1. Channeling my inner LeBron, there were not one, not two, not three, not four, but FIVE ways that this game was going to be remembered at a certain point in time. They were (and each point will be getting further discussion once I get into breaking down the game) the Tim Duncan Game, the Headband Game, the Erik Spoelstra/Dwyane Wade Game, the Tony Parker Game, and the Ray Allen Game. After digesting everything, I don’t really know what to call it. Hopefully I’ll figure it out by the end of this.

2. I can’t recall any basketball game ever generating as much “Greatest basketball game ever played” buzz as this one. Granted I missed out on the Bird/Magic duels in the 80’s and the majority of the Jordan era, but it seems like the rapid reactions from fans and analysts go something like this, “HOLY F*** THAT GAME WAS AWESOME!!!!!”

3. Continuing on with the previous point: from the start of the 4^th quarter until one hour after the game had ended, I had direct contact via text message, phone call, Twitter or Facebook regarding the game with sixteen different people. That easily shattered my previous undocumented record, which I would guess would be last year when the Heat won the title. Those were just a bunch of congratulatory messages though. Last night was different. Last night was a mix of “Whoa LeBron was great!”, “What the hell is Spoelstra thinking?” and “Holy crap that game was incredible!”

4. Let’s take it one step further: The players involved in the game have been gushing with quotes about how incredible, and incredibly bizarre it was. LeBron called it “By far the best game I’ve ever been a part of.” Bosh: “Best game I’ve ever seen.” Birdman Andersen: “It was the most amazing basketball I’ve ever seen and to be a part of it was special.” And even a very animated “It was a hell of a game” from Gregg Popovich.

5. In order to firmly grasp how monumental this game was, you need to take into consideration everything that was on the line. First and most obviously, the NBA Title. The Spurs were up 3-2 in the series and looking for a fifth championship in the Duncan/Popovich era. Duncan was playing for a fifth title and greatest player of his generation bragging rights. Parker was playing for a likely Finals MVP, the Greatest Point Guard Alive Championship belt, and an automatic spot in the top three when it comes to best international players of all time. Popovich was coaching for a fifth title and a permanent spot on the NBA coaching Mount Rushmore alongside Phil Jackson, Red Auerbach and Pat Riley. Wade and Bosh were playing not to be traded. And LeBron was playing for his legacy. Isn’t it amazing how many “legacy defining” games LeBron has played in. Seems like at least one every year.

Jun 18, 2013; Miami, FL, USA; San Antonio Spurs power forward Tim Duncan (21) reacts during the third quarter of game six in the 2013 NBA Finals against the Miami Heat at American Airlines Arena. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

6. A lot will be made of the 4^th quarter and overtime (and rightfully so), but the mystique of this game started well before the fireworks exploded. Remember, before chaos broke out late in the game, this was going to go down as the Tim Duncan Game. Before the series I said that Duncan needed to have a couple of throwback 2003 Duncan games, and amazingly, the Heat survived one tonight. With Miami making it a priority not to allow the Spurs three-point shooters beat them, they allowed Duncan to go to work one on one in the post. Chalk this up as a catastrophically large advantage to Duncan, who started 8 for 8, posted a 25 point and 8 rebound first half, and finished with 30 and 17. To put it more simply, Duncan’s first half may have been the best half of basketball he’s ever played and I’ve ever seen. He was on pace for 50 points and 16 rebounds, and with how unstoppable he was in the first half I could’ve been talked into believing that that is what he would finish with. And based on that half alone, Duncan should’ve won the Finals MVP if, you know, the Spurs ended up winning the game.

7. You’ve heard of Danny Green, right? I’m sure you have. He’s the guy who got confused and thought he was Ray Allen, shattered the Finals record for three’s made (coincidentally held by Ray Allen) and generated a whole bunch of talk about how cool it would be for a former D-Leaguer to win the Finals MVP. Look, even though I wasn’t a huge fan of Danny Green’s out of body experience, it was definitely a neat story and an interesting narrative to write about. Notice the key word “was.” Those days are long gone. Green went 1 for 7 shooting and finished with only three points. You can thank or criticize Miami’s swarming perimeter defense for ending that Cinderella story.

8. The majority of the 1^st half was back and forth and closely contested. But as we’re accustomed to seeing from the Spurs they went on a run to close out the 2^nd quarter that pushed the lead to only six points, but it might as well have been 16. In the midst of my frustration I prematurely tweeted a simple and solemn “This game is over” that was 50% a pissed off overreaction, 25% prediction and 25% attempt at a reverse jinx. It did feel like it was over though.

