The Miami Heat have built a reputation for always finding a way to win when they trail 1-0 in a playoff series. Can the Heat continue this remarkable streak on Sunday in the NBA Finals, or will San Antonio take a two-game lead and put the defending champions on the ropes heading to Miami for Game 3 on Tuesday night? It’s going to be some kind of scene in Texas.
Sunday, June 8 – 8:00 PM ET
NBA Odds: San Antonio –4.5
Why The Heat Can Win
They are going to be playing in an air-conditioned building. Who would have thought that such a thing was going to be an issue and a game key for Sunday’s contest? It’s crazy, but it’s true. The Heat really suffered in the fourth quarter of Game 1 due to the failure in the air conditioning unit at the AT&T Center in San Antonio. LeBron James didn’t play most of the fourth quarter. He even asked for a breather midway through the third quarter. Then, in a very close game with just about four minutes left on the clock, LeBron cramped up. His legs became almost impossible to walk on, at least without excruciating pain. LeBron never became healthy enough to re-enter and then finish the game. Miami head coach Erik Spoelstra took him out and insisted that he not come back.
The air conditioning unit has been repaired now, however, so Game 2 should be played in a normal setting. This means Miami should be able to play a full game the way it wants and expects to. LeBron should be able to play the whole game as well, instead of being physically impaired. LeBron didn’t play much due to foul trouble in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Indiana Pacers. In the following contest, Game 6, he was brilliant. It’s pretty natural to expect LeBron to be great in this game, leading the Heat to a big victory.
Why The Spurs Can Win
They are also going to be physically fresher compared to how they looked in Game 1. What’s also true of the Spurs is that they committed over 20 turnovers in Game 1 and still managed to win the game. A lot of people are going to look at Game 1 and say that if San Antonio can simply cut down on turnovers, it should be in great shape. This is a line of analysis which is going to be hard to deny. San Antonio was tight at the beginning and then sloppy in the third quarter when the heat in the building really seemed to get at the players and drag down the level of play on the floor.
The other thing that should really encourage San Antonio is that Tony Parker, who had been dealing with an ankle injury over the past week, looked healthy and quick on the court. Parker was hitting big jump shots in the fourth quarter. He was not slowed down. He should be able to play well in Game 2 after a two-day break.
Outlook
This is a close game. The Spurs might win it, but if they do, they might not win by more than six or seven points. This is probably going to be a close enough game that even if they lose, the Heat will keep the spread below the number. Take San Antonio on the moneyline, but Miami will keep the final margin to three or four points.
Pick: Heat +4.5
