NBA Finals Game 4 at Miami's American Airlines Arena
San Antonio Spurs (2-1) vs Miami Heat (1-2)
We'll use your contributions throughout the liveblog! Email your questions, comments, jokes and predictions to Hunter.Felt@theguardian.com
Or tweet them to @HunterFelt
11.50pm ET
As David Bowie would have it, "This ain't playoff basketball, this is genocide."
Player of the game? Tim Duncan, who with tonight's record-breaking feats might be inching past Kobe Bryant as the best player of his generation. One more win would do wonders for that argument. It could very well be on Sunday, when Game 5 kicks off in San Antonio's AT&T Center (no matter what the air conditioner status might be). We'll be covering it here at the Guardian live, hopefully you'll join us. Thanks to all who followed along with this liveblog, especially those who contributed, that'll be the end of this from our end. Ciao!
11.45pm ET
@HunterFelt guess we done here....2 words for the heat "utter humiliation" Didn't envision such afinal.
Stunning. This is a great Miami Heat team. This might be a HISTORICAL Spurs team, I can't even exaggerate. I'm devastated, personally, I was hoping for a seven-game series, or at least my checking account was. That looks doubtful now.
11.43pm ET
The Spurs are now 3-1 and heading back home for Sunday's Game 5. Which could very well be the end of this series. Shockingly.
11.42pm ET
More random people I don't care about and you don't care about make or miss shots. I'm not going to bore you here. IT'S OVER! SPURS WIN AGAIN!
11.40pm ET
Spurs 102-80 Heat, 1:19 remaining, 4th quarter
Cory Joseph layup. Jones three-pointer. The so called "Jeff Aynes," risking his anonymity in the Witness Protection Program gets on the free throw line, on national television, and hits one of two.
11.38pm ET
Spurs 99-77 Heat, 2:02 remaining, 4th quarter
Aron Baynes! James Jones! Toney Douglas! Jeff Ayres!
11.36pm ET
Spurs 97-75 Heat, 2:58 remaining, 4th quarter
Miami Heat take a timeout. Cory Joseph is in the game. So yeah. We're done here.
11.34pm ET
Spurs 97-75 Heat, 2:58 remaining, 4th quarter
Bosh layup. Marco Belinelli, hey long time no see, makes a layup and Duncan gets another assist here. What a me firs stats hog right?
11.32pm ET
Spurs 95-73 Heat, 3:38 remaining, 4th quarter
Popovich still takes out Ginobili, it doesn't matter what Manu says. He's keeping his guys healthy here. And, yep, here comes out Kawhi Leonard too.
11.31pm ET
Spurs 95-73 Heat, 3:47 remaining, 4th quarter
HURRY UP PLEASE IT'S TIME
11.29pm ET
Spurs 93-71 Heat, 5:03 remaining, 4th quarter
Oh, and Tim Duncan now has the most double-doubles in playoff history, 158, beating out Magic Johnson. Holy heck, Magic freaking Johnson.
11.28pm ET
Spurs 93-71 Heat, 5:03 remaining, 4th quarter
I really didn't see the NBA Finals going like this... http://t.co/3zICHF3cjV #SpursVsHeat live! with @HunterFelt
11.26pm ET
Spurs 93-71 Heat, 5:30 remaining, 4th quarter
Nope. Leonard makes a jumper, Diaw assists on Duncan on a layup. Duncan has a double-double. We're done here. The rest is stats padding.
11.25pm ET
Spurs 89-71 Heat, 6:26 remaining, 4th quarter
Ray Allen makes a 12 footer. Bosh makes a jumper. Can the Heat get some momentum for a final big run here?
11.24pm ET
Spurs 89-67 Heat, 7:24 remaining, 4th quarter
Wade makes the second and Ginobili fouls again, only his fourth but feels like dozens. Miami get the ball back and they so need it.
11.22pm ET
Spurs 89-66 Heat, 7:37 remaining, 4th quarter
Wade still looking shaky on the line after getting fouled by Ginobili, misses the first of two free throws. Heat take a 20 second time out.
11.21pm ET
Spurs 89-66 Heat, 7:47 remaining, 4th quarter
And then Mills takes a charger to get the ball back to the Spurs, and is retired for Kawhi Leonard. With that, LeBron is back as well.
11.19pm ET
Spurs 87-66 Heat, 8:45 remaining, 4th quarter
The Heat have memories of Game 6, they know what KG knows anything is possible.
11.18pm ET
Spurs 84-66 Heat, 9:04 remaining, 4th quarter
James still on the bench, Miami have been having some luck with this smaller Wade/Haslem old-school Heat line up.
