Story highlights
San Antonio Spurs beat Miami Heat 113-77 in Game Three of NBA Finals
The Spurs take a 2-1 series lead thanks to a finals-record 16 three-pointers
San Antonio point guard Tony Parker withdraws in second half through injury
The Frenchman will have an MRI scan ahead of Game Four on Thursday
Two lesser lights stole the headlines as the San Antonio Spurs routed the Miami Heat 113-77 in Game Three of the 2013 NBA Finals.
All talk ahead of the best-of-seven series centered on the “Big Three” on each team, with San Antonio’s Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili set to take on Miami’s LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh.
But it was Danny Green and Gary Neal of the Spurs who took the contest away from the defending champion at San Antonio’s AT & Center on Tuesday as the home side took a 2-1 series lead.
Green scored 27 points with Neal scoring 24 as San Antonio, which last won the title in 2007, sank a finals-record 16 three-pointers.
“Those guys stepping up on this stage in this game is huge for us,” Duncan told reporters after finishing with 12 points and 14 rebounds.
“We talked about it before the series started, how we’re going to have to have guys step up and guys play well in certain games. And we don’t expect a performance like this from those kind of guys, but they were great.”
Parker was forced to withdraw with a hamstring injury in the second half, but even the loss of San Antonio’s star point guard couldn’t prevent a crushing win.
“It’s been a while since I shot the ball like that,” said Green. “A couple games in the season, I shot it pretty well, but tonight it was a totally different level of feeling – comfort level on the perimeter.”
San Antonio will now sweat over the fitness of Parker, who will have an MRI scan to judge whether he will be fit for Thursday’s Game Four.
Game Five, to be played on Sunday, will take place in San Antonio before the series return to Miami’s American Airlines Arena.
“We didn’t do anything right,” said James, whose team lost in the 2011 finals. “We can’t play like that on either side of the floor if we want to win.
“At the end of the day it is just one win for them. We have to come out Thursday and do better.”