Derick E. Hingle-USA Today Sports
Despite losing Game 1 of the NBA Finals to Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and the San Antonio Spurs, the Miami Heat evened the series at 1-1 after a decisive, statement victory in Game 2. So now, the next three games are to be played in San Antonio, giving the Spurs a chance to secure the championship at home.
But if Miami has anything to say about it, that won’t be happening.
The biggest thing the Heat did in Game 2 was in making adjustments. After allowing the Spurs to run their offense, Miami used their three days rest to strategize and game plan. And like a good team does, the Heat found a way to fix the mistakes from Game 1. The matchups changed and the Heat managed to limit Duncan’s production, which was a big reason for the Spurs’ victory in Game 1.
What the Heat also did was score like they have all season long. James only had 17 points, but he was just one of five Miami players that scored in double digits.
San Antonio played a good game, but they just weren’t able to keep up. As opposed to Game 1 where the Spurs committed just four turnovers, they gave up the ball 17 times in Game 2, resulting in 19 points for the Heat. Miami, meanwhile, had six turnovers which equaled just two points for the Spurs.
Going forward, the biggest thing for the Spurs is really not in regards to adjustments. No, what the Spurs need to do is to continue to play their game and their brand of basketball, and that includes effectively using their home court advantage from here on out.
On the season, San Antonio is a phenomenal 35-6 at home, including 6-1 in the postseason.
Miami star Dwayne Wade referred to Game 2 as being “must win” for the Heat. If that was the case, Game 3 is likely “must win” for the Spurs, because the last three times when the Heat had lost the first game in a series, they came back to win the next four. So if San Antonio wants to keep their championship hopes alive, they will absolutely need a victory in order to shift the momentum of the series back in their favor.
Marilee Gallagher is a writer for www.RantSports.com. You can follow her on Twitter (@MGallagher17), like her page on Facebook (Marilee’s Sportswriter Profile) or join her network on Google+
