“Doc wants to be here. It’s not all because he thinks that over the next five years we will have the best team in the NBA, he’s part of this franchise. He wants to do what it takes for us to be successful.” – Danny Ainge, 2011.

These were the words spoken by the Celtics GM just after signing Doc Rivers to a 5 year extension, making him the highest paid coach in the NBA. Things were indeed better for the Celtics back then, they’d just come off a second round Playoff exit, but Doc’s players were in place and memories of 2008 were still lingering.

Just five years ago all was right with the Celtics. That five years seems like a century ago right now. Never before had a team turned around so fast, the second worst team in the NBA one season, NBA champion the next. The trades for Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen added two top tier players, when paired with Paul Pierce, the Celtics became unstoppable. Running the point was a young up-and-coming Rajon Rondo, a mercurial player capable of truly amazing things on any given night. Reigning him in and controlling the egos of a team of stars was the Celtic’s rock, their coach Doc Rivers. Doc has always been known as a player’s coach, he’s never going to go on a tirade, smash furniture, pound his chest and assert dominance over his players. Doc also flawlessly navigates the shark infested waters within which he swims laps, every time he speaks with the media. Widely considered the second best coach in the NBA (behind Popovich), despite the Celtics aging and decreasing reliability, Doc was always there front and center, making no excuses. The writing was on the wall, the Celtics were getting old, they were in year five of their three year window, yet Doc appeared to be on board with a rebuilding effort. He was to be a true Celtic, a part of the NBA’s most storied franchise.

Now, he’s the coach of the Clippers.

The going got tough and Doc got going. Once reality stared Rivers in the face in the form of Danny Ainge potentially trading away his entire team, he realized he never did want to be a part of the rebuild. Despite initially rejecting the Clippers request to speak with Doc about a coaching change, the Celtics later chose to allow Rivers to inquire about the position. There were supposed blockbuster trades suggested, involving multiple interchangeable parts. None of them really made sense, after all you can’t trade a coach, something everyone except David Stern remembered. Originally it was to be Doc and KG going to the Clippers for Deandre Jordan, Eric Bledsoe and picks, a hefty price tag. Is it though, if this entire procedure is taking place all to appease Chris Paul, hopefully prompting him to resign with the Clippers, in actuality you could include Paul as a theoretical piece in the trade. The Celtics in the end received LA’s unprotected 2015 first round draft pick, in 2015 the Clippers will still be a Playoff team, just like Shaq shuffling his feet at the top of the key, this will not be a good pick.

In a day and age when players are subjected to limitless scrutiny for every misdeed they undertake, it is important, for lack of a better term, to trash Doc Rivers. If he weren’t such a nice guy, he’d be getting killed by the media. His job, which he was paid extremely well to do, was going to get harder and he wanted an easier one. The Celtics are rumored to have been willing to ship Doc out since they were less than enthralled with the idea of paying a coach seven million dollars a year to essentially tank and rebuild, but it was Rivers that first initiated the departure process. Rumors also persist of a rift between Doc and Rondo, their relationship has always appeared to be a little on the prickly side. Rondo is an extreme competitor, it is more than likely that his personality could be capable of rubbing those around him the wrong way. However, when healthy, Rondo is a top five point guard, who at times looks like he could be the best point guard in the NBA should he maintain a higher level of consistency. There are better scoring point guards out there, but when you look at the traditional characteristics of a point guard, scoring, assists, court vision, Rondo is as good as it gets, not to mention his ability to take over a Playoff series. If rumors are true and Rondo’s personality is difficult one to cope with, well sorry Doc, he fits into the “deal with it” category. Kobe, Jordan, even Chris Paul, are or were players that have been supposedly difficult to deal with, sometimes you just have to suck it up and focus on the wins. Besides, who says you have to get along with everyone you work with? If everyone refused to work with people they didn’t like, nothing in the world would ever be accomplished, ever. Sure, sports and the real world are two very different places, but you can’t exploit that divide and still be the “good guy.”

Doc Rivers is the first domino to drop, there are changes ahead for the Celtics. How soon they will take place is anyone’s guess, but one would think that given Danny Ainge’s desire to rebuild his team, changes have to be looming.

It is probable that Paul Pierce will be traded sooner rather than later. Waiving Pierce would be a mistake, Boston would get nothing in return for him, and since they are over the cap waiving his 15 million dollar deal does not result in 15 million to spend, rather only the mid level exception, around 5.8 million. If the Celtics do choose to waive Pierce it is the most clear of indications that they are truly in tank mode and have no interest in wins this season. Rajon Rondo has a terrific contract, he’s young and talented, he’s not going anywhere. Kevin Garnett has one of the few no-trade clauses in the NBA, meaning perhaps the most loyal player in the league has the ability to veto any and all of his potential transactions. David Stern has said that he would likely reject any trade between the Clippers and the Celtics this season, fearing collusion and back end deals already being put in place. Have no fear David Stern, it happened, and if you don’t veto the trades, they’re all ready to go. KG stayed with the Timberwolves longer than any sane human being would have, all because they drafted him and invested in him, now it seems like he is prepared to go down with the sinking Celtics ship. This should be applauded, a player retaining his dignity, not throwing away years of tradition, all for a change of scenery and hopefully a fancy new championship ring (I’m looking at you Ray Allen.). Nevertheless, if Garnett does waive his no-trade clause and move on, the Celtics are no longer in the winning games business.

Did Doc’s departure determine the destiny of a dynastic franchise? Did I just try to use as many words that start with “d”? Maybe and Definitely! Doc isn’t on the court, but he’s a mainstay and once those guys start disappearing, change is a comin’. In taking his talents over to Venice Beach, Rivers changed the picture of the Eastern Conference, the Celtics were no longer contenders, but they were a team capable of victory in any one series. Had Rondo been healthy this season, do you really think the Celtics would have lost to the Knicks? If you do, you probably would have drafted Sam Bowie with the first pick in 1984. Teams like the Bulls and Pacers were already moving ahead of Boston, but now the shift just happened that much quicker. The question is how much of an impact Doc will have in Los Angeles, a city where no matter how good the Clippers are, they will always play in the shadow of Kobe and the Lakers.

The Clippers should be the best team in LA next season and it shouldn’t even be close. Kobe will spend most if not all of the season rehabbing his torn achilles, if Dwight Howard leaves town, you can pretty much throw away those Playoff tickets Mr. Nicholson. There are rumors that the Clippers will attempt to pry Howard away from the Lakers themselves, Howard and Paul have announced their mutual interest in playing together. Good for them. Go play golf, skee ball, candy land, do all kinds of things together, the Lakers won’t make that deal. Sorry to shatter your dreams, Chris and Dwight, much like Romeo and Juliet, you must suffer a forbidden love. Since the Garnett trade is blocked, there’s not a ton of obvious options for the Clippers, they’ll win a few more games with Doc at the helm, but a championship contender they are not. Blake Griffin and Deandre Jordan are great at dunking, that’s about it, Chris Paul is a great player, but I’m not sure he’s that much of an upgrade over Rondo. With Doc moving west, the basketball might not get much better, but at least the scenery’s nice.

