2014 NBA Finals, Game 3 - San Antonio Spurs @ Miami Heat

[Manu20]

In a way I'm not going to be that mad if the Spurs lose. LeBron is a ing basketball czar...as much as I hate to admit it.

If it wasn't for how they lost last year I would not be mad either, but I'm just hoping for the Spurs to win to get the bad taste out of our mouths! A Finals victory especially how they lost last year would all but cement the legacy of the Spurs Big 3. On the other hand a finals loss would taint what the Big 3 have done as most people would remember the back to back finals loss...IMO.

[objective]

There should be NO MINUTES for Belineli if it's not in garbage time.

NONE.

I don't even understand how there could be Spurs fans asking for reduced minutes, but not full benchings.

Marco Belineli is KILLING the Spurs chances.

There's no good reason for Joseph to sit while Belineli gets carved up by Wade, quits on screens, leaves Allen wide open, leaves every shooter wide open, and gets purposefly put in actions to get him switched onto Lebron which results in scores for Lebron and open made threes for every one else.

Add that to his lack of hustle, and Marco is pure anti-winning.

Make no Mistake, Marco = Spurs loss without Lebron cramps.

He is that wretched. He can not be out there to hit shots. He can not be out there to spread the floor. He can not be out there when there is foul trouble. He has and will COST THE SPURS GAMES.

[BatManu20]

[Dex]

Game 2 of the 2014 NBA Finals started off well enough for the Spurs. Lebron came out looking like he was pressing after Crampgate, starting out 1 for 5 with 3 turnovers. Meanwhile, Duncan continued to beast against the Heat's vertically-challenged front-line, going off for an 11-point first quarter including an emphatic and rarely seen putback dunk. The Spurs bench was able to come out strong to build an 11-point lead in the second, but James would come alive in the quarter and pair with Bosh to keep the game tied at half-time. In the third quarter, Spoelstra apparently picked up the controller and plugged in the goddamn Konami code, because Lebron went absolutely God Mode. Kawhi Leonard laid a step too far back on a couple of possessions, and that's all it took for Lebron to get comfortable with his jumper. James peeled of a 12-point run in just over 2 minutes on a variety of pull-ups, step-backs, and three-pointers. If you are stuck in Leonard or Diaw's shoes, there is really not much you can do when the game's best player is in the zone. The Spurs would fight valiantly against Super James until the final minutes, and even carried a one-point lead with 2 minutes left, but being forced to over-compensate on James left Bosh open for a dagger from the right corner and Wade open for a cutting layup, and that was the icing on the cake.

If anybody thought that a Finals rematch between the Spurs and Heat was going to be a cakewalk, they obviously weren't paying attention to last year's epic seven-game series which may go down as one of the top 5 Finals of all-time. These two teams are incredibly evenly matched, if not on paper, then in principle. Both teams mark up their clipboards with motion and ball movement, back-screens and cutters, and floor-spacing shooters. Both teams feature disciplined and tenacious defense which will scramble for 24 seconds if required. Both teams have Big 3 star power; one anchored by experience and discipline, the other anchored by talent and raw athleticism. Both teams feature deep benches and veteran role players who are not afraid to make a mark on this series.

For two teams who could not be more juxtaposed in ideology (built vs. bought), it's hard to imagine a pair of opponents who are more evenly matched. Both of these teams are very capable of winning on the road, and Miami had the chance to draw first blood. From the start, I expected that each team will win one at least away game in this series, and if that prediction is held to be self-evident, Game 2 was the best game to give up.

Now the Spurs must re-focus and head to Miami with one goal: bring back home court advantage. Timing could not have been kinder to the Spurs when the league decided to adjust the Finals format, as they are now saved the fate of having to go to Miami for three straight. They need to go into the Heat's den locked and loaded, and do whatever it takes to bring this series back home with at least a 2-2 split for the pivotal Game 5.

The Spurs won a franchise-record 30 road games this season and were far-and-away the best road team in the NBA. Now is the time to show it.

FTH.

5.

[Beaverfuzz]

Green and Leonard have to play good defense the first few minutes of the game and not pickup cheap fouls. Rather not have Green get two quick fouls and then get subbed out for even earlier than Manu's normal time to come in, in the first quarter.

[BillMc]

[tholdren]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6oBWW3V8ETE

[MeloHype]

Easy win

[BatManu20]

[BillMc]

[RD2191]

Big 3 have to carry us tonight, tbh. Our role players don't play all that well on the road. Hope Tony goes MVP mode tonight.

[ace3g]

[BatManu20]

[BatManu20]

[BillMc]

[ElNono]

[SupremeGuy]

[SpurPadre]

I can't stress enough how I ing LOATHE that seven nation army chant those mother ers do at the games there.

[BatManu20]

[BatManu20]

Someone needs to slip one of these trainers a 50 to "accidentally" jerk one of his shoulders out of his socket so he can't play tbh

[Nathan89]

It would be nice if Leonard gets a highlight dunk very early in the game. Attack!

[BatManu20]

Go Timberwolves?

[Mugen]

[~O~]

Throw it up. Stay confident. Stay focused. Stay willed.

[Shastafarian]

Parker said the Chalmers elbow was "a dirty play".