MIAMI -- The irony was rich.

• In an NBA Finals that has largely been about the breakthrough performance of the San Antonio Spurs' 25-year-old shooter Danny Green, it was an old veteran who made perhaps the biggest shot of the Miami Heat's season.

  Ray Allen, 37, hit a game-tying 3-pointer with 5.2 seconds left in regulation, helping the Heat earn a 103-100 overtime victory in Game 6 of the NBA Finals on Tuesday night at AmericanAirlines Arena.

  "It's a shot I will remember for a long time," Allen said. "This will go high up in the ranks because of the situation."

  Green, who in Game 5 broke Allen's record for most 3-pointers in a single Finals series with 25, was cold Tuesday, held to three points on 1-of-7 shooting. The only shot he made was a 3-pointer.

  Allen wasn't great -- just clutch. He scored nine points in 40 minutes off the bench, making three of eight shots, but he had no doubts in his mind during the Heat's final possession of regulation.

  After LeBron James missed a 3-pointer that would have tied it, Allen raced in for a potential rebound. When he saw that Chris Bosh had the carom, he backpedaled to the corner.

  "I wasn't quite sure I was where I needed to be," Allen said, "but after years and years, you kind of have a feel for it."

  Allen said he never thought about passing up the shot -- not even with James calling for the ball.

  "When it went in, I was ecstatic," Allen said. "But I was expecting to make it."

  Although his shot was huge, Allen made it clear that this is James' team, and he said the players all follow LeBron's lead.

  Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said pretty much the same thing when he credited James' 16-point fourth quarter with vaulting the team to victory.

  "It was absolute desperation and his will to do it on both ends," Spoelstra said. "Even though he had an extremely tough (job, covering Tony Parker), he gave us life when we were down by 10."

  James said part of what gave him that "life" was when he noticed the yellow tape that had been put up behind his bench as NBA officials prepared for a possible championship trophy presentation for the Spurs.

  "It (angered) us," James said. "But that's why you play the game to the final buzzer."

  Then again, this series has been about each team alternating wins and losses, and if that trend holds, the Spurs would win their fifth title since 1999 on Thursday.

  For that to happen, Parker -- the Spurs' talented point guard -- must be healthy. He has been plagued by a hamstring injury during this series and sat out key plays late Tuesday because of cramps.

  The Spurs could also use better play from Manu Ginobili -- he had eight turnovers and just nine points -- and a few more 3-pointers by Green.

  "Bad," Ginobili said when asked how Tuesday's loss felt. "It's a tough moment. We were a few seconds away from winning the championship. There were a couple of rebounds we didn't catch, a tough 3 by Ray, and a couple of missed free throws.

  "We don't think we played a great game, but we were in a great situation. Up two with two free throws. ... I'm devastated. I have no idea how we are going to come back -- but we have to."

MIAMI -- With less than half a minute to go in regulation, the reigning NBA champion Miami Heat were on the brink of elimination on their home floor.

• However, a LeBron James 3-pointer, a Kawhi Leonard missed free throw, a Chris Bosh rebound, a Ray Allen season-saving 3-pointer and a pair of blocked shots in overtime by the much-maligned Bosh gave the Heat a 103-100 victory over the San Antonio Spurs on Tuesday night at AmericanAirlines Arena.

  With the win, the Heat forced a deciding Game 7 of the NBA Finals on Thursday night in Miami.

  Allen's 3-pointer with 5.2 seconds left in regulation sent the game to overtime when it seemed San Antonio had the championship wrapped up.

  Asked if the Spurs can recover from such a tough loss, the Spurs' Manu Ginobili said, "We have to. There is no Game 8."

  James had a triple-double, 32 points (including 18 after the third quarter), 10 rebounds and 11 assists. However, James missed a 3-pointer on Miami's final possession of regulation. Had Bosh not grabbed the rebound, the Heat's season might have ended.

  But Bosh -- who had 10 points and 11 rebounds -- got the board and kicked it to Allen in the right corner.

  "We had a couple of looks at it," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said of that possession. "LeBron's first look, at least it was clean. That's all you can ask for at that time. But Chris made a heck of an effort to give us an extra possession and found Ray. And Ray did what he has done for so many years."

  Before Allen's shot, James was waving for the ball for another try.

  "If it's not me, I have no problem Ray taking that shot," James said. "He can be 0-for-99, if he gets an open look late in the game, it's going down."

  After Allen's shot, Tony Parker drove the length of the court and missed a runner over Bosh at the buzzer.

  Leonard opened the door for Allen by making just one of two free throws with 19 seconds left.

  In the last minute of overtime, San Antonio trailed 101-100 when Bosh blocked a Parker jump shot.

  Ginobili had a similar chance, but he misfired while driving the lane, with the refs declining to whistle a possible foul.

  Allen then made two free throws.

  On San Antonio's final chance of the night, Bosh blocked a corner 3-point try by Danny Green as time expired.

  "It was a hell of a game," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. "It was a game of mistakes, and they ended up on the winning side."

  Popovich also said he did not consider fouling at the end of regulation to prevent from Miami from hitting the tying 3-pointer.

  Tim Duncan scored 30 points and grabbed 17 rebounds to lead the Spurs, but he had no points after the third quarter.

  Leonard had 22 points and 11 rebounds, and Parker added 19 points and eight assists. Ginobili (nine points) and Green (three points) were relatively quiet.

  For the Heat, Mario Chalmers (20 points) and Dwyane Wade (14 points) also contributed.

  The Heat has not lost consecutive games since Jan. 10. However, Miami also has alternated wins and losses for 12 consecutive games, and if that pattern holds, the Spurs would win their fifth NBA title since 1999 on Thursday.

  The Heat started the fourth quarter with a 19-7 run to seemingly take control of the game.

  However, San Antonio delivered an 8-0 run in the final 90 seconds to push the Heat to the brink of elimination.

  James committed two turnovers in those final moments, but he recovered to hit a 3-pointer with 20 seconds left to slice the Spurs' lead to 94-92. That led to Leonard's free throw, and the heroics by Bosh and Allen.

