In the fight to keep their title Tuesday night, the Miami Heat kept losing vital accessories. Mike Miller’s shoe. LeBron James’s headband. The lead. The momentum.
For a moment, belief started to seep out of American Airlines Arena as well, until the Heat grabbed it with all their might, steadying themselves and refusing to let go until this wild series was tied once more.
LeBron James, his much-debated legacy still intact, posted a triple-double and led a late charge, propelling the Heat to a 103-100 overtime victory over the San Antonio Spurs, forcing Game 7. The championship will be decided here Thursday night.
James was shaky early, brilliant late, finishing with 32 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds. Chris Bosh stepped up with 10 points, 11 rebounds and two huge blocks in the final minute, including a swat of Danny Green’s 3-pointer at the final buzzer.
After four straight routs, two by each team, the victor alternating throughout, the series at last reached equilibrium, neither team capable of shaking the other. This was the closest, tensest game of the finals.
The Spurs took a 100-97 lead in overtime. The Heat promptly erased it, going ahead by 101-100 on James’s 7-foot jumper. But James missed his next attempt, then lost the ball out of bounds on a fast break, leaving the door ajar for the Spurs to take the game, the series, the title.
But Bosh snuffed the Spurs’ first chance, blocking Tony Parker’s jumper with his fingertips. Ray Allen stuffed the next chance, stripping Manu Ginobili in the lane. Allen hit two free throws with 1.9 seconds left to seal the victory.
The Heat’s uncanny streak of resiliency remains intact: They have not lost consecutive games since Jan. 8-10.
Tim Duncan scored 30 points for the Spurs, his highest total in this postseason, but just 5 after halftime.
Trailing by 13 points late in the third quarter, their title defense slipping away, the Heat quickly went from barely breathing to breathtaking. They cranked up their defense and their aggression, retaking the lead with a frantic 21-7 run, fueled by James.
Mario Chalmers hit a 3-pointer to open the final quarter. Mike Miller hit a 3-pointer after losing his shoe. James dunked while losing his headband. For the next several minutes, James stayed on the attack, driving to the rim, blocking Duncan’s layup at one end, converting a layup at the other. Miami took an 89-86 lead on Wade’s two free throws with 2:09 left, and the arena rumbled in anticipation. Game 7 seemed promised.
It all unraveled quickly. An offensive foul on James. A James turnover in the lane. An errant James jumper. The Spurs scored 8 unanswered points, pushing ahead, 94-89, with 28.2 seconds left.
The emotional rollercoaster was only just beginning.
James missed a 3-pointer, got a second chance and hit a 3-pointer. Kawhi Leonard made one of two foul shots, making it 95-92 with 19.4 seconds left.
James missed another 3-pointer. Again, the Heat earned quick redemption — a Bosh rebound leading to Allen’s 3-pointer in the right corner, and a 95-95 tie with 5.2 seconds left.
Tony Parker missed a 12-foot fadeaway at the regulation buzzer.
An hour before tipoff, James was on the court, shooting jumpers — a deviation from his usual routine, an unsubtle hint about his mindset — his swishes accompanied by chants of “M.V.P.”
The warmup did not help. James converted just 3 of 12 shots through three quarters — 10 fewer than Duncan, who had already scored 30 points by that time, nearly matching the combined output of James, Wade and Bosh (34 points).
In the hours before tipoff, tension and hope filled the building. Inspirational messages littered the home locker room.
“Take everything. Give up nothing,” read one handout sitting in every stall.
Laminated notecards contained a quote from Tony Dungy that read, in part, “Your integrity demands that you step up and follow those dreams to a better place — to pick yourself up yet again and push on.”
The first “Let’s go, Heat!” chants erupted before the national anthem — a desperate plea for one more stand.
The Heat responded accordingly. Chris Andersen dove into the crowd to save a loose ball. Bosh threw himself to the floor to save another. And Chalmers, dormant for the entire week in San Antonio, rejoined the series, scoring 14 points in his first 14 minutes, helping the Heat take a 7-point lead in the second quarter.
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