9. And it may as well have been, by the time the 4^th quarter had started the Heat were down by 10, LeBron was in full-fledged Dallas 2011 mode, and I was trying to make fake trades for Wade and Bosh in my head. Most of them were unrealistic and involved Stephen Curry somehow being traded to Miami, but still. I had to get to a happy place.

10. The 4^th quarter started and all hell broke loose. With Miami trailing 75-65, Spoelstra trotted out a lineup that was screaming “Cleveland LeBron, save us!” Oddly enough, I was screaming the same thing earlier in the day when I made the executive decision to wear my old school Witness t-shirt I’ve had since my days as a Cavaliers fan. I’m a freak and believe in good karma based on the t-shirt I wear while the Heat are playing (Go ahead and laugh at me, but last year Miami didn’t lose a game in the playoffs once I started wearing my Big Woodies Fireworks t-shirt). My hopes for Game 6 were that by wearing a Cleveland era LeBron shirt that LeBron would trot out on the court and put together a 30-10-10 triple double. Well through three quarters LeBron was 3 for 11 shooting and I was ready to burn my shirt in the street like all of the pissed off Cavaliers fans did in 2010 when he took his talents to South Beach.

11. I’ve watched LeBron closely for ten years… six of which I’ve had the luxury of the NBA League Pass which means I’ve watched just about every one of LeBron’s last 553 games (playoffs included). I can’t remember him ever playing an extended stretch without a headband. This might not seem like a significant enough event to warrant a whole point in this list, but it definitely is. You know how sometimes when a player changes teams in the offseason and he doesn’t look quite right in his new uniform? That was the case here. He looked like a completely different human being out there doing Cleveland LeBron things. It was probably coincidental, or maybe it was like a fighter seeing his own blood, but for whatever reason, when LeBron’s headband was knocked off with nine minutes left he went bananas and imposed his will like I had been yearning for since the start of the series. He was attacking the basket relentlessly (thanks to the space created by the shooters on the floor) and he managed to make one of the biggest plays of the game that nobody will ever remember because there were ten huge plays that would follow, but big enough that it deserves its own point.

12. With 6:50 left in the game Miami trailed 82-80. The Heat was flirting with making a huge run to blow the game open. A hard close out by Ray Allen on Danny Green allowed Green to drive into the paint, draw Birdman into the air to contest his shot and dish to Tim Duncan. This should’ve been a Duncan dunk and perhaps the end of the Heat run. In less than 2 seconds LeBron left Tony Parker on the wing, darted underneath the basket and elevated to block Duncan’s layup. It was incredible to watch. Not only the physical ability to do that, but also the mental capacity to realize in a split second that he could leave Parker on the wing because Green didn’t have the angle and Duncan didn’t have the time to make the pass… it was just outstanding.

Jun 18, 2013; Miami, FL, USA; Miami Heat shooting guard Dwyane Wade (3) grabs his knee after a play against the San Antonio Spurs during the first quarter of game six in the 2013 NBA Finals at American Airlines Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

13. Earlier in the game there was a telling sequence where LeBron backed down Kawhi Leonard (who by the way has huge hands and had the least talked about 22 point and 11 rebound game I’ve ever seen) and finished at the rim. Jeff Van Gundy commented, “The power of shooting gives James more space on the floor in that back in move. There’s no help coming, eventually he’s going to overpower Leonard.” For anyone that really knows about basketball, that isn’t a hard concept to understand. So by the power of deduction, that leads me to believe that the people who thought that Dwyane Wade should be brought back in the game despite the fact that Miami had just rolled off a 22-9 run without him don’t know about basketball. Unfortunately, one of those people happens to be head coach Erik Spoelstra.

14. I broke my self-appointed no swearing on social media rule because the only way I could accurately express how pissed off I was by Spoelstra’s decision to bring Wade in was by dropping a couple of F-bombs. How the f*** could Spoelstra bring Wade back in? It was uncanny. It was like watching a scary movie when the idiot protagonist decides to go back into the house that the serial killer is in. Miami was rolling with their Cavaliers-esque small ball lineup which going back to the movie comparison would be like the family driving away from the house. Spo putting Wade back in with Miami up by three with 3:48 left was like the protagonist of the movie making an aggressive U-Turn and driving back towards the house to confront the killer. Don’t be stupid Spo! LeBron had room to go to work in the paint because the Spurs defenders had to honor the shooters on the perimeter. As soon as Wade came back in the game the paint was clogged and LeBron suddenly had multiple defenders surrounding him.

