Miami’s only hope of keeping their series with San Antonio, and their season, alive was to make a basket from beyond the three point line and LeBron James tried his luck.

The ball bounced out off the backboard, Chris Bosh grabbed it and zipped it to Allen, who with his trademark nonchalance effortlessly made the shot and forced the game into overtime.

“When I saw CB get the ball, I just back pedaled right to the three-point line and I was hoping I was where I needed to be. But I wasn’t quite sure,” said the 37-year-old Allen.

“But just from years of shooting, I got to my spot. It is going to be a shot that I am going to remember for a long time.

“There are a lot of shots that I have made in my career but this will go high up in the ranks because of that situation,” he added.

Allen’s modesty led him to acknowledge that the Heat had survived with their 103-100 overtime victory to force a Game Seven with some good fortune.

“I’ve known my whole career that sometimes you just get lucky. When you win championships, it involves a little luck. That right there was luck shining on our side,” he said.

After Bosh grabbed the rebound, James screamed at him for a second chance but not surprisingly was cool about the decision to pass to Allen.

“If it’s not me taking the shot, I have no problem with Ray taking that shot. He’s got ice water in his veins,” James said.

“Ray can be 0-99 in a game and if he gets an open look late in the game, it’s going down.

“That’s just the confidence he has in himself. It is the way he prepares for every game and the belief we have in him. We have seen it before.

“We are happy to have him on our side and this is the reason why we wanted him in games like this.”

The game will go down as one of the finest in the NBA Finals and James said it was certainly the greatest he had been involved in.

“It was by far the best game I’ve ever been a part of. The ups and downs, the roller coaster, the emotions, good and bad through the whole game.

“I’m happy about the way we dug down were able to get a win. It didn’t look like we could muster it up at some points in the game.

In the latter stages of the play-offs Miami have been unable to find the consistency that was the hallmark of their regular season, where they won 27 games in one stretch, but James was unperturbed by that criticism.

“I really don’t care how the hell we have played so far,” he said.

“We could have played the six worst games of our lives but now we have got Game Seven on our floor.

“Thursday is all for the marbles”.

(Editing by Greg Stutchbury)

Miami trailed by 13 points in the third quarter but LeBron James, ditching his trademark headband, turned on the afterburners to spark a Heat fightback.

San Antonio were not about to roll over under the weight of the onslaught, however, rallying to eke out a five-point lead with 28.2 seconds remaining as the championship ribbons were being prepared for them courtside.

James cut the deficit with a vital three-pointer and San Antonio’s Kawhi Leonard could only sink one of his two free throws to give Miami a glimmer of hope as they trailed by just three points in the closing seconds.

Ray Allen then took center stage, finding the basket with his first successful three-point attempt of the night with five seconds remaining to send the game into overtime.

“It’s going to be a shot that I remember for a long time. This will go high up in the ranks because of that situation,” Allen told reporters.

Then, with the Heat trailing 100-97 in overtime, Allen and James were again decisive, sinking jump shots before San Antonio’s Manu Ginobili turned the ball over while driving towards the basket.

Former Boston Celtics Allen guard then completed a memorable performance by keeping his cool to drain two free throws to give Miami a three-point lead they would not relinquish.

“It was by far the best game I’ve ever been a part of,” said four-time MVP James. “I’m blessed to be a part of this.”

CROWD-SILENCING RUN

The contest had been nip-and-tuck throughout the first two quarters with 37-year-old Tim Duncan showing the consistency and accuracy that has helped carry the Spurs to four titles since 1999 as he shot 11-of-13 from the floor to tally 25 points by halftime.

The Spurs ended the half with a crowd-silencing run to lead by six at the interval with Duncan outscoring the entire Miami Big Three of James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh, who had combined for just 21 first-half points.

The game started to drift away from Miami in the third and the Spurs ended the quarter with a 10-point lead as they closed in on a potential fifth NBA title.

With their season and some might say legacy on the line, Miami battled back in the fourth, with a brilliant block from James on Duncan, which the MVP immediately followed up with a basket to bring the game level at 82-82.

But James was so nearly the villain with two costly turnovers in the final stages of the fourth quarter, allowing the Spurs to get back in front as some fans began to leave the arena, convinced Miami’s season was over.

Those fans were soon rushing back to their seats though ,as James and Allen forced overtime and Miami kept alive their hope of winning back-to-back titles.

“It was a hell of a game… a hell of game,” San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich said.

“It was an overtime game. It’s a game of mistakes and they ended up on the winning side.”

