Jun 12, 2014; Miami, FL, USA; Miami Heat forward LeBron James (6) walks on the court during the fourth quarter of game four of the 2014 NBA Finals against the San Antonio Spurs at American Airlines Arena. San Antonio defeated Miami 86-107. Mandatory Credit: Robert Mayer-USA TODAY Sports
No team has ever come back from a 3-1 series deficit in NBA Finals history. So if the Miami Heat plan on three-peating, they’re going to have to makes some history in the process.
On the other hand, the San Antonio Spurs are one win away from their fifth NBA Championship in franchise history — perhaps the one that they let slip away last season.
In Game 4, it was more of the San Antonio Spurs domination that we saw in Game 3. Kawhi Leonard finished with 20 points and 14 rebounds, as the Spurs routed the Heat 107-86 Thursday night in Miami.
LeBron James did what he could to keep the Heat in it with his 28 points and eight rebounds, but Dwyane Wade failed to show up. He finished with just 10 points. Bosh scored 12 points on 5-of-11 shooting.
The Spurs will have three shots to close this series out. The first of such opportunity is Sunday in San Antonio.
Here is what both teams had to say after San Antonio embarrassed the Heat on their homecourt for the second-straight game:
Popovich was asked who his Finals MVP is. "Next question."
— Ethan J. Skolnick, 5 Reasons Sports (@EthanJSkolnick) June 13, 2014
Popovich: "I'm pleased that they performed as well as they did while we were in Miami, and that's as far as it goes."
— Ethan J. Skolnick, 5 Reasons Sports (@EthanJSkolnick) June 13, 2014
The Spurs' win snaps Miami's 48-game streak without losing consecutive games.
— Quixem Ramirez (@quixem) June 13, 2014
Pop: "I thought we did a better job than we did in Game 3 on the defensive end."
— Quixem Ramirez (@quixem) June 13, 2014
Pop: "Every closeout game is very difficult for all of the obvious reasons."
— Quixem Ramirez (@quixem) June 13, 2014
Spoelstra: "They played great. I can honestly say I don't think any of us were expecting this type of performance."
— Ethan J. Skolnick, 5 Reasons Sports (@EthanJSkolnick) June 13, 2014
Spoelstra: "We have 48 hours. I have to do a better job for my team.... They're exploiting where we're normally good."
— Ethan J. Skolnick, 5 Reasons Sports (@EthanJSkolnick) June 13, 2014
Spoelstra: "When we're right, we can beat anyone anywhere. I think this was the biggest surprise of the series."
— Joseph Goodman, Sports Enthusiast 🎟🍺 (@JoeGoodmanJr) June 13, 2014
Spoelstra shrugs off Wade's lack of energy.
— Joseph Goodman, Sports Enthusiast 🎟🍺 (@JoeGoodmanJr) June 13, 2014
Boris: "We know they are going to play for their lives so we are going to be ready for that."
— Quixem Ramirez (@quixem) June 13, 2014
Boris: "We don’t want to go for the homerun pass. Sometimes the easy pass is the right pass."
— Quixem Ramirez (@quixem) June 13, 2014
Chris Bosh: "We got smoked.... We just need to be a lot tougher to get this job done."
— Ethan J. Skolnick, 5 Reasons Sports (@EthanJSkolnick) June 13, 2014
Bosh on the booing: “Maybe we deserve it right now.”
— Joseph Goodman, Sports Enthusiast 🎟🍺 (@JoeGoodmanJr) June 13, 2014
Duncan says he didnt plan on winning both games in Miami. "But we thought we could come in here and win these games."
— Quixem Ramirez (@quixem) June 13, 2014
Bosh: “I’ve seen us at our best and we haven’t given them our best. They deserve our best.”
— Joseph Goodman, Sports Enthusiast 🎟🍺 (@JoeGoodmanJr) June 13, 2014
Parker: "I'm kinda surprised the way we've been holding those leads because it's really tough."
— Quixem Ramirez (@quixem) June 13, 2014
Wade on his struggles at the rim? "I just missed them... I'll take those same opportunities next game for sure."
— Ethan J. Skolnick, 5 Reasons Sports (@EthanJSkolnick) June 13, 2014
LeBron: "We put ourselves in a position where it is about making history.... But all we can do is worry about Sunday."
— Ethan J. Skolnick, 5 Reasons Sports (@EthanJSkolnick) June 13, 2014
Ramos back https://t.co/Jh1Xna1bNY
— Kenny Ducey (@KennyDucey) June 13, 2014
LeBron: "I mean, they smashed us. Two straight home games. Got off to awful starts."
— Ethan J. Skolnick, 5 Reasons Sports (@EthanJSkolnick) June 13, 2014
LeBron, summing up what makes the Spurs so tough: "They put you in positions that no other team does."
— Quixem Ramirez (@quixem) June 13, 2014
Wade: "Right now they are playing better than us. No question about it. They whipped our butt at home."
— Quixem Ramirez (@quixem) June 13, 2014
LeBron said at the beginning of the press conference that his ankle has been injured the last few days.
— Joseph Goodman, Sports Enthusiast 🎟🍺 (@JoeGoodmanJr) June 13, 2014
LeBron "It's not all on my shoulders."
— Joseph Goodman, Sports Enthusiast 🎟🍺 (@JoeGoodmanJr) June 13, 2014
LeBron: "I've got an engine under my hood." OK...
— Joseph Goodman, Sports Enthusiast 🎟🍺 (@JoeGoodmanJr) June 13, 2014