  The Spurs led 75-65 after three quarters, but there were some wild spurts.

  The Heat closed to within 57-56 in the middle of the quarter, but the Spurs responded with an 11-0 run.

  San Antonio led 71-58, its largest advantage of the game, before Miami put together a mini streak of five straight points. But James and Wade missed layups on successive possessions -- both were begging for foul calls -- and Parker and Gary Neal hit runners on the other end to kill the Heat's momentum.

  The Spurs closed the first half on a 17-4 run to take a 50-44 lead into intermission. Duncan had 25 first-half points on 11-of-13 shooting. It was his biggest first half since 2006.

  Meanwhile, James had just nine points on 3-of-9 shooting before halftime, although he did have five assists. James went 0-for-4 against Boris Diaw.

  NOTES: The Spurs and Heat went with their same starting lineups from Game 5. ... In a knee-on-knee collision, Wade was called for charging into Ginobili in the first quarter. Wade came away limping but stayed in the game. ... Heat F Chris "Birdman" Andersen, who was not used in the two previous games, entered Tuesday with 1:41 left in the first quarter. He made an impact -- literally -- in the second quarter, diving into the second row to save a ball. Andersen wound up with one point in 14 minutes. ... Leonard gave the Heat's Mike Miller a "facial" in the first quarter, dunking on the Heat wing while hitting him in the face with his off hand.

MIAMI -- The reigning champion Miami Heat staved off elimination and evened the NBA Finals at three wins each, defeating the San Antonio Spurs 103-100 in overtime Tuesday night at AmericanAirlines Arena.

• The deciding Game 7 will be played Thursday night in Miami.

  James had a triple-double, 32 points -- including 18 after the third quarter -- 10 rebounds and 11 assists. Mario Chalmers (20 points), Dwyane Wade (14 points) and Chris Bosh (10 points) also contributed.

  Tim Duncan scored 30 points and grabbed 17 rebounds to lead the Spurs. Kawhi Leonard had 22, and Tony Parker added 19. Manu Ginobili (nine points) and Danny Green (three points) were relatively quiet in the Spurs' win.

  With San Antonio trailing 101-100 in OT, Parker had a chance to put the Spurs on top, but Bosh blocked his jumper. Ginobili had a similar chance, but he missed a drive, with the refs declining to a whistle a possible foul.

  Ray Allen then made two free throws for the final margin.

  On San Antonio's final chance, Bosh blocked a corner 3-point try by Green as time expired.

  The Heat has not lost consecutive games since Jan. 10. However, Miami also has alternated wins and losses for 12 consecutive games, and if that pattern holds, the Spurs would win their fifth NBA title since 1999 on Thursday.

  A missed free throw by Leonard opened the door, and Allen took advantage, making a right-corner 3-pointer with 5.2 seconds left in regulation, sending the game to overtime at 95-95.

  After Allen's shot, Parker drove the length of the court and missed an off-balance shot over Bosh.

  The Heat started the fourth quarter with a 19-7 run to seemingly take control of the game.

  However, San Antonio delivered an 8-0 run in the final 90 seconds to push the Heat to the brink of elimination.

  James committed two turnovers in the those final moments, but he recovered to hit a 3-pointer with 20 seconds left to slice the Spurs' lead to 94-92.

  Leonard then missed the first free throw and made the second to put the Spurs up 95-92, setting up Allen's heroics.

  The Spurs led 75-65 after three quarters, but there were some wild spurts.

  The Heat closed to within 57-56 in the middle of the quarter, but the Spurs responded with an 11-0 run.

  The Spurs led 71-58, their largest advantage of the game, before the Heat put together a mini streak of five straight points. But James and Wade missed layups on successive possessions -- both were begging for foul calls -- and Parker and Gary Neal hit runners on the other end to kill the Heat's momentum.

  The Spurs closed the first half on a 17-4 run to take a 50-44 lead into intermission. Duncan had 25 first-half points on 11-of-13 shooting. It was his biggest first half since 2006.

  Duncan's brilliance minimized the need for offensive excellence by Spurs starters Ginobili (no first-half points), Green (three) and Parker (four).

  Meanwhile, James had just nine points on 3-of-9 shooting before halftime, although he did have five assists. James went 0-for-4 against Boris Diaw.

  Miami's Wade and Bosh were also fairly quiet with six first-half points each.

  The Heat, led by 10 points from Mario Chalmers, led 27-25 after the first quarter. Chalmers made four of six shots in the period, including two of three 3-pointers.

  Things were really going the Heat's way early when Shane Battier unintentionally banked in a 3-pointer, and Diaw threw up an air ball.

  The Spurs stayed in the game thanks to Duncan, who went 6-for-6 in the first quarter, scoring 12 points. Leonard was also good, making three of four shot for eight first-quarter points.

  NOTES: The Spurs and Heat went with their same starting lineups from Game 5. ... In a knee-on-knee collision, Wade was called for charging into Ginobili in the first quarter. Wade came away limping but stayed in the game. ... Heat F Chris "Birdman" Andersen, who was not used in the two previous games, entered Tuesday with 1:41 left in the first quarter. He made an impact -- literally -- in the second quarter, diving into the second row to save a ball. ... Leonard gave the Heat's Mike Miller a "facial" in the first quarter, dunking on the Heat wing while hitting him in the face with his off hand.

Injured Oklahoma Thunder point guard Russell Westbrook is off crutches and ready to begin the next stage of his rehab from a torn meniscus.

• Westbrook posted a video through his Vine social media site in which he pretends to smash a crutch over his knee and throws it a pool. He then clutches a basketball in a shooting motion, and says, "I'm back."

  It's been just more than six weeks since Westbrook had his surgery. He was hurt his knee in Game 2 of the opening round of the NBA playoffs against the Houston Rockets in a collision with Patrick Beverley, and he missed the rest of the postseason.

The Los Angeles Clippers have again ended talks to acquire Kevin Garnett and head coach Doc Rivers from the Boston Celtics, and this time it could be for good, according to multiple reports Tuesday.

• The teams don't plan to meet again, and the Clippers are planning to hire a coach this week.

