Heat Tie Series 1-1 with 103-84 Win Over Spurs

Game 2 was what I was afraid this series would be like. Although the halftime score was similar to Game 1, the way the teams got there was different. The Heat disrupted the Spurs offense all game long and the Spurs found themselves struggling get good shots off. I figured the Spurs couldn't repeat the 4 turnover Game 1 performance and they didn't...16 turnovers in Game 2. 

Leonard also struggled to find his shot for the 2nd straight game....not good when your top 3 scorers can't find the basket (Parker 4-15, Tim Duncan 3-12, Kawhi Leonard 4-12). Unlike Game 1, in Game 2 I felt the Spurs were in trouble even though they were be down just five, 45-50. Danny Green's shooting was the only thing keeping them in the game (he was a perfect 6-6, 5-5 threes, an NBA Finals record for most threes without a miss). Once the Heat started the track meet in the middle of the 3rd quarter the game was over.  Manu Ginobili was also a non-factor, scoring 5 PTS on 2-6 shooting.

For the 2nd straight game the Spurs shot way under their season average (.417 and .410 vs .481). You expect the shooting averages to drop in the Playoffs as you face better teams, but that's too much of a shooting drop. I didn't think the Spurs could win a game shooting that poorly, but they got one in Miami....Game 2 was what I figured would happen if the Spurs shot this poorly. Each made shot is one less potential fast break opportunity for the Heat. The Heat's defense was stifling. They trapped everything, got the ball out of Parker's hands, and cut off the passing lanes. Priority one for Popovich in Game 3 is finding a way to free up Parker. Parker is the "QB" in the motion offense the Spurs run...if he can't make plays, the offense breaks down. That's when a team needs someone to beat his man one-on-one, and the Spurs don't have that guy anymore. 

Spurs tried to change things up and went to Tim Duncan down in the post, but he couldn't deliver. Off night for Duncan or better defense by the Heat? I don't know, but it didn't look like the Heat was helping out so Duncan was one-on-one. Duncan said in the post game interview that he played terribly...that he had shots he liked, just didn't put them down.  He needs to find his old self if Parker can't get freed up. 

The Heat shot .494 for the game, that's what getting out on the break does for them. Ray Allen and Mike Miller were also a combined 6-8 from 3-PT range. Those two guys are the main 3-PT threats, they have to run those guys off the 3-PT line.  Too many open looks from the arch and a lot of those came courtesy of the 7 assists from LeBron James. James shot just .417 for the game, which is a bad thing for the Spurs because he won't shoot that badly every night. James made his mark with two blocks at the rim, one on Duncan and the other a highlight block on Tiago Splitter, who had a running start and a big wind up and James still stopped the ball like it hit a wall.  Mario Chambers led the Heat with 19 PTS. Bosh went 6-10 for 12 PTS and stayed inside the 3-PT line. The Spurs best chance at winning is to shut down the role players and they didn't shut down anyone in this game.

Bottom line, the Spurs were blown out in the 2nd half, but they should still be OK with a split in Miami if they take 2 out of the 3 in San Antonio. Not likely that they can take the last two from the Heat in Miami, so getting two wins at home is critical.  It's really simple to say...they need to shoot better and cut down on the turnovers...not so simple when trying to do it against the Heat's defense