 

 

 

 

The NBA Finals and season are over and the Miami Heat are the World Champions. Despite the series going seven it’s up for debate whether it was a great series or not, there were multiple blowouts, meaning less than competitive games. However, the last two games were indeed ones to remember, considering this anything less than a great series is holding these Finals to the same standards Lebron is held to, and when Lebron isn’t involved in the discussion it’s just not fair. The discussion of legacy at this point has become old and pointless. Once Lebron, Wade and Bosh colluded in the offseason of 2010 and chose to join up, James removed himself from all comparisons to Jordan. This does not disqualify him from being one of the greatest players to ever play in the NBA though. In game seven, Lebron was on fire, and one thing became very clear, James stands high above every other player currently in the NBA.

Lebron’s game seven performance was legendary, scoring 37 points, grabbing 12 rebounds and dealing out 4 assists, insane numbers for a championship clinching game. Lebron also hit five three pointers on 5-10 shooting from behind the arc. All game the Spurs played off Lebron on defense, daring him to shoot, and shoot he did. Do not be fooled by Lebron’s magnificent output, the Spurs defensive scheme was the right thing to do. You can not allow Lebron into the paint with a full head of steam, there is no one in the league that can prevent him from scoring in that scenario. When defending Lebron you have to force him to shoot from distance, it’s really your only chance, last night Lebron just couldn’t miss. Not only was Lebron effective on offense, but also on the defensive end of the court as he defended Tony Parker for key stretches late in the fourth quarter. The Spurs offense is at it’s best when it is initiated with ball penetration by Parker, he doesn’t have to score every time, but it is his first push that gets San Antonio in to their offensive rhythm. Frequently the Spurs begin their half court offense with Parker penetrating, or attempting to do so, then either scoring or retreating and reengaging the offense with around 14 seconds on the clock, a typical starting time for many teams. Lebron nullified this process. At no point in time was Parker comfortable or effective with Lebron guarding him, it threw off Parker and in turn the Spurs late game offense. Lebron took over game seven and claimed it for his own, the magnitude of the situation was not lost on him, he saw what he wanted and he took it.

Miami was also the beneficiary of the key play of their former superstar Dwyane Wade. Wade scored 23 points and had an exemplary 10 rebounds, a huge number for him. It’s a long night for the opposing team when your shooting guard is crashing the boards like that. Lebron was the difference maker in game seven, but Wade was right there, he wasn’t the game changer but he was solid, something he has not been for much of the Playoffs.

Wade has had to step back and take the back seat to Lebron ever since the big 1.75  joined forces in 2010 (Wade is the .75, if he returns to his former ability next season he can be a full 1, Bosh is 0.). Last night Wade set the tone early, his jumper was something the Heat were able to rely upon, he rocked the defense to sleep fearing his head fakes, setting up numerous rhythm jumpers that he sunk routinely. When at his best Wade can be one of the most difficult defensive assignments in the league, he has not been consistent this season, but he showed up when his team needed him the most. When Lebron plays this well and Wade’s jumper is falling more than Shane Battier flopping in the lane, the Heat are near impossible to beat. Speaking of Shane…

Nice to see you actually playing basketball and not being a pathetic excuse of a man flopping like a schoolgirl in the paint. Had it not been for Battier’s shooting it is unlikely that the Heat would have won the Larry O’brien trophy last night. Battier had 18 points off the bench, shooting 6-8 on three pointers. It seemed as if every one of Battier’s threes came at a point when the Heat were on the verge of being overtaken by San Antonio. Battier was crucial in the Heat’s victory, he even played terrific defense on Duncan on a point blank post up and subsequent put back that would have tied the game late.

Mario Chalmers added 14 points on a bad shooting night, going 6-15, but he was there for his team. Chalmers at times has been Miami’s second best player, in game seven he was their fourth best. So let’s count that down, we have Lebron, Wade, Battier, and Chalmers, hmmm, who’s missing?

Bosh did nothing in game seven. Chris “seven foot tall, 17.5 million a year” Bosh had 7 rebounds, 2 assists and ZERO points in game seven of a championship series. Bosh only played 28 minutes, a bit down from his 33 minutes per game season average, so of course you have to expect if you cut his minutes by five he will be so thrown off that it’s foolish to anticipate any scoring output from him, right? How does Bosh celebrate this championship? If the Miami Heat were a runner who won the Boston Marathon, Bosh would be the laces on the left shoe. I’m sure Miami is going to analyze and adjust their lineup this offseason, every team does, how does Bosh figure into their future plans? No one is going to trade for him, he might have the worst contract in the NBA. However, despite his horrendous play last night, Miami won it all, so there should be no rushing into quick personnel decisions. Maybe he played great defense on Duncan you may ask. Nope. Duncan had 24 points and 12 rebounds, proving one final time this season that he is indeed timeless.

 

It can’t be lost in the discussion of Lebron’s greatness and the Heat’s second championship in a row and third all time, just how amazing Duncan has been this season and all Playoffs long, all at the age of 37. Duncan looks like he is fully capable of playing another 3 years at a high level, he never looked old or slow and always looked unguardable in the post. Duncan’s status as an all time NBA great and potentially best power forward of all time, was never in question, but was anyone expecting Duncan to be this good? Every player in the NBA should look up to Duncan as an example of how to act, and how to play. The Spurs currently have a player on their roster that appears as if he has adopted the Duncan persona. The future is bright for Kawhi Leaonard.

Kawhi Leonard is only 21 years old and had the Spurs won the Finals, he just may have been the Finals MVP. Leonard didn’t have a single bad game in the Finals. In game seven Leonard had 19 points and 16 key rebounds and it didn’t feel like anything special, all because Kawhi has been as steady as can be throughout the Finals. Will he be a superstar, not likely, will he be a terrific NBA player for years to come, count on it. Leonard has it all, size, strength, speed, rebounding and a soft touch, with Popovich as his coach, the sky is the limit. As previously mentioned Kawhi Leonard is 21, the Spurs are made of a couple of older centerpieces and surrounded by a group of emerging young players. One of those older centerpieces is the one and only Manu Ginobili.

 

Manu had 18 points and 5 assists in game seven, he played well, but he never had that moment in the final game, that we have become so accustomed to seeing from him, where he struck the dagger blow and put the Spurs on top. Unlike Duncan, Ginobili’s age is starting to show, and oh the turnovers! Ginobili has always had what could be deemed a sloppy handle, he always walks the fine line between controlled chaos and just plain old chaos. Ginobili wasn’t the reason the Spurs lost, he was a solid contributor, you just have to wonder how this series would have gone had he not waited until game six to start playing well. Moving forward it’s looking more and more likely that the Spurs will soon be in the market for a scoring-first sixth man to replace Manu.

Tony Parker had 10 points and 4 assists, that’s not gonna get it done. When a championship is on the line you would hope to get at least an above average performance from your all star, MVP candidate point guard. Parker is only 30, take this off season and get healthy, come back strong and still be one of the best point guards in the NBA. In any game, a good team can absorb one bad performance by a teammate, two players is asking too much. Having a key role player and member of your starting five provide absolutely nothing can be a back breaker.