  The Boston Globe reported via Twitter that Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge confirmed that discussions were finished.

  The latest snag centered around the Clippers refusal to deal DeAndre Jordan straight up for Garnett, then surrender two first-round draft picks as compensation for allowing Rivers to be released from the final three-years and $21 million on his contract.

  Byron Scott, Brian Shaw and Lionel Hollins remain candidates to become head coach.

The Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Clippers re-initiated discussions on a restructured deal that could bring coach Don Rivers and Kevin Garnett to Los Angeles in a multiplayer deal, ESPN.com reported.

• However, another snag took place in Monday's talks, and it appears any trade will be delayed at least another day.

  The teams remain unable to agree on a trade framework, although Boston apparently gave up its insistence that the Clippers include guard Eric Bledsoe in the package.

  Complicating the negotiations is a report from the Boston Globe that Rivers is not sure whether he wants to coach the Clippers or remain with the Celtics. The deal is contingent on the fact that Rivers would agree to become the Clippers' head coach. However, a source close to Rivers told the Globe that Rivers is still debating whether he wants the Clippers job, especially with the trade scenarios getting more complicated.

  Another issue, according to ESPN.com, is the negotiations between Rivers and the Clippers on a coaching contract. Rivers has three years left on his five-year, $35 million deal with the Celtics and he wants his Clippers salary to be in the same range.

  Trade discussions seemed to break down over the weekend because the Clippers were adamant that Bldesoe will not be included in a trade for Garnett.

  The proposed alternative to the inclusion of Bledsoe is having Clippers take on the contract of either Courtney Lee or Jason Terry from the Celtics. That could prevent the Celtics from demanding Bledsoe, and a trade could be completed by late Monday or Tuesday. The Celtics would get center DeAndre Jordan, the expiring contract of Caron Butler and a future first-round draft pick from Los Angeles.

  Such a deal would include the Celtics' consent to allow Rivers out of the final three years and $21 million on his contract.

  The Clippers believe that the deal would guarantee that Chris Paul will re-signs with the team when he becomes a free agent July 1, according to the ESPN.com report. That might also enable the Clippers to pursue Paul Pierce.

  Sources told ESPN.com that there is still a good chance that a deal to bring Garnett and Rivers to the Clippers will get done.

  If a deal cannot be completed, the Clippers are expected to hire Lionel Hollins or Brian Shaw as their new coach.

Milwaukee Bucks guard Monta Ellis informed the team that he plans to opt out of his contract, ESPN reported Monday.

• Ellis has one year and $11 million left on his deal, but can opt out and become a free agent on July 1.

  The Bucks recently offered Ellis a three-year extension worth $36 million, but an agreement was not reached.

  The Atlanta Hawks, Dallas Mavericks and Los Angeles Lakers reportedly have interest in the eight-year veteran. However, the Lakers could only acquire him in a sign-and-trade deal. Ellis is close friends with Lakers center Dwight Howard, and they have expressed an interest in playing together.

  ---A trade involving Boston Celtics coach Doc Rivers and forward Kevin Garnett going to the Los Angeles Clippers that was rejected by the Clippers over the weekend is not dead yet.

  The New York Daily News reported Monday that talks between the two teams could resume some time after the NBA Finals are over and before the NBA draft later this month.

  ---The Los Angeles Lakers want to retain center Dwight Howard, even though he intends to become a free agent on July 1. However, the team also has not ruled out signing and trading Howard if he insists on leaving.

  ESPN Los Angeles reported that the Lakers have had talks with Howard's representatives and are weighing their options with Howard.

  It was reported Saturday that the Los Angeles Clippers have interest in possibly trading power forward Blake Griffin and backup point guard Eric Bledsoe for Howard in a sign-and-trade deal. The Lakers reportedly expect a sign-and-trade offer from the Houston Rockets as well.

  ---Sunday night's telecast of Game 5 of the NBA Finals on ABC received an 11.4 Nielsen overnight rating.

  The San Antonio Spurs' 114-104 victory over the visiting Miami Heat to take a 3-2 series lead was down 9.5 percent from last year's Game 5 series clincher between the Heat and Oklahoma City Thunder, Sports Business Daily reported.

  ---The Denver Nuggets announced they hired Tim Connelly as executive vice president of basketball operations.

  Connelly, 36, spent the last three years as assistant general manager of the New Orleans Hornets, who recently changed their name to the Pelicans.

  He will be introduced by the team in a press conference later this week.

  ---The Sacramento Kings officially announced the hiring of Pete D'Alessandro as their general manager.

  The hiring had been reported by multiple outlets over the weekend.

  D'Alessandro was the Denver Nuggets' vice president of basketball operations this past season.

  The Kings also offered former Warriors general manager Chris Mullin a job as a consultant, the Sacramento Bee reported. Sources told the Bee that Mullin is likely to accept.

  ---Allen Iverson's ex-wife, Tawanna Iverson, filed legal documents suggesting Iverson abducted their five children, TMZ reported.

  Allen asked for permission to take their five children on a vacation to Charlotte, N.C., from May 22 to May 26. Tawanna, who has sole legal and primary physical custody of their children, agreed. But on May 26, the children hadn't been returned. She said she tried to set up an exchange on June 4 at a neutral location, but Allen did not show up.

Allen Iverson's ex-wife, Tawanna Iverson, filed court documents claiming Allen abducted their five children, TMZ reported.

• According to the documents, Allen Iverson asked for permission to take their children on a vacation to Charlotte, N.C., from May 22 to May 26. Tawanna, who has sole legal and primary physical custody of their children, agreed. But the children, ages 3 to 16, were not returned on May 26.

  Tawanna claimed she tried to arrange an exchange on June 4 at a neutral location, but Allen Iverson failed to show up.

  She believes Allen never took their kids to Charlotte and is keeping them at a Sheraton hotel in Georgia.

  Tawanna said she is concerned because Allen is an alcoholic who drinks around their children.

The Sacramento Kings officially announced the hiring of Pete D'Alessandro as their general manager on Monday.

• The hiring had been reported by multiple outlets over the weekend.

  D'Alessandro was the Denver Nuggets vice president of basketball operations this past season.

