MIAMI -- The Spurs lead the Heat 50-44 at halftime of Game 6 of the Finals, and if Miami is to prevent a championship celebration tonight on its home floor, they must find an answer from what is developing into an all-time great performance from Tim Duncan.
Duncan has been unstoppable thus far, and has 25 points on 11-of-13 shooting to go along with eight rebounds in just 19 first-half minutes. He’s scored on spinning one-handed bank shots, dunks and put-backs, and has completely dominated the proceedings over the first two periods.
Things started off just fine for the Heat, but the way they built their early lead proved to be unsustainable. LeBron James looked to get his teammates involved early, and either scored or assisted on 19 of his team’s 24 first quarter points. The Heat were getting their points from three-point distance and off of Spurs turnovers, but neither of those continued late in the second period.
Miami led by as many as seven in the second, but the team turned tentative offensively and the Spurs were able to take advantage. San Antonio ended the half on an 11-0 run, while James either settled for midrange jumpers, didn’t take them at all when the Spurs dared him to, or deferred to his teammates.
After a five-point, five-assist first quarter from James, he was just 1-of-6 from the field in the second, and Miami as a team was held to just 31.6 percent shooting, while the Spurs knocked down better than 55 percent of their shots.
The Heat will need a much more aggressive performance from James in the second half if they plan on forcing a Game 7, but if Duncan continues to play anywhere close to the way he has thus far, the Spurs will be crowned as champions before the night is through.