After so much discussion of Danny Green Potentially being the Finals MVP should the Spurs win it all, he came up with a mere 5 points and 5 rebounds when all the chips were down. It became clear in game six that the Heat were no longer allowing Green any space on the perimeter to shoot his lethal three point ball. He never adjusted. In game seven, whenever the Heat closed out on Green and he put the ball on the floor, bad things happened. Green was the weak link of the Spurs, when a team takes something away from you, you have to do something else. If Miami takes away your shooting, you have to focus on quickly swinging the ball and getting your teammates good looks. The Heat were waiting for Green to possess the ball, that was the moment their defense swarmed him, knowing they had forced San Antonio into a bad possession. Popovich had little choice but to leave Green in though, sometimes you have to roll the dice and hope your player plays as he is capable of. Danny Green could have gotten hot at the drop of a hat and turned the game on it’s head, unfortunately for Spurs fans, Green simply had two terrible games in a row, at the worst time.

So what can we take from these Finals?

First a cheap shot, it’s unfortunate that the league’s best team plays in Miami, a cheap shot yes but nonetheless true. The Heat have the worst fans in the NBA. They should have a series of photographs of Tim Hardaway, Rony Seikaly and Eddie Jones at every entrance, if a “fan” can not properly identify 2 out of three, they are denied access. No arena poses the suggestion of a cel phone ban quite like the American Airlines Center. If it were a true and just world, Miami would have the Bobcats as their team, who knows one day Lebron may take his talents to the Tar Heel State. Don’t hold your breath.

The Spurs are far from done and so is Tim Duncan. Whether they will be back in the Finals next year is another story. A series of events took place that lined up perfectly for San Antonio to compete for a championship this season, they have the pieces to return, but injuries to your players and other team’s players will always have an impact. Any time a Finals series goes to a game seven and is decided by just seven points, it’s safe to say that the two combatants were evenly matched and either team could have one. Let’s be honest the Spurs gave away a championship in game six, they had a title in their hands and didn’t seal the deal. You simply can not give away championship games. So rarely is it true to say the better team lost, this is one of those rare cases. The Spurs have hands down the better pieces, coach and balance, when considering the true definition of a team, they are hands down better.

But Miami has Lebron James. Miami has a transcendent player, a player who is going to go down as one of the best players to ever play basketball. The most obvious takeaway from the Finals is just how far beyond his piers Lebron is. Look around the league, who is even close to Lebron’s level? We used to think Durant was nipping at his heels, after seeing Lebron’s skills on display as he won his second championship, doesn’t that seem silly now? Doesn’t it seem like ages ago that the Pacers were so close to ending the Heat’s season? Remember when Chicago was giving Miami a “run for their money?” Sure there are teams with young, talented cores, that in the coming years will have a ton of money to spend, Golden State and Cleveland come to mind, but isn’t it becoming quite obvious that the team without Lebron has little to no chance? The Spurs represented the NBA’s best team, a true cohesive unit, and they came oh so close, but Lebron won. With Bosh’s decline, and Wade’s inconsistency are these Miami teams that much better than the Cavs were? They are, those Cavaliers teams were not good teams, they just had Lebron, but the point is even this Miami team is not a great team. When Bosh, Wade and Lebron all perform they are, but that so rarely happens. On any given night it is most likely that Lebron will excel and a few role players will step up. Shane Battier, Ray Allen, Chris Andersen, Mario Chalmers, Udonis Haslem, all are decent players, however, were these guys on the Bucks or the Bobcats, they’d be just another benchwarmer. Lebron makes everyone better, next season some of the role players will change, but the results will not, with Lebron Miami is a champion, without they may not make the Playoffs. Lebron is the best player in the NBA, there’s no mystery involved with that statement, how far behind him is the rest of the league is an inquiry with shocking, disturbing, legacy defining results.

The Miami Heat, 2013 NBA Champions.

 

 

 

 

 

 

We knew it was going to happen. Game six was an absolutely crazy contest with gigantic momentum swings, legacies written and unwritten with the speed of a Heat “fan” fleeing the American Airlines Arena, overtimes, flops, fouls and non-fouls, Matt Bonner dunking from the free throw line, it had it all. OK, one of those things may not have actually happened, but it was an exciting game and it’s only a matter of time before Bonner takes flight. The Heat and the Spurs are now staring down the barrel of game seven, will either team have anything left after Tuesday’s game? Yes they will, both teams know they can win this series, both teams will come out swinging and it will be an epic affair. All that being said, in breaking down game six, we must admit one thing first and foremost… The Spurs missed the boat.

San Antonio had this one in the bag, they were 20 seconds away from winning their fifth NBA championship but a few key mistakes let it all slip away. Miami came out in full attack mode, they had their “fans” behind them, and the Spurs withstood the early push. This is no easy task, on the road, facing Lebron, the Spurs still managed to hang tough and absorb Miami’s initial attack. How was it done? Consistent defense and composure on the offensive end. San Antonio, at no point in time, forced their game, they played within themselves and ran the streamlined game plan they are so known for. Not to mention a purely vintage performance by Tim Duncan.

In the first half Duncan was as good as he has ever been. Duncan finished with 30 points and 17 rebounds, but it was his 25 first half points that set the tone for the game. Duncan was unguardable, Miami has no one that can defend him, but last night Duncan took his post game back to his 2003 days. By the look in his eyes, it was clear to see that Duncan wanted this game, he knew from the opening tip just how large a moment it was. Duncan played with an urgency Miami was unprepared for, can the Spurs get this production from Duncan again in game seven? Most likely no, but they shouldn’t need it, however, it is still a shame that Duncan’s performance was squandered.

Tony Parker was guarded by Lebron for much of the game, this clearly rattled him. Lebron is fully capable of defending Parker and proved as much, preventing the Spurs star point guard from achieving any penetration and preventing him from ever approaching any form of a rhythm. Parker scored 19 points and dealt out 8 assists, but Lebron squashed him in the fourth, Parker did hit a huge three late in regulation time, but it really was a bit of a lucky shot. Parker is going to have to attack early and often in game seven, if he is unable to penetrate the paint the Spurs have little hope of victory.

Mr. consistency Kawhi Leonard had 22 points and 11 rebounds as he continued to be San Antonio’s most reliable player. Leonard has been an absolute rock for the Spurs, there is nothing wrong with anything he is doing, he just needs to keep it up, maybe take a few extra practice free throws though. Leonard’s defense remains at a superlative level. Speaking of defense, the Spurs received a key boost from role player Boris Diaw. Diaw did little that appears in a stat line, but his defense on Lebron was beyond clutch, the spacing he utilizes when defending Lebron is flawless. Unfortunately for San Antonio, not everyone stepped it up last night.

