So the 2013 NBA Finals matchup is set, San Antonio and Miami. A team that has a load of experience in the finals vs. a team that is building experience in the finals. It's a pretty interesting storyline between these two teams because LeBron James, first finals appearance in 2007 during his tenure with the Cleveland Cavaliers faced off against the Spurs, but got swept and looking to get his second ring against the team that made his first finals appearance a humiliating one. Tim Duncan, arguably one of the greatest power forwards to ever play the game looking for his fifth ring and trying to stay perfect on pace to chase Michael Jordan with the best undefeated record in the NBA Finals, although I doubt he'll make it to a sixth appearance. An interesting trivia, Tim Duncan won his first ring in the 1999 lockout season, LeBron James won his first in 2012 lockout season. So most of the pressure is on LeBron to win a championship in a full season considering Duncan has proven it and won 3 in 03, 05, and 07 in a full 82 game season.
So I'll start off with the San Antonio Spurs. This team is loaded with under the radar talent outside of Duncan, Parker, and Ginobili and Gregg Popovich is one of the greatest coach still active. The four of them have kept this San Antonio team consistent and competitive, hence why the Spurs have like 13-14 consecutive playoff appearances and they haven't missed the playoffs since 1998. A lot of the media have written this team off as old and done, but beginning in 2011 they have proven their critics wrong and looking to put the foot in their mouths in this years finals. San Antonio faced off against us, obviously in our side, the Lakers side we had an army of injuries, Spurs took advantage of that and swept us in the first round, but no excuses there. 2nd round, the Warriors, probably the Spurs' only challenge this whole playoffs, they took care of them in 6. Last but not least the Grizzlies in the conference finals, taking advantage of a Thunder team without Westbrook, swept them. Although it sounds as if the Spurs had an easy route because most of the top stars in the West were missing, there's no excuses, credit where it is due, the Spurs obviously want the West crown more and one more trip to the Finals.
So next up is the Miami Heat. Absolutely irrelevant before 2010 and when LeBron joined in his ESPN special, they are the source of all media hype and made 3 straight trips to the NBA Finals. Let me be out on the limb, I don't like the Heat, I think most of their fans or even if you call them "fans" are annoying and sick in the head at times. Before people label me as hypocrites considering most of the fanbase of my Lakers are bandwagons let me tell you this, I don't respect or have sympathy for bandwagoners among our fanbase. Anyway LeBron's record in the Finals since joining the Heat, 1-2 and all time, 1-3. As I said before all the pressure will go on him to win a title in a full 82 game season. Sure they had their 27 game win streak in the regular season, but they face a couple of tests in the postseason that exposes most of their flaws. They had it their way with the Bucks, but came across two bulwarks in the same central division in the Bulls and Pacers, especially the Pacers, who pushed them physically and mentally in 7 games of the Eastern Conference Finals.
How the Spurs match up:
In every finals they've been in, the Spurs had home court, this finals is different considering they don't have that advantage. They're going to need Tony Parker to facilitate the offense and Tim Duncan to be at his very best considering his age. The usual core with Ginobili, Parker, and Duncan. And they're going to need their best from the bench. This deep team without the 3 pushed the Heat to the test in the regular season and the Heat sweep them with a small margin of victory. Coach Pop has gotta reinstate his magical finals coaching to lead this team and the city of San Antonio to its 5th Larry O'Brien trophy. So it comes to matter of can the Spurs use their experience to take down the rising Miami Heat "dynasty."
How the Heat match up:
The Heat have to prove they can beat a perennial West powerhouse like the Spurs. They won last year, but against new blood in the Oklahoma City Thunder and the year before that, they lost to another perennial powerhouse in the Dallas Mavericks. The Heat have to use that speed and athleticism against this older Spurs team and use the fast break to their advantage. LeBron has to be at his A game every game and Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh have to shoulder most of the load with him. The team also needs to find ways to step up and attack the paint without a premiere post player with size and skill.
Prediction:
It's a tough series to predict, but I think game 1 will decide the fate the most. The Heat are going to try and exploit the Spurs' long rest while the Spurs will try and use their pace to expose the Heat's fatigue. But as much as I hate to say this, LeBron will redeem himself from 2007 against the Spurs and hand the franchise their first loss in Finals history.
Heat in 6.
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