2014 NBA Finals Game 4, Spurs at Heat

[Russ]

I believe that Duncan will have a huge game --- 25-30 points and 10-15 rebounds.

But will it be enough against a desperate Miami team that always wins this type of game?

[Warlord23]

I see 2 possible outcomes today:
1. The Spurs get blown the out early and we see a lot of garbage time with Ayres/Bonner/Beli and co.
2. The game stays a close affair (5 to 8 point margin) well into the 4th quarter - after that the team that makes fewer mistakes, has more stamina left in the tank and pulls out more clutch plays is the one that will win.

If the Spurs are able to hang around for 3 quarters, I hope Pop keeps Duncan and Manu out for the first 6 minutes of the 4th and brings them in on relatively fresh legs for the stretch run. Mills is averaging only 14 minutes per game; based on his recent play Pop can keep him out there a bit longer and have him push the tempo. The aim should be to try and tire out Miami's perimeter guys over the first 3 quarters.

[FromWayDowntown]

Joey, Callahan, and Washington are about as experienced a Finals crew as the league could reasonably put together for a game this early in the series. Joey will work his 49th Finals game tonight (for sake of comparison, the other 11 Finals officials this year have worked a ulative total of 96 Finals games over the courses of their careers; if you take Danny Crawford out of that, the other 10 Finals officials have ulatively worked 66 Finals games (or only 17 more than Joey has by himself)). Callahan has called at least one game in all but one Finals since 2003 and 15 Finals games total. Washington is working his 4th Finals since 2008 and is working the 4th Finals game of his career tonight.

Joey Crawford

Miami is 10-6 in the Big 3 era with Joey; they are 8-2 at home over that span; they are 3-2 in the Finals. The Heat are 2-0 in the 2014 Playoffs with Joey (won Game 5 vs. Brooklyn; won Game 2 at Indiana).

Spurs are 23-16 since 1990 with Joey; 8-12 on the road; 5-3 in the Finals. The Spurs are 2-1 in the 2014 Playoffs with Joey (won Game 1 vs. Dallas; won Game 2 vs. Portland; lost Game 4 at OKC).

Callahan

Miami is 14-2 in the Big 3 era with Callahan; they are 9-0 at home over that span; they are 4-1 in the Finals. The Heat are 3-0 in the 2014 Playoffs with Callahan (won Game 1 vs. Brooklyn; won Game 2 at Indiana; won Game 6 vs. Indiana).

Spurs are 17-12 all-time with Callahan; 4-7 on the road; 3-3 in the Finals. The Spurs are 1-1 in the 2014 Playoffs with Callahan (won Game 5 vs. Dallas; lost Game 4 at OKC).

Washington

Miami is 5-4 in the Big 3 era with Washington; they are 2-2 at home over that span; they are 1-0 in the Finals. The Heat are 1-1 in the 2014 Playoffs with Washington (won Game 4 at Charlotte; lost Game 5 at Indiana).

Spurs are 11-9 all-time with Washington; 2-8 on the road. He's never called a Spurs Finals game. The Spurs are 1-2 in the 2014 Playoffs with Washington (lost Game 3 at Dallas; won Game 1 vs. Portland; lost Game 3 at OKC).

[Horry Hipcheck]

Spurs either scrape together a narrow victory or get run out of the building. We won't be seeing Game 3 again, and if we do, the series is over.

[Mr. Body]

Refs see to it that Green and Leonard sit a lot in the first half. They've seen the numbers.

Heat come roaring out, expending a lot of energy trying to answer with a blowout.

But in the second half, they're starting to drag. The Spurs are able to push back. Ginobili comes up big.

[Budkin]

The Spurs are more focused than I think I've ever seen. I feel very good about their chances of taking a second straight in Miami and wrapping this up at home.

[Crookshanks]

I fully expect the Spurs to lose tonight - I think the officiating is going to be atrocious. That being said - if the Spurs can manage to pull out a win tonight it will be awesome! But I'm going into it with the mindset that the Heat will win - that way I won't get too upset.

[DarrinS]

I'm curious to see how many minutes Lebron will play tonight.

[T Park]

Joey Crawford
Mike Callahan
Tom Washington
Alt. John Goble

Tom Washington? Ugh......

[boutons_deux]

Spurs gonna have to be extremely aggressive, lots of for ude, necks bowed like a bull, NEVER GIVE AN INCH!

[Warlord23]

Home teams are 9-2 in games reffed by Tom Washington in the 2014 playoffs, and he tends to blow the whistle more often than Crawford or Callahan

[ElNono]

"Make some shots"

[Budkin]

The problem for the Heat is that they look gassed. They've been playing in the Finals for 4 straight years. The Spurs have much more energy and players to expend. By the end of the game the Heat will be worn down.

[Mugen]

Bud, if the Spurs win tonight, I'll fly to SA and buy you a churro tbh.

[mclinejr]

Bud, if the Spurs win tonight, I'll fly to SA and buy you a churro tbh.

I'll take you up on that!

[Budkin]

Bud, if the Spurs win tonight, I'll fly to SA and buy you a churro tbh.

LOL, I'll have to drive down from Austin but I'm down!

[DarrinS]

The problem for the Heat is that they look gassed. They've been playing in the Finals for 4 straight years. The Spurs have much more energy and players to expend. By the end of the game the Heat will be worn down.

This

[Mugen]

If the Spurs win tonight, I'll willingly drink any cleaning liquid of T Park's choosing tbh.

[SpurPadre]

As I've mentioned in another thread, tonight will go one of two ways: 1) we get blown the out or 2) we build a big lead at the half only to choke most of it away again to barely hold on to a win with the Heat missing a shot at the buzzer to either tie or win it. Hopefully, we can pull this one off. It'll be the hardest task this team has had tbh.

[Dex]

If the Spurs win tonight, I'll willingly drink any cleaning liquid of T Park's choosing tbh.

How the do you tag someone with a space in their name?

[Horse]

A win would be sweet but keep it close at all cost the heat and especilly lebron will be running on fumes.

[SpurPadre]

I fully expect Battier to get some extended run tonight and we all know how he can be a Spur killer.

[TheGoldStandard]

As long as they don't over help and leave bosh and Chalmers wide open we got this.

[DatBoyGood]

Honestly have no clue what to expect tonight. This team should be up 3-0 right now with Lebron going off in game 2. They cannot let Allen and Bosh get going early

[sook]

we got this.