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| Will Lebron be holding the NBA title again come the end of June? (Credit: Lebron James Facebook) |
Before Lebron James was King, he was merely a pretender to the
throne captured yet again by the San Antonio Spurs. Six years after he and his
then Cleveland Cavaliers teammates were swept comprehensively by the Spurs en
route to the NBA title, the reigning MVP has an opportunity for some Emily
Thorne-style revenge (slow and painful that is) when his Miami Heat host the
Spurs in Game 1 of this season’s NBA Finals tomorrow.
Which Big Three will prevail?
The defending champions have spent most of the playoffs relying on
James’s virtuoso play, with an unfit Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh unable to
recapture their best form over a consistent period. Wade has cause for optimism
after a 21-point outing during Miami’s series clincher over the Pacers, but he’s
been so off colour lately that it’s difficult to look beyond James carrying the
Heat offence once again. The Spurs’ own Big Three, on the other hand, have been
scintillating in series wins over the Grizzlies, Lakers and Warriors. Only
hamstrung Manu Ginobili has yet to spark into life in the playoffs; the way Tim
Duncan and Tony Parker are rolling back the years game in game out, the
addition of an on-song Manu could be devastating.
And the best supporting cast goes to...
This term, the Spurs have seen big playoff games off the bench from
Boris Diaw and Gary Neal, who will likely provide a sterner test than Indiana’s
Tyler Hansbrough and DJ Agustin ever did when the Heat scrapped past the Pacers
in the East Conference Finals. Udonis Haslem, Shane Battier and Mike Miller were
sporadically brilliant during stretches of Miami’s playoff run so far, and they
will need to be more dominant against San Antonio’s wily band of veterans, who
will keep the ball better and be more poised than the Pacers were in clutch
situations. The unpredictable Chris Anderson, so often the Heat’s most
proactive big in the playoffs, could be the wild card that swings the series in
Miami’s favour.
The ten-day break between series can only work wonders for the
well-rested Spurs and the meticulous Greg Popovich, as the Heat had to go the
full distance against Paul George, Roy Hibbert and co last time out. Boasting a
solid defence, penetrative ball movement and peerless outside shooting, the
Spurs have shown time and again to be the most well-rounded team in the NBA. Even with
home court advantage and Lebron in the form of his life, this could be the year
San Antonio breaks the heart of the world’s best player...again.
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