God really played a joke on him, not big, not small.

He had worked hard for three quarters to erase a 15-point deficit.

But now Tang Tian, the last person who should have, was hitting a crucial three-pointer right in his face.

There really couldn't be a more painful scenario than this.

He might as well not have chased those points!

But fortunately, the Heat still had time.

The final 11 seconds.

Spoelstra arranged a one-on-one play for James.

Trailing by 3 points, the Spurs would most likely defend their 3-pointer and concede a 2-pointer.

With enough time, they could get a quick 2 points first, and then gamble on the Spurs' free throws.

Time-out over.

The Heat put Miller, Battier, and James Jones all on the court.

These players were all for spacing.

Wade dribbled the ball to the frontcourt and passed it to James.

The Spurs' defense on the court was indeed very spread out.

Spoelstra's choice was still right; James had a high success rate for a quick 2 points.

James's breakthrough in the middle, Diaw couldn't quite withstand it.

The Spurs' weak side defense shrunk inward.

Popovich's arrangement was mainly to defend against three-pointers, but they didn't want James to get the two points too easily.

But at the crucial moment, after James squeezed past Diaw, he didn't shoot, but instead passed the ball to James Jones on the outside!

Jones had a very good three-point opportunity!

The hearts of the fans in the arena were suddenly suspended.

James's pass caught everyone off guard.

But it was indeed an opportunity.

Jones was a three-point shooter with excellent mental fortitude; if he could hit this three-pointer, the Heat could tie the score!

Considering the advantage in physical strength, the Heat's chances of winning in overtime were obviously greater!

Jones shot.

Everyone's eyes in the arena were focused on the spinning basketball!

The ball fell after passing its highest point.

"Clang!"

The basketball bounced off the rim!

Jones had played less than 5 minutes in the first half of this game; Spoelstra brought him on purely for spacing.

His body wasn't fully warmed up, and he wasn't mentally prepared for this!

Splitter secured the crucial defensive rebound.

James could only choose to foul.

The last 5 seconds.

As long as Splitter made one free throw, the Spurs could basically win the game.

James glanced at the scoreboard, took out his mouthpiece, and shook his head.

His teammates weren't up to it!

Splitter's free throw percentage was over 70%, making him relatively accurate among big men.

But there was still psychological pressure at the crucial moment, and he made one of two free throws.

5 seconds, a 4-point difference was already enough to ensure the Spurs won the game.

The Heat called their last timeout.

Because the time was short, and the Heat didn't have a player like Tang Tian who could run quickly and had a stable catch-and-shoot three-point ability.

Spoelstra's final arrangement was a one-on-one play for Wade.

James passed the ball from the frontcourt, and his teammates spread out.

Wade made a series of crossovers, shaking off Green's defense before shooting a three-pointer.

"Clang!"

The ball bounced off the rim.

Three-pointers weren't Wade's strength, even though he was very good in the clutch.

The final rebound was secured by Diaw, who held it tightly in his arms.

"Beep!"

The final buzzer sounded.

The Spurs ultimately defeated the Heat 101-97, taking the first victory in the Finals!

The moment the final buzzer sounded, Diaw threw the ball into the air, and the AT&T Center erupted in cheers.

At the beginning of the season, the Spurs weren't favored, and even in the playoffs, they weren't the biggest favorites to win the championship.

But now they had made it to the Finals, and in the first game, they had knocked down the most favored Heat!

They had made it this far amidst doubts, which was truly inspiring.

The Spurs' players were surrounding Tang Tian and Duncan, shouting and cheering.

This game had been full of twists and turns, and even the composed among them were a little unable to restrain themselves.

Duncan had 30 points and 15 rebounds, making him the biggest contributor to the team's victory, but Tang Tian's clutch three-pointer at the end had truly decided the game's outcome.

The Heat's players looked somewhat dejected.

They were only one minute, one shot, or even one pass away from winning.

James had 33 points, 8 rebounds, and 6 assists in vain, and Wade's 22 points and 5 assists and Bosh's 17 points and 11 rebounds were also rendered useless.

This game was full of ups and downs, and fans on social media were constantly discussing it after the game.

"I can now confirm that the NBA is pre-recorded, the Godfather hits a fatal three-pointer to kill the Heat, and they didn't choose me in the first place?"

"Haha, LeBron even sighed after Tang hit that three-pointer, Pat Riley in the pit, really harms people!"

"This is really not a joke, the Heat's role players were a combined 1 for 11 from the outside, and Tang Tian alone was 3 for 6!"

"In fact, if Tang was on the Heat, they could still run a tactical opportunity for the last attack."

"Then Tang hits a three-pointer to tie the game, enters overtime, and the Heat use their physical advantage to defeat the Spurs."

"However... Tang isn't on the Heat!"

"That's heartbreaking..."

"Actually, what I don't understand more is James's choice. He had a great opportunity to get a quick two points, and the Heat still had a timeout."

"That choice was okay. Jones got a wide-open opportunity, but Jones just didn't seize the opportunity."

"That's what they say, but I think as a superstar, you still have to believe in yourself, and you also have to consider the problem of Jones playing less in this game."

"That's LeBron's way of playing."

"Trust your teammates at critical moments? (￫ܫ￩)"

"Someone come and get my 30-meter broadsword to cut Xiu'er's hair!"

……

Taking the first game was a great boost to the Spurs' morale, but Popovich was still quite cautious.

On the afternoon of the day after the game, he arranged for routine defensive training.

And after the training, he gathered the players together.

"Who of you wants to be the main defender against LeBron in the next game?"

Popovich asked a very normal question.

The Spurs had done a good job in exploiting their inside advantage and controlling the performance of the role players in the last game.

But they didn't do well in defending James.

Popovich now wanted someone to stand up.

Ginobili and Green both looked at Tang Tian.

Tang Tian had an expression that said, "Why are you looking at me?"

With his current weight, he was going to be someone's appetizer?

At this moment, Leonard suddenly raised his hand.

This move surprised everyone; Leonard had never taken the initiative to take on such a task before.

"Kawhi, are you sure?"

Popovich confirmed again.

Leonard didn't speak, just nodded.

"Okay, then it's settled. Don't let me down."

Popovich made a decision quickly.

Tang Tian quietly gave Leonard a thumbs up at this time.

Popovich's move seemed very hasty, but probably in the old man's mind, Leonard was the candidate he wanted.