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• Spurs take Game 5, now just one win from the title

• NBA mock draft: Best-case scenarios | Scouting reports | Big Board

Heat vs. Spurs, Game 5: Tony Parker, Tim Duncan stand tall against Miami

2013-06-17T14:30:05Z

Manu Ginobili and Danny Green may have stolen the show in the San Antonio Spurs' 114-104 Game 5 victory over the Miami Heat, but the contributions from Tony Parker and Tim Duncan were equally as important.

More: Spurs Game 5 coverage at Pounding The Rock Heat Game 5 coverage at Hot Hot Hoops

Parker led the Spurs with 26 points and five assists on 10-of-14 shooting, showing no ill effects from a hamstring injury suffered in Game 3, although he did walk with a bit of a limp after the game. Parker explained at his presser that he tried to conserve energy throughout the game so he would have his legs down the stretch, something he didn't have in Game 4.

"I was just trying to pace myself better during the game and not be out of gas like at the end of Game 4," Parker said. "In the second half (of Game 4), I didn't have enough juice and my hamstring was kind of fatigued. This game I was just trying to take my time. It helped because Manu was great and he had a good start, so I didn't have to be super aggressive in the first half."

Parker certainly seemed to be full of energy in the fourth quarter of Game 5, scoring nine points on 3-of-4 shooting. Parker had two fourth-quarter assists to go with those nine points, and it was his driving layup with 1:23 to go that helped seal the deal for San Antonio when it looked like Miami may make things really interesting.

As for Duncan, he got things going early, scoring seven points and grabbing five rebounds in the first quarter as the Spurs jumped out to a 13-point lead after one. The big man finished the first half with 13 points and six rebounds, and although he was quiet in the second half, he still finished with a double-double with 17 points and 12 rebounds.

When the Spurs have their Big Three rolling, they're very difficult to defend. Toss in Green's hot shooting and a strong game from Kawhi Leonard (16 points on 6-of-8 shooting), and it's darn near impossible to stop them. Parker talked about how all the attention focused on him and Duncan have helped Green get so many open looks.

"You can't stop everything," Parker said. "If they're going to trap me and make sure I don't get off, or Timmy, I'm going to say 'Keep shooting, Danny.' He's (Green) doing great so far."

Parker, Duncan and the Spurs will look to close the Heat out in Miami on Tuesday.

Quotes via NBA.com's live stream

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• Spurs take Game 5, now just one win from the title

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Heat vs. Spurs, Game 5: Miami's Big Three not enough against San Antonio

2013-06-17T12:38:16Z

The Miami Heat's Big Three followed up their dominant Game 4 performance with another stellar effort in Game 5. When looking at the combined numbers of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh from Sunday, most would probably expect a Heat victory, especially when factoring in Ray Allen's 21 points off the bench.

The Big Three combined for 66 points, 19 assists and 16 rebounds on 25-of-55 shooting, but it was not nearly enough as Miami fell to the San Antonio Spurs, 114-104. With the loss, the defending-champion Heat find themselves in the same situation as the 2011 NBA Finals, heading home down 3-2.

More: Heat Game 5 coverage at Hot Hot Hoops Spurs Game 5 coverage at Pounding The Rock

James and Wade had 25 points apiece, and the duo had 15 combined in the early going. But that didn't stop the Heat from falling behind by 13 after the first quarter and by as many as 17 in the second. Miami fought all the way back to get to within one in the third quarter before hitting a wall.

"They continue to have great starts," Wade said afterward. "We continue to start slow. We just dug ourselves into a deep hole really early. Unlike Game 3, we fought back. We got it within one. We used so much to get back, and they continued to keep coming at us."

While James did finish with a solid line of 25 points, eight assists, six rebounds and four steals, he shot just 8-of-22 overall and went 0-of-4 with one point during San Antonio's crucial 21-2 run in the second half. James has not been at his best in these Finals, but he says he's not worried about legacy implications.

"I always just focus on the present," James said. "The next challenge is Tuesday night. We will get better tomorrow. We're going to watch film, see ways we can clean up our starts, especially to our first quarter. We're not playing well in the first quarter. We have to figure that out. We have an opportunity on our home floor with our home fans to keep the series going and we're looking forward to it."

What hurt more than what Miami's Big Three did or didn't do offensively was the team's dismal effort defensively. The Spurs shot 60.0 percent from the field, getting plenty of open looks against a Heat defense that has been surprisingly inconsistent the last few rounds of the playoffs.

In order to successfully defend their title, Miami must now win two games in a row, a feat that seemed trivial earlier in the year when they were busy winning 27 straight. But the Heat have not won two games in a row since beating the Chicago Bulls four straight in the second round and taking the first game from the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference Finals. When asked why this has been the case, James was left scratching his head.

"If I knew the answer we would have won two games in a row," James said. "We just haven't been able to do it."

