San Antonio Spurs win 5th NBA championship
Kawhi Leonard wins Finals MVP
Miami Heat lose first playoff series since 2011
11.22pm ET
Russell wonders where his hand went RT @RKalland: The Hand! RT @jose3030: 2014 NBA Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard pic.twitter.com/IJypQCaZL8
Championship t-shirts and flags from their home countries. That's the perfect image to end our coverage of the San Antonio Spurs' NBA Finals clinching game. We'll have follow up coverage here at the Guardian as we put the NBA Finals and the NBA season in perspective. Thanks to everyone who has been following our Finals liveblogs, and our NBA coverage at the Guardian in general, especially everyone who contributed (couldn't get every single tweet and email in tonight, my apologies). It's been a privilege to use this space for my dumb jokes, Caps lock-heavy play-by-play and incredibly biased basketball thoughts. Thanks for putting up with me.
From San Antone... Nobody can take away a damn thing from our amazing, genuine team. Especially not the NBA championship! CINCO
11.13pm ET
END OF DAYS RT @jose3030: Gregg Popovich takes tie off, laughs pic.twitter.com/JkWF9Oqg2r
I'm scared too Lana. I'm scared too.
11.10pm ET
How can I not make Popovich not hate me and still do my job? @HunterFelt
No clue. Is Popovich really not going to talk here? Is that even allowed for a trophy presentation? If so, this is the most Gregg Popovich thing of all time.
11.07pm ET
I'm not a fan of Lebron's, though I acknowledge his greatness. And he was great this series. Basically played alone. @HunterFelt
Yeah, the Miami Heat looked like the Cleveland Cavaliers out there, which again, means there will be certainly be rumors about what this team could look like next season.
11.04pm ET
Email from Jorge:
And not to pour aalt on the wound, but based on today's lineup the Spurs bench has players from Seven Nations. Yes, the Heat got beat by the Seven Nation Army. Whoever writes these things...
11.02pm ET
To the shock of nobody, the Finals MVP is awarded to this guy:
Kawhi Leonard is the 2014 #NBAFinals MVP! pic.twitter.com/zo1Nmu5wqm
11.00pm ET
Silver presents the Larry O'Brien trophy to the Spurs. Spurs owner Peter Holt takes to the microphone and he sounds exactly like the Crazy Texas Tycoon on "The Simpsons."
10.57pm ET
Hey awards presentations! I'm gonna stick around here a bit, if you guys don't mind. Here comes Adam Silver, by far the most loved commissioner in US sports at the moment for laying down the law on Donald Sterling.
10.55pm ET
@HunterFelt Great to see LeLoser go down hard to the Spurs in 2014!
Needless to say, some people are very happy about this.
10.52pm ET
How many teams, when they are the only team in their area, won titles in N America-Spurs, GB, CLG, EDM? Guessing, I don't know @HunterFelt
Me either, but I'll admit liking the parallel to the Green Bay Packers.
10.51pm ET
The Spurs get revenge on their heartbreaking loss to the Miami Heat in last year's NBA Finals. That's five championships for the San Antonio Spurs and nobody could say that the best team in the NBA didn't win.
10.50pm ET
Toney Douglas hits a three pointer to make it look... Okay nothing's going to make the Heat score look more respectable. SPURS WIN!
10.49pm ET
Heat 84-104 Spurs, :42 remaining, 4th quarter
Haslem dunks, Jeffy Ayres dunks which is what I would do, if I could actually dunk, in garbage time in a Finals time.
10.47pm ET
Heat 82-98 Spurs, 1:02 remaining, 4th quarter
Two Tony Parker free throws. In case you're wondering. Beasley makes a free throw. Aron Baynes is in the game, he makes two free throws.
10.45pm ET
Heat 81-98 Spurs, 2:12 remaining, 4th quarter
I'm honestly already kind of sad and it's not even over quite yet.
Email from Jorge:
10.42pm ET
Heat 80-98 Spurs, 2:12 remaining, 4th quarter
@HunterFelt Time 4 U to start writing the NBA final's post-mortem:) Am watching n enjoying d last 6 mins. Surely 20 points is unassailable.
10.40pm ET
Heat 80-98 Spurs, 2:12 remaining, 4th quarter
Kawhi Leonard fouls out, which at this point just means he has a chance to get to the locker room celebration first. A TV timeout here.
10.38pm ET
Heat 80-98 Spurs, 2:44 remaining, 4th quarter
Marco Belinelli makes his return, Mills finds him for a basket. Ray Allen makes two free throws... Possibly the last points in his Hall of Fame career?
