The sly smile on Erik Spoelstra's lips said it all. If only this once, the Miami coach couldn't wait to field questions.
The Miami Heat were so close to elimination from the NBA championships that the team noticed officials bringing yellow tape out to block off the court for the Spurs' trophy presentation. But a couple of big 3-pointers later and powered by LeBron James' fourth-quarter surge, the defending champions stayed alive, edging San Antonio 103-100 in overtime. Game 7 is in Miami on Thursday, the NBA's first do-or-die game to determine its champion since the Lakers beat the Celtics in 2010. Here are some of the best images from Game 6:
LeBron James could not sleep after Game 6.
The sly smile on Erik Spoelstra's lips said it all. If only this once, the Miami coach couldn't wait to field questions.
It will be known as the LeBron James Headband Game.
Five things to learn from the Miami Heat's 103-100 overtime win over the San Antonio Spurs in Game 6 of the NBA Finals on Tuesday night:
When LeBron James' greatness almost wasn't good enough, officials began preparing for a San Antonio celebration. Miami's championship reign would be over. Someone in Spurs black would replace James as NBA Finals MVP. James and the Heat wouldn't let it happen.
Game 7s do more than settle championships. They define legacies.
The Obama administration has reportedly tried to enlist the NBA in helping it sell Obamacare to the American people.
Five things to watch for in Game 6 of the NBA Finals, as the San Antonio Spurs try to clinch their fifth title and end the Miami Heat's reign on Tuesday night:
During his team's Game 3 rout of the Heat, Gregg Popovich was shown on TV talking to his players while they were in the process of burying Miami with a stirring offensive display.
They lost three times in three months in one of the most overpowering stretches the NBA has ever seen.
The Spurs have long been the NBA's gold standard when it comes to drafting and development, preferring to roll up their sleeves and scour the globe to find the right players to slot into well-defined roles in San Antonio.
Still, nostalgia for the team's original nickname remains, and a Monumental Sports & Entertainment official said the organization will continue to market throwback gear to tap that interest.
The Miami Heat weren't supposed to be in this situation. Not now, anyway.
