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Spurs blitz Heat again, win Game 4 107-86

By WTOP Staff

TIM REYNOLDS
AP Basketball Writer

MIAMI (AP) — Gregg Popovich called Game 3 of the NBA Finals an anomaly.

He couldn’t use the same word to describe Game 4. It was repeat show of dominance, one that put the San Antonio Spurs one win away from ending the Miami Heat’s reign as NBA champions.

Kawhi Leonard scored 20 points and grabbed 14 rebounds, Tim Duncan set a pair of playoff records and the Spurs controlled play throughout on the way to a 107-86 win over the Heat in Game 4 of the NBA Finals on Thursday night. San Antonio leads the series 3-1, and can capture its fifth NBA championship by winning at home Sunday night.

“They’re playing beautiful basketball,” Miami’s Chris Bosh said.

“We’re playing Spurs basketball,” San Antonio’s Tony Parker said.

Different sentences, same meaning. The Spurs’ game is the beautiful one right now, and the way they came into Miami and frustrated the Heat not once but twice was simply remarkable.

“Now we’ve got to go back home and play as well — or better,” said Popovich, the Spurs’ coach.

Hard to imagine them playing much better.

In Game 3, the Spurs’ biggest lead was 25, while Miami never led by more than two.

In Game 4, the Spurs’ biggest lead was 25, while Miami never led by more than two.

Eerie and telling, all at the same time.

“No,” Duncan said, “we didn’t plan on that.”

The similarities didn’t end there. San Antonio shot 59 percent from the field in Game 3, and 57 percent in Game 4. The Spurs were 9 for 20 from 3-point range in Game 3; 9 for 21 from beyond the arc in Game 4. They led by 21 at halftime of Game 3; they led by 19 at halftime of Game 4.

Add it all up, and the only numbers that matter are the win totals: Spurs 3, Heat 1, and Miami is well aware that’s a deficit no team has ever overcome in NBA Finals history — in 31 previous tries.

“We put ourselves in a position where it is about making history,” said Miami’s LeBron James, who led the Heat with 28 points. “But all we can do is worry about Game 5. We’ve got to worry about Sunday first. Try to go up there in a hostile environment, where we were able to steal one in Game 2, and try to get another one and go on from there. Obviously, I do know the numbers. It’s never been done before, but we’re still a confident bunch.”

The Heat rallied from 3-2 down against the Spurs in the finals last season, though it would be futile to draw too many parallels from that, primarily because Miami played the last two games of that series at home — and now have to win twice more in San Antonio in order to capture a third straight crown.

Daunting, sure. But Heat coach Erik Spoelstra conceded nothing.

“Our group has been through everything you can possibly be through except for this circumstance,” Spoelstra said. “So why not? Why not test ourselves right now collectively, our championship resolve that we’ve proven, time and time again?”

Spoelstra said he doesn’t want the Heat thinking about winning three games, instead focusing on one at a time, starting Sunday.

And that one will be tough enough.

James was his typically brilliant self, making 10 of 17 shots and added eight rebounds. But Dwyane Wade struggled, shooting 3-for-13 and scoring only 10 points. Bosh scored 12 and one of the few offensive highlights for Miami came after most of the 19,900 people in the sellout crowd departed — James Jones scored 11 points off the Heat bench in the span of 93 seconds as the game was winding down.

“We’re not even giving ourselves a chance,” Bosh said. “Sometimes they’re going to score on us when we do things, and we just have to be a lot tougher to get this job done. We’re here now. There’s nothing we can do about it.”

Parker scored 19 points for the Spurs, who got 14 from Patty Mills and a 10-point, 11-rebound night from Duncan — the 158th double-double of his career, passing Magic Johnson for the NBA playoff record. Duncan also passed another Lakers legend for another NBA record in Game 4; he now has 8,869 career playoff minutes, 18 more than Kareem Abdul-Jabbar logged in his tenure.

Duncan called it an honor to have those marks, but quickly stressed he wants something else.

“The focus is winning one more,” Duncan said. “And once that one-more is done, I can look back and say, ‘Hey, it’s truly an honor.”

NOTES: Ball movement has been everything for the Spurs. San Antonio now has 101 assists in the series to Miami’s 61, and no player in the finals has more assists than Boris Diaw’s 23. … Miami has lost consecutive playoff games for the first time since the 2012 Eastern Conference finals. It had been 13-0 since that series in games immediately following a playoff loss. … Both teams are scheduled to be off Friday.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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