At the end of the third quarter highly decorated Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra was asked basically what happened? The Spurs had turned a competitive game on Miami’s home floor into a 20 point lead at one point in the third. Spoelstra’s reply: “That’s what they do. They make you pay.” Spoelstra may consider the Spurs a “they” — a monolithic entity that stays the same no matter what the parts are — and he’s got a point. Lose Tim Duncan and emerge with the second best record in the NBA? Yes, the Spurs have a system greater than its parts. But those parts are remarkable. And the newest Spurs part is Rudy Gay. Gay torched the Heat for 10 points in that decisive third quarter alone.
Indeed Gay looks like a natural-born Spur out there in his first year in San Antonio. Look at what Gay did so quietly against Miami on the road: 22 points in 26 minutes on 75% field goal percentage. He went 9-of-11 from the line. Note that: Rudy Gay went to the foul line eleven times in 26 minutes. Exceptional attacking by Gay and all within the rhythm of the Spurs machine-like offense. Gay added 2 steals, 4 assists and 3 rebounds. San Antonio does it again. Spurs beat the Heat 117-100.
