NBA Finals: San Antonio Spurs vs. Miami Heat - Game 5 Talking Points

Head coach Gregg Popovich of the San Antonio Spurs reacts in the fourth quarter while taking on the Miami Heat during Game Five of the 2013 NBA Finals at the AT&T Center on June 16, 2013 in San Antonio, Texas. (Getty Images)

Parker came up big:

Tony Parker had maybe the best game of the series yet, as he was relieved of the major play-making duties by Ginobili and could concentrate on scoring more. The result: he played more like a shooting guard, scoring 26 points on 10-14 shooting. He played for 35 minutes, and despite his calf still bothering him, he kept on attacking the rim and came up with vital clutch plays in the fourth quarter to snuff out any chances of a possible Miami Heat comeback.

Popovich’s tactical brilliance:

This year’s NBA Finals has been imperious in terms of the strategies, tactical brilliance and polarizing basketball mentalities on display. It has been like a chess game, with each Coach trying to better the other and despite many savants still questioning Eric Spoelstra’s status as an elite basketball coach, his tactical duel with Popovich has been absorbingly intriguing.

While, he may get the stick for being bettered in most occasions, he has certainly showed enough basketball acumen to bother Popovich; quite possibly the best tactical coach in the game. Today was however not his day as Popovich pulled off another masterstroke, by starting Ginobili and going small with two spot-up shooters in Green and Leonard as the starting Forwards.

Ginobili handled the ball for major parts and that allowed Parker to be aggressive and concentrate on his natural scoring instincts. The Heat were reluctant to give Green and Leonard any space as both had been shooting the ball exceedingly well, and with Ginobili also demanding a lot of attention, it opened up the paint for Parker and Duncan to exploit.

On the defensive front, Popovich knew that if Wade had another 30-point game then it would be difficult for the Spurs to stay in the game, and he put Leonard, his best defensive player, on him. The issue was about who was to guard LeBron now, as despite everything Green wasn’t strong enough to defend LeBron.

Popovich then would surprise many by bringing in his dark horse in Boris Diaw, to guard LeBron. Now, not many remember that Diaw had started his career as a guard, before Mike D’Antoni forced him into playing as a forward and a stretch four at Phoenix. Called 3D by his teammates because of his all-round game, it was time to put it to the test against the game’s best player. Diaw certainly didn’t have the foot speed to keep up with LeBron, but Popovich had that covered with his defensive rotations.

LeBron despite everything couldn’t look to post up on the beefy Diaw, and when he did beat him off the dribble, he ran into a barrage of bodies in the paint. He had a mismatch, but the only way he could exploit it was by walking into the Spurs trap. Not surprisingly he had to finish the game shooting 11 jumpers and missing 6 lay-ups. He did get to the free-throw line, but he was by no means the same menace and Popovich had truly out-smarted the Heat and co. by turning their biggest strength into a trap.

Popovich may have stamped his authority over Game 5, but he was never somebody to rest on his laurels. He is already looking forward to Game 6, and in his signature dismissive mode summed it up as, “There is no magic to it. It is basketball. It is not that complicated. “