Heat at Spurs Game 5 Pick

Miami Heat vs. San Antonio Spurs

Game 5

Sunday 8:00 EST

June 15, 2014

Game 5 Line: San Antonio -5.5 (Subject to change. Click here for current odds)

After a second consecutive embarrassing loss at home in the NBA Finals in which the Miami Heat never had much of a chance, the Heat have entered uncharted territory.

Having lost back-to-back postseason games for the first time since the 2012 Eastern Conference finals, the Heat find themselves on the verge of elimination after losing Game 4 of the NBA Finals to the San Antonio Spurs.

Over the past three seasons, the Big 3 – LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh – who have never trailed 3-1 in a playoff series — always responded when no one thought they would. Just ask the Boston Celtics, who were up 3-2 in the 2012 Conference Finals, or the San Antonio Spurs, who were leading by five points with less than 30 seconds left in Game 6 last year.

In both instances, the Heat rallied en route to back-to-back NBA championships, but this year seems different. Because after a blowout loss in Game 3, it was widely assumed the Heat would bounce right back in Game 4, and the 2014 NBA Finals would be all tied at two games apiece when the series returned to San Antonio for Game 5. Why wouldn’t they have? James always responded with a masterful performance. Wade always had an answer. Bosh always made the big shot.

But just as we have grown accustomed to always assuming and believing the Heat would find a way, maybe it’s possible that this roster doesn’t have enough talent to defeat the Spurs. Or maybe the workload over the past four years is simply taking its toll. Whatever the reason for the Spurs domination, there’s no way around it. The Spurs have simply been the better team in this years finals, and despite being on the losing end, you could argue they were the better team last year too.

So while the Spurs certainly haven’t forgotten the feeling of losing the last two games of the finals last year, many believed that was the Spurs’ final curtain call. With aging stars on their roster, and having to overcome a heartbreaking loss, there was no way San Antonio would be able to rally from letting the 2013 championship slip right through their hands. But not only have the responded by finishing the regular season with the NBA’s best record, but they are also one win away from being the NBA’s best team.

Entering Game 5, the Spurs are the 32nd team in NBA history to hold a 3-1 lead in the finals. All 31 of the previous teams have won the title. Barring a miraculous comeback by the Heat, it’s not a matter of whether the Spurs will win their fifth NBA championship, but when.

However, I’m not ready to wave the white flag on the Heat just yet. My gut tells me they’ll be ready to play Sunday night. My gut tells me they’ll respond because they always have before.

At some point over the next three games, King James will be dethroned as the Heat’s reign as NBA champions will come to an end. No matter what the past two games have shown, I can’t envision James going out like this. So while the series might end in six games or seven, it’s not going to end in five.

Down 3-1, the Heat are faced with their biggest test yet. They pass the first part on Sunday.

My Pick: Heat +5.5 Bet these odds now!