El Conclusión: San Antonio Spurs 98, Miami Heat 120
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Tim Duncan, C 27 MIN | 4-10 FG | 0-0 FT | 7 REB | 3 AST | 8 PTS | -5
LeBron’d. Technical foul seemed to spark the Spurs early. Wasn’t heard from since. |
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Richard Jefferson, SF 23 MIN | 0-3 FG | 0-0 FT | 2 REB | 5 AST | 0 PTS | 0
LeBron’d. |
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DeJuan Blair, F 24 MIN | 6-10 FG | 1-2 FT | 6 REB | 0 AST | 13 PTS | -10
For a quarter DeJuan Blair seemed intent on making all those old Chris (Like A) Bosh jokes relevant again. Joined Duncan in second half obscurity. |
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Tony Parker, PG 25 MIN | 7-12 FG | 4-4 FT | 2 REB | 3 AST | 18 PTS | -2
Had a great first half. It was especially good to see the teardrop falling again. However, only two points in the paint in the third quarter falls directly on his shoulders. |
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Kawhi Leonard, SF 31 MIN | 5-12 FG | 0-0 FT | 6 REB | 1 AST | 12 PTS | -9
LeBron’d. Kawhi had a good game and I’m not going to be too critical of him for not being able to stop something no one in the world could have stopped. When LeBron is hitting pull-up three-pointers there’s just not much anyone can do. |
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Matt Bonner, PF 21 MIN | 1-3 FG | 0-0 FT | 6 REB | 1 AST | 3 PTS | -11
Bosh’d. |
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Daniel Green, G 23 MIN | 7-11 FG | 0-2 FT | 2 REB | 0 AST | 20 PTS | -21
At times looked like the only Spurs player not phased by Miami’s excellent closeout defense. |
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Gary Neal, PG 16 MIN | 5-12 FG | 1-1 FT | 0 REB | 1 AST | 12 PTS | -11
Did not have his three-pointer going, but found ways to contribute going to the basket. Also, Mike Miller’d. |
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Tiago Splitter, C 10 MIN | 1-1 FG | 2-2 FT | 0 REB | 1 AST | 4 PTS | -13
Foul trouble. Showed a better looking hook shot when he finally got a minute. |
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James Anderson, SG 9 MIN | 0-1 FG | 3-4 FT | 0 REB | 1 AST | 3 PTS | -4
When Danny Green broke into the rotation, Gary Neal returned early from injury. James Anderson just broke down. |
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| Malcolm Thomas, F 8 MIN | 0-1 FG | 1-2 FT | 1 REB | 1 AST | 1 PTS | -4
Austin awaits. |
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| Cory Joseph, G 23 MIN | 2-4 FG | 0-0 FT | 4 REB | 4 AST | 4 PTS | -20
Cory Joseph will never be the reason the Spurs win or lose this season. He just exists, no more no less. His only role with this team is to keep Danny Green and Gary Neal in their comfort zones and away from point guard duty until T.J. Ford comes back. |
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Five Things We Saw
- Tonight Kawhi Leonard learned that sometimes no matter how solid your defense is, it won’t matter. There is no defense in the world that can stop LeBron James when he gets going like that. If there is a positive, it does not appear Leonard was overwhelmed by it. We’ll see how he responds.
- Miami’s defense in the second half was incredible. They were very physical, closed out perfectly on all of the Spurs shooters, and the Spurs folded. Their defense deserves just as much credit as LeBron.
- A difficult game to grade, and probably one to forget. It’s hard to completely fail everyone when Miami starts hitting step-back three-pointers like they were nothing. The Spurs got punched in the mouth and showed little resolve, but the game was so bizarre there probably isn’t a lesson to be learned from it.
- Danny Green finally looked like a rotation player on the road. Appeared to be the only decisive player on the Spurs in dealing with Miami’s closeouts.
- Danny Green is a better healer than the Phoenix Suns training staff. Gary Neal returned earlier than expected from injury and played well. Likely because he feels Green breathing down his neck for more minutes in addition to the one’s he’s already taken.
