Jun 12, 2014; Miami, FL, USA; San Antonio Spurs forward Kawhi Leonard (2) shoots as Miami Heat forward LeBron James (6) defends during the third quarter of game four of the 2014 NBA Finals at American Airlines Arena. Mandatory Credit: Robert Mayer-USA TODAY Sports – RTR3TIYA
(Reuters) – The visiting San Antonio Spurs dominated the Miami Heat again, crushing the two-time defending champions 107-86 in Game Four of the NBA Finals on Thursday to move within one victory of clinching the championship.
The one-sided win gave the Spurs, who routed the Heat by 19 points in Game Three in Miami, a 3-1 lead in the NBA Finals and put them in position to claim a fifth championship in 15 years when the series shifts to San Antonio for Game Five on Sunday.
Kawhi Leonard led San Antonio’s balanced, ball-sharing attack with 20 points and Tony Parker added 19 as all 13 players joined in the scoring spree for the Spurs, who led 55-36 at the intermission.
James, a shadow of himself during the first half, came alive in the third quarter in scoring 19 of Miami’s 21 points but it was not enough to slow the dazzling Spurs. James led the Heat with 28 points, with Chris Bosh next highest with 12.
(Reporting by Larry Fine in New York; Editing by Ian Ransom)