15. Once again, let’s recap.  The Heat are leading 87-84 with 3:48 left when Wade came in. The only person whose spirit looked more broken by this than myself was LeBron, who seemingly knew that Wade coming into the game meant that because Wade is Wade, he had to get a few shots so he’d play hard defensively (the most egregious example of this came with under a minute left overtime when the Heat were clinging to a one point lead and Wade decided to isolate and take a twenty foot jump shot based solely on the fact that he’s Dwyane Wade and he can seemingly do no wrong). It also meant that as I mentioned before, the Spurs ability to guard LeBron down the stretch would be infinitely easier now that they could send a help defender and not worry about a wide open player on the perimeter. To nobody’s surprise but Spo’s, the Spurs went on a run and eventually took the lead with under one minute remaining. This is when the game for just over one minute of game time action became the Tony Parker game.

16. I can’t say too many good words about Tony Parker based solely on the principle that Skip Bayless adores him and the Spurs so much, so this point might be brief. Don’t confuse this and mistakenly think I don’t realize how great Parker is (the internal “Who is the best point guard alive” debate has already begun inside my head since I started working on my Top 50 Players list). His skills speak for themselves and his crunch time chops have been on display this postseason. Tonight was no different. Parker was exhausted and struggling after having to deal with a 6’8 physical freak chase him around for the entire 4^th quarter, but Parker managed to make not one, but two huge plays down the stretch. First was the step back bomb he hit with 1:30 left in the game to tie it, and then the floater over Chalmers to give San Antonio a 91-89 lead with 58 seconds left. Parker ended up a lackluster 6 for 23 from the field but still would’ve won the Finals MVP had the Spurs pulled out the victory. Then again, Game 7 is Thursday so we can’t close that chapter just yet.

17. Even though it seemed as if Parker was well on his way to a 2^nd Finals MVP, the Tony Parker Game disappeared more quickly than Alan Parish getting sucked into Jumanji. Thanks to an gutty offensive rebound from Chris Bosh (Tim Duncan wasn’t in the game, but still) and a heady kick out to Ray Allen in the corner, the Heat season stayed alive and the very turbulent relationship between my mother and Ray Allen (Who was referred to as “The Saboteur” by my mom, who was convinced that Ray Allen signed with the Heat to screw them out of the title. She must’ve watched too much wrestling with me when I was a little kid) was mended. I told her from the get-go that there would come a time when she would love Ray Allen. Tonight was that night. The all-time leader in three’s made sat and watched as Danny Green obliterated his record for three’s in a Finals series… you just knew he was going to respond with something like this. Ladies and gentlemen, we’ve just entered the Ray Allen Game. Miami survived the final 5 seconds of regulation, and suddenly we were in overtime.

18. Overtime served as the continuation of my intense frustration towards Spo and Wade, and also as the redemption of Chris Bosh, who played spectacularly down the stretch doing all the things he was supposed to do. Statistically this game won’t stand out for Bosh (10 points, 11 rebounds, 5 for 12 shooting), but he made every big play he was supposed to make. The big time offensive rebound and kick out to Allen; the block on the Tony Parker jump shot in overtime; and the game winning block on Danny Green in the corner, which was double sweet since Bosh declared before the game that Danny Green wouldn’t get an open look for three.  So let’s recap really quickly: The Heat got what they needed from LeBron, Allen, Bosh, Chalmers, Miller and Battier… and Wade sucked. Okay, just wanted to make sure we cleared that up.

19. The Heat miraculously managed a 103-100 win when it seemed like they were dead in the water with under a minute left. This evokes two questions: First, how do the Spurs bounce back from such a devastating loss? Think about it: The Spurs split two pairs of free throws in the final minute which could’ve pushed their lead to six or four points. They were so close to winning that the yellow rope was going up around the court and the Larry O’Brien Trophy was courtside across from the Spurs bench. They watched their lead, their trophy and just as an extra kick in the nads the yellow rope all disappear. Now, it comes down to a Game 7. What do the Spurs have left mentally, and what does either team have left physically? How could Thursdays game possibly live up to Game 6? And how can my parents, myself or my cousin Gianni
(a Spurs fan) withstand another game like this. Gianni and I had the following texting exchange at the end of regulation:

Jun 18, 2013; Miami, FL, USA; San Antonio Spurs point guard Tony Parker (9) defends Miami Heat small forward LeBron James (6) during the fourth quarter of game six in the 2013 NBA Finals at American Airlines Arena. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

Gianni: Holy smokes. That’s all I got to say about that.

