MIAMI — LeBron James looked like a different man down the stretch of Miami’s dramatic 103-100 overtime defeat of San Antonio in Game 6, and it started with
Ben Golliver | Jun 19, 2013
MIAMI — LeBron James looked like a different man down the stretch of Miami's dramatic 103-100 overtime defeat of San Antonio in Game 6, and it started with his bare forehead.
After being unable to buy a bucket all night, James had his trademark headband knocked off early in the fourth quarter. Rather than locate it and put it back on, the 2013 MVP continued playing without it. Wouldn't you know it? James just so happened to kick his game into another gear without the headwear, scoring 16 points in the fourth quarter, including a key three-pointer with 20 seconds remaining in regulation.
"I guess the headband was the least of my worries at that point," James said, referencing San Antonio's double-digit lead in the fourth quarter.
James finished with his second triple-double of the 2013 Finals, tallying 32 points (on 11-for-26 shooting), 11 assists and 10 rebounds.
"I've never seen him play without his headband that long, since his rookie year," Dwyane Wade said. "He got very aggressive. He really got to the paint and he was going to give everything that he had, and he did. He had an unbelievable fourth quarter for us."
At halftime, James had just nine points on three-for-nine shooting. Entering the fourth, Miami trailed by 10 points and San Antonio appeared to have James bottled up.
"I basically just told myself, give it all I got," James said, describing his approach at the beginning of the fourth quarter. "If we go down losing, I'm going to go down with no bullets. I'm going all out. I can be satisfied with the results. That's exactly what I did. I just tried to play both sides of the floor on a high intensity level until I had no more left in the tank."
As the fourth quarter unfolded, James keyed a strong Heat push with a pair of dunks, a block of Tim Duncan at the rim, and a leaner in the paint.
"An absolute desperation and will," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said of James' fourth-quarter.
It turned out to be just enough, as Ray Allen drained a game-tying three-pointer in the closing seconds of regulation. The Heat would prevail in overtime to extend their season.