The second-year forward’s seven 3-pointers helped hold the fort against the Lakers, who remain one win from an NBA championship.
Duncan Robinson was determined to keep knocking on the door, knocking and knocking, until he started knocking ’em down. The second-year forward’s seven 3-pointers in Game 5 on Friday were huge in helping the Miami Heat hold the fort in the NBA Finals until at least Sunday, when the Lakers have a second opportunity to close out the series and claim their franchise’s 17th NBA title. Those plans were delayed Friday when the Heat beat L.A.111-108. Miami was keyed by another willful triple-double from five-time All-Star Jimmy Butler and, yes, those career-playoff-high 26 points from Robinson, the undrafted former Division III college player who got loose at last against the Lakers. Crazy-quick on the draw, Robinson needs only to catch the ball and see the rim to let it fly – and he was getting free and getting looks Friday as clearly as he has all series. “Coach Spo (Erik Spoelstra) says it to me all the time: Persistence, that’s what it’s all about for me,” said Robinson, who broke Gary Neal’s 2013 record for most 3-pointers by an undrafted player in an NBA Finals game by one. “If you’re relentless throughout a game, you’ll get your looks. Obviously, they’ve done a really good job scheming to take things away, but for me it’s all about finding a way, whatever it takes to get to my spots. And if you just continue to do that, eventually you’ll have your openings and also you’ll wear on them, you’ll be able to find spots here and there where you can get some daylight.