10.36pm ET
Heat 79-96 Spurs, 4:13 remaining, 4th quarter
Tony Parker's box score will make it look like he had a better game than he actually did, he was MIA most of the game and now he's closing things out for San Antonio. He makes three straight twos while trading baskets with Bosh and Beasley.
10.33pm ET
Heat 72-90 Spurs, 6:13 remaining, 4th quarter
Email from Michael Aston:
still, I think most are thrilled the Spurs will be the mercenaries of Miami...we all know, Miami ain't a ball town
10.30pm ET
Heat 72-90 Spurs, 6:37 remaining, 4th quarter
LeBron James looks exhausted and I am winded just trying to follow all of the scoring. Diaw makes a three-pointer. Wade responds with one of his own. LeBron James makes another basket, but it's sandwiched in-between Tony Parker two-pointers. I think that's it. Let me check one more time.
10.27pm ET
Heat 67-83 Spurs, 8:26 remaining, 4th quarter
@hunterfelt Surprised the Heat made it this far with only 1 1/2 players.On the bench still, the spurs are better. No way out for James & co.
10.25pm ET
Heat 65-83 Spurs, 9:04 remaining, 4th quarter
Beasley can't even get the f'ing ball inbounds in time. A Heat turnover.
10.24pm ET
Heat 65-83 Spurs, 9:04 remaining, 4th quarter
Sorry lebron,guess dis spurs is jt too much and hot to play...@HunterFelt
10.23pm ET
Heat 65-83 Spurs, 9:04 remaining, 4th quarter
Unlike last year, I feel like I can say that the Spurs have got this and not be wrong. Heat look out of kindle. @HunterFelt
10.20pm ET
Heat 63-79 Spurs, 10:08 remaining, 4th quarter
Wade fouls Leonard to put him in on the line, that will end well. He makes both.
10.19pm ET
Heat 63-77 Spurs, 10:14 remaining, 4th quarter
And another three-point chance, this from Mario Chalmers (yes, in the fourth quarter) he actually does complete it.
10.17pm ET
Heat 60-77 Spurs, 10:56 remaining, 4th quarter
Heat start the quarter with a shot clock violation and a turnover. Sounds about right.
10.15pm ET
Could be last call. Last call for basketball.
10.13pm ET
Email from Jorge:
Hi Hunter, enjoying your liveblog all the way from Panama. Hoping the Spurs win tonight. I want to hear Spurs fans mockingly chanting Seven Nation Army just for the sake of it, and hopefully that'll make Heat fans --all ten left after this year-- ruin another song for all mankind.
10.12pm ET
When something is wildly surprising and not at all surprising, all at once. @HunterFelt
The Spurs in a nutshell.
10.11pm ET
Heat 58-77 Spurs, end of the 3rd quarter
LeBron James makes a three-pointer, which is good for Miami, but Tony Parker ends his game-long scoreless streak with a 17-foot basket. LeBron James gets on the line, and possibly slightly more significant draws an additional foul on Patty Mills. LeBron James makes his two free throws to end the third quarter.
10.09pm ET
Heat 53-75 Spurs, 1:08 remaining, 3rd quarter
Yawn. Another Patty Mills triple. Duncan makes a two pointer and the Spurs' scoring is going like twice as fast as I'm able to type.
10.08pm ET
Heat 53-70 Spurs, 1:59 remaining, 3rd quarter
A very mini-run by Miami. Chris Bosh gets a layup. Chalmers draws a foul on Kawhi Leonard and manages to hit two free throws. We're getting close to "too little, too late" here.
10.06pm ET
Heat 49-70 Spurs, 2:38 remaining, 3rd quarter
Splitter fouls Chris Bosh who makes one of two free throws and the Heat can't afford to leave any points on the court. Mills this time throws it to Kawhi Leonard who only hits a 2 and not a 3. Slacker.
10.03pm ET
Heat 48-68 Spurs, 3:42 remaining, 3rd quarter
I'll give you three guesses if you guess what Patty Mills just did.
10.01pm ET
Heat 48-65 Spurs, 4:09 remaining, 3rd quarter
LeBron James makes a jumper, Ginobili finally misses something here, and Michael Beasley actually does something, an assist to Mario Chalmers who makes a layup and the Spurs call a full timeout which is exactly what you should do if you let Mario Chalmers make a layup.