What is wrong with Manu Ginobili? His shot is failing him, his dribble is as suspect as ever and he has become a walking turnover. Ginobili played a lot of minutes at point guard in game six, a position that almost always results in a higher turnover ratio, but 8 turnovers is not an acceptable number. Ginobili was terrible and at times a liability for the Spurs, there were large stretches when Manu had no business being on the court. The Spurs will need Manu to play better in game seven, and he will, I mean let’s be honest, he can’t play much worse. A performance more similar to game five would not be a surprise to see from Ginobili, he won’t put up those numbers exactly, but the player he truly is should show himself one more time.

It wasn’t until the fourth quarter that San Antonio inexplicably threw the game away. Gregg Popovich is the best coach in the NBA by a lot, his personnel decisions are typically executed with surgical precision, trusting in his role players, yet never letting a game get out of hand. In game six, Popovich over thought the game. The Spurs started the fourth quarter with Parker and Duncan on the bench, and with a dreadful starting five, devoid of any scoring ability. Pop did manage to leave Ginobili out there though! The start of the fourth was the Spurs opportunity to step on the throats of the Miami Heat, instead they came out with no offensive execution with a lineup incapable of scoring. This was also the moment they chose to mistakenly switch their defensive scheme. For the first three quarters, the Spurs played magnificent defense, playing off Lebron with picture perfect spacing, preventing him from penetrating and ever possessing enough room to comfortably shoot from distance. The Heat started the fourth with a lineup featuring Lebron and four shooters, something that obviously caught Popovich’s attention. Fearing a downpour of three pointers, the Spurs then opened up the paint, defenders stayed on the perimeter defending the shooters, never helping on Lebron. A fatal flaw. Once the lane became as open as a coaching position in Denver, Lebron went to work.

Lebron was twelve minutes away from hearing innumerable questions regarding his lack of “clutchness” and countless comparison to MJ himself (hint, hint, they wouldn’t have been favorable). Lebron had maybe the quietest Finals triple double ever, he put up 32 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists, but it was his fourth quarter play that sealed the deal for Miami. Headbandless, Lebron drove the lane with the reckless abandon of an inebriated Jason Kidd. Once San Antonio decided to defend Lebron one on one, with a clear lane, James was unstoppable.

For yet another game, Wade and Bosh did little to earn another championship, were the terrible? No. Were they difference makers? No. This championship begins and ends with Lebron James, his teammates have proven that they will not be there for him consistently. Mario Chalmers chipped in 20 points, while shooting 4-5 from three point land. Much is made of Chalmers being the Heat’s “whipping boy,” constantly being on the receiving end of barks and orders from Miami’s Big 1 and Wade and Bosh. At what point does Chalmers step back and tell the Little 2 to stuff it, he has become Miami’s second best player.

Even with San Antonio’s defensive lapses and Lebron’s fourth quarter performance, game six still came right down to the wire. The Spurs had the game in hand, once they started missing free throws, the game switched hands. Those hands were rebounding on the offensive end and kicking out to a certain three point shooting specialist, who proved once again that he can be relied upon to hit the shot despite the situation.

Clutch shooting, don’t mind if I do. Once the ball left Ray Allen’s hands, it was never in doubt. The shot seemed to take about 10 seconds to transfer from Allen’s shooting hand into the basket, but it was always going in. Ray Allen is the type of player that can miss fifty shots in a row, but will hit the game winner. He saved Miami’s season and proved himself to be worthy of the Heat’s pursuit prior to this NBA season. Would he have been the recipient of a kick out by way of an offensive rebound had Tim Duncan been in the game crashing the boards? We’ll never know, but next time Pop, put Timmy out there.

That’s it no more analysis of game six. The Spurs blew it, the Heat took it, but one side note from the game mustn’t be left unsaid! Shane Battier has become an excruciatingly pathetic sight on an NBA court. Battier is capable of hitting a spot up three and occasionally playing good defense. None of that matters. When your main focus on the court is to flop, your entire game is wiped away. Flopping is cheating and seeing it on display in the NBA Finals, so blatantly, is unacceptable. Man up and play defense, or simply get off the court. If your primary objective is to flop, you need to retire, or a flopping suspension needs to be implemented and you should be retired. Pathetic.

Now where do we stand? Right in front of game seven, duh. One game, in Miami, for all the marbles. The Spurs are capable of rebounding from mental mistakes and playing the game of their lives, the have the better all around team and more players capable of contributing. The Spurs have more moving parts, the better bench, the better coach and the depth to offensively attack Miami from all angles. The Spurs have figured out how to defend Miami, if they had chosen not to deviate from it, they would be champions today. Go back to it Spurs, do what works. Miami has Lebron though, a basketball player with his legacy on the proverbial line. Game seven’s result comes down to one thing, will Lebron take over? If Miami get’s a dominant performance from Lebron they will be tough to beat. If the Spurs play their game and defend the way they are capable of, they will be tough to beat. Game seven could go either way, you never know who could step up on the biggest stage and win it for their team. A buzzer-beating dunk from the free throw line by Matt Bonner anyone?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

One game is now all that separates the San Antonio Spurs from winning a championship and the Miami Heat from a brutal off season. Don’t get too excited just yet, in all likelihood, Miami is going to win game six, forcing a crucial game seven at the American Airlines Arena in South Beach. That being said, they are staring off the proverbial elimination cliff, don’t jump Chris Andersen, Birdman is just a nickname! These Finals have now featured five games that have all been polar opposites of one another, there is little to no carry over from  the prior clash in every game. Of the numerous game-to-game changes, game five saw perhaps the most major. We finally had a Manu Ginobili sighting.

Not only was Manu seen, but his presence, much unlike the fouls that typically send Shane Battier to the floor, was felt. Ginobili scored 24 points, grabbed 2 rebounds and dished out 10 assists while playing point guard for long stretches at a time. Manu’s performance was the difference maker the Spurs needed. Miami had adjusted to not concerning themselves with the often high level Playoff performer, in game five it cost them. If Manu starts and plays big minutes all while continuing this production, the Spurs are about to win it all. Moving Tiago Splitter out of the starting lineup was a stroke of brilliance by Spurs coach Gregg Popovich, Splitter has been dreadful in the Finals. Then  we have the other Spur who must have od’d on sleeping pills before the Finals, because Danny Green is unconscious.

If Danny Green is going to continue shooting threes at his current clip, another reason why the Spurs are going to win their fourth championship has just presented itself. Green grabbed 6 rebounds and scored 24 points all while continuing his blistering three point shooting, going 6-10 from behind the arc. The fact that Green set the Finals record for three’s made in a series in just five games is a testament to just how hot his shooting hand is right now. If Danny Green offers you a handshake, high five, pound, let this be your warning, he will turn your hand in to a mound of melted flesh and bone.

Duncan was solid with 17  points and 12 rebounds, and he continues to prove that there is no member of the Miami Heat that can come close to defending him in the post. I’m looking at you Chris Flop, get up and take your in-the-paint beating like a grown dinosaur. Tony Parker seemed to be feeling little pain from his pulled hamstring as he scored 26 points and dished 5 assists. Parker rediscovered his love of penetrating the lane, using his superlative dribbling prowess to carve up the Heat defense, creating layup chances and wide open jumpers by way of the kick out. Parker had no rival at point guard last night, Miami possesses no viable option at point guard when Parker is on the court and playing his game.

