The San Antonio Spurs, those of silver and black who were supposedly too old to take the NBA’S biggest stage have roared back to take a defining 3-2 lead in the best of seven series with a114-104 thumping.
Argintinian Guard Manu Ginobili was reinserted into the starting lineup for the first time this season and responded with a solid game in which he scored 24 points and handed out 10 assists.
“He (Coach Popovich) told me yesterday that I was going to start because of the way they were playing, four smalls,” Ginobili said. “He told me to go ahead and play. Be more intuitive and don’t think so much.”
The Spurs relied on great defense and the hot shooting of second year player Danny Green, who set an NBA Finals record with 25 (and counting) three-pointers in the finals.
“I’ve been getting lucky,” Green said after the game. “I was moving around a lot. Our transition helps us, our pace. Tony penetrating and Manu penetrating, making the defense collapse is the reason why I’ve been getting open. Luckily, a couple have dropped for me.”
The Spurs can close the series and take home the Larry O’Brien Trophy tomorrow night when they meet the Heat for Game 6 at American Airlines Arena.
“We challenge ourselves to see if we’re a better team than we were,” Dwayne Wade said after the game.
Tip off is at 8 p.m. Eastern time.