A phase of Game 6 of the 2013 NBA Finals – from: edition.cnn.com
Article by Giovanni Manenti
As everyone knows, the Final Series of the NBA Tournament is played with the best of 7 matches – currently with the formula 2-2-1-1-1, i.e. two home games for those with the home advantage, followed by the same number at away and then alternate home-away-home – which until the 2013 edition it included the 2-3-2 formulathat is to say with the team holding the home advantage playing the first two and the last two games on a friendly court, interspersed with three away games…
It is therefore difficult to think that in such a long series the final result does not correspond to the values expressed by the two finalists, but to every rule there is always an exception and it is the one you will realize as you continue reading this story relating to the aforementioned 2012-’13 season.
With the advent of the new Millennium, in Western Conference continues the dominance of the Los Angeles Lakers who score the only “Threepeat” (i.e. winning three consecutive titles…) of their history, establishing themselves in the 2000, 2001 and 2002 Tournaments, and then leaving room for the San Antonio Spurs of Coach Gregg Popovich who, after winning their first ring in 1999season halved due to the players’ strike, they boast the characteristic of imposing itself in odd seasons, lifting the Trophy in 2003, 2005 and 2007 …
I Lakers, vice versa, reached the Final in 2004 and 2008 only to be defeated by the Detroit Pistons and the Boston Celtics respectively, challenging the latter from “ancient flavour” and repeated for the last time two years later, with this time Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol having the upper hand, repeating the title of the previous season.
In the meantime, in the East, the star of the Miami Heat is growing who, after having secured their first title in 2006 under the guidance of Pat Riley, became its main protagonists at the beginning of the second decade of the 21st Century, arriving for a four-year consecutive period to play the final act and, after the defeat in 2011 which gives the first success of its history to the Dallas Mavericks, they beat the Oklahoma City Thunder 4-1, with the “Big Three” LeBron James, Dwayne Wade e Chris Boshwho record averages of 28.6, 22.6 and 14.6 points per game…
On the western side, vice versa, San Antonio is experiencing a period of confusion after the aforementioned statementsmanaging to reach the Western Conference Finals only in 2008 (defeated 1-4 by the Lakers), a goal equaled in 2012 when they lost 2-4 to Oklahomawhile maintaining the same number of “Big Three” consisting of Tm Duncan, Tony Parker e Manu Ginobilieven if to the same sThe 2011 draft has added a prospect with a certain future such as Kawhi Leonard.
Miami, on the contrary, begins the 2012-’13 season as reigning champion, increasing quality and experience in its roster thanks to the hiring of 37-year-old Ray Allenprotagonist in Boston’s conquest of the 2008 title, a circumstance that led the Florida franchise to conclude the “regular season” con a record of 66-16 unmatched to datewith James recording averages of 26.8 points, 8.0 rebounds and 7.3 assists per game, while Allen plays an important role as “sixth man” despite never being included in the basic quintet…
The Heat also confirm this supremacy in the Playoffs, easily beating Milwaukee (4-0) and Chicago (4-1), only to suffer in the Conference Final against the Indiana Pacers who lead them until game 7 resolved with a clear 99-76 in which James dominates with his 32 points.
On the other hand, San Antonio – after concluding the “regular season” with a 56-24 record inferior only to the 60-22 of Oklahoma, a finalist the previous season – eliminates the Lakers (4-0) and then Golden State (4-2) in the first round of the Playoffs and then faces the Memphis Grizzlies in the Conference Final who, surprisingly, had prevailed (4-1) over Oklahoma, in a series that has no history, given that the Spurs make their greater experience count with a clear 4-0 such that there is no room for replies…
So here it is the series for the awarding of the title begins on 6 June 2013 – equal to third for Miami with a 2-1 record and vice versa fifth for San Antonio, which has always emerged victorious so far from challenges with the ring up for grabs – with game 1 obviously scheduled for “American Airlines Arena” of Miami, for a substantially balanced match for the first three periods (with the Heat leading 72-69), and then decided in the second half of the fourth quarter, when San Antonio took a slight margin (85-79 with 3’30” to go before the siren) to finish at 92-88 in your favor.