The Spurs also have one player that has been consistently solid in all aspects of the game, he has played excellent defense, rebounded and scored in every game he has played. Kawhi Leonard continues to impress. It would be premature to say that he has figured out how to defend Lebron James, but he’s pretty close. Leonard has simply played mistake free basketball, he isn’t going to break down on defense, if the ball is within his range, the rebound is his and he does not force his offense. Demonstrative though he may not be, Kawhi Leonard is a major reason why the Spurs are where they are.

San Antonio’s starting five did it all Sunday night, every one of them scored in double figures, executed their individual games, but also excelled together as a cohesive unit. Add in Boris Diaw’s step up defense and the Spurs played perfect team basketball in game five. Good things happen when you play as a team.

Conversely the Miami Heat played as individual pieces, never flowing all at the same time. Lebron had 25 points, 6 rebounds and 8 assists, awesome stats for any other player in the league. If Miami is to win, Lebron must score in the mid thirties, the stakes are up and the defenses are tightening, this championship all falls on the shoulders of mister James. Far too often Lebron has waited to get into his attacking rhythm, requiring a punch before he punches back. Miami is a front running team, they clearly are the best one there is, but they are one none the less. When faced with adversity the Heat appear to require a brief period of time to soak in what is happening to them before they respond. Lebron should be excluded from this adjustment period, there is no player in the league that can prevent him from attacking the basket. San Antonio has played as perfect defense on him as is possible, but it is still up to him to force the issue and do what only he is capable of. If Lebron does not come out in attack mode for game six, the Heat could be playing their last game Tuesday night.

Dwayne Wade did the impossible, he played two great back to back games. Wade had 25 points, 4 rebounds and 10 assists, this is good production from Wade. Wade continues to be a nuisance to the Spurs in the paint utilizing his ability to get to the rim and finish in traffic. Dwyane Wade is doing his job to extend the Heat’s Playoff lives. Chris Bosh had 16 points, but just 6 rebounds, not nearly enough for a seven footer who is essentially Miami’s center. Since Bosh is now little more than a perimeter shooter it will obviously be difficult for him to crash the boards when he’s hanging out 20 feet from the basket. Keep shooting your shot Chris, but feel free to switch it up once in a while and actually play like a giant human being, it is what you are after all.

Ray Allen was Miami’s only real bench contributor, putting up 21 points while shooting 3-3 from behind the three point line. Were it not for Allen’s scoring, particularly in the fourth quarter, Miami never would have made their late run and we’d be discussing another huge blowout victory for the Spurs. The Boston betrayer made his presence felt, but will he be able to do it in back to back games? Probably not. The Spurs play perfect team basketball, while the Heat rely too frequently on the actions of individuals.

Miami is not as deep as San Antonio. Not that profound of a declaration. However, this is what’s giving Lebron and the other guys such fits. From game to game, at no point in time, can any member of the Miami Heat be counted on to consistently proved support to Lebron. Miami’s biggest problem is that Gregg Popovich knows this. Popovich knows that he has the better all around team, he shows this with his confidence to allow his bench to play while his stars rest, never fearing the inability to get back into any game. Where is Chris Andersen, where was Mario Chalmers, where were Shane Battier and Mike Miller? Why are any of these players being asked to realistically, consistently contribute to an NBA Finals? Not since his Cleveland days has Lebron’s teams destiny been tied so firmly to his personal performance. The ball is in your court Lebron, play the best you can, or watch the Spurs celebrate on your home court.

 

 

 

The pivotal pivot has been pivoted and the Finals are dead locked at two games a piece. It was a close one up until the fourth quarter, that’s when Miami’s trio finally showed up all at the same time and place. The fourth game of a series is traditionally the key point of any contest, it presents the unique opportunity to either grip a stranglehold, tie it all up, relinquish a commonly insurmountable lead, or in some cases, finish the opponent. Here they stand, two teams, facing down what is now a three game series, all to decide who is a champion and who will be facing innumerable off season questions.

Tony Parker played a great first half, as for the second half… Tony Parker played a great first half! It was clearly disclosed prior to tip off that Parker was suffering a pulled hamstring, yet he managed to grit through the pain and put up 15 points and 6 assists in just one half. After that he had just 3 more assists and zero points. A pulled hamstring is no small matter, lesser players would have sat from such an injury, but Parker played and played well initially. The problem for Parker is you can’t be fine in the first half and injured in the second. In the second half Tony Parker vanished faster than a “Witness” billboard in Cleveland circa 2010. Parker will play better in game five, he has to.

Tim Duncan showed up and did his job, putting up 20 points but just 5 rebounds, Timmy needs to crash the glass a bit more moving forward. Duncan was San Antonio’s only real contributor last night. After game three where there was such a role player explosion, we saw just how vulnerable either team can be if all things aren’t clicking. Duncan has been solid, but he desperately needs consistant help from his teammates. Despite the crab dribbler’s scoring line, Kawhi Leonard played very good defense, his job in this series is not to score, he is there to rebound and play D, thus far he has done just that. The Spurs are missing one player who has historically been instrumental in swinging momentum and providing that so dearly needed bench scoring punch.

 

If you see Manu Ginobili could you please return him to the Spurs ASAP. Five points, 2 rebounds and 2 assists isn’t nearly enough from Manu, he’s going to have to show up and show up soon, if not the Spurs are in big trouble. Ginobili doesn’t need to be the Spurs leading scorer, in fact they’re probably best off if he is their third leading scorer, but he has to chip in with at least double digits in points every night.

The largest, pun intended, disappointment for the Spurs has to be “Mr. Big For No Reason” himself… Tiago Splitter. You are seven feet tall Tiago. Do something. Splitter has become a walking turnover, nothing good happens when he has the ball. You can count the seconds until Splitter does something negative with the ball, and much like Kobe chasing MJ’s rings, you won’t get to six. How many times was Splitter blocked in game four? Seriously, I want to know. The NBA doesn’t keep this statistic, so based purely upon my memory I am estimating it was at least 43. It’s tough to blame Tiago though, he has long had an affinity for all things block related.

Enough Spurs talk. Game four game down to one thing, or rather three things.

Lebron James: 33 points, 11 rebounds, 4 assists
Dwyane Wade: 32 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists
Chris Bosh: 20 points, 13 rebounds

When Miami gets this level of production from their three best players, which they rarely do, any team has little chance of defeating them. Ray Allen chipped in with 14 points, but other than that this was a win placed squarely on the shoulders of Miami’s Medium Three. Wade was in attack mode from the opening tip, makes you wonder where he’s been the past, I don’t know 20 games? Bosh still took his jumpers, but we actually did have a number of interior Boshasaurus sightings. Lebron finally decided to stop trying to be a playmaker and get his teammates involved and simply attacked the basket at will. When Miami get’s this performance from these three players, they are unbeatable.

It’s safe to say at this point this Finals series is going seven, it’s in the air, you can just taste it (It tastes like orange Spaulding.). San Antonio is going to hold court at home in game five, Miami rarely loses back to back games, meaning they will win game six, culminating in an epic game seven in Miami. Can San Antonio win a game seven in Miami? Am I getting ahead of myself? The answer to at least one of these questions is yes. Will I be breaking down game five? The answer is a resounding yes! See you in a few days.

