A great NBA Finals got underway on Thursday evening in Miami. The defending champion Heat, playing host to the San Antonio Spurs for Game One of their best-of-seven.
The veteran Spurs came in well rested, playing their first game since May 27th after knocking off the Memphis Grizzlies to win the West. The Heat meanwhile, taken to the limit in their seven game East Final with the Indiana Pacers.
The crowd in Miami looking for their team to turn up the heat on the Spurs Dwyane Wade, feeling it, And right from the get-go D-Wade was on the attack. Emphatically puts the champs ahead.
Miami would attack San Antonio in the first quarter and got Tim Duncan in foul trouble forcing him to sit.
South Beach would find the range from outside the arc in the second q. Ray Allen, Mike Miller and Norris Cole would all dial long distance as Miami opened up a 9-point lead. But Duncan would make his presence felt before the half -- scoring in the paint to make it a 4-point game.
Then the Big fundamental would beat the buzzer at the half Pretty decent defense by D-Wade, but Duncan cans it and the Spurs trail by three at recess.
Second half and Miami would stay in front. LeBron James, who finished with a triple double of 18 points, 18 boards and 10 rebounds -- dishes a dime to Ray Allen as the home team would lead going into the fourth.
In the final stanza -- Tony Parker would step up huge for San Antonio Spurs up by 3 at this part. Then Duncan after a slow start would crash the boards. 20 and 14 for him. And Parker would again show of his skills in the final minutes -- he cans one jumper to make it a 6-point game.
And then came the play of the game with time running down, he loses the handle, but somehow gets the ball back and beats the shot clock while off balance with about five seconds left. 21-for the Frenchman and that bucket seals a 92-88 win for San Antonio as they draw first blood and take a one-nothing series lead.