Check out our first quarter recap of tonight's Game 2 of the NBA Finals.
The Miami Heat had a very tough first quarter, turning the ball over five times while allowing the San Antonio Spurs to shoot 57.9% from the field. The Spurs also turned the ball over five times, but the Heat couldn't capitalize - as the Spurs held a 26-19 edge after the first twelve minutes.
Things didn't get much better returning from the break, as the Spurs' Patty Mills cut in for a gorgeous layup in the first 20 seconds to stretch the lead the nine. Dwyane Wade clanked an 18-footer in response, followed by the Spurs extending the lead to eleven on a bad defensive series for Miami. Chris "Birdman"Anderson pulled down a defensive rebound and then promptly stepping out of bounds. The Heat then looked completely lost on the inbounds, leaving Ginobli open for a quick deuce from mid-range.
With the game looking to get out of hand, Ray Allen reminded everybody what he does for a living, hitting a wide-open 25-foot triple to cut the lead to eight. An irate Gregg Popovich would then call a full timeout, with the Spurs leading 30-22 at the 9:38 mark.
The pace of the game picked up considerably after the break, yet each team went completely dormant shooting-wise with turnover after turnover for 75 seconds. This was only interrupted after Dwyane Wade picked an easy transition basket on a steal to cut the lead to six.
The lead would drop to two almost right away, as the Spurs missed two rushed shots which were each quickly followed by an aggressive drive and finish by LeBron James for the easy bucket. 9-0 Heat run.
San Antonio's Boris Diaw would pull off the old one-man routine to extend the lead back to four, missing a layup and a tip-in before pulling down his own board and dropping in the jumper. The Heat would then take a full timeout with 7:15 left in the half. Spurs led 32-28 with Tim Duncan leading all scorers (11 points).
Ray Allen missed a 25-footer after the commercials, but Matt Bonner picks up a loose ball foul to hand the rock right back to the Heat. Manu Ginobli would pick up his own loose ball foul right after, giving the Heat a third try to score - something which LeBron James made sure to capitalize on, finishing hard at the rim with a two-hand jam. Deficit down to two.
Tony Parker is hacked in the act of shooting on the Spurs' next possession, hitting one of two at the line to bring the lead back to three. Chalmers got bumped by Parker on the ensuing Heat touch, however, hitting one of his two to bring us right back to a two-point game.
A Tim Duncan technical(?!?!) gives the Heat a quick point and the ball. The Heat would miss the first shot on their next touch, but LeBron James continued to assert himself at the rim - picking up the offensive rebound and putting home the follow to give the Heat a 34-33 lead with 5:07 left.
The Spurs had a four-point answer though - picking up a point on a James Jones three-seconds in the key technical, and then another three on a dead-eye Manu Ginobli jumper. Spurs up by 3.
Controversy would reign on the Heat's counter possession, as what looked like an embellishment on Dwyane Wade's part handed Manu Ginobli is third foul. Wade would hit both free throws to cut the lead back to one.
Tony Parker, as he seems to do for three-to-four stretches in almost every game, took over the next minute first with a 19-foot two-pointer on a Diaw give, and then on one of his trademark body control lay-ins through a sea of defenders. Spurs take a 41-36 lead into the officials' timeout with 2:47 left.
The Heat jumped right into their cycle offense after the ads, passing it around the perimeter while looking for an in. Wade found it, getting to the hoop and finding Chris Bosh for a flush barreling down the lane. Bosh was also hacked in the process, turning it into a three-point play.
Tony Parker and LeBron James trade easy twos down low, with James' look coming on a great pass from Wade. After Parker missed a 19-footer on the Spurs' next trip down, Wade tied the game all by himself with a board and a 9-foot laser. 43-43 tie.
In the final possession of the half, the Spurs had two good looks at a score, but a Duncan put-back with time expiring would not fall. Game tied at 43 at the half.
Back to the Miami Heat Newsfeed