  "We are thrilled to welcome Pete D'Alessandro to the Sacramento Kings," said Kings majority owner Vivek Ranadive in a statement released by the team. "In our GM search, we sought to secure the best and brightest in the game, and after an extensive search, we found the perfect individual. Pete is exactly the type of leader we need to help build a championship team in the 21st century NBA."

  D'Alessandro worked for the Golden State Warriors from 2004-2008 as director of basketball operations, and was later promoted to assistant general manager shortly after the 2006-07 season.

  "I'm excited about returning to Northern California, particularly at this time in the history of Sacramento," D'Alessandro said in his statement. "I want to thank Vivek for giving me this opportunity to be part of guiding the Kings back to greatness. I'm anxious to begin working towards building this exciting new era for the franchise."

The Miami Heat are homeward bound, and for coach Erik Spoelstra and the defending NBA champions, that's where the heart has been all season.

• The San Antonio Spurs hold a 3-2 series lead and can close out the NBA Finals with a victory in one of the two remaining games in the series. But only three of eight teams holding that advantage with two games to play on the road finished the job. There will be nothing easy about extinguishing the Heat.

  Miami hasn't lost consecutive home games at American Airlines Arena this year. In the postseason following a loss, the Heat has a 6-0 record with an average margin of victory over 20 points.

  "Every series is different," said Spoelstra. "You fight for home court. Our focus now … is on playing our best game. Can we put together our best game on both sides of the floor in Game 6? We do feel good that we're going home for that game. But we've got to earn back that home court. And so our focus is only on the next game."

  Facing a similar situation two years ago, the Heat lost to the Mavericks in Game 6 and watched Dallas celebrate an NBA championship. Trends and predictions aren't going to factor Tuesday, Spoelstra said.

  "You can't win a game with a statistic," he said.

  In 2012, the Heat won the final two games of the Eastern Conference finals to eliminate Boston and advance to the Finals. This isn't uncharted territory. But San Antonio, which won Game 1 in Miami, is the only team with a margin for error.

  "The most important game is Game 6," LeBron James said. "We can't worry about a Game 7. We have to worry about Game 6 and going back home, being confident about our game, being confident about getting a win, which we are.

  So it is what it is. We have a Game 6 on our home floor."

  Spoelstra has been dumbfounded at times by his team's inconsistency. He repeated after the Game 5 loss in which Miami was doomed by San Antonio's 19-1 run, that his team put itself in the win-or-apocalypse position it faces Tuesday.

  To varying degrees, offense and defense have been troublingly poor, by Spoelstra's description. He felt the offense was too enigmatic Sunday in Game 5, but one-on-one defense was as much a bugaboo in that defeat. San Antonio found it easy from isolation sets and simple top-of-the-key pick-and-roll plays to spring point guard Tony Parker and surprise starter Manu Ginobili for point-blank shot attempts.

  "Not only Ginobili, but basically everybody on their team was taking turns off the dribble, getting by us and breaking down our defense," Spoelstra said.

  Ginobili had his first 24-point, 10-assist game since 2008, a performance he said Sunday he "needed" in the worst way to regain confidence just two days after hinting at retirement. While his shot began falling in Game 5, the unsung heroes have been the Spurs' complementary wing players. Danny Green, unheralded in relation to the stars in the series, has been unconscious knocking down 3-point shots and has already established an NBA Finals record.

  "That will be something that we have to correct," Spoelstra said. "Got to do it harder, and be more committed. He's getting some open looks, and he's making some contested looks. But the open looks are the ones that are killing us."

  The potential adjustments to slow the Spurs' offense include leaving James to defend Parker without switching over screens, a notion Spoelstra wouldn't rule out. Parker wouldn't mind if the stubborn approach Miami has used through five games is applied again Tuesday.

  "Danny has been playing great. He's making shots," Parker said. "I can't believe he's still open at this moment of this series. They are still trapping me and doubling Timmy, and Danny is wide open. He's shooting the ball well. If you are going to leave Danny wide open, he's going to make threes."

  James said there is no individual push for him to carry the Heat to Game 7. He pleaded for the full roster to bring whatever they have left to live to fight in a final game on Miami's home court.

  "Me being one of the leaders of this team, I do put a lot of pressure on myself to force a Game 7, and I look forward to the challenge," he said.

  James said when the series began that he isn't playing the game for his legacy. But the outcome of the 2013 Finals likely have a lot to say historically about the careers of James, Dwyane Wade, Popovich, Duncan, Parker and Ginobili, among others, the kind of weighty matter none of the principal parties want to discuss.

  "You just go play Game 6," said Popovich, who has four NBA titles with the Spurs. "There's no magic to it. It's basketball. It's not that complicated. Both teams will compete their fannies off. Players will play well or poorly. Coaches will try to help them as much as possible, and the best team will end up winning."

The Denver Nuggets announced Monday that they hired Tim Connelly as executive vice president of basketball operations.

• Connelly, 36, spent the last three years as assistant general manager of the New Orleans Hornets, who recently changed their name to the Pelicans.

  He will be introduced by the team in a press conference later this week.

  "We are extremely excited to have Tim join the Denver Nuggets organization," Nuggets president Josh Kroenke said in a statement. "He comes from a great basketball background, possesses an incredibly strong work ethic and is a wonderful person. His passion and energy for the game of basketball are contagious and I am confident that he will be a great fit with us in Denver."

  Connelly takes over for Pete D'Alessandro, who left to become the Sacramento Kings general manager last week.

  Prior to New Orleans, Connelly spent 10 years with the Washington Wizards, working his way up to director of player personnel.

  "I want to thank the Kroenke family for this incredible opportunity and for putting their faith in me to help lead the Nuggets to new heights," Connelly said in a statement. "I am also very grateful to (Pelicans general manager) Dell (Curry) and the Pelicans organization and want to thank them for preparing me for this next chapter in my career. I am looking forward to building on the strong foundation that has already been established in Denver."

  The Nuggets fired NBA Coach of the Year George Karl and did not put up a fight when Executive of the Year, general manager Masai Ujiri, left to take over the Orlando Magic's front office.

