NBA Finals Game 3 Preview

Could the Heat win the next three in San Antonio?

LeBron does not need to do all by himself, but so far he’s played the best basketball of anyone on the court. Although the two supposed superstars playing alongside James have struggled, LeBron’s defense and playmaking abilities will allow the Heat to trot toward their 3^rd title, and LeBron’s second.

The Spurs are not capable of putting together a 33-5 run like the Miami Heat so easily did in game 2. Both teams knew that without an NBA title, this season would feel incomplete, but it is fair to say that LeBron has the most riding on this series. Tony Parker has 3 rings, Wade has 2, and Duncan has 4. All three other stars have accomplished more than LeBron so far in their careers, making every game that much more crucial for King James.

The deciding factor, although a major cliché, is defense. Which team will force more turnovers, and which team will turnover the ball more? Both questions sound the same, but mean completely different things. In Game 1 Parker took care of the basketball. He turned the ball over 0 times. In Game 2 however, Parker turned it over a total of 5 times, 1 more than the total team turnovers for the entire Spurs team in Game 1.

Wade blamed fatigue for the Game 1 loss, stating that the 7-game series against the Pacers took a major toll on his knees as well as the team’s physical and mental game. They came out in Game 2 ready to play, though, playing the most aggressive defense I have seen by the Heat in this playoffs.

The Spurs do not need to out shoot the Miami Heat, but they do need to contain the basketball. Miami loves to run in the fast break, and when LeBron floors the gas pedal, the outcome will likely be points on the board for Miami whether in comes in the form of a dunk or kick-out three from one of the many spot-up shooters Miami has at their disposal.

The Heat have a great chance at taking two games in San Antonio, and maybe sweep the rest of the Finals if they continue to penetrate and dish, playing their beloved inside-out style of basketball.

The Heat shooters: Allen, Miller, and Chalmers, all seem to be tuned in right now, having accounted for more points than Bosh and Wade combined this series. Kawhi and Green must be able to contain James and Wade, get them off their tracks and force more turnovers like they did in Game 1. Offensively, Tim Duncan and Tony Parker need to figure out how to score playing two-man basketball, especially whenever LeBron is on the weak side covering Kawhi or Green, who’ll both look to finish the Spurs’ broken plays.

If LeBron continues to play one-on-one defense on Parker, it’ll make Tony’s life a bit difficult, especially if players try to trap him on the pick-and-roll. That is why Duncan’s shooting percentage must increase, as well as Kawhi’s touches. Kawhi has a strong enough upper body to penetrate and finish, as we saw in Game 1 when he blew past LeBron for a dunk. Strong offensive execution will not come from Tony dribbling around the entire floor, but instead it will take off-ball screens and movement away from the ball to get San Antonio in spots to score. However, that is more easily said than done.

Miami’s rotations were flawless in Game 2, despite Danny Green shooting 5-5 from three. It’s tough to bet against the Heat. After what looked to be resurgence of power and defensive dominance from LeBron, the Heat have the potential to close out any game despite its location. They will attack and play 48 minutes of good basketball, and with the declining abilities of San Antonio’s stars, 48 minutes might be too much for them.

Heat 98 Spurs 93