9.59pm ET
Heat 44-65 Spurs, 5:01 remaining, 3rd quarter
Manu Ginobili makes another three, he seems like half Wade's age right now. The Miami Heat take a 20 second timeout. Oh god, Michael Beasley is out, this it he most desperate thing Erik Spoelstra has done in his entire coaching career. Michael Beasley. Jesus.
9.57pm ET
Heat 44-62 Spurs, 5:01 remaining, 3rd quarter
Splitter blocks a Wade shot, that Diaw recovers. Patty Mills makes a three-pointer!
9.55pm ET
Heat 42-56 Spurs, 6:35 remaining, 3rd quarter
And I neglected to mention that Patty Mills makes a basket before the latest Miami Heat timeout.
9.53pm ET
Michael Aston again:
at some point, the old team must get weary... hold on for a few minutes more... seriously tho', Hat are just worn out from success, happened to my team in LA... mind is willing etc...
9.51pm ET
Heat 42-54 Spurs, 6:50 remaining, 3rd quarter
Aaaaand Maybe Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard makes a layup and call the Buzzcocks because something's gone wrong again. Chris Andersen picks up his fifth foul, one that puts Tim Duncan on the line where he makes two free throws.
9.49pm ET
Heat 42-50 Spurs, 7:52 remaining, 3rd quarter
@HunterFelt @mowenz46 @ablade thats how you know that hunter is a masshole pretender, no self respecting celtics fan would ever root for MIA
9.45pm ET
Heat 40-50 Spurs, 8:14 remaining, 3rd quarter
The Miami Heat are playing so bad that Dwyane Wade didn't get a call in the NBA Finals. I think this is the first time in NBA history that has happened. In any case, Leonard makes one of two free throws after the San Antonio Spurs make "MVP" shouts.
9.43pm ET
Heat 40-49 Spurs, 8:18 remaining, 3rd quarter
We almost had scoring here, but Tim Duncan rejected a Dwyane Wade jumper. And then, perhaps just because he wants to see someone, anyone, score, Chris Andersen picks up his fourth foul on Manu Ginobili who goes to the line. He makes both! We have score-age.
9.39pm ET
Heat 40-47 Spurs, 10:00 remaining, 3rd quarter
And maybe the Heat and the Spurs have forgot that the game's back on. Nothing but misses for the first minute or so.
9.38pm ET
Oh right, there is actually basketball to talk about again. Lemme get back to that.
9.37pm ET
Email from Michael Aston:
Kinda exhausted from all these finals..Kings, Spurs, world cup...sheesh... finish it tonight San Antonio, my marriage is in serious peril if this goes back to Miami...
9.34pm ET
NBA Game 5- rooting 4 Spurs 2 win game and title ovr Heat. But too cowardly 2 watch on TV. So am following @hunterfelt at Guardian's site
You're a wise, wise person. But seriously, thanks for following along. And that goes to everyone else reading this. I have a blast doing these.
9.30pm ET
@hunterfelt Manu Ginobili's hammer dunk... To quote Dickie V, ''That was awesome, baby. With a capital A".!!!
Dickie V. also says the same thing when he finds spare change under a cushion, gets to press the button while in an elevator and converts oxygen into carbon dioxide during the breathing process.
9.27pm ET
Fair to say that the state of the Heat bench determines the outcome of this game? @HunterFelt
If it does, Miami are doomed.
9.26pm ET
"@RoFloESPN: This is the first time that a team with a 7 point lead is losing. #NBAFinals #MIAvsSA" cc: @hunterfelt
At least the Miami Heat are losing in a completely different way this game, unlike Games 3 and 4?
9.22pm ET
The video for Soul Asylum's "Runaway Train" just came on and I swear to god they showed Tony Parker's picture in it.
9.19pm ET
Heat 40-47 Spurs, end of the first half
@HunterFelt that wasn't a flop, gravity comes from a different direction in Australia.
9.14pm ET
Heat 37-45 Spurs, 1:54 remaining, 2nd quarter
Ginobili makes another basket and after that, finally, LeBron makes his first field goal of the quarter with a basket. But Ginobili fires back with a long 2.
9.10pm ET
Heat 35-40 Spurs, 2:50 remaining, 2nd quarter
@hunterfelt Y'all talking about greatness this is a 22 year old kid balling out right now in the NBA FINALS NOW THATS GREATNESS!!
9.08pm ET
Heat 35-39 Spurs, 3:09 remaining, 2nd quarter
Dwyane Wade elbows Patty Mills because he's, I believe the clinical scientific term is punk-ass.
