It is the dog days of the Miami Heat summer folks, the NBA Finals are over, and now all NBA eyes turn to free agents and analyzing draft prospects. But with zero picks in the draft and free agency mulled over ad nauseam, it is that special time of year when we look back into the caverns of NBA history, finding, and polishing the gems from years past.
For the next few weeks, we will look back at some significant games in Heat history, Some Miami Heat Moments, to break the monotony of the offseason grind and hopefully bring a smile to your face as you gloat over victories won in another life.
We head to June 13, 2013, for Game 6 of the NBA Finals for this blast from the past. The place: Miami, Florida.
The opponents: San Antonio Spurs vs. Miami Heat. It’s time to hop in the time machine and head back to a moment that will live forever in Miami Heat lore.
The Heat were back in the NBA Finals, yet again. A loss to the Dallas Mavericks was seemingly forgotten in the wake of a championship win over the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Now, a familiar dynasty returned to the Finals scene. San Antonio was back in the Finals for the first time since 2007.
A terminator with a claw joined the trio of Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili: Kawhi Leonard.
Miami Heat Moments: Ray Allen Comes Up Clutch In 2013 NBA Finals
They were taking on a now-proven Miami Heat Big 3, hungry to find a second title and become back-to-back champs. However, the path to another ring was proving more challenging than in 2012.
The Heat and the Spurs were going round-for-round like Connor McGregor and Nate Diaz. The two sides traded games through five games, with the Spurs leading the series 3-2 headed to Miami for Game 6.
Leading up to the sixth game, the Spurs guards persecuted the Heat. Ginobili, Parker and Danny Green overwhelmed the Heat’s defense and became a big reason why the team from the West was leading the series.
The other was Leonard’s suffocating defense on LeBron James. He held The Chosen One to under 20 points in three of the first five games.
In Game 6, it looked to be more of the same, with just nine first-half points from James. And while the guards for the Texas team were having a quiet night, Duncan showed out with 25 points to help the Spurs take a 50-44 lead in the opening half.
Miami Heat Moments: ‘Rebound Bosh, Back Out To Allen, His Three-Pointer… BANG!’
LeBron evened the score and shook off Leonard’s pesky defense to score 18 points in the second half to help the Miami Heat even the game at 89-89 with just one minute to go. Time to slow the game down there.
The Final Moments Of Game 6
At the 58-second mark, Parker rises to sink a 12-foot jumper, snagging the lead. Out of a timeout, Leonard picks the pocket of James, resulting in a pair of Ginobili free-throws.
It would seem like the Heat have clawed back into the game, just to fumble it away in the final stanza. The Heat take another timeout with 28 ticks left on the clock.
In this timeout, I can only imagine LeBron received the greenest light to shoot that has ever been given (this is also when the Duncan substitutions started, which will never make sense, especially with how well he was playing in this game).
James pulls the trigger, once, then twice (thanks Mike Miller) to finally get some points for the Heat. With 19 seconds left and a two-point game, the Spurs take a timeout and bring back Duncan.
Leonard is quickly sent to the line and out goes Duncan again. For the rest of my life, I will remember sitting on the couch with my dad, laughing at this move.
Why take out Duncan? This was his best game of the series, he was not in foul trouble and he had already snagged 17 boards.
Even if he was playing his worst basketball, it is bleeping Tim Duncan. You put him on the floor when you have a chance to win the title.
But the Spurs pull him and what happens next from Ray Allen will live in NBA legend and lore forever. It is poetry in motion for Heat fans and traumatic PTSD for Spurs faithful.
Here goes nothing.
It is a play that so deflated San Antonio; the officials could have called the game right then and there. We knew what was in store.
The result was no surprise. As they say, and the rest is history.
This was that Miami Heat Moment and one of the greatest ever. Period.