  Denver won 57 games and received the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference playoffs but bowed out to the Golden State Warriors in the first round.

Milwaukee Bucks guard Monta Ellis informed the team that he plans to opt out of his contract, ESPN reported Monday.

• Ellis has one year and $11 million left on his deal, but can opt out and become a free agent on July 1.

  The Bucks recently offered Ellis a three-year extension worth $36 million, but an agreement was not reached.

  The Atlanta Hawks, Dallas Mavericks and Los Angeles Lakers reportedly have interest in the eight-year veteran. However, the Lakers could only acquire him in a sign-and-trade deal. Ellis is close friends with Lakers center Dwight Howard and have expressed an interest in playing together.

  The Golden State Warriors drafted Ellis in the second round in 2005 and later gave him a six-year, $66 million deal before trading him to the Bucks in 2012 for center Andrew Bogut.

  Ellis was the Bucks' leading scorer last season with 19.2 points per game.

Sunday night's telecast of Game 5 of the NBA Finals on ABC received an 11.4 Nielsen overnight rating.

• The San Antonio Spurs' 114-104 victory over the visiting Miami Heat to take a 3-2 series lead was down 9.5 percent from last year's Game 5 series clincher between the Heat and Oklahoma City Thunder, Sports Business Daily reported.

  Last year's Game 5, won by the Heat, was aired on a Thursday night and received a 12.6 overnight.

  Each game in the Spurs-Heat series has received a lower rating than last year's Heat-Thunder matchup. However, Sunday night's game is expected to give ABC a ratings victory for the night and is the 35th straight time that an NBA Finals game was the highest-rated program in primetime.

  The rating peaked in the fourth quarter from 10:30 p.m.-10:45 p.m. EDT. It received a 37.6 local rating in San Antonio and a 28.8 local rating in the Miami-Ft. Lauderdale market.

  The series is averaging a 9.0 rating on ABC and 14.8 million viewers, down nine percent and 10 percent, respectively, from last year.

A trade involving Boston Celtics coach Doc Rivers and forward Kevin Garnett going to the Los Angeles Clippers that was rejected by the Clippers over the weekend is not dead yet.

• The New York Daily News reported Monday that talks between the two teams could resume some time after the NBA Finals are over and before the NBA draft later this month.

  In exchange for the right to hire Rivers and acquire Garnett, the Celtics asked the Clippers to send center DeAndre Jordan, Eric Bledsoe and their first-round draft choices this year and in 2014.

  The Clippers are reportedly reluctant to include Bledsoe in a deal with the Celtics because they hope to use him in a separate deal.

The Los Angeles Lakers want to retain center Dwight Howard, even though he intends to become a free agent on July 1.

• However, the team also has not ruled out signing and trading Howard if he insists on leaving.

  ESPN Los Angeles reported Monday that the Lakers have had talks with Howard's representatives and are weighing their options with Howard.

  It was reported Saturday that the Los Angeles Clippers have interest in possibly trading power forward Blake Griffin and backup point guard Eric Bledsoe for Howard in a sign-and-trade deal.

  The Lakers reportedly expect a sign-and-trade offer from the Houston Rockets as well. The Rockets will have salary-cap space to sign Howard without making a trade, but could offer center Omer Asik and point guard Jeremy Lin if a sign-and-trade deal is necessary.

  The Lakers may also let Howard go and use the cap space to pursue free agents in 2014.

SAN ANTONIO -- The NBA Finals are usually reserved for the biggest stars of the game. It's where legends make their name.

• For Danny Green, it's where he's made a difference -- and set a record.

  With his overall play, in particular his 3-point shooting, the 25-year-old guard has helped the veteran San Antonio Spurs move within one win of their fifth NBA championship.

  By hitting six of 10 3-point attempts while scoring 24 points Sunday in the Spurs' 114-104 win over the Miami Heat, Green broke the NBA Finals record for most 3-pointers made in a series with 25.

  Green is shooting 56.6 percent through the first five games of the series, including 65.8 percent (25-for-38) from behind the arc.

  "Give him credit," Miami guard Dwyane Wade said. "He's knocking them down. Not many guys have shot the ball this well, especially in the Finals, that I can remember."

  Green snapped the 3-pointer mark set by Ray Allen, who hit 22 3-pointers in the 2008 Finals for the Boston Celtics. Allen, now playing for the Heat, went 4-for-4 from 3-point range Sunday and scored 21 points.

  Green had no idea he had broken the record until after the game.

  "It's an honor to play on the same floor as some of these guys," Green said. "I didn't think I would break a record of (Allen's). It's amazing. Very surreal.

  "My teammates have done a good job of finding me and getting me open. And as I said, luckily it seems everything is going right for me."

  It didn't start off right. Green's road to this stage was unexpected for the fourth year pro out of North Carolina. He was drafted by the Cavaliers with the 46th pick in 2009, and he played his first season in Cleveland with LeBron James.

  He then latched on with the Spurs, whom he's been with the last three years with pauses in between. He was cut twice by Spurs coach Gregg Popovich and spent 16 games in NBA Development League.

  This season has been different. Green has been entrenched in the Spurs' lineup. He started 79 games and averaged 10.6 points in 27 minutes. In the Finals, he has bumped his scoring average to 18 points in 34 minutes per game.

  "Well, the whole season has made him more confident," Popovich said. "When you do it for 82 games, the only thing left is to see if you do it when the real lights come on come playoff time. He's pretty much well answered that question."

  The Heat have few answers for Green, but they know he's now part of the Spurs' Big Three and a Half.

  "That will be something we have to correct," Miami coach Erik Spoelstra said of the Heat's inability to shut down Green. "He's getting some open looks, and he's making some contested looks. But the open looks are the ones that are killing us."

  Green is providing equal intensity on the other end of the court. At one point in the third quarter Sunday, he hustled back after a turnover and blocked a sure James layup. It was one of three blocks he had on the night.

  "Yeah, he's been unbelievable, especially on this stage," Spurs forward Tim Duncan said. "He's shooting the ball so well. We're asking him to defend Dwyane Wade and LeBron and all these guys. He's got a lot on his shoulders, and he's stepped up and answered the bell. I hope he doesn't wake up and keeps playing this way."