Game Seven will be played in Miami on Thursday and a drained Heat coach Erik Spoelstra was clearly thrilled at the prospect of a title showdown.

“If you said when we started our (pre-season) trip to China if we could decide this season with a Game Seven in our building, every single one of us take it.

“They are the best two words in team sports – Game Seven.”

(Editing by John O’Brien)

The Spurs ended their run of three home games with an explosive 114-104 win over Miami on Sunday to go 3-2 up in the best-of-seven series, and history suggests that gives them the edge.

In Finals series tied 2-2, the team that won game five went on to win the NBA title on 20 of 27 occasions.

But the Heat have a stat of their own to cling to – they haven’t lost two games in a row since early January.

And, if Miami were to survive until a winner-takes-all final game on Thursday, they would do so knowing that of the 17 NBA Finals that went to a Game Seven, the home team has won 14 of them.

“You can’t win a game with a statistic. You’ve got to win it on the court,” said Miami head coach Erik Spoelstra, who now needs his ‘Big Three’ of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh to deliver together after each going through some troubles in the playoffs.

San Antonio, with Danny Green breaking the record for the most three-pointers in a Finals series (25-38) and veterans Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili showing their class in their search for their fourth titles, will be ready for the pressure.

“Obviously you want to finish in the first opportunity you get,” Parker said. “We understand that Miami is going to come out with a lot of energy and they’re going to play better at home. They’re going to shoot the ball better. Their crowd is going to be behind them.

“I think for us as a team you need to finish as soon as you can. We did that against the Lakers and Golden State and Memphis this year. So hopefully we can do the same thing.”

(Reporting by Simon Evans, editing by Stephen Wood)

The risk of not having a LeBron centered gameplan is obvious. Let him get to the paint and he can destroy you single-handedly.

But the conundrum is this: focus your defense on stopping James and you risk giving open shots to his team-mates, who on Sunday delivered in style in the second half.

Spurs point guard Tony Parker acknowledged the team will have to sit down and decide whether to try the same approach again when the series resumes on Tuesday in San Antonio.

“We’ll talk with the coaching staff and see if we’re going to keep doing that,” said the Frenchman.

“Obviously LeBron is unbelievable. He’s going to score. But right now the other players they are playing great, too. So we can’t have both. We’ll see.”

With the series now tied at 1-1, the Spurs begin their three game home stretch in the best of seven series with plenty to ponder.

San Antonio now knows full well that the likes of Mario Chalmers, who top scored with 19 points in Game Two and Ray Allen and Mike Miller, whose three-pointers helped Miami speed away on a 33-5 run, can punish them even when James is struggling.

After the first three quarters James had just eight points on 3-13 shooting.

James started to find his rhythm mid-way through the third but Spurs’ shooting guard Manu Ginobili doesn’t believe that was why his team were blown away.

“I think LeBron is the type of player you have to pay a lot of attention to, and it’s not something that happens that often that he scores less than 20,” Ginobili said.

“But I don’t think that was the difference why they beat us so badly in the second half. In their run, it was Chalmers who scored. We turned the ball over.

“So it wasn’t just LeBron attacking us. It was just the whole Miami team was killing us. We couldn’t get anything going offensively, they got confident and they started to move the ball and rotations were late.

“It wasn’t that he just turned it on. It was Miami that turned it on,” added the Argentine.

James heard plenty of talk after Game One about how he needed to be more aggressive or playing a more central role in Miami’s offense, and while Sunday’s result spoke for itself, the four-time league most valuable player still managed a reply to his critics.

“I don’t really read into it when people want more of me or whatever the case may be. I will continue to find my shooters, if they’re open and I will continue to try to put pressure on the defense,” he said.

“If I draw two, I’ll find my shooters. I have confidence they’re going to knock them down. They did that tonight. Ray, Mike Miller, Rio (Chalmers) made big plays after big plays for us.

“I know I attract a lot of attention. This team has been set up the right way where, when I do attract attention, we have guys that can make plays,” he said.

(Editing by Gene Cherry)

“If you had asked me before heading to Miami I would have said okay, I’ll take it. Winning one and losing the other by 20, not a big deal. I’ll take it,” he told reporters.

“But once you win the first one, you forget about that. Odds are over and you face a new game as if it’s a Game Seven and you want to win it, too. Knowing full well that they were going to come hard, they were going to play a better game.

“But we were expecting to do better, that’s the frustrating part,” he added.

Miami went on a 33-5 run in the second half as the Spurs failed to get to grips with the Heat offense and struggled to convert their own chances.

Ginobili said Miami’s comprehensive win would infuse them with confidence.

