NBA Finals: San Antonio Spurs vs. Miami Heat - Game 5 Talking Points
Danny Green #4 of the San Antonio Spurs reacts after making a three-pointer in the third quarter against the Miami Heat during Game Five of the 2013 NBA Finals at the AT&T Center on June 16, 2013 in San Antonio, Texas. (Getty Images)
Out of the 27 times that a NBA Finals series has stood at 2-2 after 4 games, the team that has won Game 5 has gone onto win the series 20 times.
The writing was on the wall. The Miami Heat and the San Antonio Spurs both knew and understood the importance of Game 5. It was the last time the Spurs were going to play before their home fans, and they were in no mood to part on a sorry note. The Heat on the other hand knew that the next two games were at Miami and a win today, could have closed the deal. The stakes couldn’t get higher and the stipulation couldn’t be bettered.
The Heat seemed revitalised with the resurgence of Dwyane Wade in Game 4, and the manner in which they blew-out the Spurs on their own home-court. LeBron James finally got the help from his supporting cast as the ‘Big Three’ combined for 85 points.
The Spurs were looking to bounce back from the disappointing Game 4, and were hoping that their own veteran Big Three would come to the party. Danny Green was shooting the lights out and Kwahi Leonard was doing an impressive job keeping LeBron quiet and off his comfort zone, but the Spurs were still worried about Manu Ginobili’s inconsistent form, Tony Parker’s health and Tim Duncan’s minutes.
The game however turned out to be a far greater tactical surprise and a strategic master-class by Gregg Popovich. Ginobili started the game, to help out with the playmaking duties as Parker still seemed to be struggling with his knee. This put more pressure on Wade, who had to contend with the all-round game of Ginobili rather than chasing around the spot-up shooter in Green.
Popovich knew that Wade was coming off a game-winning performance and he needed to ensure that Wade had to do more on the defensive end, and get him bouncing off as many pick-and-roll screens as possible and test his knee more.
The talking points:
Danny Green had another MVP game:
Danny Green’s development in this year’s NBA Finals has been nothing short of a fairytale. Cut by teams in his juvenile years in the league, the time spent in the D-league and his reduced minutes as a Spurs player seemed to have fuelled him into a steely, cold-hearted clutch shooter.
And today was his time to write his way into the history-books and establish his status as one of the greatest clutch-shooters in the game. Yes, he didn’t get into any All-Star weekend three-point contests, his percentages aren’t over the roof, but whenever the Spurs have needed a momentum changing shot, he has stepped up.
He ended the night with 24 points, on 8-15 shooting and 6-10 from beyond the arc. His last three-pointer in the last minute of the fourth quarter, was his 26th of the Finals, the highest number of three-pointers that anybody has ever made in a NBA Finals series.
Popovich may have trolled him by comparing him to Bruce Bowen, because Green seems to have nothing other than the spot-up jumper in his repertoire. Almost on cue, Green also had a Bowen defensive moment, when he contested and blocked a transition James lay-up; a very special and rare feat.