Having completed the task of overturning the home advantage, the Spurs gave in clearly (103-84) in game 2 to reserve their energy for the next three matches on the parquet of the “AT&T Center” which could give the Texan franchise the fifth title in its history, a prediction that becomes more consistent later having dominated game 3 with a 113-77 in which the “second lines” Danny Green e Gary Nealauthors of 27 and 24 points respectively…
Obviously, no one among the Texans supporters is under the illusion that the reigning Champions will surrender so easily and the answer arrives, punctually in game 4, where – after the score is perfectly tied at halftime 49-49 – the “Magnificent Three” they raise the pace guaranteeing themselves a minimum margin (81-76) of 5 points at the end of the third period, and then “close the accounts” in the last fraction, winning 109-93 with LeBron James scoring 33 points with 11 rebounds, well supported by Wade (32 and 6 for him) and Bosh, who adds 13 rebounds to his 20 points.
The series is tied at 2-2, Miami was surprised at the start of game 5, with San Antonio building a safety margin of 13 points in the first period (32-19) which was managed throughout the match up to 114-104 final result of a team effort that brings the entire starting quintet intodouble digit”, con Parker with 26 points, Green and Ginobili with 24while Duncan combines his 17 points with 12 rebounds…
The advantage in the series is the minimum to be able to guarantee at least game 7 on the return to Florida, but there is no doubt that for the Spurs – also given the age of its main players, 37-year-old Duncan and 36-year-old Ginobili – they must “bet all the remaining chips” are race 6, scheduled for the evening of 18 June 2013.
After a balanced first quarter, San Antonio definitely takes command of the operations, winning the second and third sets, so as to face the final 12′ with a margin of 10 points (75-65) which however is literally shattered by the extraordinary approach of LeBron James in the fourth period, which leads the hosts – with a run of 20-7 of which 11 were scored by James – to overturn the score at 85-82 in your favor…
However, the effort made allows the Miami quintet to take a breather, a circumstance which the “senators” of the Spurs who, thanks to 5 points from Ginobili and the same number from Parker they build a margin of 5 points (94-89) with just 28″2 left until the siren with Heat Coach Erik Spoelstra calling time out.
Who Popovich makes a choice he will regret, that is, inserting Boris Diaw in Duncan’s placethus weakening the potential under the scoreboards, immediately highlighted when, on the throw-in, James forces the three-point shot, but on the rebound the ball is caught by Miller who serves it again to James who this time makes no mistake bringing Miami -2 with 20″1 left from the end…
Obviously Miami immediately stops the clock by committing a foul Leonard, who thus goes to the line for the two free throws which could, if made, give the title to the Spurs, but only hits one bringing the margin to +3 (95-92) 19″4 from the siren, with the home team looking for a safe shot from distance, but James fails with 7″9 to go and, luckily for him, the rebound is captured by Bosh who serves it into the Ray Allen cornerwhose hand does not tremble at the moment he shoots the equalizer with 5”2 still to play.
Parker has the winning ball at his disposal 0.6 seconds from the siren, but he misses the shot and the challenge continues into extra time where Miami, driven by the warmth of the 20 thousand fans present in the stands, takes advantage of his opponents’ understandable slip to win the match 103-100 – with Allen again scoring the two decisive free throws with 1”9 to go – and postponing any outcome until game 7…
Having been on the edge of the precipice and finding ourselves vice versa with still the possibility of replicating the previous season’s title represents the “right push” so as not to feel the tiredness of a grueling series for the Florida quintet, with the Spurs who, moreover, held out until the end of the third period (72-71 for the Heat) and then surrendered 95-88 in the face of LeBron James’ monumental performancewho finished with 37 points (12 of 23 from the field, of which 5 of 10 from distance, and 8 of 8 from the foul line), 12 rebounds and 4 assists, while for San Antonio the last to “raise the white flag” is Duncan, with his 24 points and 12 rebounds.
This breaks the rule that required Spurs to be undefeated in the title series, despite the fact that it was also played in an odd year like the previous ones, while the incredible performance of Game 6 caused the media to catalog it as one of the best in the history of the entire NBA and, not surprisingly, received the ESPY Award 2013 as the best match of the year…
For the record, San Antonio and Miami reach the final act the following year too, but this time the story is completely different, with the Spurs taking revenge with a clear 4-1 to which the 23-year-old Leonard, awarded as MVP of the Finals, provides a fundamental contribution…