Heat force Game Seven with OT win

MIAMI (AP):

The Miami Heat beat the San Antonio Spurs 103-100 after overtime on Tuesday night to square the series at 3-3 and force the NBA Finals to a decisive Game Seven.

Miami's LeBron James shrugged off a poor start to get 32 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds, while Ray Allen hit a three-pointer with 5.2 seconds to play to force overtime.

James scored 16 points in the fourth quarter to rally the Heat from a 10-point deficit. He hit a three with 20 seconds to go and Allen drilled another to tie it.

James' layup with 1:43 to play in overtime gave the Heat a 101-100 lead and Allen added two free throws to force Game Seven, which is tonight in Miami.

"If we were going to go down tonight, we're going to go down with me leaving every little bit of energy that I had on the floor," James said.

The Spurs had one final chance when they were down 103-100, but Chris Bosh blocked Danny Green's three-point attempt from the corner as time expired.

Tim Duncan scored 30 points for the Spurs, his most in an NBA Finals game since Game One in 2003, but was shut out after the third quarter. He added 17 rebounds.

Today's decider will be the first Game Seven to be played in an NBA Finals since the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Boston Celtics in 2010.

"They're the best two words in sports: Game Seven," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said.

The Spurs looked headed to a fifth title in five chances when they built a 13-point lead with under four minutes left in the third quarter, then again, when they recovered from blowing that lead to take a five-point edge late in regulation.

2-3-2 format

Miami, which haven't lost consecutive games since January 8 and 10, are trying to become the fourth team to win the final two games at home since the NBA went to the 2-3-2 format for the finals in 1985.

James came in averaging 31.5 points in elimination games, the highest in NBA history, according to a stat provided through the NBA by the Elias Sports Bureau.

He was well off that form early, sinking just three of 12 shots over the first three quarters. With the Heat trailing by 10, frustration was apparent among the players and panic was setting in among the fans.

However, he finished 11 of 26, even making a steal after his basket had given Miami a lead in OT.

Kawhi Leonard had 22 points and 11 rebounds for the Spurs. Tony Parker had 19 points and eight assists, but shot just six of 23 from the field.