11.17pm ET
Spurs 84-66 Heat, 9:04 remaining, 4th quarter
Aram sums up what may be the current state of the Heat fan
@LengelDavid @HunterFelt the masshole frontrunners be like, 4 years, and 4 finals appearances later, we gotcha! well all credit to spurs
11.15pm ET
Spurs 84-66 Heat, 9:04 remaining, 4th quarter
Wade hits one from ten feet and that's a 7-0 run by Miami and the Spurs call a timeout. Interesting.
11.14pm ET
Spurs 84-64 Heat, 9:32 remaining, 4th quarter
Fifth foul on Danny Green, another shard of hope for Miami. Wade gets fouled almost, but not quite, on the three-point lead. He makes one of two free throws.
11.12pm ET
Spurs 84-63 Heat,10:14 remaining, 4th quarter
Chalmers dishes an assist to Wade to cut down the Heat score by two and then, well then, Haslem actually does something offensively. Wade passes to Haslem for a dunk and it's 2006 all over again in Miami!
11.11pm ET
Spurs 84-59 Heat,11:18 remaining, 4th quarter
Haslem in the game now, my predicted lineup is starting to form here.
11.09pm ET
Spurs 81-59 Heat,11:34 remaining, 4th quarter
Andersen makes a layup (that's good!) and then picks up his fifth foul and has to be replaced (that's ungood!).
11.08pm ET
Dear Narrative Creators:
End of 3Q: Spurs 81, Heat 57. LeBron has 28 points, rest of Heat have 29. #NBA
11.06pm ET
Man, this is great. Isn't this great? @hunterfelt
Oh my stars yes. Watching the Spurs these last two games is like watching basketball be played as close to perfect as humanly possible.
11.05pm ET
Andersen fouls Kawhi Leonard on what the Miami Heat faithful are CONVINCED is a clean block. They gotta have something to hold to on after that third quarter. Leonard makes one of two free throws and that'll do it for the scoring in the third quarter. Do we even need a fourth quarter here?
11.03pm ET
Spurs 80-57 Heat, :47 remaining, 3rd quarter
LeBron James now has 19 points in the quarter after a three-point shot, but he's the entire team now. Then Tiago Spillter dunks and the Spurs bench applauds in response. We are in "so much blood" territory for the home team.
11.01pm ET
Spurs 78-54 Heat, 1:31 remaining, 3rd quarter
Technical on Chris Andersen, but Ginobili misses the resulting free throw. Two free throw misses! Everything's coming up Miami-house!
10.59pm ET
Spurs 76-54 Heat, 2:08 remaining, 3rd quarter
Andersen fouls Parker, it's a shooting foul, and Parker makes one-of-two, which at this point is the best news the Heat have heard in a while.
10.58pm ET
Spurs 75-54 Heat, 2:08 remaining, 3rd quarter
And Kawhi Leonard hits another three-pointer. No this wasn't a copy-and-paste error. James hits a three-pointer in response, and you have to feel he's in "I guess I'll have to do everything myself" mode.
10.56pm ET
Spurs 73-51 Heat, 3:15 remaining, 3rd quarter
Okay Hamilton is inactive, but you get what I'm saying.
10.55pm ET
Spurs 73-49 Heat, 3:47 remaining, 3rd quarter
Kawhi Leonard three pointer and, wow, that's... Oof that seems like a backbreaker as difficult as it to say about this Heat team in just the third quarter. The Miami Heat take a timeout, but it's starting to look like Toney Douglas, Greg Oden, James Jones, Justin Hamilton and Udonis Haslem might play the entire fourth quarter at this rate.
10.53pm ET
Spurs 70-49 Heat, 4:03 remaining, 3rd quarter
Another great pass, this time by Boris Diaw (quietly having a podium game) who gets it to Tim Duncan for a one-hand slam and wow this looks effortless on San Antonio.
10.51pm ET
Spurs 68-49 Heat, 5:31 remaining, 3rd quarter
The crowd is chanting, they know that the Heat have to start thinking clock already and need a run here. Desperately. They get... a foul on Kawhi Leonard. That's a start. James gets free throws, only makes one of two. They're going to need every point here so.
10.48pm ET
Spurs 68-48 Heat, 5:39 remaining, 3rd quarter
I dont even RT @calebjsaenz: BORIS DIAW IS TOO MUCH pic.twitter.com/xtzxn6vIzD
10.48pm ET
Spurs 68-48 Heat, 5:39 remaining, 3rd quarter
What the heck Boris Diaw? Thunderous layup after Ginobili forces Wade into a turnover. Man is someone going to overpay him this offseason. 20 point Spurs lead again and Miami Heat timeout again.