  It's been quite a turnaround for Green, who performed so poorly in last year's Western Conference finals that he was benched in Game 5. The Spurs were ousted in Game 6.

  Now Green is making the most of his moment. One more win and he'll truly be able to savor his 3-pointer record.

  "We'll reflect back and let it hit us when it's over," Green said. "We still have a lot more work to do. We have to carry it out and finish it."

SAN ANTONIO -- Manu Ginobili still has some greatness left.

• The 35-year-old guard, a missing piece for the Spurs throughout the NBA Finals, started for the first time in the regular season or postseason Sunday night and looked as if he should have been in the lineup all along. He had 24 points and 10 assists to help San Antonio defeat the Miami Heat 114-104 and take a 3-2 lead in the best-of-seven NBA Finals.

  The point total was his highest this season, regular season or playoffs.

  "I needed to make a couple of shots," he said. "I just had a better overall offensive game. I needed to feel like that."

  San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich's move to replace center Tiago Splitter with Ginobili paid off quickly. Ginobili had seven points and three assists in the first five minutes of the game and never cooled off.

  The Spurs weren't pleased with the criticism Ginobili had been receiving.

  "We're not a team or organization that points fingers in that respect, so we're confident in him," San Antonio forward Tim Duncan said. "We know he has it in him. We're hoping he can bring it for one more win."

  Ginobili had help from his backcourt mates. Tony Parker had 26 points for San Antonio, and Danny Green scored 24 points while making six 3-pointers to break the NBA record for 3-pointers in a Finals series.

  "Danny's been playing great," Parker said. "I can't believe he's still open. If you leave Danny wide open, he's going to shoot 3s."

  Duncan added 17 points and 12 rebounds, and Kawhi Leonard scored 16 points.

  The Spurs need just one win to claim their fifth NBA title since the start of the 1998-99 season. Game 6 is Tuesday in Miami, which would be the site of Game 7 on Thursday if necessary.

  "You just go play Game 6," Popovich said. "There's no magic. It's basketball. The best team will win."

  LeBron James and Dwyane Wade each scored 25 points for Miami, with Wade contributing 10 assists and James adding eight rebounds. Ray Allen came off the bench to score 21 points, 15 of them in the fourth quarter.

  "The small things we need to do to win games, we didn't do them this night," Allen said.

  Miami opened the second half with a 7-0 run that included a 3-pointer by James, pulling the Heat within two. San Antonio quickly responded, and a 3-pointer by Green increased the Spurs' lead to 66-59. The basket gave him the Finals record with his 23rd 3-pointer in the series, and he ended the night with 25. Allen set the previous mark with the Boston Celtics in 2008.

  Green then came up with a huge defensive play, stuffing a driving James to thwart a Miami fast break. San Antonio then pushed it down the floor, and Parker's floater on the other end bumped San Antonio's lead back up to 73-67 with six minutes left in the third quarter.

  Miami went on another run, cutting San Antonio's lead to one, but the Spurs responded with a 12-1 run to take an 87-75 lead into the fourth quarter. San Antonio scored the first seven points of the fourth quarter, and the Spurs weren't threatened from there.

  San Antonio's offense sizzled in the first half. The Spurs hit 61.8 percent from the field and made five of 11 3-point attempts to take a 61-52 lead at the break.

  Green continued his hot shooting from beyond the arc, knocking down three first-half 3-pointers, the last coming at 7:30 of the second quarter and giving San Antonio a 17-point lead.

  Miami came back to cut the deficit to 52-47 on two free throws by James with two minutes left.

  Parker scored the final four points of the half, the last a layup at the buzzer to push the lead back up to nine.

  Green and Duncan each had 13 first-half points to lead the Spurs. San Antonio's Big Three -- Ginobili, Parker and Duncan -- combined for 35 points in the first half.

  James topped the Heat with 16 first-half points, but he struggled in the second half, a big part of why the Heat face elimination heading into Game 6.

  The league MVP hit eight of 22 shots, and the Heat made 43 percent overall. San Antonio wound up hitting 60 percent of its shots.

  "We can't worry about a Game 7," James said. "We have a Game 6. It is what it is. We have a Game 6 on our home floor. I have to come up big for sure in Game 6. I believe we all have to play at a high level to keep this series going.

  "I always just focus on the present. The next challenge is on Tuesday night. We have an opportunity."

  Allen added, "Everything that we've done all year has come to this point right here. We have to win. Over the course of this year, we've found ourselves in so many different situations. We've thrived in tough moments."

  NOTES: The Spurs announced that G Patty Mills, who had surgery Saturday to remove an abscess on his right foot, would miss the remainder of the Finals. The 24-year-old appeared in 22 postseason games, averaging 1.5 points and 3.3. minutes. ... Thursday's combined 85-point performance by James (33), Wade (32) and Bosh (20) was the highest single-game scoring trio in Heat postseason history. The last team trio to have at least two 30-point scorers and a 20-point scorer in the Finals was the 1995 Houston Rockets with Hakeem Olajuwon (34), Sam Cassell (31) and Clyde Drexler (23) in Game 2.

SAN ANTONIO -- Making his first start of the regular season or postseason, Manu Ginobili had 24 points and 10 assists to help the San Antonio Spurs defeat the Miami Heat 114-104 Sunday night and take a 3-2 lead in the best-of-seven NBA Finals.

• San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich's move to insert Ginobili into the starting lineup in place of Tiago Splitter paid off quickly. The 35-year-old guard, who had struggled all series, had seven points and three assists in the first five minutes of the game and never cooled off.

  Tony Parker had 26 points for San Antonio, and Danny Green scored 24 points while making six 3-pointers to break the NBA record for 3-pointers in a Finals series. Tim Duncan added 17 points and 12 rebounds, and Kawhi Leonard scored 16 points.

  LeBron James and Dwyane Wade each scored 25 points for Miami, with Wade contributing 10 assists and James adding eight rebounds. Ray Allen came off the bench to score 21 points, 15 of them in the fourth quarter.

