The team that plays in full roster got zero motivation, because this is not what they thought they would play against, while the subs for the depleted team, have a chance to show their worth...
There's no doubt Miami won because the Spurs took'em easy (the box score shows it - the only period Miami won was the 3rd: out of halftime, Spurs already up, arrogance on their part makes them think they're just going to roll from there...).
But that's not an excuse, and your other examples lack one crucial component to them that was present in this game. Boston didn't play (& lose to) Charlotte thinking they'd likely meet in the ECFs that year. Atlanta didn't play (& lose to) Miami because they thought they'd be meeting them in the ECFs that year. The Spurs were playing off already having lost once to the team they'd have few doubts they were going to meet in the NBA Finals (the players mindsets have to contain the arrogance/belief that they ARE going to make those finals). Spurs mindset had no excuse being anything other than This is our future finals opponent, we've already lost to them on their home floor but so what if we didn't have out best players playing that day, they took care of business not facing out best guys. Now we gotta show we can take care of business on our home floor not facing their best guys. And indeed, as I just noted, they took care of matters in the 1st half before presumably arrogance on their part out of that break undoubtedly played a part in their demise.
But all that said, they were still only down 7 after 3 qtrs - they faced a minimal deficit with a full period to go, @home, against a team that would be around a .500 one if it played a full NBA season with the roster that took the floor for this game. That they wouldn't win everytime in that situation, is simply the odds. 100% wouldn't be possible (I'd guess they'd win at just around their general home win %, which at 32-4 before tonight's result was .888, so I'd say against a .500 team up 7, period to go? 90% of the time). But to say the times they do lose in that spot not being a suprise? Anyone asserting that, to me, is talking out of their behinds.
Whatever went into that team losing that game (arrogance, ...) it's a pathetic loss they should be ashamed of. Normally I'd be thinking Spurs ATS next game after Pop should have chewed their ears off after this one. But they're 1-7 ATS their last 8. They aren't running on a full tank for now.
More factually, one wonders if TP is fully over the injury that saw his absence for awhile.
