[jwplayer IbkyU8GN]
Miami Heat guard Kendrick Nunn has played sparingly throughout the playoffs but the undrafted product from Oakland turned in his finest performance of the year when his team needed it the most.
Nunn scored 14 points, four rebounds and three assists on Friday as the Heat defeated the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 5 of the NBA Finals to stay alive. Down 3-1 in the series heading into the game, the Heat went to a seven-man rotation as Nunn led the efforts off of the bench.
The 25-year-old shot 6-of-11 from the field, including 2-of-4 from 3-point range. He scored 11 points alone in the first half as the Heat carried a four-point advantage into halftime after leading by as many as 11 points to that point in the game.
Afterward, Nunn admitted he was a little tired after logging a playoff-high 27 minutes during the win but knew he had to stay productive facing elimination.
“It was an elimination game. We lose, and the season’s over,” Nunn said. “Backs against the wall, we can’t lose. We prepare and put in the game plan daily and make adjustments. We try to go in with a clear mind and focus on what we need to do.”
His 14 points were short of his playoff career-high of 18 set in Game 1 but the majority of the damage done in that game was well after the outcome had been decided after the Heat lost by 18 points. As a result, the performance was easily his best of the season given the circumstances.
The Heat said prior to the game that they liked the position they were in facing a must-win situation. The team will need to regroup and prepare for Game 6 on Sunday in another elimination game but it’s safe to say they again like their chances…
[lawrence-related id=23228,23218,23156]
[vertical-gallery id=22963]