Miami Heat 103 - San Antonio Spurs 100
The Spurs could almost smell it. The fifth title in their history was just a step away, on +13 in the third period, before the Heat comeback started, or on +5 with 28 seconds to go, before Ray Allen's triple fixed the result on the draw, sending everyone to Overtime. At that point, with Parker and Ducan now on their knees, it was Lebron James and the greatest freshness from Miami who prevailed.
We will go to race 7, therefore, when no one seemed to expect it anymore. And now the favorite seems to be Miami. Not only because he is probably stronger than his opponents, nor because he will play at home, but simply because winning like this gives you a huge boost, and, above all, because losing like this hurts too much. The Spurs bet very hard on game 6, to close out the series tonight, as evidenced by lvintage proof by Tim Duncan, author of 25 points in the first half alone (in the end it will be thirty, with 17 rebounds) and they found themselves losing in the most painful and exhausting way, after squeezing his oldest and most battered champions for over 40 minutes each.
The match was beautiful, without a doubt the most beautiful of these finals. An instant classic, they would say from across the ocean. The teams go hand in hand in the first twenty-four minutes of the game, with some small tears always recomposed. The first quarter ends with the hosts leading by two points (27 to 25), after both teams have shot with very high percentages. In the second the shooting percentages drop, but above all, Lebron James disappears from the field, dragging himself along in an apathy that is difficult to decipher. For the first Spurs extension, however, you have to wait for the last minute of the first half, which finished 50 to 44 for the neroargento thanks to Duncan and Leonard.
But it is in the third quarter that San Antonio digs the first real furrow between itself and its opponents. Driven by Tony Parker, the Spurs go up to +13, while the Heat try to keep in touch with the baskets of Chalmers and Wade, with Lebron still non-existent. The period closes on 75 to 65.
In the final period, however, Lebron James lights up, while Spurs are no longer scoring. The overtaking takes place six minutes from the end, thanks to a basket by Ray Allen. San Antonio holds the punch and comes back forward, reaching +5 with 28 seconds to go. It seems almost over. But then comes the triple from Lebron who shortens to -2. Leonard, author of yet another high-level test, goes to the line and misses the first of the two free throws: it's +3 Spurs and ball in Miami. James' triple (triple double of 32 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists for him at the end of the game) only finds the rim, but Bosh collects the offensive rebound and gives it to Allen who curls out of the blocks and places the triple 5 seconds away from the end. Parker's last prayer is in vain.
In overtime, confusion and fear dominate. The Spurs have none left, neither legs nor heads, and a bad ginnobili continues to do more damage than hail, losing balls after balls. No one scores anymore, and the Heat just need a mini stretch from James and Allen, still them, to close on 103 to 100 and send everyone to the seventh game.
Now inertia is all on their side, while San Antonio will have to get up from the hardest of defeats, the one that comes when you've already touched the finish line, and the sky, with a finger, and then someone takes everything away from you. But as tonight's match teaches, in basketball, anything can happen. To unravel the mystery, we will have to wait only two nights.
