Bear
Years ago

NBA Finals: Spurs vs Heat, Game 5

Okay, here we go down the home stretch and back to San Antonio for a chance to see the Surs win the title, or can Miami turn up the Heat and cause an upset?

This is set up for an absolute cracker, hopefully!

If LeBron, Dwayne and Co. have enough energy and can muster up enough enger from their injured pride after two home town defeats we know they have the talent.

But, can they get over the teamwork, spirit and depth of a super Spurs outfit who just look a cut above?

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Bear  
Years ago

'anger', sorry typo on the word enger...

Looks like Miami are angry enough early on!

Reply #478863 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

tony parker with the barrel roll flop

Reply #478864 | Report this post


LC  
Years ago

Great start by Heat. Ginobili has stepped it up to get the Spurs back in touch with 6 straight points.

Reply #478865 | Report this post


LC  
Years ago

LeBron has been massive so far - can he keep it up?

Reply #478866 | Report this post


Bear  
Years ago

Need more offense from Diaw, Green and Parker if Spurs are going to win this one...

Reply #478867 | Report this post


JT  
Years ago

Wade still looks terrible

Reply #478869 | Report this post


Bear  
Years ago

Yeah, but Leonard and James are lighting it up for their respective teams, very exciting to watch...

Reply #478870 | Report this post


LC  
Years ago

Duncan is now taking over the game offensively. Owning Haslem right now.

Reply #478872 | Report this post


LC  
Years ago

Spurs are starting to roll again right now. 11 straight points.

Reply #478874 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

Mills might get fined for that flop...

Reply #478875 | Report this post


LC  
Years ago

Wow Ginobili with the facial!

Reply #478876 | Report this post


LC  
Years ago

Ginobili is on fire as are the Spurs!

Reply #478877 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

LeBron James appears to be a lone hand on the Maimi scoreboard. If no one else steps up they can't win!

Reply #478879 | Report this post


rohant16  
Years ago

Patty Flop

Reply #478880 | Report this post


Rav  
Years ago

WOW, Jalen Rose just compared Leonard to "new era version of Scottie Pippen".

Reply #478881 | Report this post


Isaac  
Years ago

Heat started superbly but that dogged work by the Spurs reeling it back should be shown to junior players. Well, except for Patty's flop to get a revenge charge drawn on Wade...

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Anonymous  
Years ago

No excuses for Heat but they are not getting the calls their end with hands on the offensive drive. Disappointed in the Flop Patty. you need a fine for that.... Don't lower yourself to that rubbish….

Miami are no longer a team….. I hate to say it, but Le Bron looks like he is on his own and the excess minutes all season are showing…..

Time for a clear out and some youth Heat….

Reply #478884 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

Another bad call against Ray Allen, even the commentators agree...………. I think the refs are star struck by the spurs. Yes they are playing amazing but it needs to be a fair fight. I thought the other games were the same with some favouritism and watched them back and now today I am thinking there is a need to look into the umps and any vested interests……..

Reply #478886 | Report this post


Rav  
Years ago

Wow, Three Big 3's in a row & Splitters Block on Wade was awesome.

Reply #478887 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

Really, we are blaming officials now?

Spurs are just too good!

Reply #478888 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

Mills providing the scoring spark in stead of Parker right now, he is earning some respect and the legitimacy of that ring on his finger will be unchallenged.

Reply #478889 | Report this post


Jimbob  
Years ago

Patty carving them up!!

Reply #478890 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

is this Beast mode yet from Patty?

Reply #478891 | Report this post


Kobe24  
Years ago

Heat are just not that good. Wouldnt be surpirsed if they break up the moderately sized 3 at seasons end. Spurs team ball is superior...

Side note, Wade looks just about done, role player and decoy from this point on perhaps.

Reply #478892 | Report this post


rohant16  
Years ago

Beautiful to watch Patty Mills rain threes. That stretch with the Splitter block and then the three consecutive threes was epic!

Reply #478894 | Report this post


Mick  
Years ago

Good to see Patty have the playoff game of his career in a title clincher!

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Anonymous  
Years ago

Not blaming officials... can you read, just some dodgy calls that need to be looked at… Heat is done and Spurs deserve to win as the better team. not denying that…..

Patty is beasting it up and given them the spark as they were looking flat intermittently …….. 5 3's…… smooth as...

Exciting times for Australia with Mills playing the way he is. Hope he can SPUR the rest of the boys on to take up his fitness and diet routine as it has created a monster guard… No Milk, No Carbs and a killer cross training routine….

Reply #478896 | Report this post


Bear  
Years ago

There will be a lot written about the potential downward slide of the HEAT and whether or not they need to find players to replace or compliment Wade & Bosh.

More to come on LeBron James and whether he will stay or go to a team better suited to another championship.

Also, I am looking forward to reading about how the Spurs depth and new found talent may continue after Tim Duncan possibly retires.

Look out for OKC next year, I think they will be very tough again. Can't wait for the NBA draft, what an amazing league the NBA is...

Reply #478898 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

Leonard for MVP

Reply #478900 | Report this post


cavolo  
Years ago

Pretty cool to see that the main page of NBA.com right now (12:20pm) has a picture of Patty Mills on it with the headline of Redemption and winning the title.