10.46pm ET
Spurs 66-48 Heat, 6:46 remaining, 3rd quarter
Leonard makes a jumper. Foul on Ginobili, with Ray Allen on the ground. Not a flop this time.
10.45pm ET
Spurs 64-48 Heat, 6:46 remaining, 3rd quarter
Wade fouls Diaw, when did he become so enforcer-esque, and Diaw makes one of two free throws.
10.43pm ET
Spurs 63-48 Heat, 7:37 remaining, 3rd quarter
Ginobili, gets this, passes it up, Diaw gets it to Duncan (I know who knew that there would be more passing here) and, of course, Duncan makes his shot.
10.41pm ET
Did I just criticize Gregg Popovich's coaching decisions? In a game where they have a ridiculous lead again? I can not even remember the last time I did that, but a 10-2 Heat run is exactly the opposite of what the Spurs need.
10.40pm ET
Spurs 61-48 Heat, 7:56 remaining, 3rd quarter
Parker fouls LeBron, another good sign for Miami, he needs to make it to the line more. Play inside. Be aggressive. He makes both free throws.
10.38pm ET
Spurs 61-44 Heat, 8:33 remaining, 3rd quarter
Parker makes a jumper, he can make those of course but the Spurs may not want to settle for those here, and Mario Chalmers (there we go) makes a layup to add to the Heat score.
10.37pm ET
Spurs 59-42 Heat, 9:27 remaining, 3rd quarter
LeBron knows he has to take over this half for Miami to have a shot, he makes a nine-footer, he's getting closer to the basket a bad sign for San Antonio, and a driving layup.
10.35pm ET
Spurs 59-38 Heat, 10:34 remaining, 3rd quarter
Just like old times, Wade to James for the layup. Unfortunately, Tony Parker answers right back with a long jumper.
10.34pm ET
We're back! Diaw starts things off immediately for San Antonio with the first shot of the second half.
10.33pm ET
Email from Michael Aston:
Yes indeed Duncan has been quite the quiet giant of the NBA a class act. I love the stoic and cerebral types and Tim just keeps on pushing on. Now that's a role model
10.26pm ET
Oh and here's a fun little fact, Tim Duncan has had himself a nice little career, especially since it's not over yet and, if the Heat keep playing like this, he might have yet another achievement to add to his already impressive list.
Tim Duncan passes Kareem Adul-Jabbar for most playoff minutes all-tme http://t.co/WU0EjEC70I
10.22pm ET
The Splitter dunk
Boris Diaw serves up a SWEET behind-the-back pass to Splitter for the SLAM on ABC #NBARapidReplay http://t.co/AY2fupFasR
10.20pm ET
Toney Douglas playing in a finals game is the equivalent of button mashing in video games.
Toney Douglas is the basketball equivalent of pulling the goalie.
this is embarrassing .. if we're going to play Toney Douglas, why don't we run Greg Oden out there? he can actually do something down low
10.18pm ET
Toney Douglas is one of the top trending topics on Twitter, don't tell me people aren't paying attention to this NBA Finals. Crazy first half, again, for San Antonio. Can the Heat figure out a way to complete a second half comeback tonight, or will this be a repeat of Tuesday's game?
We want to hear your thoughts, just email Hunter.Felt@theguardian.com or tweet at @HunterFelt and we'll incorporate what you have to say to the multi-media mess that is this liveblog.
10.15pm ET
Holy crap, the Spurs are doing it again. Wow.
10.15pm ET
LEBRON JAMES JUST HITS A THREE POINTER AS THE SHOT CLOCK WOUND DOWN. If the Heat can somehow dig themselves out, use that to get come confidence and momentum coming out of halftime, that will loom large. Ginobili misses the last shot of the half.
10.13pm ET
Spurs 55-33 Heat, :56 remaining, 2nd quarter
20 point lead. Again. I guess being battle-tested in the Western Conference rather than the East might have helped him.
10.11pm ET
Spurs 53-33 Heat, 1:36 remaining, 2nd quarter
Ginobili is wide open for a great shot, but he passes to Patty Mills, just in the game, and Mills LANDS a three-pointer. That is Spurs basketball, holy freaking heck. 20 second Heat timeout.
10.10pm ET
Spurs 48-33 Heat, 2:26 remaining, 2nd quarter
Danny Green fouls Dwyane Wade, which brings Pop to take him out after 30 seconds and replaces him with Patty Mills. Wade makes both of his.
10.09pm ET
Spurs 48-31 Heat, 2:33 remaining, 2nd quarter
Wade fouls Leonard, who makes one of two and then...
