Eliza Dushku, the actress and girlfriend of former NBA player Rick Fox, may have said it best when Tony Parker hit an incredibly unlikely shot over the defense of LeBron James with 5.2 seconds left in Game 1 of the NBA Finals between the Miami Heat and San Antonio Spurs.
That was no joke, indeed.
The way he managed to get the shot off after struggling to regain control of the ball for much of the possession was impressive enough, but what made it that much crazier is how he got it off with literally no time remaining on the 24-second shot clock.
The shot, of course, counted, and the Spurs took away the Heat’s homecourt advantage with a stunning 92-88 victory. Parker’s clutch play and poise down the stretch of this game was truly impressive, as he managed to score 10 of his 21 points in the fourth quarter with six assists and no turnovers. Tim Duncan was right behind with 20 points, 14 rebounds and three blocks.
LeBron James did what he could with 18 points, 18 rebounds and 10 assists. Dwyane Wade chipped in with 17 points, but Chris Bosh had an ineffective 13 points on 6-of-16 shooting, including 0-for-four from the 3-point line.
The ultimate difference may have come just before the shot by Parker, when Duncan and Bosh showed the difference in their games and experience. Rather than settling for a jumper after faking out Bosh, Duncan forced his way to the basket and drew a foul. The call was actually rather questionable, but understanding the need to get closer to the basket in such a critical situation earned the “Big Fundamental” a trip to the line for a pair of free throws. Bosh, on the other hand, decided to do what he’s done through much of the postseason: settle. Despite failing to make a single 3-pointer in the game, he chose to hang around behind the arc at arguably the most critical juncture of the game. Of course, he launched it without thinking twice about getting closer for a better shot, and bricked.
Just as it was against the Indiana Pacers, Miami will be hard-pressed to beat the Spurs if they can’t find a way to get better production from Bosh – their main counter punch against Duncan.
Here are some other noteworthy reactions from around the league about Game 1:
