Standout Stats: NBA Finals Game 5

MANILA, Philippines – Before the NBA Finals shifts back to Miami for Game 6, let’s check out some notable stats of Game 5, where the San Antonio Spurs nipped the Heat, 114-104, to take a 3-2 series lead.

1. Manu Ginobili made his first start of the season in a surprise move from San Antonio head coach Gregg Popovich. It immediately paid dividends.

2. Ginobili subsequently scored a season and playoff-high 24 points while also adding 10 assists.

3. Tony Parker came out strong despite nursing a scary hamstring injury he sustained in the series, led the Spurs in scoring with 26 points.

4. Danny Green now holds the record for most 3-pointers in Finals history with 25 – shooting a magnificent 60 percent clip from the3-point zone – breaking Ray Allen’s previous record of 22 triples.

5. Allen led all scorers off the bench with 21 points, including a perfect shooting from beyond the arc (4/4).

6. All of San Antonio’s starters scored in double figures, outscoring their Heat counterparts with 24 more points.

7. LeBron James and Dwyane Wade scored 25 points each to lead the Heat’s losing cause.

8. Neither team has won two consecutive games this series and Games 6 and 7 (if necessary) will be played at the Heat’s home court at the American Airlines Arena.

9. James led all players in minutes played with 43 while Green led the Spurs with 39 minutes.

10. The Spurs clinically implemented their offensive game plan, mustering up a scintillating 60 percent shooting performance compared to the paltry 43 percent output of Miami.