Luka’s Corner

The San Antonio Spurs come into the Finals by defeating Denver in five games, Phoenix in six, and Utah in five. It is impressive to reach the Finals at all, but when you play (and beat) teams like the Spurs have in the Playoffs, it makes the feat even more impressive. The Nuggets were arguably one of the best sixth-seeds in history, with a core of Allen Iverson, Carmelo Anthony, and Marcus Camby. Despite all this, the Spurs beat them in five. The Suns were what many thought sure Finals winners, with a team of Steve Nash, Raja Bell, Shawn Marion, and Amare Stoudemire. Anyway, San Antonio dominated the series and won in six. Utah was the winner of the Northwest and is perhaps the team of the future, with a nucleus of Deron Williams, Andrei Kirilenko, Carlos Boozer, and Mehmet Okur. Even with all this talent going against them, the Spurs still won in five. It is this dominance in the postseason, along with three other keys to victory, that will decide the outcome of the Finals. Here they are:

1. The Big Three

Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili, and Tony Parker have carried the Spurs all postseason (and regular season, for that matter). They are the most dominant trio of players in the league, despite the fact that Iverson, Anthony, and Camby also form a great trio for Denver. Duncan, Ginobili, and Parker, unlike the Nuggets three, have shown they can win on a consistent basis, during the season and in the Playoffs. When one or two of the three Spurs is struggling in a game, the other one always steps out. One of the main reasons why the big three are so lethal to opposing teams is that they can beat you in many different ways. Duncan can kill you from down low with deadly accurate hooks and bank shots, while also dominating the game with quick kick-outs to open Spurs shooters (Bruce Bowen, Brent Barry, and Michael Finley). Parker can slash to the rim and shoot floaters over the defense, or can run a one-on-two fast break and get to the line. Ginobili can do a little bit of everything. He can cut inside for easy layups and and-ones, but can also step back and drain the three. If these three guys work together and spread the floor for each other, San Antonio will cruise to four easy victories.

2. Defense

San Antonio is by far the best team defense in the NBA. Unlike the Pistons in the Eastern Conference, they will not be afraid of stepping in the lane to help on LeBron, which will make it very difficult for him to get to the rim. Duncan is a superb shot-blocker and Ginobili has quick hands, which make it easy for him to get steals. But, the main reason why LeBron will have a more difficult time scoring is Bruce Bowen. Bowen is not a guy who prevents you from scoring thirty points (although he has done it in the past). He is a guy who makes every single one of those thirty points seem like the hardest point ever scored in a basketball game. He is a constant hustler and makes you work for every drive, shot, and pass. Another reason why San Antonio will dominate Cleveland defensively is their ability to slow the game down and prevent fast-break points. As witnessed in the Phoenix series, the Spurs do not need to speed up the tempo to win. This, in turn, will destroy Cleveland’s chances because the Cavs are at their best when they run in the open floor. When playing against San Antonio, LeBron will have trouble getting fast break dunks and layups (which is one of the reasons why Detroit was eliminated).

3. Crunch Time Options

When a game is close in the fourth quarter, San Antonio is known to always stay calm, whatever the situation. They have so many offensive (Duncan, Ginobli, Parker, and Robert Horry) and defensive options (Bowen, Ginobili, and Duncan), which makes beating down the stretch nearly impossible. In addition, Gregg Popovich never chokes under pressure and he always knows where to go when he needs a basket or a stop. There will be no re-run of LeBron’s performance in game 5 (simply unbelievable) because San Antonio will look to get the ball out of his hands late in the game. They will tempt him by leaving players like Sasha Pavlovic or Donyell Marshall open on the perimeter, which will force him to think about whether he wants to shoot or pass. Also the Spur double teams will come quicker. They will trap at half-court when Lebron has the ball to dare the other Cavs to shoot the ball late in the fourth. I truly think that San Antonio, unlike Detroit, will be able to accomplish this defensive feat and, if they do so, the game will be their’s for the taking in the final seconds.

San Antonio, with their unlimited Finals experience, knows how to take advantage of all of their options on both sides of the floor. They always play their game and prevent opponents from playing theirs, enabling them to win so many games. Cleveland does not yet understand that they will run into even more trouble against the Spurs than with the Pistons. San Antonio is more consistent in the postseason and their team chemistry always stays strong. Whether they lose by thirty in one game or win by fifty in another, they always prepare the same way for the next one.

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