Who is to prevent a Game 7?
MIAMI Heat coach Erik Spoelstra yesterday said they lost and fell behind the San Antonio Spurs (3-2) in the current NBA Finals because they “failed to take control.”
That should end nasty speculations on Miami’s sputtering drive for a second straight NBA crown.
Nobody from press row requested Spoelstra to explain how and why they failed to take control.
The closest Spoelstra would come to clarifying was when he admitted they had had budding streak offensives that would inexplicably fall apart and fizzle.
***
Of course, there was the popular hunch that Miami, based on its two overpowering wins over San Antonio in the Finals, could’ve easily taken Game 5 if only it had played consistently.
But once again, the unpredictability of the Miami title drive was yesterday typified by LeBron James whose sporadic explosions were readily nullified by open misses and listless defense; while Dwyane Wade followed an almost similar agenda.
San Antonio soared on top, riding on a startling start by the 36-year-old Manu Ginobili, who led teammates in burying Miami by 20 points.
***
Miami, playing catch-up, managed to climb back.
Miami, in fact, was breathing on San Antonio’s neck after it had cut down the lead to only 8 points 1:37 minutes left.
In the next turn though, Tony Parker drove unmolested before Danny Green scored a triple through a wide-open window en route to a convenient San Antonio finish, 114-104.
The experts were right. This showed San Antonio, which had won Game 1 of the Finals, could finish the job on Wednesday (Manila time).
***
But that, capturing the NBA crown on the road, promises to be terribly hard, if not totally impossible for the Spurs.
In fact, Spoelstra had made it clear they were already totally focused on Game 6 while half-playing against the inspired, soaring Spurs yesterday.
San Antonio is now knocking hard on the championship door.
However, there’s hardly a grizzled bettor out there who would dare put even money on San Antonio for Game 6.
The strongest bet is still for a Game 7 to end this uneven NBA theater that has slipped from truly relevant and suspenseful to both shallow and suspicious, no thanks to the dubious whims of the favored side.
Of course, the NBA Finals theater could still regain its original meaning, but only if Miami slips on its homecourt, with lovers of pure, noble, honest basketball having the last laugh.
