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2014 NBA Finals Gear: Game 3 Recap

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After hosting two highly contrasted games in San Antonio, the Spurs traveled to Miami in a series knotted at 1-1, with the hope of knocking down King James and his team. The Spurs defeated the Heat 111-92 and it was not done in the atypical, fundamental Spurs’ style. Game 3 showed an electric, youthful, and determined Spurs team- it was a game to remember and it will definitely be a standout game in the 2014 NBA Finals series, if not, one of the most memorable NBA Finals games in years to come.

When you think of the Spurs, you typically think of them as a two man show- Tim Duncan and Tony Parker. That’s a fair assumption, since those two are consistently the Spurs’ leading players, but the excitement in Game 3 came from a surprise performance of a different duo- Kawhi Leonard and Danny Green.

In the past, the Spurs have been led by Tony Parker, but Parker didn’t score his first basket until late into the second quarter. So, how did the Spurs end the first quarter with a 16 point lead against LeBron JamesDwyane Wade, and the Heat, without their leading scorer? The answer is Kawhi Leonard- he was undoubtedly the star of the first quarter, scoring as much in the first half as he did in the first two 2014 NBA Finals games combined and scoring a career-high 29 points. His aggressive offensive performance led San Antonio to achieve a 90% field goal percentage in the first quarter and a 75.8% field goal percentage through the first half- setting the record for the highest field goal percentage in the first half in NBA Finals history.

Kawhi Leonard, San Antonio Spurs, Basketball, NBA Finals

Plaques such as the one depicted here are currently available for purchase from Fanatics.

Normally, I try to refrain from using sports clichés in my writing, but as you’ve probably heard before, “offense sells tickets; defense wins championships.” There… I’ve done it. I’ve used a sports cliché, but it’s used for a good reason. The Heat’s flashy offense consistently sells out, but the Spurs solid, brick-wall defense put the normally flaming hot offense of the Heat out in a flash. I haven’t seen a Miami Heat crowd that silent since Rony Seikaly won the NBA’s Most Improved Player award in 1989.

Early in the first quarter, Danny Green forced a turnover, which was then converted into a quick layup- this play was the catalyst for the momentum moving in the Spurs’ direction and one of many turnovers that Green forced throughout the game.

Following the first quarter, the Spurs’ coach, Greg Popovich, was asked about Kawhi Leonard’s standout performance.  He responded by bringing attention to the team’s defensive effort. This is not to downplay the stunning display that Kawhi put on. In my opinion, almost every possession in which Leonard had the ball was highlight worthy, but Leonard was up against King James and despite the fact that it can take a village to defend the King, Kawhi held LeBron to 22 points.

Going into halftime, the Spurs achieved another NBA Finals record by having the largest halftime lead in a Finals game by a road team since 1996. The momentum gained early in the game continued into the third quarter, but in typical Heat fashion, LeBron and the Miami Heat began to amp up their gameplay and started challenging the Spurs. The Heat’s audience also started to come around and support the Heat to outscore the Spurs, 25-15 in the third quarter.

Miami Heat Hats

Hardwood Classics Crackle Vize fitted hat from New Era.  This product is currently available for purchase at Fanatics.com.

Unfortunately, that quarter didn’t gain them enough ground to catch up and for the second straight year, the Miami Heat will have to overcome a 2-1 deficit after losing to the San Antonio Spurs’ supporting cast in Game 3. The kicker is that this game was on the Heat’s home floor, where they had previously been 8-0 during the 2014 postseason. History seems to be repeating itself on the surface, but many of the variables are different this time around. Typically, Game 3 wins are a good sign of who will become NBA Champions, but the 2013 champs have been here before and they are playing on their home court again in Game 4, so you will have to stay tuned to see how it all unravels.

For the best selection of 2014 Finals Gear, check out Fanatics.com for Miami Heat and San Antonio Spurs merchandise.

Marshall Malone joined Fanatics in 2012 and the former University of Memphis Tiger is a die-hard fan of the Jacksonville Jaguars, Memphis Grizzlies, and Atlanta Braves. The views expressed in this post reflect the author’s own private opinion and do not, in any way, reflect the opinions of Fanatics or its affiliates.

 

The post 2014 NBA Finals Gear: Game 3 Recap appeared first on We Are Fanatics: Fanatics Official Blog.


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