10.07pm ET
Spurs 46-29 Heat, 3:24 remaining, 2nd quarter
Ray Allen, however, does foul Tim Duncan who gets on the line. He makes one of two free throws. On and FINALLY LeBron gets to the line, maybe the Joey Crawford factor isn't so much happening, he makes one of two.
10.05pm ET
Spurs 44-28 Heat, 4:00 remaining, 2nd quarter
Mario Chalmers, sigh, is not having that night I predicted. Not only can he not stop Tony Parker from an easy bucket, he can't even get a foul call there to make him earn it on the line.
10.04pm ET
Spurs 42-28 Heat, 4:39 remaining, 2nd quarter
Rashard Lewis throws a terrible, terrible Favrian interception that Tim Duncan corrals. Somehow the Heat dodge a bullet and San Antonio can not convert it to points.
10.03pm ET
Spurs 42-28 Heat, 5:20 remaining, 2nd quarter
And more chilling discoveries in American Airlines Arena
@HunterFelt omg and that is matt drudge right next to her
10.00pm ET
Spurs 42-28 Heat, 5:20 remaining, 2nd quarter
Kawhi Leonard throws down a layup right out off of the timeout, that's one way to get the momentum back. As will a Ginobili three-pointer.
9.57pm ET
Spurs 37-28 Heat, 6:26 remaining, 2nd quarter
I am going to send a tweet out to the players telling them not to score when my internet is flickering out. I think that should solve things.
9.57pm ET
Spurs 37-28 Heat, 6:26 remaining, 2nd quarter
Boris Diaw makes a dunk, which leads us into a TV timeout (i.e. time for the second reboot of the laptop). By the time I get running again, all heck as broke lose. A Ray Allen three-pointer, a Tiago Splitter dunk, two Chris Bosh free throws, a Tony Parker two point shot and another Ray Allen three.
9.50pm ET
Spurs 31-20 Heat, 9:25 remaining, 2nd quarter
Norris Cole, one of the Heat role players that's been mostly faultless this series, makes a two-pointer. Miami needed that. Then Chris Andersen gets fouled by Patty Mills,makes only one of two free throws.
9.45pm ET
Spurs 31-17 Heat, 10:49 remaining, 2nd quarter
And then Diaw steals from Wade and on that possession, he gets it to Patty Mills (who's been a fine distributor this series, like the whole team really) who dishes out to Danny Green from way outside who knocks down another one of those threes that he can hit from time-to-time (upgrades to always-to-always for the Finals).
9.44pm ET
Spurs 28-17 Heat, 11:41 remaining, 2nd quarter
Tiago Splitter starts the second quarter and gets an assist from Patty Mills and brings home a layup. Spurs again seem to catch the Heat surprised a bit.
9.42pm ET
Ann Coulter is a heat fan? uck @HunterFelt pic.twitter.com/UYsNV7neOX
Really, the celebrities at Heat games do nothing to help the poor reputation of Heat fans.
9.40pm ET
James makes a 12-footer, which Patty Mills answers with a layup and the Heat get the last shot.
Long, 23-foot jumper at the buzzer that doesn't go from LeBron James. Oof, not the "right basketball decision" there.
9.39pm ET
Spurs 24-15 Heat, 1:07 remaining, 1st quarter
Checking back real quick I find that Bonner fouls Chris "Birdman" Andersen (not an upcoming Michael Keaton movie) who makes both shots. Ginobili is fouled by Ray Allen, is awarded free throws and he makes them. At least I missed nothing while rebooting the computer.
9.37pm ET
Spurs 22-13 Heat, 1:32 remaining, 1st quarter
A warning my internet is a tad sporadic here, so there may be a few longer breaks than usually here tonight. Apologies in advance.
9.32pm ET
Spurs 15-10 Heat, 3:46 remaining, 1st quarter
Parker makes a jumper. Wade is awarded two free throw attempts but he can't make either, yipes, he's definitely not totally healthy here.
9.29pm ET
Spurs 15-10 Heat, 4:58 remaining, 1st quarter
Fadeaway jumper by Tony Parker just as the shot clock goes off, reminds me of his every-second-of-the-shot-clock game winning play back in the last NBA Finals.
9.27pm ET
Oh okay he's back. Our twenty second national nightmare is over.
LeBron just left court, presumably to recruit Carmelo
9.27pm ET
LeBron James has headed to the locker room.
EVERYBODY PANIC!
9.25pm ET
Spurs 13-10 Heat, 4:58 remaining, 1st quarter
And we have a ballgame this half! Bosh makes a jumper, cuts the Spurs lead to three and San Antonio will use their first timeout.
