NBA Finals: Spurs One Win Away From Another Title After Taking Game 5

Jun 16, 2013; San Antonio, TX, USA; San Antonio Spurs shooting guard Manu Ginobili (20) shoots over Miami Heat point guard Norris Cole (30) during the fourth quarter of game five in the 2013 NBA Finals at the AT

San Antonio Spurs 114 Miami Heat 104

How San Antonio Won: Manu Ginobili finally woke up and helped carry the Spurs to a wire-to-wire win. Ginobili had been averaging 7.5 points on 34 percent shooting in the series, but finished with 24 points and 10 assists, in what was his first start of the season. Tony Parker added 26 points, while Tim Duncan had 17 points and 12 rebounds.

San Antonio shot 60 percent from the field, becoming the first team to do so in the finals in four years. Danny Green continued his hot shooting, scoring 24 points and making six more three-pointers. His 24 three-point makes are the most ever in a final series; breaking Ray Allen’s old mark of 22 set in 2008. Kawhi Leonard also added 16 points.

The Spurs turned it up defensively in the second half, and got a great defense lift from Boris Diaw. Head coach Gregg Popovich decided to put the veteran on Lebron James, and he didn’t disappoint. James shot just 1 for 8 shooting when guarded by Diaw.

How Miami Lost: There were stretches where the Heat looked completely lackadaisical on defense. They gave up 50 points in the paint, as the Spurs shot 60 percent for the game.

James and Dwyane Wade both scored 25 points each, while Chris Bosh added 16 points. Ray Allen added 21 points off the bench, but the Heat point guards did not show up. Mario Chalmers scored just 7 points on 2 for 10 shooting, and Norris Cole was scoreless in 7 minutes of play. Both players had trouble defending Parker and Ginobili, and head coach Erik Spoelstra was forced to play mostly a no-point guard lineup down the stretch.

It Was Over When: The Heat were down by one with 3 minutes left in the third quarter. Danny Green made a three, and a sequence of Ginobili plays turned the game into a blow-out. He converted on a three-point play, made a floater, dished out a great pass to Tiago Splittler under the basket, and made another floater with 3 seconds remaining to give the Spurs a 87-75 lead heading into the fourth quarter. The Heat never got within 5 points after that.

Quote of the Night: “I knew that I was not scoring much and I felt it in the air. But I tried not to care about it. I know I’m critical enough of myself to be worrying about what other people say,” –Manu Ginobili

Box Score:

Miami Heat

STARTERS

MIN

FGM-A

3PM-A

FTM-A

OREB

DREB

REB

AST

STL