All quotes via NBA.com's live streaming

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Heat vs. Spurs, Game 5: Danny Green's 3-point barrage again sparks San Antonio

2013-06-17T12:00:07Z

The bright lights of a first NBA Finals can often prove to be too much for a young player, something that seemed evident when James Harden faced the Miami Heat last season. That has not been the case for Danny Green, who has burned the Heat time and time again in his first Finals appearance.

More: Spurs Game 5 coverage at Pounding The Rock Heat Game 5 coverage at Hot Hot Hoops

Green continued his remarkable shooting display in the Spurs' 114-104 Game 5 victory over the Heat, scoring 24 points on 8-of-15 shooting and 6-of-10 from three. Green's fourth three of the game in the third quarter gave him 23 for the series, which broke Ray Allen's previous NBA Finals record of 22 3-point makes in a series, a fact that Green didn't even realize at the time.

"I had no idea," Green said. "After the game today, I found out. I'm lucky enough to have the opportunity to be on this stage. My teammates have done a great job of finding me and getting me open. Seems everything is going right for me. I'm feeling truly blessed right now. It's got to be a higher power. The basketball gods are in our favor right now."

Following his 6-of-10 effort on Sunday, Green is now 25-of-38 from three in the series, which is good for 65.8 percent. This has been a breakout series in a season that has seen Green become a permanent member of San Antonio's starting lineup, which is impressive considering he was in the D-League just two years ago.

"The whole season has made him more confident," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. "He's somebody who has gotten a lot of minutes. He basically has the green light. When you do it for 82 games, the last thing to see is if he can do it when the real lights are on. He's certainly answered that question."

Green has made some tough shots in the series, but many of his makes have been wide open looks. Green is 18-of-24 on open threes in the series according to ESPN Stats & Info, and the fact that he continues to get such open looks is something Tony Parker "can't believe" is still happening this late in the series. Needless to say, Heat coach Erik Spoelstra is none too pleased with how often Green has been open.

"It's something that we have to correct," Spoelstra said. "We've just got to do it better, do it harder, be more committed. He's making some open looks and some contested looks. But the open looks are the one's that are killing us."

The Heat must make adjustments on Green to eliminate some of those open looks, although that could leave them even more vulnerable to the plethora of other weapons for San Antonio. Parker pointed out that not everybody can be stopped, so it's pretty much a pick-your-poison for Miami.

Green is currently averaging 18 points per game in the series, and in addition to his hot shooting, he has also played stellar defense on LeBron James and Dwyane Wade. If the Spurs go on to win the title, Green may be the front-runner for Finals MVP, which isn't too shabby for a guy who used to be known more for his dancing ability rather than his ability on the basketball court.

However, Green knows that he and San Antonio can't revel in their success, and getting that last victory in Miami will prove to be extremely tough.

"We'll reflect back and let it hit us when it's over," Green said. "We still have a lot more work to do. There's still some business to be done. We have to carry it out and finish it.

"It's going to take everything we've got. We know how good they are. We know how aggressive they come back, especially from a loss. The whole world knows how they're going to bounce back. It's going to be tough, especially in their home building. We've got to be on point."

Quotes via NBA.com's live streaming

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2013 NBA Finals, Heat vs. Spurs Game 5: San Antonio uses big second-half run to grab 114-104 victory and 3-2 series lead

2013-06-17T02:53:38Z

The San Antonio Spurs are just one win away from knocking off the defending champion Miami Heat thanks to a 114-104 victory in Game 5 of the NBA Finals. The Spurs used a 21-2 second-half run to seize control of the game and the series.

Manu Ginobili started for the first time all season, and he delivered after struggling for much of the series. Ginobili finished with 24 points and 10 assists to spearhead a balanced Spurs attack that saw all five starters finish in double figures. Tony Parker led the way with 26 points on 10-of-14 from the field.

Danny Green continued his hot shooting, scoring 24 points and breaking Ray Allen's record for most three-pointers in an NBA Finals series in the process. Green finished the night 6-10 from beyond the arc, giving him 25 three-pointers in the series. That takes him well over Allen's mark of 22 and Green has at least one more game to extend his new record. Tim Duncan notched a double-double, scoring 17 points and grabbing 12 rebounds. Kawhi Leonard chipped in 16 points and eight rebounds. San Antonio's offense was humming all night long, shooting 61.8 percent in the first half and 60.0 percent for the game.

LeBron James had 25 points for Miami, but he shot just 8-of-22 from the field. Dwyane Wade had 25 points and 10 assists, while Chris Bosh had 16 points and six rebounds. Allen added 21 points off the bench, with 15 of those coming in the fourth quarter as the Heat made one final rally.

The Spurs got off to a fast start, with a rejuvenated Ginobili scoring seven early points. The Heat weathered the storm momentarily, but San Antonio finished the first quarter on a 15-2 run to take a 32-19 lead to the second.

