and desire to become Champion was on full display as the NBA season culminated in an amazing way.

Both teams played with intensity in the first quarter but the low scoring end was a result of poor shooting and turnovers.
Dwyane Wade came out aggressive for Miami, and Tim Duncan’s desire to further solidify his legacy was on full display in the first quarter. Duncan had an unusual-but-impressive play, when he managed to steal the ball and hit a fast break – or slow break, as some would say.

Meanwhile Manu Ginobili found himself in some foul trouble as he picked up two fouls in the first quarter, however coach Greg Popovich invested trust in the veteran allowing him to play out the last 3 minutes of the quarter.
Miami gained an all-important threshold on the quarter when they took the lead for the first time following an  8 – 0 run, to finish the quarter two points ahead, leading 18 – 16.

First Quarter Shot Chart via HEAT.com shows the poor shooting by both teams in the opening 12 minutes.

Maybe pressure could explain the poor shooting…
Some poor shooting would continue in the second quarter, a combination of nerves and of course fatigue from that grueling Game 6 thriller on Tuesday which set up for the Game 7.
Chris Bosh picked up his third foul as he struggled to contain The Big Fundamental Tim Duncan, resulting in Bosh getting a third foul less than halfway through the quarter. Hot shooting from beyond-the-arc by Shane Battier

Shane Battier has ALREADY set an NBA Finals Game 7 record with three 3-pointers.
— Numbers Never Lie (@ESPN_Numbers) June 21, 2013

Dwyane Wade was on some excellent form with 14 points better than his Game 6 performance. An aggressive performance by Wade in particular had a significant impact.
Meanwhile his counterpart Manu Ginobili had glimpses of his best with his shooting, layups and assists. Bosh would remain quiet with 0 points in the first half. This is the first time in the postseason where he has had a scoreless first half.
LeBron’s 15 points was important to keep the HEAT tipping ahead, including picking up some points in great fashion (see video above).

2nd Quarter Shot Chart via HEAT.com

 
A first half that started with poor shooting and turnovers, but the pace picked up and a good game has come out of it. Spurs may be thankful to the free-throws for keeping them in it, but good work to stay with the HEAT nonetheless. LeBron and Wade with a combined 29 points meanwhile the Spurs also got it done, as Tim Duncan scored 15 points and picked up three rebounds and Kawhi Leonard had 10 rebounds, an incredible amount for the first half.

With business now picked up, who would go on to become the NBA Champions?

Kawhi Leonard picked up an early double-double in the third quarter with 11 points and 11 rebounds, this was score was to increase with the NBA Championship hanging in the balance.
Miami pulled off a magnificent play when Miller threw it to LeBron who dished it out to Dwyane Wade for the dunk. Spectacular.

However things were not looking quite as good for man of the moment Danny Green…

Danny Green has hit just 1 shot in his last 14 attempts. He’s 0-7 tonight.
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) June 21, 2013

But then he hit the three to give the Spurs a 1 point lead, would this be the start of another three-point frenzy?

LeBron James 5th three pointer had HEAT leading, and also broke a record in the NBA Finals, with the most ever three-pointers in Game 7 of the NBA Finals.
Even Diaw got into the mix when his shot from downtown gave the Spurs a 1-point edge before a timeout.
Back and forth they went, and it set up the quarter for a one-point game.

Third Quarter Shot Chart via HEAT.com

The HEAT went in with just a 1-point lead courtesy of Shane Battier (who hit his 4th 3-pointer) and then Chalmers took the roof of the AmercianAirlines Arena when he drilled a Three-Pointer on the buzzer.

The stage was set. Miami were leading 72 – 71, with one quarter left of the NBA season…

Tim Duncan joined Kawhi Leonard as he got a double-double in the fourth quarter. Miami got on a run to get a lead, but there was still a lot to play for. The pressure was high on the officials as numerous video reviews occurred to ensure that there would be no refereeing errors that possibly would decide the outcome of such an important game.
With 5:37 remaining in the final quarter, San Antonio called a much needed timeout as they trailed 83 – 77 to Miami, following LeBron’s mid-range jumper and Ginobili had been costly with his mistakes in the fourth quarter. Pressure was mounting, would this get out of the Spurs’ control?

Just as many began to write off the Spurs, they fought back to within three points, after back and fourth enthralling action which saw Duncan on the boards, Battier hit another three and Ginobili get back to his usual by sinking a three (maybe too costly however). With three minutes remaining, the clock was ticking, the Championships were waiting..

Chris Bosh had a chance to seal the game with 90 seconds left, but buckled under pressure and missed both free throws. 2 points were the difference.

