Jun 15, 2014; San Antonio, TX, USA; San Antonio Spurs guard Tony Parker (9) celebrates on the bench in game five of the 2014 NBA Finals against the Miami Heat at AT&T Center. The Spurs beat the Heat 104-87 to win the NBA Finals. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports
The San Antonio Spurs bullied their way past the two-time defending NBA Champion Miami Heat on their way to a 104-87 Game 5 victory, clinching their fifth championship in franchise history with a 4-1 NBA Finals win.
Kawhi Leonard was named Finals MVP, he finished with 22 points and 10 rebounds for the Spurs in the series-clinching victory. San Antonio rebounded from an early 16-point deficit by outscoring the Heat 50-20 from the start of the second quarter and into the second half.
LeBron James finished with 31 points and 10 rebounds in the loss for the Heat but, again, wasn’t enough to overcome the Spurs onslaught.
For both teams, decisions need to be made. For the Spurs, it’s whether Tim Duncan and/or Gregg Popovich will return next season. For the Heat, it’s whether LeBron James, and the rest of the Big Three, will decide to re-sign with the Heat. All three have the option to opt out this summer.
Should be interesting. In the meantime, here is what both teams had to say after Sunday’s Game 5…
Unreal. RT @NBA Kawhi Leonard, NBA Champion! pic.twitter.com/52e2lTBtWC
— Quixem Ramirez (@quixem) June 16, 2014
Photo of the year RT @Steve_OS THE TRIO. #Spurs pic.twitter.com/oD8dtftDpo
— Quixem Ramirez (@quixem) June 16, 2014
Duncan: "I never know if I'll ever a chance to do this again. My kids ... just a real emotional time."
— Quixem Ramirez (@quixem) June 16, 2014
Kawhi Leonard is the 2013-14 Finals MVP. He's the second youngest Finals MVP in NBA history.
— Quixem Ramirez (@quixem) June 16, 2014
Kawhi on winning Finals MVP: "Man, I would've told you were lying or something. Right now it's surreal to me."
— Quixem Ramirez (@quixem) June 16, 2014
Tony: "I've been very blessed and very lucky to play with Timmy and Manu. And Coach Pop is unbelievable."
— Quixem Ramirez (@quixem) June 16, 2014
Manu: "What happened last year made us stronger. And we knew we wouldn't let this opportunity go away."
— Quixem Ramirez (@quixem) June 16, 2014
Chris Bosh on these Spurs: "Best team I ever saw. Best team I ever played against."
— Rachel Nichols (@Rachel__Nichols) June 16, 2014
Pop: "Last years loss was devastating. For the group to have the fortitude to get back ... speaks volumes about how they're constituted."
— Quixem Ramirez (@quixem) June 16, 2014
The Heat are now like the 1984-87 Celtics in another way. Four trips to Finals... and two titles.
— Ethan J. Skolnick, 5 Reasons Sports (@EthanJSkolnick) June 16, 2014
Ray Allen: "I tip my hat off to them. You have to bow down to them, and say they beat us."
— Ethan J. Skolnick, 5 Reasons Sports (@EthanJSkolnick) June 16, 2014
Ray Allen says he will think about his future over the next couple of days. "I want to do it on my terms."
— Ethan J. Skolnick, 5 Reasons Sports (@EthanJSkolnick) June 16, 2014
Shane Battier: "I gave everything I can to the game."
— Ethan J. Skolnick, 5 Reasons Sports (@EthanJSkolnick) June 16, 2014
Haslem: "That's the best any team has ever played against us. Can't sugarcoat it."
— Ethan J. Skolnick, 5 Reasons Sports (@EthanJSkolnick) June 16, 2014
Chris Bosh doesn't know what will happen with opt outs... "I don't know if I'm going to have Frosted Flakes or Honey Nut Cheerios tomorrow."
— Ethan J. Skolnick, 5 Reasons Sports (@EthanJSkolnick) June 16, 2014
Mario Chalmers says he would "love to come back to Miami. We'll see what happens."
— Ethan J. Skolnick, 5 Reasons Sports (@EthanJSkolnick) June 16, 2014
LeBron: "Obviously I didn't do enough."
— Ethan J. Skolnick, 5 Reasons Sports (@EthanJSkolnick) June 16, 2014
Wade: "We would love to be 4 for 4. It just wasn't in the cards to be there."
— Ethan J. Skolnick, 5 Reasons Sports (@EthanJSkolnick) June 16, 2014
LeBron not answering questions about staying in Miami. Says he'll deal with that in the summer. Says he loves Miami.
— Joseph Goodman, Sports Enthusiast 🎟🍺 (@JoeGoodmanJr) June 16, 2014
LeBron says the Dallas loss hurt more than this one. "This year, they dominated us."
— Ethan J. Skolnick, 5 Reasons Sports (@EthanJSkolnick) June 16, 2014
One hint into what LeBron wants around him for next season. More "high basketball IQ guys."
— Joseph Goodman, Sports Enthusiast 🎟🍺 (@JoeGoodmanJr) June 16, 2014
Tim Duncan celebrating championship number 5! pic.twitter.com/MV4I93jdcK
— NBA TV (@NBATV) June 16, 2014
Kawhi: "It just feels like a dream to me."
— Quixem Ramirez (@quixem) June 16, 2014