“Sure if you look at the result, 1‑1, it’s not bad. But you don’t want to play like this in an NBA Finals,” he said. “You don’t want to give them that much confidence, and you don’t want to be feeling bad about yourself.

“In the second half they just ran us over. We didn’t move the ball at all. Their pressure really got us on our heels.”

San Antonio’s ‘Big Three’ of Ginobili, Tony Parker and Tim Duncan combined for just 10 of 33, with only 27 points between them.

The Argentine said that had to change. Quickly.

“For sure Tim, Tony and me, we have to step up and play much better,” he added. “We have basically no shot at winning a game against them if none of us play good.”

Game Three is on Tuesday in San Antonio, the first of three games scheduled for Texas.

(Reporting By Simon Evans)

On a night when the San Antonio Spurs double-teamed LeBron James, limiting him to eight points in the opening three quarters, Chalmers made his mark with a game-high 19 points on 6-of-12 shooting as Miami romped to a 103-84 win.

“You can’t teach that quality – the big game guts,” Miami coach Erik Spoelstra told reporters after the Game Two triumph.

“Mario has got guts. Come on. He had that all the way in college. He’s got incredible confidence in his game. He’s shown that throughout the years, even when it is sometimes – I wouldn’t say irrational,” the coach added.

Playing alongside big names James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh was not for the weak-hearted, said Spoelstra.

“You have to have guts to play with our guys. If you don’t, you get swallowed up. The good thing about it is that the other guys were fine with him making plays – that might be different in the next game. But him being aggressive helps us, no question,” he added.

Chalmers also provided some vital work on defense for Miami, effectively guarding Tony Parker, who had been such a handful in Game One, and limiting him to 13 points on 5-of-14 shooting.

“He has to play a big role for us in multiple facets,” James said.

“He is guarding arguably the best point guard in the league but I think he also has to make Tony work on the defensive end. He can’t be passive.

“We ran a lot of pick and rolls between the two of us and I told him to keep attacking and let’s try to push this lead up and go for the kill – and we were able to do that,” the league MVP added.

Chalmers said Miami’s second half 33-5 run did more than just win the game.

“We wanted to put them away and send them a message, and we did a good job, everybody, of stepping up.”

(Editing by John O’Brien)

It was a total team effort from Miami, and they needed it with LeBron James (17 points) not at his explosive best. Four other Heat players stepped up to reach double figures – Mario Chalmers top scoring with 19.

San Antonio’s ‘Big Three’ of Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili and Tim Duncan combined were just 10 for 33, with Duncan’s 3-13 shooting his worst in an NBA Finals game.

“They outplayed us,” said Duncan, “We didn’t play well, we didn’t shoot well and I know I played awfully.”

After a first half that mirrored the tight nature of Game One, with San Antonio’s Danny Green scoring four of four three-pointers, Miami broke away in the third and headed into the final quarter with a 75-65 lead.

League MVP James was strangely ineffective on offensive, however, managing just eight points on three of 13 shooting through three quarters and missing a couple of routine lay-ups.

However, he came alive late in the third and carried a more aggressive approach through the fourth as Miami finally produced the offensive power that was the hallmark of their form until the Finals.

“When I was struggling offensively, my team mates continued to keep it in range and we even had the lead,” said James.

“I think Rio (Chalmers) more than anybody kept us aggressive … it allowed me to sit back and wait for my time,” he added.

NO EXCUSES

Miami’s devastating 33-5 run put the game well beyond San Antonio, whose coach Gregg Popovich opted to play the final portion of the fourth quarter with reserves on the court.

Ray Allen and Mike Miller each chipped in a trio of three pointers for the Heat while Chris Andersen went three of three shooting for nine points.

James, who like Miami’s other starters also sat out the latter minutes, finished with 17 points, eight rebounds and seven assists but before taking his rest, he brought the crowd to their feet with a stunning block on a Tiago Splitter dunk.

San Antonio’s Game One standout Tony Parker was handled superbly by Chalmers and limited to 13 points on 5-14 shooting.

After committing only four turnovers in Game One, the Spurs gave up 16 on Sunday. Parker, who was without a single turnover on Thursday, conceded five.

Spurs head coach Popovich said there was no question of fatigue and no excuses for his team’s performance.

“Miami did a hell of a job. Nobody is tired, we had two days off, there’s no excuse. The season does get long for both teams but they would both rather be here than at home.

“So it’s not about tired. It’s about Miami played their ass off,” he added.

Game Three is on Tuesday in San Antonio, the first of three games in Texas before the series returns – if needed – to Miami for the final two games.