9.24pm ET
Spurs 13-8 Heat, 5:26 remaining, 1st quarter
Green can't keep hold of a LeBron James turnover, so this isn't perfect Spurs basketball like last time. So hey.
9.21pm ET
so far spurs have 74 FTA, heat has 56, but tonight, you expect heat to get to the line? @HunterFelt #refreshingchangeofpace
It's Joey Crawford. They will get to the line. But Miami needs points any way they can get them right now.
9.20pm ET
Spurs 13-4 Heat, 6:52 remaining, 1st quarter
This feels sickeningly familiar if you're a Heat fan.
9.19pm ET
Spurs 13-4 Heat, 6:52 remaining, 1st quarter
Parker makes a jumper. The Spurs are on another one of those runs.
9.17pm ET
Spurs 8-4 Heat, 8:11 remaining, 1st quarter
Okay, not so good for Mario Chalmers so far, he fouls Boris Diaw, a shooting foul, and Diaw makes one of two of his free throws. Oh but Chalmers does find Rashard Lewis, who makes a jumper. That's a bit better.
9.15pm ET
Spurs 4-2 Heat, 9:11 remaining, 1st quarter
Green gets fouled by Wade, expect them to pay him more attention tonight after what he did on Tuesday. Kawhi Leonard gets things started here, dishing an assist to Tim Duncan for a layup and then Tony Parker makes a seven-footer. Another good start for SA.
9.12pm ET
Spurs 0-2 Heat, 10:37 remaining, 1st quarter
Miami Heat's first possession goes nowhere, but neither does the Spurs. It's Chris Bosh who breaks the seal with the first made shot of the night.
9.11pm ET
And we're off!
9.07pm ET
Julia Dale is great, but I still prefer Al Green.
8.58pm ET
Joey Crawford informed the #Spurs that these will be called as fouls: -Breathing -Looking at LeBron -Attempting to play defense (flagrant)
And hey I knew that there would be a way to tie this in to the World Cup, this is the Guardian so that's actually mandatory for all sports coverage, Joey Crawford, for those not in the know, is basically the closest thing there is to a FIFA referee. Yeah. THAT bad.
Can you imagine how Joey Crawford will try to top the FIFA World Cup refs tonight!
8.55pm ET
How much does the NBA want this to be another long series? GUESS WHO IS REFEREEING TONIGHT SPURS FANS?
Joey Crawford, who once ejected Tim Duncan for laughing with teammates on the bench, is refereeing tonight. pic.twitter.com/MmjOo29aLG
8.51pm ET
Okay we've already showcased the deadpan humor of Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra. Now here's the master, Spurs coach Gregg Popovich:
Aaaaaand scene. pic.twitter.com/l3N7sWPEy0
8.49pm ET
Miami Heat starters
No Beasley again? Marijuana can make nothing happen to you too.
8.47pm ET
San Antonio Spurs starters
Boris Diaw is getting the start over Tiago Splitter again, not too shocking as it worked kinda okay in Game 3
8.45pm ET
The big thing I'm looking for tonight is if Bobby Ramos will be asking any questions at tonight's Game 4 postgame press conference. Ramos won the internet's heart on Tuesday with his baffling questions to Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra and LeBron James. An example:
8.43pm ET
Predictions
Okay, what does everyone think? Do the Miami Heat tie the series up tonight? I say yes, the Heat will win a squeaker, like 100-98. I expected the Heat to get a home split, and well that would require a win tonight. Thought it would be Game 3, but Kawhi had other ideas. Your predictions? We'll use them here, just email them to Hunter.Felt@theguardian.com or tweet them to @HunterFelt.
8.39pm ET
Did we say Carmelo Anthony news? Are we referring to ourselves in the plural? Yes on both counts. Apparently, the Miami Heat are looking to snag Carmelo Anthony, the New York Knick volume shooter who will be a free agent this offseason to join up with LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. That seems too expensive to work, without like having a bench of nothing but Toney Douglases, but I said that before the Big Three came together the first time. Different CBA this time though.
8.28pm ET
So, okay, things didn't go so well for the Miami Heat last time around. This is, in fact, an understatement so big it borders on a flat out lie. The San Antonio Spurs unleashed the greatest offensive first half in NBA Finals history, aided by 22-year old Kawhi Leonard's 29 points, and eventually defeated them 111-92 to take a 2-1 series lead. Imagine, how embarrassed Miami would have been had Aron Baynes's late three-pointer not been downgraded to a two-pointer, what a rout it would have been then!
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