NBA Finals – My Crystal Ball

How good has the NBA finals series been? Overtime games, last second shots suspensions we have seen it all great viewing. Looking into my Crystal Ball I see us ending up exactly where we did last year with a Spurs Heat finals series. We can only hope it is as good as last year’s.

 

The Spurs looks well placed to advance against an Ibakaless Thunder. They head to OKC 2 nil up and whilst you can never write off a team with MVP Kevin Durant in it I think defensively the loss of Ibaka is too much to cover. I see the Spurs advancing in 4 or 5 games. Make no mistake the Thunder will get one in the next few years and no-one deserves it more than Durant who made the best MVP speech of all time. If you have not heard it do yourself a favour and google it. I think the Heat will do it much tougher against the Pacers who have rediscovered their mojo. Heading home at 1-1 I see this series going all the way to 7 but the Heat advancing on the back of LeBron James.

 

This would set up a sensational match up, which we can only hope is as good as last year’s. Tim Duncan has had 12 months to think about his missed layup in Game 7. The whole team will still have Ray Allen’s 3 pointer in their mind from the end of game 6 which took a championship from their grasp. I think the hunger will burn deeper in these Spurs and they will be desperate to atone for last year. The Master Poppovich has got some much needed rest into the ageing legs of Duncan, Parker and Ginobli. The youth of Green , Leonard and Australia’s own Patty Mills have taken their game to a new level this year. There is also depth in the form of Belinelli, Aussie Aaron Baynes and Boris Diaw.

 

Whilst you can never write of a team with champions like Dwayne Wade, Lebron James, Chris Bosh and Ray Allen in it I believe the Heat’s form has been patchy this year. They struggled through against the Nets and the first 2 games against the Pacers were a dogfight. I believe their depth is not as great as that of the Spurs which is why my crystal ball tells me the Spurs will be champions this year and 2 Aussies Patty Mills and Aaron Baynes will have rings to show off in the off season.

Comments

  1. Vimal Rajput says

    Pacers have the team to beat the Heat, just not the right mentality. Oh well, go spurs!

  2. Malcolm Ashwood says

    Very thorough and precise like your batting , Raj . Hope the officials don’t have as much influence and are far better than the umpiring at the parade last night
    Thanks Raj

  3. Heath Moss says

    Great article and summary. Allen proved how important he was in the 4th quarter of game 3 on the weekend. Agree it will be a Spurs v Heat finals series. Hoping the Spurs win it all as well. Would love Duncan to get one more and of course Patty Mills.

  4. Great article Rajesh and totally agree with you – Spurs to be hungrier than LeBron’s crew, and San Antonio to hopefully win their 5th Championship.

  5. Raj

    Good piece

    Much as it pains me, it seems to be falling into place for the Heat. And, despite Popovich being a leader in player rotation, if his team make the finals, the older list will be far more tired than the Heat. The Heat had a clear week’s rest after sweeping the Hornets, then were reasonbaly untroubled by the Nets. They are in contol against the Pacers now and you’d have to think they start faves against whomever they play.

    Both the Spurs and OKC had 7 game first round series and whilst a little easier for the Spurs than the Thunder in Round 2, I see this semi going the distance, which makes it hard for either side.

    OKC are the Spurs bogey team, and Ibaka’s Lazarus return is having an impact.

    I think the Spurs bat deeper than anyone, with their bench, potentially including Mills but definately with Manu, Bellinelli and Diaw, being easy starters at loads of other teams in the NBA. That depth may be the dif, but if the Spurs make it, it isn’t as clear cut sadly as it looked at season’s end

    Sean

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