Game 7 | San Antonio Spurs at Miami Heat at 9pm ET on ABC | Series Tied 3-3
The NBA finals will finally conclude with a historic game 7 looming later on tonight. This marks the end for not only one of the most entertaining playoffs of all time, but one of the greatest NBA seasons ever featuring the league’s top two elite teams. It’s all or nothing, as the stakes for the NBA Finals have never been higher in recent memory.
LeBron James is looking to capture his second consecutive title, while Duncan is trying to move ahead of Kobe Bryant as the best player of the last generation equaling his 5 NBA titles (Also passing Shaq’s 4 Titles & 3 Finals MVPs). This is some historic basketball we’re witnessing that’s not granted every year to degree of players setting themselves up to go down in history as top 10 ever.
Check after the jump for more of the preview.
*UPDATE* Miami Heat Win 2013 NBA Finals!
The 2013 NBA Finals have been a back and forth affair, with neither team winning a back-to-back game yet. In game 6, the San Antonio Spurs were nearing a 5th NBA title in the Duncan-Popovich era up 5 points with less than a minute remaining. LeBron James netted a key three pointer to bring the game to within two, as they would foul Kawhi Leonard. Leonard had the opportunity to nail the final in the coffin for the series, but was only able to land in one free throw giving the Heat one last shot at the game.
The Heat would score a miracle corner three-pointer by Ray Allen sending the game into OT, which they would go on to win. Tim Duncan, who scored 26 points in the first quarter alone (more than Miami’s big 3 in the first half), only scored 4 points in the third quarter through OT, showing signs of age and fatigue in his 44 minutes. Tony Parker also over extended his minutes at 43 but unlike every other team in the NBA, including the Miami Heat; the Spurs are mentally capable of winning game 7 tonight.
Most NBA teams would not be in the right mind of state to come out less than 48 hours for a finale; but led by the longest tenured head coach North American professional sports in Gregg Popovich, the Spurs have the ability to upset the home favorite Miami Heat tonight. The only thing in their way tonight is fatigue after having only a day off to rest.
The two biggest stories of the series has been the injuries from Manu Ginobili & Dwyane Wade, which both former superstars throughout the series have had limited output. Gibobili did have an eye raising game 5 scoring 24 points, but had just 9 points and 8 key turnovers the previous game. Wade who had been dealing with right knee issues, coincidentally bumped his left knee on Manu in the opening minutes of the game 6 which hindered his play the rest of the game.
He still managed to score 14 points (15 shots), but wasn’t subbed into the game until the last 3 minutes of the 4th quarter where the Heat went on their final run. Chalmers scored 20 points, more than the entire Heat bench combined in which he was LeBron’s “Robin” for the night, but we’re not sure he’ll have the efficiency tonight with the lack of rest and inconsistency in his role on the court from Coach Spo.
Ray Allen has just found his shooting touch, but will need to come up big again and help LeBron and Chalmers in the later stages of the game. Chris Bosh is yet to have a GOOD game in the finals which we’re expecting him to be “due” tonight. The Spurs as a team shot collectively their worst game of the finals largely due in part to the lack of rest stemming from game 5 heading on the road to game 6 in a hostile environment. Tonight in game 7, the long-distance shooting should return Danny Green who went 1-7 from the field just scoring one three-pointer.
We’re not expecting a duplicate of game 6 from either team or a blowout in any way shape form or fashion, but both will be leaving every last drop of energy they have on the court tonight after the final buzzer sounds. This is what all NBA fans should want in the league, a game 7 for the NBA Finals. Tim Duncan’s been to the NBA finals 5 times in his career and remains undefeated under the brightest lights.
Exactly 10-years ago, his former “twin-tower” cohort David Robinston retired after winning his 2nd NBA ring, which sadly might the best the last game we see Tim Duncan playing at an elite level. Winning the title tonight, we’d expect Duncan to walk away from the game of basketball on top as a 5-time NBA champion. Looking across the court, whether LeBron James can join the elite list of Michael Jordan (1991-92) and Bill Russell (1960-63) as the only players to win back to back regular season MVP and finals MVP honors remains to be seen. We’ll find out in a few hours with these once-in-a-lifetime achievements the two legends are looking to accomplish tonight.
Win or Go HOME!