Spurs Lead Heat 47-40 At Halftime Of Game 5
SAN ANTONIO (AP) — The San Antonio Spurs rebounded from a dismal start to take a 47-40 lead at halftime of Game 5 of the NBA Finals on Sunday night, leaving them two quarters from a fifth championship.
Kawhi Leonard scored 15 points and Manu Ginobili had 14 for the Spurs, who trailed 22-6 to open the game and didn't take their first lead until there were less than 5 minutes remaining in the half during a 14-0 run.
LeBron James scored 20 points or the Heat but only three in the second quarter, and wasn't getting much help. Dwyane Wade had eight points, but Chris Bosh had just four.
No team has overcome a 3-1 deficit in the NBA Finals, but the Heat had won their last five games when facing elimination and were confident they would keep this season, and their two-year title reign, going. Bosh said earlier Sunday that the Heat were going to win.
It appeared they would do it easily the way the game started, with James coming out with force on offense and shutting down Tony Parker on defense.
But the Spurs ran off 14 straight points to turn a 35-28 deficit into a 42-35 on a ferocious drive and dunk by Ginobili over Bosh.
The Heat were trying to force a Game 6 in Miami on Tuesday night.
The teams split the first two games before the Spurs won Games 3 and 4 in Miami by a combined 40 points, becoming the first team to win consecutive finals road games by 15 or more points.
Fans were standing long before the start of this one, but the Spurs didn't give them anything to cheer once it started.
San Antonio missed its first six shots and 11 of its first 12, and Miami had a 22-6 lead when Ray Allen, inserted into the starting lineup for struggling Mario Chalmers, made a 3-pointer with 5:05 remaining in the first quarter.
The Spurs answered with 12 straight points, but James nailed a deep 3-pointer to steady the Heat, who took a 29-22 lead to the second.
Parker was scoreless and had missed all seven shots. Fellow starting guard Danny Green was 0 for 4 and also scoreless.