The stars seemed to be aligning for a Texas NBA team to celebrate a league championship in South Beach for the second time in three seasons. It would have meant that the LeBron James-led Miami Heat failed to live up to the expectations that came with being considered the best basketball team on the planet.
Then came a Texas-sized meltdown by Tim Duncan and the San Antonio Spurs.
On the brink of winning their fifth championship since the 1999 season, the Spurs blew a 13-point second half lead. After scoring 25 points in the first half, Duncan attempted only eight shots in the second half and overtime; scoring a total of five points during that span. Meanwhile, Manu Ginobili has one of the worst games of his heralded postseason career. He scored nine points and turned the ball over a total of eight times.
Danny Green, who already broke an NBA Finals record for three-pointers made in a series, hit just one-of-seven shots and scored three points in 41 minutes of play.
Despite this, San Antonio opened up a five-point lead with 28 seconds remaining in the game. At that point, Heat' fans headed for the exits in mass; assuming the game was all but over.
After missing a three-point attempt from the top of the key, James nailed a second attempt after Miami's Mike Miller won a loose ball. This cut the lead to two with 20 seconds left.
All San Antonio needed to do with his two free throws and this series would have been over.
Unfortunately for the Spurs, rising start Kawhi Leonard hit just one of two free throws to keep the game within one score. James then proceeded to miss another three-point attempt, which seemed to put the game on ice. Chris Bosh won the rebound battle and pushed the ball back outside, this time to Ray Allen in the corner to attempt a desperation three. Allen, a future Hall of Famer, nailed it with just five seconds remaining to tie the game.
Tony Parker went the length of the court, but missed an off-balance shot.
The game was headed to overtime, as Miami's comeback staved off elimination. At least, for the time being.
Overtime was filled with intensity, passion and drama. Officiating came under the microscope as some non calls had Spurs' backers thrown for a loop.
Despite everything that happened, San Antonio held a three-point lead with less than three minutes remaining.
Then it went downhill for the Western Conference Champions.
Missed shots and turnovers led to lost opportunities, as both James and Allen hit shots to give Miami a one-point lead. Two Chris Bosh blocks, including a controversial challenge of a Danny Green three as time expired led the Heat to a three-point victory.
For his part, James recorded a triple double by scoring 32 points, grabbing 10 rebounds and dishing out 11 assists. It was his 11th career postseason triple-double.
James is averaging an NBA record 31.5 PPG in his career in elimination games. Of course, Thursday's Game 7 will represent another elimination game for Miami.
As it relates to the Spurs, they are 4-0 in NBA Finals series since 1999 but have history working against them.
It has been 35 years since a road team won Game 7 in the NBA Finals.