 

 

The past two games have been two Pauly D’s standing next to each other, back to back blowouts. After three games it’s difficult to know what to make of these two teams, game one was tightly contested, but the last two have been laughers. The one constant throughout all three games is that the Spurs are not going to let Lebron attack the basket. Miami’s game two victory was earned by their role players not “the Decision”maker, and San Antonio can thank Kawhi Leaonard for making that happen. Leonard is playing superb defense on Lebron, not allowing him an ounce of penetration and forcing him to remain in distribution mode, Lebron’s least lethal of modes. Bosh and Wade are contributing at their now mid-level-NBA-player best, Miami simply isn’t going to get any more out of them. Bosh should be in the paint and Wade should be slashing, but after three games, they’re just not going to change. Had it not been for Mike Miller and his impeccable 5-5 three point shooting, game three would have been even uglier than it was, and Mike Miller knows a lot about ugly (Sorry Mike, it’s a cheapshot, but there is nothing acceptable about your current physical appearance, cut your hair, shave that thing you seem to think is some sort of beard.).

The Spurs again got almost nothing out of Ginobili, just 7 points and 6 assists off the bench. Manu seems to be off his rhythm, his normally above average outside shooting isn’t there for him. Many a player and analyst will tell you the only way out of a shooting slump is to shoot your way out of it, this is true, but sometimes it’s easier on your teammates if you just go to the rack. Ginobili is going to have to find his shot, but it might be easier if he gets himself going by attempting a couple of higher percentage shots rather than coming in throwing threes like he’s playing some back alley dice game in Buenos Aires. Tony Parker is another Spur that didn’t factor into game three, apparently he injured himself and given the score his services were not needed early in the game. He’s going to play game four and they will need him, at some point he is going to have to take over a game as he has done all season. Duncan was steady with 12 points and 14 rebounds, he is another Spur that is going to have to step up for game four. Kawhi Leaonard mirrored Duncan with 14 points and 12 rebounds, but as earlier mentioned it was his defense that dictated the game. Leonard’s production to this point is where it should be and he has been consistent with it.

But let’s be real, game three was really all about…

It’s NBA JAM and Danny Green and Gary Neal are on fire. 51 points combined on shooting that no team could have been prepared to defend. Danny Green finished with 27 points on 7-9 shooting from behind the three point line, sharp shooting that would make the Alamo’s finest proud. Gary Neal added 24 points while shooting 6-10 from behind the arc, outscoring everyone that played in game three, except for Green of course. There was no way Miami was prepared for this onslaught, and honestly there is no fault in that, no one expected Green and Neal to provide that scoring punch. There is little to analyze of their offense and the defense played, were they left open too often? Look no further than the final score for that answer, however, if two role players are going to do that amount of damage there’s nothing Miami can do to stop the Spurs. Luckily for the Heat, Green and Neal will not score like that again for the series, they were hot, they will cool off.

What does Miami do moving forward? They have to get Lebron involved early and often. In every game of these Finals, Miami’s first offensive plays have been through Wade and Bosh, they’ve had their chance, if he wants a ring, Lebron is going to have to score. Remember when Lebron first came in to the NBA and he was supposed to be the next Magic, he was going to play point guard and he was going to lead the league in assists. Didn’t last long. If Lebron is on your team your best chance at victory is him as your primary and secondary scorers. Tonight’s game is incredibly pivotal, if San Antonio wins it’s all but over, if Miami can pull it out, they’re right back in it. Although all three games have been very different, the one thing that’s certain is for the Heat to win, Lebron has to show up in scoring mode, his most lethal mode.

Knotted up at two games a piece is where the Spurs and Heat now find themselves as the scene shifts West to San Antonio. Unlike the tense, down-to-the-last-second nature of game one, game two in the end wasn’t even close. For the better part of three quarters this was anyone’s game, until Miami emphatically pulled away, preventing an extremely rare two losses in a row. The Finals are all about adjustments, when playing an opponent a potential seven games in a row, by the end of the series there isn’t much of anything new to throw out there. This series isn’t at that point yet, in game two adjustments were made that forced San Antonio into positions they were not prepared for. The Heat dropped below the screens on Tony Parker, forcing him to take contested jump shots or attempt to drive into a collapsing defense. This was the major change Miami made and it proved to be enough to disrupt the Spur’s offensive game plan.

Parker had an off night, with only 13 points and 5 assists, he was never able to get into his usual stellar offensive flow. Having Parker come off of screens without the ball could be a way to get him going early in game three, it will require an extra pass, but it could serve to throw off the Heat. The Spurs can not afford to have bad games from Parker and/or Duncan and last night they got them both. Duncan only chipped in with 9 points and 11 rebounds, this simply isn’t going to get it done. Tim Duncan needs to be utilized in the post, far to infrequently was he in position with his back to the basket last night, Miami can not defend him straight up and this must be taken advantage of. Manu Ginobili had an abysmal game, adding just 5 points, he looked sloppy every time he touched the ball and either turned it over or came just shy of doing so with every posession. Turnovers were the key to the Spurs downfall, after committing just four in game one, they turned the ball over 17 times in game two. Four is obviously on the low side, and seventeen is on the high side, their true turnover tendency lies somewhere in between, but they need to protect the ball much better than they did in game two.

Danny Green did have a good night, scoring 17 points and going 5-5 from three point land, on an ordinary night this would have pushed the Spurs over the top. With the limited production from Parker and Duncan, Green’s offense served as the only reason the game was ever close. Kawhi Leonard had a monster rebounding night pulling in 14 boards, but he needs to do more on the offensive end, nine points isn’t enough against Miami. Leonard is a superior athlete and needs to take advantage of his abilities, he must drive the lane and attack the basket.

All night Thiago Splitter looked slow, again he waited for the defense to collapse on him before making his move. He’s not the centerpiece of the Spurs offense, but he has to do something with the position he is achieving. Then this happened…

Ridiculous. There’s no real analysis involved with this play, it wasn’t a tide turner or momentum changer, it’s not the turning point of the series, but it was absolutely insane. Perfectly timed, perfectly executed, a perfect block. In the age of flopping and charge taking, a player should be applauded when he harkens back to the days of NBA past and actually contests a shot in the paint. Lebron was still in defer mode for this game, 17 points, 8 rebounds and 7 assists are stats anyone would be proud of, but for Lebron more is expected. If he falls too far into his current role player mode, the Heat could be in trouble moving forward.

Wade and Bosh started out strong but phased out as the game progressed, at least this time Bosh shot mostly from within the three point line. On a different night 22 points combined from the Little Two, is not going to be enough. If their production does not increase Lebron will be forced to shoulder more of the offensive load, but with him in defer mode, it could cost them a game until adjustments are made.

