The
Miami Heat won their second straight National Basketball Association
(NBA) title on Thursday with a 95-88 win over the San Antonio Spurs in
the decisive seventh game of an epic series.
Miami's
LeBron James, the sport's biggest star playing at the peak of his
powers, had a game-high 37 points and pulled in 12 rebounds in a
dominant performance while Dwyane Wade had 23 points.
"To
be able to come on to our floor and do it, it's the ultimate," James,
who delivered the perfect answer to those who doubted his killer
instinct in the big games, said during an on-court interview.
"I
can't worry about what everybody says about me. I am LeBron James from
Akron, Ohio, from the inner city, I'm not even supposed to be here. I'm
blessed."
James,
named most valuable player of the Finals, shot 12-of-23 from the floor,
including 5-of-10 three-pointers to lead Miami to their third NBA title
and his second just two nights after the Heat's championship defence
almost ended abruptly.
San
Antonio, chasing a fifth NBA title, were just seconds away from
clinching the championship on Tuesday before Miami staged an
extraordinary comeback to win in overtime and force a decisive seventh
game.
James,
a four-times league MVP, sealed the victory with a jump shot with 27.9
seconds left, pumping his fist as the home crowd hailed their hero.
NBA
Commissioner David Stern described the series as a "championship for
the ages" which had "captivated a global audience" and there were
generous words from the Heat for a Spurs team who pushed Miami all the
way.
"It's
no fun to lose, but we lost to a better team," said Spurs head coach
Gregg Popovich. "And you can live with that as long as you've given your
best. And I think we have."
Frenzy of excitement
The
visitors made a great start, opening up a seven-point cushion in the
first quarter and by three points late in the third quarter but came up
just short.
Tim
Duncan had 24 points and 12 rebounds for the Spurs while Kawhi Leonard
had 19 points in the winner-take-all clash that had whipped basketball
fans into a frenzy of excitement during a wildly fluctuating series full
of escalating drama.
Courtside
tickets for Thursday's game were selling on the secondary market for up
to $30,000 and the game lived up to the hype with both teams fiercely
contesting every possession.
Miami
made yet another slow start and trailed by seven points less than five
minutes into the game, a sloppy pass from James allowing Duncan an easy
dunk.
A
trademark turnaround jumper from Wade indicated the veteran from the
Heat's 2006 title-winning team was in an aggressive mood and the
introduction of Chris Andersen into the game injected some more energy
into the Heat.
A
pair of three pointers from Shane Battier brought roars from the crowd
as Miami built an 18-16 lead by the end of the opening quarter.
James
sat for the opening three minutes of the second quarter and the Spurs
kept close. With just under seven minutes left in the half, the teams
were tied at 27-27.
Spurs kept close
The
brief rest paid off as James quickly gave Miami a six-point lead - he
was fouled while scoring, putting away the free throw and then followed
up with a three-pointer from deep.
But
while the Heat were moving the ball well, typically, San Antonio kept
close, helped by a huge three pointer from Gary Neal before a Duncan
lay-up leveled the game at 40-40 with 1:55 left in the half.
Wade
ended a fine first half performance with a fall-away jump shot to give
the Heat a 46-44 lead at the break after scoring 14 points on 7-12
shooting and grabbing six rebounds.
James
drained his third three-pointer early in the third quarter but two
jumpers from the an impressive Kawhi Leonard, who had grabbed 10
first-half rebounds, ensured the Spurs kept with the pace.
Danny
Green, who had been struggling with his shooting, sank a three-pointer
to put San Antonio briefly a point ahead with 5:27 left in the third but
James responded with two long rangers of his own, his five
three-pointers a personal best in an NBA Finals game.
The
Spurs led by two but Mario Chalmers beat the buzzer at the end of the
third with a 30-footer to take Miami into the final quarter of the
season with a 72-71 lead.
A Battier three gave the Heat an early four-point cushion and a Wade basket extended the lead to six with 7:14 remaining.
But San Antonio again responded and when Leonard drained a three-pointer it was a two-point game with two minutes left.
Chalmers
missed two free throws but with 27 seconds left James delivered the
killer blow with a vital jump shot and then made sure of victory when he
snatched a Manu Ginobili pass, was fouled and put away both his free
throws.
Wade added another from the free throw line before the home crowd erupted in celebration.
(Additional reporting by Julian Linden; Editing by Frank Pingue)
Courtesy: abs-cbnnews.com
1 comment:
Congratulations HEAT! And condolence SPURS fanatic! LOL
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