It took the San Antonio Spurs just five games to find redemption against the Miami Heat.
After suffering an improbable, heartbreaking and well-documented defeat in the 2013 Finals, the Spurs returned with a vengeance, bludgeoning the Heat 4-1 to claim the 2014 title.
The Spurs capped off the series with an exclamation point: three straight blowout victories, finishing with a 104-87 victory of the Heat in San Antonio Sunday night.
The young Kawhi Leonard was named the Finals MVP, and deservingly so. The kid came to life after a disappointing first two games of the series. Along with a poor start on the offensive end — he tallied just 18 points in the first two games — he was relatively ineffective at slowing down LeBron James.
That was not the case once the series went to Miami. Leonard scored a career high 29 points in Game 3 and never slowed down after that. he scored over 20 points in each of the three remaining games AND he rendered LeBron somewhat human on the defensive end. He averaged over 17 points and six rebounds for the series.
With rock solid consistency from their own big-3 and terrific play off the bench from Patty Mills, Boris Diaw and Danny Green, the Spurs have finally gotten their revenge. Here is how the rest of the league reacted:
Finals MVP. The whole Spurs team. #NBAFinals2014
— nick vanexel (@vanexel31) June 16, 2014
We will NEVER c another display of team basketball like this n our lifetime. #NBAFinals2014
— nick vanexel (@vanexel31) June 16, 2014
Probably can’t even hear yourself think at the Spurs arena after a made bucket!
— Tobias Harris (@tobias31) June 16, 2014
Well after that Ginobli 3pter, looks like that will conclude the 2013-14 NBA season. See you next year
— Drew Gooden (@DrewGooden) June 16, 2014
Well… pic.twitter.com/D17uFfnMq0
— Peyton Siva Jr (@PeypeySiva3) June 16, 2014
Spurs bench … “You the real MVP”
— Peyton Siva Jr (@PeypeySiva3) June 16, 2014
Did I just see a guard quickie at the start of the 2nd period. Good one, Pop.
— Phil Jackson (@PhilJackson11) June 16, 2014
Love Kawhi Leonard, but Tim Duncan is my finals MVP – TD’s post presence & production is not to be ignored.
— Clarence Gaines (@ClarenceGaines2) June 16, 2014
Congratulations to the @spurs to Peter Holt, Pop & the entire team on an amazing run to a championship.
— Micky Arison (@MickyArison) June 16, 2014
WOW!!! Have this ever happen in the Finals.??.3 straight blow outs..#NBAFinals
— DeMarre Carroll (@DeMarreCarroll1) June 16, 2014
Tip your hat to the Spurs, much deserved. Classy group and organization. They’re the blueprint..
— Jamal Crawford (@JCrossover) June 16, 2014
Tim Duncan, 20ppg 11rpg 51% field goal percentage for Career= greatest power forward of All Time
— Anthony Morrow (@MrAnthonyMorrow) June 16, 2014
U can’t hate on LBJ, he did what he could do. Just needed a little more support. Spurs are the best team tho, congrats
— Austin Rivers (@AustinRivers25) June 16, 2014
Huge congratulations to @Patty_Mills and @aronbaynes on winning the NBA Championship with the Spurs!!! #boomers #awesome
— Matthew Dellavedova (@matthewdelly) June 16, 2014
Ben Baroff is a basketball journalist who blogs for SheridanHoops.com. Follow him on Twitter here.