The Spurs appeared on the verge of blowing things wide open in the second quarter, as a flurry of Green threes pushed the lead out to as many as 17 points. The Heat responded with a 12-0 run to cut their deficit to five, but the Spurs took a nine-point lead into the break thanks to a slashing layup by Parker in the final seconds of the half.

Miami quickly got back into the game at the outset of the second half, taking advantage of some sloppy Spurs play to get to within two. Things were tight for much of the rest of the third quarter, but San Antonio finished the quarter with a flourish, taking an 87-75 lead into the final frame.

The Spurs kept the momentum going into the fourth before holding off the Heat's last-gasp rally. San Antonio now has two chances to win the title, with Game 6 coming on Tuesday.

The Big How Many?

The Big Three mostly did their part, with James, Wade and Bosh combining for 66 points, 19 assists and 16 rebounds. But James struggled with his shooting and the Heat defense had no answer for the Spurs' offense, so those contributions were all for naught.

Who turns the ball over?

The Spurs had some sloppy moments with the ball, and they finished with 19 turnovers on the night. Those turnovers led to 20 Miami points, but San Antonio's hot shooting made up for some of the carelessness with the ball. The Heat had 15 turnovers.

Will these teams keep hitting a bunch of threes, and does it matter?

Neither team had a clear advantage from deep, with the Heat actually making two more three-pointers. But it was Green's flurry of threes in the first half that helped give San Antonio its 17-point first-half lead, so those seemed to have a larger impact on the game.

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Danny Green breaks record for most 3-pointers in NBA Finals

2013-06-17T01:59:08Z

San Antonio Spurs shooting guard Danny Green broke Ray Allen's record for most 3-pointers in an NBA Finals series with a third-quarter trey in Game 5 against the Miami Heat. The three was Green's 23rd of the series, breaking Allen's previous record of 22 set in 2008 as a member of the Boston Celtics.

More: Spurs coverage at Pounding The Rock

Green has been shooting the lights out all series long, with a current mark of 23-of-34 from beyond the arc. Five of Green's 11 misses in the series came in Game 1, so he's 19-of-25 in the last three-plus games.

The spark Green has provided the Spurs has been invaluable, and he's a huge reason why they're in position to possibly grab a 3-2 series lead. Making Green's run all the more remarkable is the fact that he was an NBA afterthought just two years ago, toiling in the D-League after getting waived by both the Spurs and Cleveland Cavaliers.

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Heat vs. Spurs score update, NBA Finals 2013 Game 5: San Antonio leads, 61-52, at halftime

2013-06-17T01:26:59Z

The San Antonio Spurs put forth a magnificent offensive first half in a pivotal Game 5 of the NBA Finals against the Miami Heat, taking a 61-52 lead into the break.

The Spurs got balanced scoring from their starting lineup, with all five starters scoring at least nine points. Danny Green and Tim Duncan both have 13 points to lead the way for San Antonio thus far. The Spurs shot 61.8 percent in the half.

LeBron James has 16 points to lead Miami, while Dwyane Wade has 14 points and five assists. Chris Bosh has 10 points and five rebounds.

With both teams going to small-ball lineups at the outset, the game started at an extremely fast pace. Manu Ginobili immediately made his presence felt in the starting lineup, scoring seven quick points as the Spurs jumped out to a six-point lead.

Miami responded quickly behind Wade and James to tie the score, but San Antonio closed the opening quarter on a 15-2 run to take a 32-19 lead into the second. The Spurs shot 63.2 percent in the first quarter, while the Heat made just 30.0 percent of their shots.

San Antonio continued to play well at the beginning of the second quarter, pushing their lead out to 17 points thanks to Green's hot 3-point shooting. Miami then went on a 12-0 run to make it a game again, but a Tony Parker layup in the waning moments of the half gave the Spurs a nine-point lead.

Let's take a look at three questions posed by Rodger Sherman in the Game 5 preview:

The Big How Many?

James and Wade got off to quick starts, scoring 15 points between them in the early going. But the shots didn't fall at the tail end of the first quarter, which allowed the Spurs to jump out to their big lead. Chris Bosh only had two points and two rebounds in the opening quarter, getting outplayed handily by Duncan.

Bosh started to get going in the second quarter, doing some dirty work down low on the offensive glass. Wade continued to be aggressive and James got it going again, so the Big Three did their part in the first half. The three combined for 40 points, but it has not been enough to overcome the Spurs' hot shooting.

Who turns the ball over?

Both teams took pretty good care of the ball early on, but the Spurs had some issues with turnovers in the second quarter. San Antonio finished the half with eight turnovers, which led to eight Miami points. The Heat had just six turnovers in the first half.

Will these teams keep hitting a bunch of threes, and does it matter?

The threes weren't falling for either team to start, but Green got hot in the second quarter, knocking down three of them to help the Spurs open up a 17-point lead. San Antonio made 5-of-11 from deep in the half, while Miami went 4-of-10.

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