Mario Chalmers and Ray Allen were the keys to Miami’s victory. Allen scored 13 points and went 3-5 from the three point line, he seems to have refound his stroke, which could be devastating for the Spurs. Chalmers scored 19 points and more and more appears to be the Heat’s second best player. Of course Chalmers benefits from being the point guard on a team of all stars, making his job easier and him appearing to be better than he is. If this were Mario Brothers, Mario Chalmers would be Luigi, but make no mistake about it, at this point in time he is Miami’s secondary offensive option after Lebron.

For the Spurs, a blowout is not going to get them down, they won’t crumble after this loss and come out with a loser’s mentality for game three. It was surprising to see them suffer such a loss, they are one of the best coached teams in the NBA, but it was just one game. Game three is going to be pivotal, look for the Spurs to really feed off of their crowd and Ginobili to have a breakout game. Would it surprise anyone if Lebron came out with a scorer’s mentality for game three? There’s a good chance Miami will need everything he has once they head into a hostile environment.

At least we don’t have to worry about an entire series without any interesting games. This Finals is anticipated to be a tightly contested affair and game one did not disappoint. The Spurs did what they needed to do and stole a game in Miami, I’m not going to go as far as to say they stole home court advantage because quite honestly I hate that term. When using the stolen home court theory, theoretically there could potentially be no end to the home courts stolen until game seven at which point Miami would have home court advantage. See what I mean? To assume that after one game we now know how this Finals will play out is a mistake. San Antonio was impressive and we learned a few things from game one, but rest assured this isn’t over by a long shot.

Dwyane Wade had a better game than expected, chipping in with 17 points. It’s kind of sad now that Wade putting up 17 is considered a good game for him, this is a player that has taken over entire Finals by himself, just ask Dallas. However, were it not for Wade, this game would not have been close. Sure Lebron probably would have stepped up more offensively, but against the Spurs the one man offense is not going to get it done. About that Lebron character, can you imagine putting up a tripple double with 18 points, 18 rebounds and 10 assists in the Finals and that not being enough? If Lebron isn’t going to score 30 a night, the Heat will be done very quickly. It isn’t as if the Spurs defended him so well that he was forced to become a distributor, this seemed to be one of those games where he decided he was going to get his teammates involved and play an all around game. That’s great Lebron, everyone knows you can do that, but it’s the Finals, put the ball in the bucket. It’s not selfishness, great players truly believe that their teams best scoring opportunity is when they have the ball, if anything him attempting a higher number of field goals is him being the best teammate he can be. You don’t change what got you here, Lebron’s teammates are expecting him to carry the bulk of the scoring load because that’s what he usually does. Game one of the NBA Finals might not be the best time to switch it up and see what the other guys are all about. Which leads us to the Bosh.

What are you doing?

In case you forgot you are 6’11”. As Jalen Rose said, there’s a reason you are wide open. San Antonio would like nothing more than for Chris Bosh to take that wide open three. Much has been said of Bosh’s improved three point shooting, much was also said about the Lakers being a lock for a Finals appearance this year, meaning? It ain’t true. Bosh, for his career and through this season is a 28% three point shooter. That’s not a good three point shooter. Renowned chucker, who never saw a shot he didn’t like Antoine Walker is a career 32% three point shooter. Get in the paint Bosh. You are seven feet tall, your place is under the basket getting rebounds and posting up, yeah yeah yeah, I know that’s not your game, but if you want another ring perhaps it should be.

The Heat did play excellent perimeter defense in game one. They consistently forced the Spurs to pass the ball along outside of the three point line, thus initiating their offense late in the shot clock. If Duncan is able to not get into foul trouble, as he did early in game one, his post up play can negate this to a degree, Miami will have to adjust for this in game two.

As for the Spurs, did we expect any less? There was no sign whatsoever of rust after having remained in a holding pattern for over a week. They played a terrific game, but there were a few things that could use improving. Turnovers definitely was not one of them. Four turnovers for an entire game is down right silly. This is a true mark of a playoff experienced team that is ready to win a championship. Miami only had eight, which is a very low number as well, but compared to four it might as well be the number of days until David Stern retires (a day that can’t come soon enough). I’d like to see Thiago Splitter do something when he receives the ball deep in the paint other than waiting for the double team before taking a bad shot. Splitter is nowhere near that player that Bosh was/is, but he has to come up with a little more than nothing when posting up with such excellent positioning. Speaking of posting up, I would like to see the Spurs attempt to get Duncan posted up a tiny bit deeper in the paint, it will lead to quicker shot opportunities and the double team will be slow in arriving. there really is no one on the Heat that can defend Duncan in the post.

Which brings us to three point shooting once again, Miami had it going. Ray Allen hit a few key threes that where very timely for the Heat, he is going to have to continue this trend. Hitting key Playoff threes is literally the only reason Miami wanted him so bad last offseason. The Spurs, however, need to reel in their urge to launch from deep. There was a stretch in the second half where San Antonio missed 6 in a row in a very short period of time, maybe after you miss 4 or 5 it’s time to consider driving the lane perhaps? Danny Green did give them 12 points, all from three point land, but any coach would rather have Allen’s 3-4 over Green’s 4-9. Manu Ginobili is another Spur that is going to have to control his shot selection, he can be a hindrance as much as an asset. With Manu, the good usually outweighs the bad, particularly in the Playoffs, but I’d still like to see him attack more than launch.

In the end this game was about Duncan and Parker though, San Antonio’s best players did what they always do. Duncan put up 20 points and 14 rebounds, and had he not been in early foul trouble it is safe to assume those numbers would be even higher. Parker added 6 assists and 21 points, none larger than his shot clock beating bank shot coming with just 4 seconds on the clock. An amazing shot that sealed the Victory for Popovich and his squad. This is the thing with the Spurs, they’re not going to bail out the Heat the way other teams have by making mistakes. If the Heat are to beat the Spurs they are going to have to do it all by themselves (unless of course the refs get involved, which they have been known to do when it comes to Miami).

One final note, not about the game itself but rather the broadcast. It is so unfortunate that TNT does not cover the Finals. Jeff Van Gundy is a great color commentator, but other than him ESPN/ABC/Disney’s NBA team is terrible. Breen is a company yes man who says nothing original or opposite of what is called on the court, he brings absolutely nothing to the table. Jalen Rose and Bill Simmons are fine when it comes to podcasts and internet shorts, but they don’t have “it” when it comes to TV. Mike Wilbon doesn’t offer much other than a prepared, slowly spoken, delivered line that is supposed to call everything into question. It doesn’t. Magic is… Magic was an incredible point guard. Television is not the place for Magic, he’s simply not good. Sure Shaq kind of sucks on TNT, but he does have an occasional joke or statement that gets a reaction out of Sir Charles. Someone needs to pull Shaq aside and tell him that simply yelling, “Birdman, Birdman,” in some kind of voice isn’t really funny. The broadcast of the NBA Playoffs as a whole is like sitting down for what you are told is going to be the best meal of your life. The appetizers are amazing, probably the best you’ve ever had. Everyone keeps telling you how great the main course is and how the appetizers were just the beginning, then it comes and… It’s a lightly boiled Timberland boot (ABC).

