While the Spurs only committed 4 turnovers, were the most "poised," "calm," and other words that describe golfers team ever, and had the greatest coach of all-time for three days, the Heat sat huddled in the shadows, quiet, mentally preparing for the battle ahead. For they new that despite what ESPN might have to say, only a battle was lost on Thursday, and a small one at that. There was still a war to be fought.
And boy was it fought. Even though through three quarters King Of The World "El Cobra Pinga" Lebron James played like I do in pick-up ball against kids my own age (I'm Kobe Bryant and Wilt Chamberlain rolled into one when I play younger opponents, mind you), the Heat rarely, if ever, trailed in this game, with sharp three-point shooting, stout defense, and the great ball movement that marked this team's 27 game win streak offense. It was an all-around team effort to keep the Spurs in check, even while the kings of the decade were shooting an absurd percentage from the arc, Danny Green and his 5 three pointers included. Mario Chalmers, Ray Allen, Mike Miller, Chris Bosh, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Andersen were all highly efficient from the floor, and a Coach Spoelstra (gasp!) tactical change to switch on nearly all screens flummoxed the "savvy" Spurs, holding San Antonio to a 41% shooting percentage despite their 50% shooting from downtown.
And then, around that time when the defending champs faltered in game one, a magical moment of unicorns and rainbows dispersed down onto the court of the American Airlines Arena; a 33-5 run that was the run of all runs, the run that saved the series and made Greg Popovich make this face more than he usually does. Chalmers started it, but everyone contributed, and eventually Lebron James remembered that he was the best player in the world again (he probably never forgot) and began hitting daggers from 18 feet and tough layups from all over. Then, something happened that hasn't been seen since 3/18/2013.
For some reason, earlier in the fourth quarter, Tiago Splitter received a dish off of a pick-and-roll and thought he had enough offensive talent to drive to the rim and dunk it, even though the King himself, Lebron James, was standing right underneath the basket. Predictably, Splitter's attempt did not go through the basket. Unpredictably (at this point it should almost become predictable despite its shear improbability), Lebron, as Heat beat writer Ethan Skolnick so eloquently put it, altered poor Tiago's life. The block even received mention on Twitter from Roy Hibbert, who apparently is trying to get in the good graces of Miami fans for some reason. But I digress.
Anyway, after the life-altering incident (hard to say it was life-ending like Jason Terry's moment, RIP), it was all Heat from there, with that smug little bastard Popovich putting in the subs with 7 minutes left. Hey, maybe Marc Stein will write an article on how poised and veteran-savvy this Miami Heat team is, older on average than the Spurs and all. It'll probably include "Cleveland" and "Lebron James" in it somehow, but oh well, you can't win them all.
So despite all of the dramatic and depressing hoopla after game 1, the series is tied 1-1 and is either team's to win. We now head to San Antonio for three long games. If the Heat can snatch two, the series is over. But if they only take 1 of them (the minimum to even return to Miami), I still like Miami's chances. And who knows, maybe we'll take all three, as recent history would suggest.
No meme for y'all today. Enjoy this moment below instead:
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