  The Spurs need just one win to claim their fifth NBA title since the start of the 1998-99 season. Game 6 is Tuesday in Miami, which would be the site of Game 7 on Thursday if necessary.

  Miami opened the second half with a 7-0 run that included a 3-pointer by James, pulling the Heat within two. San Antonio quickly responded, and a 3-pointer by Green increased the Spurs' lead to 66-59. The basket gave him the Finals record with his 23rd 3-pointer in the series, and he ended the night with 25. Allen set the previous mark with the Boston Celtics in 2008.

  Green then came up with a huge defensive play, stuffing a driving James to thwart a Miami fast break. San Antonio then pushed it down the floor, and Parker's floater on the other end bumped San Antonio's lead back up to 73-67 with six minutes left in the third quarter.

  Miami went on another run, cutting San Antonio's lead to one, but the Spurs responded with a 12-1 run to take an 87-75 lead into the fourth quarter. San Antonio scored the first seven points of the fourth quarter, and the Spurs weren't threatened from there.

  San Antonio's offense sizzled in the first half. The Spurs hit 61.8 percent from the field and made five of 11 3-point attempts to take a 61-52 lead at the break.

  Green continued his hot shooting from beyond the arc, knocking down three first-half 3-pointers, the last coming at 7:30 of the second quarter and giving San Antonio a 17-point lead.

  Miami came back to cut the deficit to 52-47 on two free throws by James with two minutes left.

  Parker scored the final four points of the half, the last a layup at the buzzer to push the lead back up to nine.

  Green and Duncan each had 13 first-half points to lead the Spurs. San Antonio's Big Three -- Ginobili, Parker and Duncan -- combined for 35 points in the first half.

  James topped the Heat with 16 first-half points.

  NOTES: The Spurs announced that G Patty Mills, who had surgery Saturday to remove an abscess on his right foot, would miss the remainder of the Finals. The 24-year-old appeared in 22 postseason games, averaging 1.5 points and 3.3. minutes. ... Thursday's combined 85-point performance by James (33), Wade (32) and Bosh (20) was the highest single-game scoring trio in Heat postseason history. The last team trio to have at least two 30-point scorers and a 20-point scorer in the Finals was the 1995 Houston Rockets with Hakeem Olajuwon (34), Sam Cassell (31) and Clyde Drexler (23) in Game 2.

San Antonio Spurs guard Tony Parker told reporters during Sunday' s shootaround before Game 5 against the Miami Heat that he is ready to go for Sunday's game in San Antonio.

• Parker is recovering from a hamstring strain he suffered in Game 3, and on Saturday he told reporters the hamstring could tear at any time.

  Parker struggled in the second half of Game 4, and the Heat pulled away to even the series 2-2.

  Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said he plans to keep the same starting lineup for Sunday, which would be Parker, Danny Green, Kawhi Leonard, Tim Duncan, and Tiago Splitter. However, he said that could change.

Despite calls by NBA commissioner David Stern to get tough, the league will not be flip-flopping on its flopping rule for next season.

• This season the NBA issued fines for flopping and while there were fewer flops, many people including Stern believe the fines are not much of a deterrent.

  "It isn't enough, it isn't enough," Stern said during his pre-NBA Finals news conference.

  Dallas Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle, is a member of the NBA's Competition Committee, told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram that the flop rule is a work in progress.

  "The competition committee met (last) week and a lot of progress has been made this past year and in the playoffs with the rule decreasing the amount of flops and attempted flops," Carlisle said Saturday. "I believe we're going to stay the course with the rule basically the way it is, and just continue to work to clean it up.

  "And as time goes on, if it needs to be addressed again, it'll be addressed again."

  Earlier this month, Stern said the league needed to expand the anti-flopping rule.

  "You're not going to cause somebody to stop it for $5,000 when the average player's salary is $5.5 million," Stern said. "And anyone who thought that was going to happen was allowing hope to prevail over reason."

  Stern said the league could end flopping if it really wanted to but added "that might be a little Draconian at the moment."

While the Miami Heat and San Antonio Spurs battle for an NBA title, the news out of Chicago should put a smile on the faces of Chicago Bulls fans.

• Derrick Rose is back -- the old Derrick Rose.

  Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau told ESPN Chicago that Rose's speed and explosiveness are back to where the former most valuable player is feeling like himself again.

  "I worked him out about a week ago," Thibodeau said late last week. "It was great."

  Rose tore his ACL last postseason and missed the entire 2012-13 season. Although he was cleared by doctors to play shortly after the All-Star break, he remained on the sidelines to make sure he was fully recovered physically. But there also were mental roadblocks to overcome.

  "Watching the way he's moving now, there's a confidence," Thibodeau said. "[Reporters] may not have been able to see the total work he was putting in. But he was putting in an enormous amount of work each and every day. He just never got to the explosiveness he was comfortable with. I think he's there now. He feels great, and that's the most important thing."

  Rose was criticized for not suiting up this year, despite reports that he was dominating teammates in practice. Thibodeau defended Rose's decision.

  "The kid was being totally honest," Thibodeau said. "At the end of the day, you have to respect that. He wanted to be out there very badly. But no one knew when he would be ready, including him. It was a smart decision to wait. If you're not quite sure, and you're going to err, err on the side of caution. That's what he did. And now he feels great."

  The next step for the 24-year-old Rose is to spend time with his trainer in Los Angeles starting next week. He will travel to Belgrade, Serbia for an exhibition beginning on July 7.

Trade talk between the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Clippers reached a stalemate on Saturday, and unless one side decides to budge, Doc Rivers will not be the Clippers next coach.

• Instead, the Clippers have set their sights on Indiana assistant head coach Brian Shaw or former Memphis coach Lionel Hollins to take over a team that went 56-26 last season, the Los Angeles Times reports

  The Times also said that a rumored sign-and-trade deal between the Clippers and Lakers involving center Dwight Howard and forward Blake Griffin is not going to happen.

