In Game 2, LeBron James played every bit like a player who’s going to win the NBA Finals MVP while willing the Miami Heat to a series-tying 98-96 win. Tim Duncan, who was our pick to win the award in our MVP prediction piece, and the rest of the San Antonio Spurs now look to deal the Heat their first loss in South Beach in these Playoffs.
Create a betting account now and pick which team you are predicting to gain the series advantage on Tuesday night.
[sc:NBAArticles ]Miami Heat vs. San Antonio Spurs NBA Finals, Game 3 Betting Preview
Series Scores & Schedule
Game 1 – June 5, Miami 95 at San Antonio 110
Game 2 – June 5, Miami 98 at San Antonio 96
Game 3 – June 10, 9:00 PM ET, San Antonio (+4) at Miami (-4); total 198.0 – view all NBA lines
Game 4 – June 12, 9:00 PM ET, San Antonio at Miami
Game 5 – June 15, 8:00 PM ET, Miami at San Antonio
Game 6 (if necessary) – June 17, 9:00 PM ET, San Antonio at Miami
Game 7 (if necessary) – June 20, 9:00 PM ET, Miami at San Antonio
Betting on the Miami Heat
The Heat are going to be in good position to win their third NBA title in a row so long as LeBron James plays the way he did Sunday night. Minus the cramps that hindered him from playing until the end in Game 1, James (35 points, 10 rebounds, and 3 assists) bounced back strong by single-handedly obliterating the San Antonio Spurs in Game 2.
The Heat now return to Florida, where they are yet to lose in this postseason. Miami is 8-0 SU and 6-2 ATS in its last eight home games.
[sc:NBA240banner ]James has been in the zone over the last three games, wherein he shot a combined 31-of-51 for a stunning 60.78% from the field. The other members of the Big Three, meanwhile, aren’t just standing and watching The King put on a show. Chris Bosh has made 18 points in each of the first two games of the series, while Dwyane Wade is averaging 16.5 PPG.
While the Big Three come up big, sweet shooting Rashard Lewis continues to be Miami’s unsung hero. The Spurs have yet to find an answer for Lewis (13.7 PPG in his last four games) and Bosh on the outside, as the two have drilled nine treys in the first two games. With James and Wade driving and kicking the ball to Heat shooters, Lewis and Bosh will be important weapons of the Heat throughout the series.
Betting on the San Antonio Spurs
The Spurs could not stop James, but they could have still come away with a win if only they knocked down crucial free throws down the stretch of Game 2.
Tony Parker (21 points, seven assists) and Tim Duncan (18 points, 15 rebounds) each missed two free throw attempts during the crucial moments of the game, allowing the Heat to pull away with a series-tying victory. However, free throw shooting is only one of the problems the Spurs have to address in Game 3.
The Spurs’ advantage in the paint, which was instrumental in their Game 1 victory, was defused by Miami in Game 2. San Antonio outscored the Heat inside in the series opener, 48-36, but only had 34 in the next game. Worse, the Heat outdid them with 44 paint points. Duncan and Tiago Splitter need to impose their will inside on offense and make life harder for Bosh, Lewis, and Chris Andersen.
The Spurs have scored 102.9 PPG on the road in these Playoffs, fewer than the 108.4 PPG they put up at home. The totals have gone under in seven of the Spurs’ last 10 road games.
Writer’s Prediction
The Spurs punish Miami inside the shaded area, and win Game 3 by a close margin. Take the Spurs straight up at +160.
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