In a rematch of the 2013 Finals, the Spurs took on the Heat in San Antonio this Thursday in a game featured on TNT. The Heat came into the game fully healthy and after winning eight games in a row, recently dropped one in Houston two nights prior. The Spurs also entered the game fully healthy, aside from Jeff Ayres, and were looking to win their fifth in a row. As far as regular season games go, this was an important one for the Spurs.

Before the variety of maladies struck, the naysayers constantly pointed out that the Spurs hadn't beaten any of the top teams. Going into tonight's affair, the Spurs were winless against the Heat, OKC and Indiana. Over a nearly two month stretch without their best players, the Spurs managed to tread water and remain the second seed in the West. Four games ago the Spurs finally regained their injured players and have since been on a bit of a tear. But this was Miami. It's the guys that took the trophy away last year and are currently favored to win it all again for their third consecutive championship. This was a game that mattered.

The Spurs came out of the gate playing nearly flawless basketball on the offensive end. In the first six minutes of the game, the Spurs didn't turn it over once and Tony Parker led the way with six early points and an assist. Before the Heat knew it they were down 18-10, and Erik Spoelstra was forced to stop the action with a timeout.

The pause in action did little to slow the Spurs down as they continued to get whatever they wanted against the Heat's defense. In the impressive quarter, the Spurs put up 37 points while shooting an incredibly efficient 79% from the field. While that kind of shooting can normally be attributed to a hot hand, in this case it was simply the Spurs' offense executing to perfection. The ball moved and the Spurs created high percentage shots consistently while their defense kept the Heat away from the basket.

It was easily the Spurs' best quarter of the season and it came against the best team in the league. You just can't ask for much more than that. Up 37-22 after the first, the Spurs were in great position to control the rest of the game.

In the second quarter, the game seemed to slow down and the Heat regrouped. After turning the ball over just twice in the opening frame the Spurs gave it away five times in the second quarter and Miami used the sloppiness to win the quarter, 29-25. Towards the end of the quarter, it felt as if the Heat were destined to close the gap before intermission. Down 16 with 1:40 remaining in the half, the Heat cut the lead to eight after a clear path foul that gave LeBron free throws and the Heat the ball followed by a three from Michael Beasley. But the Spurs didn't panic and ran their offense. The ball skipped, went inside out and found itself in the hands of a wide-open Boris Diaw who confidently sunk the three to give the Spurs an 11 point lead at halftime.

In the third quarter the two heavyweights exchanged blows. The game turned into a brawl as both defenses stiffened after a fairly finesse first half. The Heat shot 55% from the field but were forced into committing six turnovers. The Spurs shot just 32% but made three 3-pointers which helped them put some points on the board. After scoring 15 points in the first half, Chris Bosh scored six in the third to help the Heat win the quarter, 23-20.

And so the two teams that met in last year's Finals entered the fourth quarter with the Spurs up, 82-74. After a shaky second and third quarter, the Spurs took control in the fourth for their fifth straight win. With 4:30 left in the game the Spurs were up 12 and it was still in doubt. In the next two minutes Tim Duncan scored six quick points and Manu Ginobili converted a beautiful, determined drive for a 8-2 run that sealed the victory. The Spurs went on to win the game, 111-87.

Game Notes