Reply #478901 | Report this post


D4444  
Years ago

Great to see... well done Patty.

Reply #478902 | Report this post


LC  
Years ago

Patty was awesome. While he missed some open triples in the first half, his D was outstanding. Then he helped open up the Heat in that devastating 3rd quarter.

Now if only the Spurs drafted Cam Bairstow...

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Isaac  
Years ago

Great to watch! After the game, on the stage, the international players had their flag draped across their shoulders. Baynes had the Australian flag and Mills had the Torres Strait Islander flag. Awesome. You can see that photo and more here. I tried to screencap a few of the key moments from League Pass.

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Anonymous  
Years ago

Patty haters silenced

Reply #478910 | Report this post


Bear  
Years ago

Nice work Isaac, love that image of coach POP just sitting there contemplating what's next and happy to have the players go off and cellebrate...

He is a super coach, no doubt!

Isn't it a shame OKC and Spurs cannot meet in an NBA final, not saying the conference style of their format is bad, just making a point that maybe they were a better side than any one team from the East...

Reply #478916 | Report this post


Lance_Uppercut  
Years ago

Post match press conference, Lebron was asked "Lebron, you said in February you couldn't picture leaving miami do you still feel that way"

After a VERY long pause responded "ahh....I'll deal with it when i get to that point"

following Chandler Parsons recent comments speculating that Lebron will leave Miami,many seem to think it a very likely prospect that Lebron will leave for a team more equipped at winning championships going forward. the reign of Big 3 at the heat seem over. As bill simmons highlighted the heat don't have the other crucial players around the big 3 like the Spurs do because those big 3 at the heat don't salary sacrifice to get the other players like manu, ginobli and parker are willing to.

Reply #478922 | Report this post


Mick  
Years ago

Dwyane Wade looked fat and done. He will fall off a career cliff now. Chris Bosh is only aggressive in spurts. Ray Allen isn't getting any better. Miami really missed Mike Miller (someone with guts). The big 3 will return, but they are going to need to retool in a big way especially with the East improving.

Reply #478927 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

Might this put the brakes on the 'big 3' model of putting a team together? I admire Miami and what they've achieved, but this probably isn't what they expected when they signed these guys. Could easily have lost last year and got hammered this year in the finals. They've been very, very good, but not dominant for a number of years. As expected, the weak role players caught up with them.

Reply #478931 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

Heat underachieved like Boston did when they formed a Super Team?

Reply #478955 | Report this post


Isaac  
Years ago

If I'm LeBron, I get out of there, Bosh too. Leave Wade to it. Just can't appreciate the laziness and complaining that came from Wade this series.

Reply #478956 | Report this post


jonno  
Years ago

hmm interesting thoughts Isaac, and cant say i disagree.

What team would you go to if you were those guys??

As a Bulls fan id love LeBron and even Bosh could be handy, given they are said to be chasing Melo and Love i hope they atleast put a offer into LeBron and Bosh.

Probably would try and get Bosh for less than max, not sure he is worth it, but LeBron is worth the max and would be happy to give him whatever he wants, still the best player, just didnt get the help from the others including Wade and to a slightly lesser extent Bosh.

Reply #478960 | Report this post


mystro  
Years ago

Imagine how much cash Lebron could make in a market like New York or LA.

Reply #478964 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

Will go to the Bulls. New big 3

Noah
Lebron
Rose

Reply #478969 | Report this post


jonno  
Years ago

Yea id love to see that at the Bulls, would be awesome, also role players like Butler, Dunleavy, Gibson, Hinrich, Augustine, possibly Mirotic, etc are younger and have a brighter future than most of the Heats role players.

Reply #478971 | Report this post


Lance_Uppercut  
Years ago

I agree Isaac. I really can't see him sticking around and waiting for MIA, Lebron is very driven and competitive he still has plenty of great basketball ahead, but i think its time to move on to a team will have a better chance of wining several championships. That team will probably have to have a deep bench and play team basketball.

He seemed to make the point several times in the post-conference about playing 'team basketball. "That's how team basketball should be played,it's selfless. Guys move, cut, pass, you've got a shot, you take it, but it's all for the team and it's never about the individual."

Thats certainly not what style of ball Miami were playing this Finals.

Reply #478974 | Report this post


Lance_Uppercut  
Years ago

James at Miami heat press conference in 2010, referring to titles, "not on, not two, not three, not four, not five, not six, not seven", admire his optimism then but don't imagine he's thinking this now.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pT-I8jQDQ7c

Reply #478980 | Report this post


MACDUB  
Years ago

Wade is done IMO.

Isaac, the most ridicolous thing about the Wade situation is how the Heat handled it.

Talk about giving a player superstar treatment - allowing him to pick and choose when he wanted to play..giving him 1/2 nights off before playing. You have to treat your players equally.

If that was Pop he would say "come back when your fit..otherwise your not playing in my team". The irregularity of Wade playing probably hindered their rhythm.

Big decisions on Wade now. If he wants to opt out and sign for big $, Miami should just let him walk. Same with Bosh.

