Things To Look For In The NBA Finals

Fundamental Ball vs Star Ball

The Spurs were able to get by OKC by virtue of sharing the rock, having great floor spacing and by believing in the teammate with the open shot.  Through 5 and ¾ games last year against the Heat that same strategy worked to perfection.  Do they have enough to get them that last ¼ they didn’t exhibit?  They boast an improved bench and Boris Diaw is playing some of the best ball of his life.  Kawhi Leonard has quietly put himself high up in the category of best two way players in the league.

Being a basketball purist at heart my two biggest fundamentals are in play in the Finals.  Team ball is always my bread and butter philosophy, not as hardcore core as Larry Brown but close enough.  Despite that notion I also live by the fact that if I have the best player on the court I SHOULD win.  LeBron is the best player on the court but the Spurs play the best team ball in the league.  Last year in game seven the philosophy of having the best player on the court won out so until that is proven to not work (which strangely hasn’t since the Mavs beat the Heat and 2011) I’m going to stick with the best player on the court mentality winning out over team ball.

Monsieur Parker

Tony Parker was in complete control of the Finals last year leaving Chalmers, Cole, Wade and even LeBron at times in his wake.  He didn’t score in bunches but his effective ball movement led to many open looks.  His hamstring injury throughout the Finals most certainly cost the Spurs a chance to clinch the title late in game six.  Having a healthy Parker exploits the one position the Heat can’t match up with a star.  Parker’s injured left ankle will be huge in this series, it is unfortunate that he has been bit the injury bug now twice in two years.  It would be a completely different story and maybe outcome of the series if the Spurs Big 3 was fully healthy vs the Heat Big 3.

Bench Play

The Heat rely on the brilliance of the Big 3 so much that anything from the role players is icing and makes them damn near impossible to beat.  Last year Ray Allen put on his best Jesus Shuttlesworth re-enactment and saved the series for south beach, Rashard Lewis looks to be the guy (like Mike Miller last year,) who is stepping up this post season.   Birdman Anderson has been hobbled but is sorely needed to match up with the size of Duncan, Splitter and Diaw.  Battier is always a wild card, taking charges, chasing wing players and spotting up in the corner for a three.

The Spurs on the other hand, boasts one of the better benches in the league.  Diaw has been simply incredible this post season, hitting the glass, dishing the rock and being able to staying out of foul trouble even against quicker bigs.  When Duncan gets his rest, Coach Popovich has no problem going with Diaw and getting decent production.  Patty Mills and Marco Belinelli have provided much needed depth and outside scoring at the guard position, plus both are good passers, now that I think about it I don’t think there’s anyone who can’t pass on the Spurs.

Kawhi vs LeBron

For the first five games in the Finals last year LeBron was frustrated by Kawhi Leonard and Coach Pops strategy.  They lured LeBron into taking jumper after jumper knowing his strength is going to the hole and either finishing or moving the ball to an open teammate.  Clang went the King time after time. Leonard is one of the few in the league that has size, strength and speed similar to James.  James was even caught on camera last year not looking too happy to see Leonard checking back in Game five.   James dropped 32 and 37 points in games six and seven.  He went to the hole, absorbed contact, still passed out of double teams and made the right basketball play….more or less he was being LeBron. 

Even if Leonard plays at his absolute best he can’t contain LeBron but what he can do is force LeBron to play defense as Leonard has taken his offensive game to another level.  Doing that will not only wear down James but it will keep him from floating around the perimeter trapping and guarding Parker, Mills and Ginobli.

Prediction

Heat in 6

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