Spurs takes 3 to nothing lead over cavs.

Wednesday, June 13

NBA Finals Game 3 was in Cleveland Tuesday night. The Spurs won, taking a 3-0 series lead. The next two games (Game 5 is 'if necessary') are in Cleveland. Here's what went down in Game 3:

nba daily recap - nba daily roundup San Antonio 75, Cleveland 72 -- The AP reports: Bruce Bowen, the defensive stopper, emerged as an unlikely offensive star as the Spurs moved within one win of their fourth championship in nine years with a 75-72 win over the Cavaliers on Tuesday night to take a commanding 3-0 lead in the series... Tony Parker scored 17 points and Tim Duncan had 14, but Manu Ginobili, who scored 25 in Game 2, had just three -- all free throws in the final 10.4 seconds -- to hold off the Cavaliers and crush the hopes of their towel-waving crowd, who had never before seen their team play a finals game in person... Cleveland's chances, and maybe their last hopes of extending the season, ended when LeBron James, who led the Cavaliers with 25 points, eight rebounds and seven assists, was short with a 3-pointer in the final seconds. Bowen, who had just nine points in the first two games, scored 13 and Brent Barry made three 3-pointers for the Spurs, who can all but plan their victory parade as no team has ever overcome an 0-3 deficit.

The AP reports: Ginobili didn't hit a shot from the field Tuesday night against the Cleveland Cavaliers, missing all seven he took. But his three free throws -- all in the last 10.4 seconds -- sealed the 75-72 victory that gave the Spurs a 3-0 lead in the NBA finals. Ginobili went to the line late and the Spurs leading 72-70. He missed the first, but made the second. Then, with 5.5 seconds to go, he hit two more to make it 75-72.

The AP reports: Parker, who led the Spurs in scoring in Games 1 and 2 with 27 and 30 points, respectively, went scoreless in the first quarter. Cleveland had struggled to keep the quick Parker out of the lane and away from the rim. On Tuesday, he missed two free throws early and missed his only attempt from the field. Parker picked up the pace in the second quarter, scoring eight points, including the floater at the buzzer that capped a 10-0 run and gave the Spurs a 40-38 lead.

Two key plays in the final minute:

- LeBron James passed to Anderson Varejao who tried to operate on Tim Duncan around the paint but threw up an awful shot that wasn't even close. LeBron should have taken it himself, or immediately gotten a pass back from Varejao, or just passed to someone else.

- LeBron missed a three-pointer in the final seconds, but Bruce Bowen clearly fouled him on the arm/wrist prior to the shot being taken. But there was no call.

For the Spurs: Tony Parker (just 7-of-17) had 17 points, 5 rebounds and 3 assists (3 turnovers). Tim Duncan (just 6-of-17) had 14 points, 9 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 blocks. Bruce Bowen (4-of-6, 4-of-5 three-pointers) had 13 points and 9 rebounds. Manu Ginobili was an awful 0-of-7 for 3 points, 4 rebounds and 5 assists. Brent Barry scored 9, Mike Finley 7, Fabricio Oberto 6.

For the Cavs: LeBron James (just 9-of-23, 0-of-5 threes) had 25 points, 8 rebounds, 7 assists (5 turnovers) and 2 steals. Drew Gooden (5-of-11) had 13 points, 12 rebounds and he fouled out. Sasha Pavlovic (just 5-of-15) had 13 points, 3 assists and little else. Zydrunas Ilgauskas (6-of-13) had 12 points and 18 rebounds.

The Spurs shot 41.2%, the Cavs 36.7%. The Spurs nailed 10-of-19 three-pointers, the Cavs were a miserable 3-of-19. Both teams were lousy from the free throw line, and few free throws were shot. The Cavs had an edge in both rebounds and assists.

Source: Insidehoops.com