It’s difficult to say whether the Miami Heat or San Antonio Spurs possess an advantage entering Game 3 of the Finals.

The series is tied at 1-1 for a reason, as both the Spurs and Heat had opportunities to take control in each of the two games. We have a great series so far and that’s all any fan can really ask for.

The Spurs, however, enter Game 3 knowing they’ll need to clean up a few things to take advantage of the split they earned in Miami and apply pressure to the defending champs. San Antonio has shown they can win while playing below their standards and now they have to find a way to make shots and play the type of basketball that led to a 12-2 record to reach the Finals. The first step in that process is playing better in Game 3.

"We had a poor game," Manu Ginobili said. "In the second half they just ran us over. We didn't move the ball at all. Their pressure really got us on our heels. And offensively they just ran, they penetrated, they kicked it, they did everything they wanted. So very poor second half and it's disappointing. We are in the NBA Finals; you don't want to play like this for sure."

The Spurs have an understanding of why Miami was able to have success in Game 2. Going on a 35-9 run late in the second half, the Heat emphatically showed the veteran Spurs that they’re capable of cause problems they have yet to face in these playoffs. For Gregg Popovich it comes down to two simple issues that need to be fixed in Game 3.

“You need to shoot well and you need to take care of the basketball,” he said. “If you turn it over the way we did in Game 2 and you don't shoot well, it's a bad combination. It will be very tough to win.”

It won’t take too much for the Spurs to get back on track. They’ve always been a team that makes quick adjustments and Game 3 shouldn’t be any different. San Antonio fully understands that they need to play better and put that reality before any thoughts of must-win games or any other clichés. They’ll talk about the game, make their adjustments and do what they can once the ball is tipped.

“We have to play better. Definitely have to play better,” Tony Parker said. “You know, we're playing the defending champs. They're a great team. We knew they were going to come in and play with a lot more energy and play harder. That's what they did in Game 2. So it's always easy to bounce back after a loss, and now it's our turn to see how we're going to handle our loss and how we're going to respond."

Tim Duncan, a three-time Finals MVP, understand he especially needs to play better in Game 3. Admittedly, he played poorly in Game 2 and knows he’ll need to be better and continue to play well the rest of the series if the Spurs are to take control.

“We didn't play well. We didn't shoot well,” Duncan said. “I know I played awfully. Whatever it may be, they responded better than us. So hopefully we can look forward to this Game 3 and regain some of our composure.”