Me: I’ve already cried once during this game. I can’t handle this.

Gianni: I already began to cry tears of joy. That was short lived. Alright time for OT. No more texting cause neither of us can handle it.

20. That text messages revealed the final and most important point of this game for me. If I learned one thing from Game 6 it’s that I’m far too emotionally invested in LeBron James than I should be. I’m blessed to have great family and friends, to be able to live comfortably, and to go to a great college. I couldn’t ask for much more than I’ve been given, yet I was reduced to tears when LeBron was faltering down the stretch in Game 6. Is that healthy? Definitely not. But that’s just the way it is for me. That wasn’t the first time that’s happened, and it certainly won’t be the last time. Last year after LeBron won his first title I wrote that nine years of hopes and dreams dashed was worth it for the one year of unimaginable happiness. Well call me selfish, but I don’t want to go another 9 years of hopes and dreams being dashed. That sucked. Tonight it looked like I was going to have to wait at least one more year for that distinct kind of happiness that only your favorite team or player can bring you; the happiness that comes from being a part of something bigger than you. For me, every game is the LeBron James Game. There is just always a subtitle that goes along with it. Game 6 will always be the LeBron James Headband Game for me. It’s right alongside with the 48 Special Game in Detroit in 2007, the Orlando Game Winner in 2009, the 40-18-9 Game in Indiana last year, the 45 point evisceration of Boston in Game 6 last year, the Cramp Game in the 2012 Finals, the night LeBron won his first title, and the Indiana Game Winner. What will Game 7 be?

The “If Both Coaches Decide To Bench Their Stars Again They Have A Chance” Candidates

10. Mike Miller- 7.3 points, 1.3 rebounds, 83% FG, 82% 3PT
Back before the Conference Finals, I wrote this about Shane Battier in my Legacy Watch Power Rankings: “It can’t be a complete coincidence the Battier played for one of the great college teams of the 2000’s (2001 Duke Blue Devils) as well as the teams with the 2nd and 3rd longest win streaks in NBA history (this year’s Miami team, as well as the 2008 Rockets). There is just something about Battier that is vital to success. Maybe it’s the professionalism he brings to the table or his play on the court, but with a stretch of play as impressive as he was in last year’s Finals (11.6 points, 3.4 rebounds, 61% FG, 58% 3PT in 5 games), Battier could easily stumble into some ‘Poor Man’s Big Shot Bob’ comparisons.”

Well don’t I feel silly. In the ensuing ten games after I wrote that Battier is averaging 1.9 points on icy cold 12% shooting and bringing in nothing more than “Washed up, smelly, homeless man’s Big Shot Bob” comparisons. Ever since Shane Battier started playing like he was 13 levels beyond washed up Mike Miller has been the bench spark Battier was supposed to be. Spark isn’t even the right word. Miller has been NBA Jam style on fire during the Finals, shooting a scalding hot 82% from downtown. His three point flurry in Game 2 helped to open the flood gates and his 5 for 5 shooting performance in Game 3 kept the game from being a 56 point blowout rather than a 36 point blowout. With the Spurs double teaming LeBron when he goes to work in the post, packing the paint and daring the Heat to become a jump shooting team, Miller may be a primary beneficiary if LeBron and Wade’s jump shots fail them and they look for scoring help elsewhere.

9. Mario Chalmers- 8.3 points, 2.8 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 43% 3PT
Even though Chalmers went six straight quarters without scoring in Games 3 and 4, he was a difference maker in Miami’s Game 2 victory. His pick and rolls with LeBron sparked the Heat 33-5 run in the 2^ndhalf that happened so quickly I didn’t even realize how out of hand the game had gotten, and I was at the game. He was fearless and like many times before, you could just see from the way that Chalmers was carrying himself he firmly believed he was the best player on the floor in Game 2. He outplayed Tony Parker (seemingly a death blow for the Spurs) and finally got into the paint, a large reason why Miami is currently trailing 2-1 in the series. Like every irrationally confident player in the league Chalmers happens to fly off the handle on occasion and forget that he is just Mario Chalmers. He’ll go through stretches where he takes an inordinate amount of ill-advised shots, is so reckless with the ball it looks like he’s playing in a constant state of fast-forward, and makes me question why the reigns haven’t been handed to Norris Cole and his high-top fade. However, it pays off when Chalmers comes through like he did in Game 2. If only for one night, Chalmers carried himself like a Finals MVP.

