Tony Parker scored 10 of his 21 points in the fourth quarter as the visiting San Antonio Spurs rallied to beat reigning league champion Miami 92-88 in the opening game of the NBA finals Thursday. Parker rattled in a desperation jump shot with 5.2 seconds remaining to help seal the victory for the well-rested Spurs, who had nine days off heading into the first game of the league's championship series. "We didn't make adjustments. We tried to contain them and make them take the outside shots," Parker said of their late-game strategy.

Result on Thursday from the NBA finals championship series (series best-of-seven): at Miami San Antonio 92 Miami 88 (San Antonio leads series 1-0) afp

LeBron James has the chance for revenge against the team that spoiled his first trip to the NBA Finals when the Miami Heat meet the San Antonio Spurs in this year's championship series starting Thursday. James, a four-time NBA Most Valuable Player, will lead defending champion Miami into the best-of-seven showdown with the veteran Spurs, who won five titles from 1999 through 2007 but have not returned to the NBA Finals since. "They have got a bunch of Hall of Famers, so I look forward to the challenge," James said.

The NBA slapped Indiana center Roy Hibbert with a $75,000 fine Sunday for his post-game tirade after the Pacers' game-six playoff victory over the Miami Heat. Hibbert was disciplined for "inappropriate language" after he used a gay slur in one answer and swore in another during a press conference following the Pacers' 91-77 win over defending champions Miami on Saturday night. Asked about his defence on Miami superstar LeBron James, Hibbert ended his response with the phrase "no homo".