  The Clippers want Rivers, and Rivers has showed an interest in the job vacated when Vinny Del Negro was fired. In exchange for the right to hire Rivers and forward Kevin Garnett, the Celtics were asking for center DeAndre Jordan, Eric Bledsoe and the Clippers' first-rounds picks this year and in 2014.

  "The Clippers don't want to do that," one NBA executive told the Times. "They offered Jordan and a first-round pick either this year or next year, but the Celtics rejected the deal without Bledsoe, the executives said.

  Reports on Saturday said the Clippers are reluctant to include Bledsoe in a deal with Celtics because they hope to use him in a separate deal.

  "The Clippers are not going to budge," one executive said. "The Clippers don't want to feel as if they are being taken advantage of. Boston wants to hurry up the deal because they know Doc wants to come to the Clippers."

If the Los Angeles Clippers find the right deal for coveted guard Eric Bledsoe, they're ready to push the button on that transaction.

• Long a target of the Boston Celtics, Bledsoe could instead be moved in a deal to acquire Danny Granger from the Indiana Pacers or Orlando's Arron Afflalo, ESPN.com reported Sunday.

  Moving Bledsoe in any deal would likely indicate the high level of confidence from the Clippers that free agent Chris Paul will re-sign in July. Bledsoe, 23, is a scoring point guard who became a key part off the bench for Los Angeles.

  Reports of a deal that would bring Celtics coach Doc Rivers to the Clippers first surfaced Friday, and gained steam Saturday.

  The Clippers were said to be offering a package of first-round draft picks as well as DeAndre Jordan for Kevin Garnett and the rights to hire Rivers. That unconventional blockbuster might also include Paul Pierce -- who could be bought out. If he's cut loose, getting him into a Clippers uniform would be sorted out after the Garnett-Rivers acquisition is finalized. Pierce is from California and said last year as a free agent he'd like to end his career near his home.

  Bledsoe appears to be the key roadblock to that deal. The Celtics want Bledsoe but the Clippers are balking at including the highly-coveted guard in the same trade.

  Earlier in the week, reports surfaced that Howard and Clippers star Chris Paul have talked about playing together next year.

  The Boston Herald on Saturday said the Celtics are looking to wrap up a deal quickly, and reportedly want a deal in the next day or two or they might walk away.

  The Celtics attempted to acquire Bledsoe and Jordan at the trade deadline but the deal fell through.

While the Los Angeles Clippers and Boston Celtics were talking trade on one front, the Clippers and cross-town rival Lakers were talking blockbuster of their own.

• Late Saturday afternoon, ESPN reported sources said the Clippers were considering the idea of trading forward Blake Griffin along with prized young guard Eric Bledsoe in a sign and-trade to land Dwight Howard after July 1.

  Earlier in the day there were multiple reports that the Clippers and Celtics were having "deep" talks that would bring coach Doc Rivers to the West Coast as well as Kevin Garnett and possibly Paul Pierce to the Clippers.

  Garnett has a no-trade clause that he would waive to make the deal happen.

  The Clippers were said to be offering a package of first-round draft picks as well as DeAndre Jordan for Garnett and the rights to hire Rivers. Because Pierce could be bought out, getting him into a Clippers uniform would be sorted out after the Garnett-Rivers acquisition is finalized.

  Bledsoe appears to be the key. The Celtics want Bledsoe but the Clippers are balking at including the highly-coveted guard in the same trade.

  ESPN also says Bledsoe could be part of a package the Clippers make to acquire Aaron Afflalo from the Orlando Magic.

  Earlier in the week, reports surfaced that Howard and Clippers star Chris Paul have talked about playing together next year.

  The Boston Herald on Saturday said the Celtics are looking to wrap up a deal quickly, and reportedly want a deal in the next day or two or they might walk away.

  The Celtics attempted to acquire Bledsoe and Jordan at the trade deadline but the deal fell through.

San Antonio Spurs point guard Tony Parker told reporters after Saturday's shootaround his injured hamstring is at risk of getting much worse but he will try to play through it.

• The Spurs take on the visiting Miami Heat in Game 5 of the NBA Finals on Sunday.

  "My hamstring can tear at any time now, so if it was the regular season I would be resting," Parker said. "But now it's the NBA Finals. If it gets a tear, it's life."

  However, Parker did say the injury has improved because of rest the past couple of days.

  "It feels good," he said. "I feel like I'm getting stronger with it. My goal is to be close to 100 percent by tomorrow. I felt confident, being disciplined with all the treatments, with the ice. Hopefully I'll be good by (Sunday)."

  Parker was injured during the second half of Game 3 on Tuesday. He managed to score 15 points in Thursday's Game 4, but none in the second half of the 16-point loss.

  Parker is averaging 13.8 points and 7.0 assists and shooting 43.4 percent in the series.

  ---San Antonio Spurs veteran guard Manu Ginobili told reporters Saturday he is contemplating retiring at the end of the season.

  Ginobili is in the final year of his contract and will be 36 in July. He has dealt with a variety of injuries in recent years.

  "All season long I kind of knew that I was going to play one or two more years," he said. "But when you are 36 -- I'm going to be 36 pretty soon -- everything is a day-by-day basis. Once the season finishes and I see how I feel, I can't imagine me not playing at least one more year here, but time will tell. We'll see."

  ---The Sacramento Kings hired Pete D'Alessandro to be their general manager, according to multiple reports on Saturday.

  D'Alessandro replaces Geoff Petrie, who was recently let go by the team under new owner Vivek Ranadive.

  D'Alessandro was the Denver Nuggets vice president of basketball operations. Previously, he was the Golden State Warriors director of basketball operations and assistant general manager from 2004-08. He joined the Nuggets in 2010. He has also worked in politics and as a sports agent.

  ---Dallas Mavericks forward Dirk Nowitzki told the Dallas Morning News that flopping has a place in the NBA -- to a degree.

  "We're never going to get rid of it," Nowitzki said. "But you got to limit it. It's part of sports. It's part of winning. Some people are smart and do a little extra thing to kind of sell the call. To me, that's part of sports."

  Mavericks owner Mark Cuban is financing a Southern Methodist University study to investigate whether or not video or other motion capture techniques can differentiate flops from genuine player collisions.