(Editing by Peter Rutherford)

After Fernando Torres went close with a spectacular volley, Vicente del Bosque’s team grabbed the lead in the eighth minute with a low drive from 25 yards by Santi Cazorla.

The Spaniards doubled their advantage in the 19th minute when Juan Mata chipped the ball to Cesc Fabregas who glanced in a header.

It looked likely to be a very one-sided game with Spain strolling around and Haiti, who have struggled in recent years in CONCACAF competition, chasing the ball in the heat and humidity.

Spain introduced Barcelona midfielders Andres Iniesta and Xavi in the second half but Haiti stuck at the task and delighted their fans in the 36,535 crowd at Sun Life Stadium with a goal in the 76th minute.

The ball fell to left back Wilde-Donald Guerrier who showed electric pace and great composure to burst past the Spanish defence, round substitute keeper Pepe Reina and slot home.

It was just reward for Haiti’s efforts but Spain kept their cool in the final minutes to ensure they avoided a potentially embarrassing scoreline.

The Spaniards play another friendly, against Ireland on Tuesday at New York’s Yankee Stadium, before heading to the Confederations Cup in Brazil where they will face Uruguay, Nigeria and Tahiti in Group B.

(Editing by Ed Osmond)

After Fernando Torres went close with a spectacular volley, Vicente del Bosque’s team grabbed the lead in the eighth minute with a low drive from 25 yards by Santi Cazorla.

The Spaniards doubled their advantage in the 19th minute when Juan Mata chipped the ball to Cesc Fabregas who glanced in a header.

It looked likely to be a very one-sided game with Spain strolling around and Haiti, who have struggled in recent years in CONCACAF competition, chasing the ball in the heat and humidity.

Spain introduced Barcelona midfielders Andres Iniesta and Xavi in the second half but Haiti stuck at the task and delighted their fans in the 36,535 crowd at Sun Life Stadium with a goal in the 76th minute.

The ball fell to left back Wilde-Donald Guerrier who showed electric pace and great composure to burst past the Spanish defence, round substitute keeper Pepe Reina and slot home.

It was just reward for Haiti’s efforts but Spain kept their cool in the final minutes to ensure they avoided a potentially embarrassing scoreline.

The Spaniards play another friendly, against Ireland on Tuesday at New York’s Yankee Stadium, before heading to the Confederations Cup in Brazil where they will face Uruguay, Nigeria and Tahiti in Group B. (Editing by Ed Osmond)

“It’s very urgent. Obviously you don’t want to go down 0‑2 going to San Antonio for three straight games,” said the Miami guard after practice on Saturday. “Odds are not that good. They are not in our favor.

“We’re not a team that really says too much, but this is a must‑win game. For us we have to win this game at home. We have to come out and play a lot better and we have to also expect San Antonio to play a lot better, shoot a lot better, a little bit better from what they did from Game One,” he added.

The Spurs won that game 92-88 with a strong fourth quarter performance after the Heat led for most of the game and Wade expects another tight encounter.

“After the first game when you come and you feel each other out, now you start to get a little understanding of what guys want to do and are going to do. So it will be a more competitive game, it will be a tougher game than even the first one,” he said.

Miami came back from losing Game One in last year’s finals to beat the Oklahoma City Thunder 4-1 and they did the same in round two of this year’s playoffs against Chicago and coach Erik Spoelstra believes his team has the experience to handle an early setback.

“There’s a maturity with this group. It’s not a guarantee, we don’t take that for granted but our guys get angry,” he said.

“They own it. We all own it together and then we just work together to try to get better. So we know that we’re playing against a very good basketball team. We have to bounce back and play a better game,” he said, adding that there is little room for error against a team of San Antonio’s quality and pedigree.

“We played three quarters very competitively and then faded in the fourth and that’s probably the deal with this series.

“We have great respect for them. We’re in a hole right now that we need to get out of,” Spoelstra said.

League most valuable player LeBron James was held to 18 points in Game One, although he did put up a triple double, but he has faced calls to be more aggressive – words he isn’t paying much attention to.

“I don’t really read too much of what people say,” James said. “I do what’s best for the team. What’s best for the team, it doesn’t always result in a win.

“I wish we could go 16‑0 in the playoffs. That would be awesome. There’s challenges that come from the game. You learn from game to game in ways that you can get better. I want to win just as bad as anyone.

“I’m going to put myself and my team in a position to win. I have to try to make the plays. I can’t worry about if people are saying, you should have done more, you should have been more aggressive, because you got a loss. Winning and losing is part of the game,” he said.

(Reporting By Simon Evans, editing by Gene Cherry)