9.07pm ET
Heat 35-39 Spurs, 3:32 remaining, 2nd quarter
Now the Miami Heat are the ones who can't make a shot. Ginobili takes advantage of this to hit a basket and it's a four point lead and the Heat take a 20 second timeout.
9.05pm ET
Heat 35-37 Spurs, 4:47 remaining, 2nd quarter
KAWHI LEONARD MAKES A THREE! COLDBLOODED! THE SPURS HAVE A LEAD!
9.04pm ET
Heat 35-34 Spurs, 4:54 remaining, 2nd quarter
Oh wow. The Heat are melting down a bit out of that timeout. Ray Allen gets whistled for an illegal screen to give the ball right back to San Antonio. Tim Duncan makes a layup, and is fouled in the process. Duncan has a chance to tie the game at the free throw line but he can't complete the three point play at the free throw line. One point game somehow.
9.00pm ET
Heat 35-32 Spurs, 6:01 remaining, 2nd quarter
Belinelli makes up for that by makng a basket of his own and Duncan makes his second basket and that will be enough to get Heat coach Erik Spoelstra to take a timeout.
8.58pm ET
Heat 35-28 Spurs, 7:09 remaining, 2nd quarter
Dwyane Wade gets fouled by Mario Balotell... Er, I mean Marco Belinelli. Sorry, World Cup coverage has me a bit confused. Wade knocks down both free throws.
8.55pm ET
Heat 33-28 Spurs, 7:28 remaining, 2nd quarter
Looks like Tony Parker might have spent the afternoon watching #FRA vs #HON and left it all in front of the TV. @HunterFelt
8.53pm ET
Heat 33-26 Spurs, 8:33 remaining, 2nd quarter
Kawhi Leonard has been the only Spurs starter who has made a field goal, and he's made four. I have absolutely no idea how this game is so close. Lordy.
8.51pm ET
Heat 33-26 Spurs, 8:33 remaining, 2nd quarter
An uncharacteristic slow stretch in the game, well at least for this series, no one can make shots. Especially not San Antonio. Chris Bosh finally breaks through with a jumper and someone calls a timeout.
8.49pm ET
Heat 31-26 Spurs, 10:15 remaining, 2nd quarter
Bosh finds Wade who hits a jumper of his own.
8.48pm ET
Heat 29-26 Spurs, 11:08 remaining, 2nd quarter
There's no question right now who the best player on the Spurs is right now. Kawhi Leonard cuts the Heat lead down to three with a 20 foot jumper.
8.46pm ET
Heat 29-24 Spurs, 11:48 remaining, 2nd quarter
17 points in the first quarter for LeBron James. That's good right? That sounds like its good. Boris Diaw connects with Kawhi Leonard to start the second quarter. Wow, this is only a four point game now.
8.44pm ET
Shane Battier, who is playing the heel role in tonight's game in San Antonio, fouls Kawhi Leonard who hits two free throws. That'll do it for the scoring in the first quarter; LeBron James tries a late three but nothing doing.
Hey, this might be a fun, close game. I could go for one of those.
8.41pm ET
Heat 29-20 Spurs, :18 remaining, 1st quarter
Norris Cole is in the game, yeah we're not going to see much of Mario Chalmers are we? He gets fouled by Splitter and makes two more free throws. I have a feeling that the free throw differential might be the difference this game.
8.39pm ET
Heat 27-20 Spurs, 1:43 remaining, 1st quarter
Ginobili fouls LeBron James who gets two free throws and, well, he's not going to miss many of those when he's as on as this. Tiago Splitter makes an appearance in the box score by making a basket to chip away at least a little.
8.37pm ET
Heat 25-18 Spurs, 2:27 remaining, 1st quarter
And another three pointer from LeBron James. I hope he lays down a "You want to know my secret... I'm always angry" at tonight's postgame press conference if the Heat win.
8.35pm ET
Heat 22-18 Spurs, 2:57 remaining, 1st quarter
Patty Mills three!
8.35pm ET
Heat 22-15 Spurs, 3:33 remaining, 1st quarter
Sh*t, LeBron is pissed. I wouldn't get in front of that. @HunterFelt
8.31pm ET
Heat 22-12 Spurs, 4:27 remaining, 1st quarter
Manu Ginobili makes a layup, drawing a foul on Lewis, and completes the three point play with a make and then makes a three-pointer and here comes the Spurs run. This could be an epic one. Heat timeout.
