Report Card: San Antonio Spurs (55-18) vs Miami Heat (58-15)

Mar 31, 2013; San Antonio, TX, USA; San Antonio Spurs forward Tim Duncan (21) reacts during the second half against the Miami Heat at the AT

The look from Tim Duncan (picture above) tells the way the game went, Sunday night against the Miami Heat.  In “if you can do it, so can I”, referring to sitting of star players, Erick Spoelstra about an hour or so before tip of stated that LeBron James and Dwyane Wade were not going to be playing do to “injuries”.

Touche’ Miami Heat, Touche’.

As many of you saw the game, it did not matter for the Heat if they played, the referee’s took their spot.  This was in all my years of watching and attending a Spurs game, the worse that I have ever seen in officiated.

Enough of that, Chris Bosh, who showed the “this is my team (for now)” attitude hit a three at the top of the key to lift the Heat over the Spurs 88 to 86.

The Spurs got 17 points and 12 rebounds from Duncan, but his miss of a turnaround from inside 10 feet opened the door for Miami to take the ball down the court without calling timeout to set up the play for Bosh.

Parker added 12 points, but he badly missed a jumper from about 10 feet that could have won the game at the buzzer. Ginobili did not play because of a hamstring strain from Friday’s victory over the Clippers.

THE STAT: Without James or Wade driving inside, the Spurs outscored Miami 46-18 in the paint. But San Antonio failed to take

Mar 31, 2013; San Antonio, TX, USA; San Antonio Spurs guard Danny Green (4) drives to the basket against Miami Heat forward Chris Andersen (right) and center Chris Bosh (left) during the second half at the AT

advantage when Miami converted 17 turnovers into 20 points; San Antonio scored nine points off turnovers.

TURNING POINT: Shane Battier had been turned twice in the second half with baseline drives that ended in dunks by Kawhi Leonard, who scored 17 points and had 11 rebounds. Trailing by a point with 2 ½ minutes to go, the Heat saw San Antonio going in for another layup when Danny Green broke loose. But Battier came over on help defense and blocked the shot. When it looked like the Spurs would get the loose ball, Battier reached up and got a hand on it while still down on the floor to force a turnover. The Heat did not convert that time, but it showed they had plenty of fight left in a close game.

HOT: Battier hit a 3-pointer late in the third that helped the Heat erase a seven-point Spurs advantage to start the quarter into a seven-point Miami lead at the end of it. He finished the game shooting 2-for-4 from the 3-point line and is 7-for-13 from that distance in the last three games.

NOT: The Heat did not have its prolific backcourt, but the Spurs starting guards didn’t outshine anyone tonight. Parker and Green shot 8-for-20 from the floor and Parker missed all three of his 3-point tries.

NOTABLE:  With Ginobili out, Stephen Jackson filled in from the bench for San Antonio with 11 points off 5-for-8 shooting in 14 ½ minutes.

UP NEXT:  For the Spurs, Monday @ Memphis, Wednesday vs. Orlando, Thursday @ Oklahoma City.

REPORT CARD

PG Tony Parker | 12 points, 4-of-14 shooting, 8 assists, 5 rebounds, 36 minutes

Parker has been playing great basketball since coming back from his injury.  I thought he would continue that against a depleted Miami Heat team.  He scored just 12 points in 36 minutes and did not seem to get into a rhythm on the offensive side of the ball.  His shot at the end of regulation to try and force the game into the overtime summed up his shooting as he hit the top of the backboard.

GRADE:  D+

SG Danny Green | 12 points, 4-of-14 shooting, 3-of-9 3point, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 4 fouls, 31 minutes

He nailed a couple of big threes down the stretch to keep the team in the game.  Just like Parker, he hit just four out of 14 from the floor as well, most of his points coming from behind the arc.  As we all know, Green is a up and down shooter.  He still hasn’t had that break out game that most of us are hanging on to seeing from him.  He is active on the defensive end but we need him on both sides of the ball.

GRADE:  D+

SF Kawhi Leonard | 17 points, 8-of-13 shooting, 11 rebounds, 2 steals, 37 minutes

Mar 31, 2013; San Antonio, TX, USA; San Antonio Spurs forward Kawhi Leonard (2) drives to the basket while guarded by Miami Heat forward Rashard Lewis (9) during the first half at the AT

The one Spur that seemed to have the energy and the will to win on Sunday night.  Kawhi was doing his high flying act throwing down some one handed dunks and as he does, playing good defense against the Heat.  I was really looking forward to seeing Leonard on LeBron James but we all know that story.  Leonard grabbed 11 rebounds to go along with his 17 points.

GRADE:  B

PF Tim Duncan | 17 points, 8-of-15 shooting, 12 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 blocks, 35 minutes

“Old realiable” is what we all need to start calling Timmeh.  Down the stretch the Spurs went to him time and time again and he made things happen.  He got the crowd back into the game and I felt then, that we could win this game.  He finished with another double-double and also had 2 blocks in 35 minutes of play.

GRADE:  B

C Tiago Splitter | 7 points, 2-of-4 shooting, 10 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, 28 minutes

Not very affective on the offensive end as the bigs of the Miami Heat knew Splitter’s go-to moves when down on the block.  They did a good job dropping down when Splitter would receive the ball down on the block.  I still like how is game is developing.  He has come a long way since his first game.  In 28 minutes he grabbed 10 rebounds while scoring 7 points.

GRADE:  C-

Stephen Jackson | 11 points, 5-of-8 shooting, 1 rebound, 1 assist, 14 minutes

Jackson was key for the Spurs off of the bench.  I was hoping that he could of got more minutes as his physical play is what the Spurs needed against the Miami Heat.  A couple of his baskets down the stretch should of been an ‘And 1’, but it wasn’t, we go on, and so does he.  He has always been a favorite of mine, and when it doesn’t seem things are going our way, the team is getting beat up, I always say put Jax in, he will throw a few bows here and there, everything will be alright.

GRADE: B

Gary Neal | 5 points, 2-of-8 shooting, 1-of-5 3point, 2 assists, 18 minutes

His first game back against the Clippers he had himself a good return.  Against the Heat, he went to shooting, shooting, and more shooting.  I understand this is what the guy does, but he has to look at how the game is going and not just launching threes.  When he penetrates and then finds a teammate, things happen.  He needs to realize he does not always have to take the game in his hands.  It is just frustrating.

GRADE: F

Boris Diaw | 2 points, 1-of-2 shooting, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 18 minutes

It is good to have a big man that knows his role.  Coming off of the bench, Diaw does not do more than he has to.  He lets the offense come to him and looks for his teammates.  He is a great passer.  Spurs do not look for him to score much when he is in the game, it is what he does through the offense, on the defensive end that makes him a good player.

GRADE: C+