San Antonio Spurs forward Tim Duncan (21) shoots over Miami Heat center Chris Bosh (1) during the first half in Game 1 of the NBA basketball finals on Thursday, June 5, 2014, in San Antonio. AP
MANILA, Philippines—It’s the rematch that was a year in the making, and the challengers from the Lone Star state drew first blood.
San Antonio Spurs notched Game 1,110-95, against defending champions Miami Heat at the AT&T Center Friday (Manila time).
Tim Duncan led the way for the Western Conference Champions with 21 points and10 boards while his running mates Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili pitched in 16 and 19 points, respectively.
Ginobili added 10 assists to his stats line.
With his Game 1 stat line, Duncan is one double-double playoff game away from tying Magic Johnson’s record of 157.
LeBron James, who suffered cramps with four minutes left in the fourth, paced the heat with 25 points, and six rebounds.
James left the Heat bench with more than a minute in the game to nurse his cramps in the Heat locker room.
Danny Green rode the hot temperatures, heating up in the final moments of the fourth quarter, scoring eight straight points on two back-to-back threes and a fastbreak dunk that posterized the Heat’s Rashard Lewis.
Bosh, started off hot for the Heat, scoring the defending champions’ first five points, but Ginobili, who came off the bench, staged a personal rally hitting three straight three-pointers in the first quarter and dishing one assist for a Patty Mills three towards the end of the first period.
During the game, the air-conditioning system of the AT&T Center malfunctioned, elevating temperatures to 32o Celsius.
Game 2 is on Monday (Manila time) at 8 a.m.
Box Scores:
SPURS 110- Duncan 21, Parker 19, Ginobili 16, Splitter 14, Green 13, Leonard 9, Belinelli 9, Mills 7, Diaw 2.
HEAT 95- James 25, Wade 19, Bosh 18, Allen 16, Lewis 10, Chalmers 3, Andersen 2, Cole 2
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