8.29pm ET
Heat 22-6 Spurs, 5:03 remaining, 1st quarter
LeBron blocks a would-be layup from My Australian Guy, Patty Mills. Tiago Splitter then gets fouled and makes only one of his two free throws. Lots and lots of misses from San Antonio. This is the exact opposite of the start of Game 3
A miss is a miss, but the Spurs are making high art of it. Missing so badly. @HunterFelt
8.25pm ET
Heat 19-5 Spurs, 6:03 remaining, 1st quarter
Rashard Lewis makes a jumper from downtown and, oh wow the Heat are out-Spursing the Spurs. LeBron James makes a layup and gets fouled by Manu Ginobili for an old fashioned three-point play by making his free throw.
8.23pm ET
Heat 13-5 Spurs, 6:54 remaining, 1st quarter
Chris Bosh makes a layup and then, close to halfway through the first quarter the Spurs finally get their first field goal of the game, a Kawhi Leonard three-pointer.
8.21pm ET
Heat 11-2 Spurs, 7:58 remaining, 1st quarter
And there's that man again. LeBron James hits three-pointers now. Yowch.
8.20pm ET
Heat 8-2 Spurs, 8:25 remaining, 1st quarter
Chris Bosh fouls Tim Duncan, putting him on the line where he gets the Spurs on the scoreboard by making two free throws.
8.19pm ET
A unique email request from Phil Morton:
Any suggestions for how to spend the time waiting for an Amtrak train that is now over 12 hours behind schedule? I will try to follow the nba final MBM, but there might be something more worthwhile to do in Denver.
8.17pm ET
Heat 8-0 Spurs, 8:41 remaining, 1st quarter
They're alive! The Miami Heat cap off an 8-0 run to start Game 5 after LeBron unleashes his second dunk of the game. The Spurs immediately call a timeout.
8.14pm ET
Heat 6-0 Spurs, 9:42 remaining, 1st quarter
And the Spurs can't get anything going. 0-3 with a turnover. Leonard then fouls LeBron James and puts him on the free throw line where he gets both.
8.13pm ET
Heat 4-0 Spurs, 10:00 remaining, 1st quarter
Wade and then LeBron get the first four points of the game and hey a Miami lead, I cannot even remember the last time they had one.
8.11pm ET
We're off!
8.06pm ET
a kid didn't sing the anthem which means Heat win
8.05pm ET
Best part of being back in San Antonio? NO "SEVEN NATION ARMY"!!! *dancing man emoticon*
8.02pm ET
National Anthem Counter-Programming
As always, and I can't believe I've been doing this long enough to have traditions, when it may be the last basketball game of the series I make sure to post not the National Anthem but the National Basketball Anthem. All hail Kurtis Blow.
7.59pm ET
San Antonio Spurs Starters
Ah, have to do this the old-fashioned way.
7.54pm ET
Shocker there: No Mario Chalmers in the Heat's starting lineup. Finally. Mario chalmers should be nowhere near the basketball.
7.48pm ET
Miami Heat starters
I'm taking the lazy way out here by just posting tweets here for the lineups.
Tonights #HEATFinals starters vs the Spurs presented by @SamsungMobileUS: Wade, Allen, James, Lewis & Bosh.
7.47pm ET
@HunterFelt The Spurs offense is working so smoothly right now I cant look past them winning it tonight! #NBAFinals #HeatvsSpurs
Agreed. I don't think I've seen a team look as good as the Spurs did in Games 3 and 4 in a long, long time. That's as close to perfection as you'll get.
7.45pm ET
@HunterFelt Messi is centre stage at the moment, Duncan, Parker et al will have to wait
Yeah, it's not the best timing for a possible clincher I do realize. Think of this as counter-programming. Like the Puppy Bowl.
7.44pm ET
Predictions
@ablade @HunterFelt sofla thinking they win one more. I say it's over tonight.
7.29pm ET
Well that sure didn't go to plan did it? After tying the NBA Finals by winning Game 2 on the road, the Miami Heat were heading back home for the next two games. They theoretically had all the momentum in the series, if you're the type to believe that there is such a thing in sports, home court advantage and the best basketball player in the known universe playing like himself after the embarrassment of Game 1 (we're not calling it the Cramp Game here).
Instead the San Antonio Spurs completely demolished the Heat in their own building, winning Games 3 and 4 in blowout fashion. In Game 3, San Antonio put together and they might have been even better in Game 4, Down 3-1, the Miami Heat need a win tonight just to stay alive as the Spurs need just one more win to clinch their fifth championship, and the odds are not in Miami's favor. The last team to win a NBA Finals after falling behind 3-1 were...
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