A cool mist glides through the main thoroughfare, the usually bustling storefronts are devoid of their typical excitement, the villagers have all battened down the hatches as an erie silence is currently the lone inhabitant of their fine town. An odd stranger strides into town perplexed by the lack of activity, only after rapping upon a shop door is he greeted by an old man who tells him there will be a great battle today and the streets are no longer safe. Titan against titan, this will be a battle that will determine legacies and futures, the very make up of the Association is at stake. Everything you thought you knew about basketball may just depend on this battle.

A little hyperbolic? Nah, it’s the Finals! This is what everyone plays for. A mere seven games separates the Spurs and the Heat from reaching the basketball promised land. Too old, too selfish, too one dimensional, too small, too slow there are a plethora of reasons why both teams should lose and win. The number of adjustments that will be made throughout this series is a digit so astronomically high that right now Stephen Hawking is toiling away, attempting to create an equation the likes of which Will Hunting has never seen. Miami was the best team in the NBA by far this season, however, it isn’t until you play a great team in a seven game series that you realize your true mettle. Much is made of the fact that the Heat have lost such a small number of games this season, how can anyone beat them four games out of seven? This is where Playoff adjustments come in, no game in this series will be similar to the one before, it will be the familiarity with one another, that makes each other inevitably beatable no matter the regular season record.

Before we sit down for a heaping helping of Finals previews, we must first briefly recap the Eastern Conference Finals (rest assured I will keep it quick, we can’t let the main course get cold). Any time a series goes seven it’s safe to say it was a good one, and it was, except for the last game. Indiana’s inexperience reared it’s ugly head at the most inopportune time, Miami’s defense befuddled them and cost them dearly. Refusing to drive the OPEN lanes and attack the basket was their fatal flaw. Miami trapped them behind the three point line where they were all too willing to remain and shoot contested deep jump shots. The Pacers ineffective offense lead to transition opportunities for Miami, which is where they are their most dangerous. Give the Heat credit, this was clearly their game plan and Indiana gave them no reason to deviate from it. Lebron came through in the clutch, as he has recently done, and we even had a Dwyane Wade sighting. When Frank Vogel left Paul George and Roy Hibbert on the bench for an extended rest during the second quarter he all but cost his team their chance at appearing in the Finals, this was the major turning point in game seven. Vogel made a couple of major coaching errors that very much harmed his team, I wonder about his success rate moving forward. It is unfortunate that the Pacers lacked a veteran presence to pull Paul George and Hibbert aside and alert them to the magnitude of their situation, they clearly where both desperately in need of a wake up call. This is it, this is a chance at a championship, this is the moment where stars (who want to be paid a lot of money) take over games, neither of them did.

The Pacers moving forward have a couple of issues, clearly they must resign David West, he is an integral part of their roster, losing him will set them back years. However, their primary concern should be acquiring a true play making point guard, they clearly need a pace setter to dictate the tempo of the game. The million dollar question though is what to do with Danny Granger? You trade him for that point guard I just mentioned, that’s what you do. With George’s emergence, Granger has become redundant. Their best bet is to hope some team isn’t too put off by Granger’s knee injury and to try and swing him for a point guard and some veteran bench presence. Paul George has a ton of potential and he is an NBA star, Superstar though? Not so fast. That’s reserved for guys like Lebron, Durant and Kobe. He could get there though and hopefully this series will serve to motivate him moving forward.

The Finals
It’s no surprise that Miami made it to this stage, they’ve been the favorite to win it all since the first tip of the season, they’ve most certainly been my pick. The Spurs on the other hand are somewhat of a surprise. Of course Westbrook’s absence cleared the path, insuring blue Playoff skies without any chance of Thunder. Then there were the Grizzlies, who became cuddly little teddy bears when pitted against San Antonio, thus leaving the Spurs with a very lengthy layoff before the Finals. Occasionally too much of a rest can be detrimental, the rust needs to be knocked off and frequently a game one loss is the end result. This will not be the case with the Spurs. The rest will have done them nothing but good and this is the Spurs, the chances of them not being prepared for a Finals series are nil. Which begs the question, who will win? Woah, woah, woah. You’re jumping way too far ahead. Let’s look at a few of the contributing factors here shall we?

Lebron
Much like every other team on the planet the Spurs will have no answer for him. When faced with a superstar the likes of James often times the best direction to take is to just let him go off. If he scores fifty, great, but you better believe the Spurs will be more focused on limiting Lebron’s teammates scoring opportunities.

Tony Parker
The Heat struggle majorly with a elite point guards and they are about to delve into a seven game series with perhaps the most elite of them all. Will Lebron defend Parker? Guaranteed at least once in this series. Make no mistake about it, Parker is going to humiliate Mario Chalmers, how long will Miami allow it to continue is the question.

Gregg Popovich
No coach is going to remove Lebron from a series, but the best coach in the NBA is probably going to be the one to give him the most headaches. Popovich will be a major asset to the Spurs, he will be more successful than all of his peers when it comes to game planning for the Heat. Do not believe the recent hype about Erik Spoelstra, the NBA Finals are commonly as much a coaching battle as anything else, unfortunately in this battle the Heat are unarmed.

Tim Duncan
Timmy will be a very different low post presence than the Heat recently faced in Roy Hibbert. Duncan is not the defensive stalwart that Hibbert is but he offers much more on the offensive end and is a terrific rebounder. Minutes will be a concern, Duncan is going to need his rest during stretches, but then again this is the Finals, do we see his playing time extended?

The Big 0.5  AKA  Wade and Bosh
Inconsistency is a bit of an understatement when describing this pair’s play. Recently the only thing they have excelled at is placing a massive amount of pressure firmly on Lebron’s back. They’ll both have a game or two where they’ll be effective, but a strong Finals performance is not likely. Wade is simply an injury prone player at this stage of his career, what you are seeing from him is what he is now. He can turn it on for a game here or there but he can not be counted on night in and night out. Bosh is a perimeter shooter and nothing more now, he has settled into this role a little too willingly for my taste.

Bench
San Antonio has the edge here, they have size and frankly more talented players at their disposal. It is intriguing to imagine where the Heat would be had they not signed Chris Andersen, most likely not the Finals. Norris Cole is going to have to be an option off the bench for Miami to have any real support.

Crowd
Miami has the home court advantage, they also have maybe the worst crowd in the NBA (the Lakers are their only challenger). They arrive late, it’s a scene not a fan base and worst of all they have this thing at their games. San Antonio will feed off of their fans more than the Heat.

These are a few of the interesting aspects of this series, but I know what you want to know. Who’s gonna win?
Miami Heat in 7

This is going to be a great Finals and a Spurs victory is very possible. San Antonio has everything on paper to beat Miami, but Miami has Lebron. Gone are the days of Lebron shying away from the glow of Playoff lights. Lebron has single handedly won big games for the Heat before, there’s no reason for him to stop now. Perhaps Reggie Miller said it best, in the Eastern Conference finals when referring to Lebron James and his teammates he said, and I am paraphrasing, “You have to get your weapons going. But you can’t forget about the nuclear weapon you have on your bench.” A tad hyperbolic? Perhaps, but hey, it’s the Finals.