Spurs pull away late to top Heat in Game 1 of NBA Finals

It may not have come without a major caveat, but the San Antonio Spurs did what the team with home court advantage is expected to do and took Game 1 of the NBA Finals on Thursday night, beating the Miami Heat 110-95.

The teams traded runs for most of the game, staying within a few possessions of each other from tip-off until very late in the game. It was, in a word, excellent, and it likely portends an excellent series forthcoming. 

Thanks in part to a LeBron James injury in the fourth quarter (more on that shortly), the Spurs were able to close the game on a 31-9 run, leveraging a red-hot touch from downtown (13-of-25) and a major rebounding edge (39-29) to earn the win. The Heat's defense was excellent early on, but the Spurs' offensive precision eventually won out as Miami fatigued.

There will be no shortage of excuses, however, should the Heat decide to use them. No matter the background, though, they're now in a 1-0 hole and have two days off to regroup ahead of Sunday's Game 2.

Star Performer

There are a couple ways you can slice the "best player" in a game debate. Let's look at three, and simply give each player an appreciative nod for their excellent outing.

Efficiency: Tim Duncan scored 21 points on a ridiculous 9-of-10 shooting mark, adding 10 rebounds and three assists in the process.

Volume: Manu Ginobili was everywhere at the offensive end, slicing through the Heat for 16 points on 5-of-10 shooting while also dishing 11 assists, grabbing five rebounds, and nabbing three steals.

Impact: So, uhh, Boris Diaw continues to be a major player in the playoffs. His final line was somewhat modest with two points, 10 rebounds, and six assists, but the Spurs were +30 in the 33 minutes that he played and -15 in the 15 minutes he sat.

Turning Point

Likely due to the ridiculous 88-degree on-court temperature thanks to broken air conditioning, LeBron James struggled with cramping and exhaustion through most of the fourth quarter. He had subbed out in the third for a break, too, but it really came to a head with 7:31 to play in the fourth.

James sat for 2:58 to try and rest up, during which the Spurs went on a 10-4 run to take a four-point lead. He checked back in with 4:33 to play but managed just a single possession before asking back out.

In the game's final 3:59, the Spurs pulled away, stretching a two-point lead to their final 15-point margin. You just can't take the best player in the world off of a team and expect them to be able to keep pace. It's unfair to the Heat, and it was kind of unfair to basketball fans, but such is life, we suppose.

Highlight Reel

It really didn't take long for things to get going, with Dwyane Wade providing a flashy highlight just five minutes in with a ridiculous ball-fake on Tim Duncan:

Tim Duncan, how do you feel about that?

That photo is actually from after a perceived no-call, but how could we not find a way to work that photo in? Actually, let's show off a few other interesting still frames:

The finals sure do bring out some emotion. They also, apparently, bring out the best in Wade:

Unfortunately, it also brought out the worst in him:

It brought the worst out in Tiago Splitter, too, and he'll probably have a $5,000 fine coming his way for flopping:

And to nobody's surprise, Boris Diaw came to play:

[GIF Courtesy R/NBA via ABC]

There's that LeBron James guy, too:

And then, of course, there was this, though we're still not sure we believe it:

Quote of the Game

For what it's worth, Heat coach Erik Spoelstra dismissed a question about whether the faulty air conditioning could have been intentional given that James has a history of cramping.

"Both teams had to do it," Spoelstra said. "We're not making excuses for it."

Series at a Glance

Game 1: SAS 110, MIA 95 (Spurs lead series 1-0)
Game 2: @ SAS, Sunday, June 8, 8 p.m., ABC
Game 3: @ MIA, Tuesday, June 10, 9 p.m., ABC
Game 4: @ MIA, Thursday, June 12, 9 p.m., ABC
Game 5*: @ SAS, Sunday, June 15, 8 p.m., ABC
Game 6*: @ MIA, Tuesday, June 17, 9 p.m., ABC
Game 7*: @ SAS, Friday, June 20, 9 p.m., ABC