If Lebron went title chasing somewhere else, surely that would hurt his legacy.

He would be pretty much saying "alright ships sinking, time to go somewhere else". I know people don't like comparing but Kobe never walked when the Lakers went through those extremely lean times with Smush Parker. Sure he asked for better players but he was loyal and trusted the franchise and the supporting cast.

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Jonno  
Years ago

Kobe tried to walk on the Lakers but was under contract he had signed a 6 year extension a year or so before, asked to be traded to the Bulls, Lakers GM said no your under contract your staying.

Kobe isnt the ultimate loyal team man, he was mostly in a great situation and is now over paid for what he gives the team, it was in his best interest to stay majority of his time.

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Speed44  
Years ago

I think the only way the Heat "Big 3" stay together, is if they all opt out, and Wade gets told to take a much smaller deal and role, and develops a high % three point shot.

Bosh is still worth a 15 mill a season deal, and LBJ can get 20. Then try and get some better supporting players with the cash left over. Some bigs who can defend and REBOUND and pass are crucial.

Having said that, Wade would be mad to opt out now, with $20 mill coming his way next season. He won't get that anywhere else after this Finals series.

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Rav  
Years ago

I can't see Wade opting out either.
He has $40 million on the table over the next 2 years.
He is better off taking the money, as he already has 3 rings.

I think if Lebron goes back to Cleveland, it won' hurt his legacy.
Especially if he can lead them to a title.

But, If he goes to another team like the bulls, rockets, etc.
Then I think it would hurt his legacy.

There is already so much hate for him trolling the internet now.
Can you imagine what would happen if he signed somewhere else & left a sinking ship.

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Speed44  
Years ago

^Yep, you're right. If he wants to not tarnish his legacy further, he has only 2 options. The Heat or Cavs, otherwise he will look like the ultimate mercenary.

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MACDUB  
Years ago

Too bad they can't amnesty Wade.

Reply #479027 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

If I was Lebron I would just go wherever is the best chance of him getting rings. He is going to get hate no matter what he does anyway. At least he will wind up with some rings.

Never seen a player on the other end of so much hate you would think he murdered someone.

Reply #479037 | Report this post


MACDUB  
Years ago

Don't understand how people can't see WHY we hate on Lebron (we don't actually doubt his talent).

But when a guy comes out and makes an arrogant statement like "not 1, 2, 3 blah blah" ..of course people are going to give him stick when he fails.

If Lebron didn't want the hate maybe he shouldn't have said it.

Reply #479039 | Report this post


Rav  
Years ago

I think he's despised in america for his "The Decision" (TV special) & not showing loyalty to Cleveland to chase championship rings.

There is already talk in hoops forum in america, debating if there is going to be The Decision 2.0 if he op's out.

I'm not hating on the guy, he is incredible athlete & one of top 5 NBA players of all time. I think he entered the Miami situation thinking Wade & Bosh could play at a high level for 6 years. Unfortunately Wades knees are shot & he is no longer playing at a All Star Level. As for Bosh, he seems scared of the paint & just wants to shoot jump shots. At Toronto he had a post game, not sure where that has disappeared to.

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billy the kidd  
Years ago

Lebron telling his new fans they are going to win a lot of rings about 4 years ago. He will be retiring and people will still be saying but remember when that dick changed teams and said that his team would win a heap of rings!!!

Meanwhile other players are beating up team mates, getting hookers pregnant, bringing guns to games, calling out coaches etc etc

smh

Don't forget how much Lebron has raised the profile of basketball. How much he has donated to charities. How much ability he has from hard work he has put in. And the way he plays the game - putting team first and always willing to pass and get his team mates involved. Taking the offseason seriously by non stop focusing on his weak points to improve for the next season.

These days its just cool to hate lebron though. I hear little kids running around sayin f*ck lebron.

Reply #479062 | Report this post


Anonymous  
Years ago

Understand that talking it up is part of elite sports. Doesn't make the guy a xxczhsvsn.... Get some perspective and shift your hate to the atrocities around the world and get off your arse and do something in your community to make something better .... Do you think these elite sports people give a rats what you small fish think when he is busy putting the profile he has created to good use to help disadvantaged kids amongst other things. You are all equally arrogant in your belief that he is whatever it is you think he is.. When he's gone you will shift your attacks to someone else. the crazy thing is he is mates with some of the players you idolise and they would scoff in your face if they heard the hate you push out... GET A LIFE.

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Lance_Uppercut  
Years ago

I don't get the sense that many people here on hoops.com.au are 'hating' on Lebron, most seem be applaud and acknowledge his accomplishments as an athlete, but recognise that in certain sectors of the USA he can get a lot of negative media coverage, and perhaps some of the criticisms is justified That being said he also receives a lot of praise from the major media outlets regularly who are quick to quell any perceived criticism.

Charles Barkley recently commented in reference to rumours of Melo joining Lebron, that he thought the 'Big 3' in one team "hijacked the league" and he "didn't understand why these guys are afraid to compete against each other"

It will be interesting to see what his decision is,I would think his best option is to leave Miami and go elsewhere and play winning team basketball.

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