Mario Chalmers
The inference was that the Spurs knew if they carried a 2-0 lead to San Antonio, they would have cooled the Heat and put them on ice.
The Heat got the memo.
And that is not surprising.
As for Game 2 surprises, there were a fair amount.
For starters, it was Matt Bonner and Cory Joseph who scored the final two baskets of the game for the Spurs—not Tony Parker, not Tim Duncan and not Manu Ginobili.
The way that the Heat, behind James, turned the game into a laughingstock by going on a 15-0 run that spanned the latter part of the third quarter through the first three minutes of the fourth—that was a surprise.
And that Kawhi Leonard (nine points, 14 rebounds) and Danny Green (17 points, five 3-pointers) were the two best players for the Spurs on this night was equally unexpected.
But James summed it up perfectly after it was all said and done.
“The conclusion that I draw from all of it is that we are tied up, 1-1,” he said.
All things considered, that is no surprise, either.
As this series heads to San Antonio, we are exactly where we thought we would be—split and headed to Texas for three games.
It is a best-of-five series, with three games to be played in San Antonio. Over the next seven days, one team will emerge on the brink of securing the 2013 NBA title.
Just do not be duped into thinking that the Spurs will beat the Heat three consecutive games in San Antonio, or anywhere else for that matter. One way or another, this series will be 3-2 and there will be a Game 6 in Miami on June 18. The only question to be resolved between now and then is which team will be on the brink of capturing the championship.
If Erik Spoelstra’s Heat continue to effectively trap the Spurs perimeter players on the wings, crowd Parker and keep him out of the paint, and force the Spurs into turnovers, it will be them.
But if Popovich’s team finally begins to hit shots and actually plays a few of its better games, it will be them.
Over the course of a playoff series, particularly one that features two fairly evenly matched teams, the idea of “momentum” is an overblown farce. The usage of the Rook and Pawn and the game-to-game adjustments made by each team’s respective coach is what will ultimately determine who puts the game in check.
This is a chess match, not a sprint.
The last time these Spurs lost a playoff game, it was against the Golden State Warriors and they responded by winning their next seven. The last time the Miami Heat lost a Game 1 of a playoff series—it was against the Chicago Bulls—they responded by winning the next four.
One game is one game, and the 19-point gulf that separated these two teams in Game 2 will be ancient history by the time Game 3 tips off on Tuesday night.
For the Heat, the keys to victory are simple: force the Spurs into turnovers and keep Parker at bay. With their relentless pursuit of the basketball and astonishing speed with which they close out on perimeter shooters, the Heat will remain formidable.
For the Spurs, they must continue to cherish each and every possession, beat the Heat with passing, and get above average shooting performances out of each of their Big Three.
Thus far, each team has accomplished their goals, just in different games. And that is what playoff basketball is all about.
So despite winning Game 2 by a wide margin, the Heat have already relinquished their homecourt advantage. No matter how many points the Heat defeated the Spurs by on Sunday night, they still need to win three more times before they can capture their second consecutive NBA title.
And before they think about winning three, the most important number for them to keep in mind is one.
They need to win at least one game in San Antonio in order to ensure that this series returns to Miami, so one way or another, resist the urge to put too much stock into one game or one performance, no matter how dominant or befuddling it may be.
“Miami played their ass off,” Popovich said. “Miami did a hell of a job.”
“The season does get long for both teams, but both teams would rather be here than at home,” he said.
That is true. And it is true for the great majority of us, too. We would rather be here, at 1-1, headed to San Antonio for three monumental games.
And we are happy that we are.
We would rather be here, tied, right where we thought we would be. Tied at 1-1 with five games to go.
No, that is no surprise.
Moke Hamilton is a Senior NBA Columnist for SheridanHoops.com on assignment in Miami for the NBA Finals. Follow him on Twitter.