The NBA Championship is going to come down to one possession. Unreal.
— ESPN (@espn) June 21, 2013

Less than a minute to go, Duncan missed an opportunity to even the game, this was TENSE.

LeBron took it home for Miami in the final minute, following another field goal he found himself at the free throw line after intercepting the Spurs pass in the paint and being fouled.

And with that, the NBA season was secured.

Spurs fall short, they have had a great season but could not beat the HEAT this time round. Spurs can leave with their heads held high.

Miami HEAT defeated the Spurs 95 – 88 after an incredible season. Spectacular NBA Finals and Miami are NBA Champions.

A fitting culmination to an amazing season to watch and experience. 

Your NBA Champions, Miami HEAT.

Published by Nisar Khan Follow @iNisarKhan, founder of TheSportMatrix.com
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IMAGE COURTESY: ESPN.com, Bleacher Report, Getty Images, GIFs via Bleacher Report
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NBA Finals: Game 1 – Spurs’ Veterans Put on a Show

Tim Duncan, the Big Fundamental, had not played in 10 days, which is near forever when it comes to the postseason.

But Duncan showed no sign of this. Like aging wine, Timmy D improved as the game went on, he became more dominant.

And his improved play would serve as a catalyst for the rest of his Spurs comrades as they executed perfectly in a 92-88 Game 1 win.

 

Duncan ended with 20 points & 14 rebounds, while Star PG Tony Parker led all scorers with 21 points; he also notched 6 dimes.

What the Heat lacked in rest, they seemed to more than make up for with a much better rhythm through the first three quarters of play.

Prior to Game 1, Spurs guard Manu Ginobili expressed concern about Miami’s overall speed.

“I’m more concerned about seeing what kind of a rhythm or executing style that we have [in Game 1],” Spurs Gregg Popovich said before tip-off.  “We haven’t played in a long time, so that’s my biggest concern. I don’t really know what to expect.”

San Antonio did not make silly mistakes or ill-timed turnovers, coming through in spurts rather than a steady flow of basketball purity which tends to be their strength.

One of those spurts came in the fourth quarter, and it would prove to be just what the Spurs needed to escape with a huge victory.

Here are some of the factors outlined prior to the game and how they eventually played out as the Spurs take control of this series with an all-important Game 1 win.

Spurs beat Heat 92-88 in Game 1 – cbsprt.co/SASMIA1. #NBAFinals
— CBSSports.com (@CBSSports) June 7, 2013

WHAT TO LOOK FOR: There has been lots of talk about Big Three and legacies for both San Antonio and Miami leading up to tonight’s game. But like most playoff series, often it’s role players that decide who comes away victorious. For the Spurs, keep an eye on Danny Green. For Miami, former Celtic Ray Allen could be a difference-maker as well.

WHAT WE SAW: Green’s shooting was huge for San Antonio, especially the fourth quarter 3-pointer that put the Spurs ahead by seven points – their largest lead of the second half. Meanwhile, Allen did his part to keep the Heat in the game, nailing three consecutive free throws late in the game that made it a one-possession contest before finishing with 13 points.

MATCHUP TO WATCH: Tony Parker vs Mario Chalmers: No Heat player catches for heat (pun totally intended) for the most minor transgressions, than Chalmers. But him getting torched by Parker tonight is understandable. He has been doing throughout the playoffs against better point guards.

WHAT WE SAW: Chalmers did about as good a job on him as anyone has in the playoffs, but it wasn’t good enough to keep Parker from being the one player that Miami consistently struggled with defending. Parker finished with 21 points and six assists while Chalmers had eight points while missing seven of his 10 shot attempts.

PLAYER TO WATCH:  Health issues have limited Dwyane Wade’s effectiveness, but Chris Bosh? He has no excuse. After a regular season in which he was so much better than he was given credit for being, Bosh has become a wild card of sorts that no one has any idea of what to expect.

WHAT WE SAW: The player known as Flash had a flashback stretch in the second quarter with baskets on three consecutive possessions. He finished with 17 points on 7-for-15 shooting.

STAT TO TRACK: Miami lacking a true inside presence defensively hurt them in their series with Indiana, and it will likely be an even bigger factor against San Antonio which ranks in the top 10 in points in the paint. Leading the inside scoring barrage for the Spurs is Tim Duncan and Tiago Splitter, along with Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili’s dribble penetration for lay-ups and floaters.

WHAT WE SAW: Miami did not allow the Spurs to get too crazy with points in the paint, limiting San Antonio to 40 points in the paint while scoring 34 of their own.

What will happen in Game 2? Are the Miami HEAT feeling the HEAT? We will see come Sunday, 1pm (ET) on ABC. Be sure not to miss it!