Jun 13, 2013; San Antonio, TX, USA; San Antonio Spurs point guard Gary Neal (14) shoots against Miami Heat small forward LeBron James (6) during the first quarter of game four of the 2013 NBA Finals at the AT

8. Gary Neal- 13.5 points, 2.8 rebounds, 48% FG, 55% 3PT
This would have to be the all-time Finals MVP upset right? If Gary Neal’s Finals MVP odds were even on the board before the series (They weren’t; he belonged to the “Any Other Spurs Player” grouping which got 30 to 1 odds in case you were wondering) he would’ve had to be at least a 150 to 1 underdog, and if you put any money on the hypothetical bet, you must’ve loved every time the Heat defenders lost him in their rotations in Games 3 and 4. Danny Green stole the attention in Game 3 in part because he was already billed as the Stephen Curry stopper back in Round 2, but it was Neal who lead the Spurs in scoring in the 1^st half, had the halftime interview with Doris Burke after hitting a buzzer-beating three to end the 2^nd quarter, and continued to carry the Spurs offense in the 2^nd half. Neal played for two different colleges, spent three years in Europe after going undrafted, and his two effing first names… and in Game 3 he was kicking me in the groin over and over again (metaphorically of course) for two hours. Yay for Gary Neal.

The “Living Up To Expectations Can Go A Long Way” Candidate

7. Chris Bosh- 14.3 points, 9.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 2.3 steals, 1.8 blocks, 48% FG
After Bosh put together a much needed 20 point and 19 rebound performance at Chicago in Game 3 of the 2^nd round, he quickly fell off the map and fell in love with being a perimeter player despite his 6’11 frame. Over the course of the next ten games Bosh played so frustratingly bad that it nearly drove me to the point of participating in the first ever one man riot. In the ten games after his 20-19 game at Chicago, Bosh attempted nearly as many three pointers (23) as free throws (28) and never grabbed more than 8 rebounds. It was so frustrating watching Bosh, a power forward/de facto center who gets paid $20 million a year be completely unable to establish himself as a presence. I expected more of the same in the Finals because there was nothing telling me to think otherwise. Instead Bosh bounced back from a poor Game 1 with three straight double-doubles for the first time since before the All-Star break and was a complete difference maker in Game 4. Bosh’s 20 point 13 rebound game was lost in the shuffle of Wade’s “Flash” resurrection and LeBron getting back on track, but it was just as crucial to Miami bouncing back and evening the series at two games apiece.

The “Hey Cleveland, Here Are Two Middle Fingers… How Do You Like Me Now” Candidate

6. Danny Green- 16.5 points, 3.5 rebounds. 1.0 steal, 1.3 blocks, 58% FG, 68% 3PT
Seriously, can anyone explain to me how Danny Green was cut from the post-LeBron Cavaliers team that went 18-64 and saw Daniel Gibson, Anthony Parker, Manny Harris, Jamario Moon, Joey Graham, and the immortal Christian Eyenga as backcourt staples? What a debacle. And it’s such a cliché that the Spurs would be the team to scoop Green up, play him in only eight games in 2011, and then turn him into a key rotation player and long distance sharp shooter over the last two seasons. Green has been video game hot in the Finals (19 for 28 from downtown, at least half of his makes Dwyane Wade has completely lost track of him) and completely up to the challenge of defending Wade and LeBron James. Going into Game 4 he was improbably the leading scorer of the Finals and all the way up to 4^th in my Finals MVP power rankings.

The “They Just Need One Vintage Performance To Sky-Rocket Up The List” Candidates

5. Tony Parker- 13.8 points, 2.3 rebounds, 7.0 assists, 44% FG
4. Tim Duncan- 15.3 points, 11.0 rebounds, 1.5 blocks, 42% FG
Let’s not even take into account the fact that Trick Shot Titus has made more meaningful baskets over the last two months than Manu Ginobili has. There is no denying the fact that like the Heat Big Three, the Spurs Big Three has had a bit of a rough go of it in the Finals. Parker made the most memorable play of the series and was virtually unstoppable down the stretch in Game 1 but thanks to a strained hamstring and a much more aggressive defensive approach, Parker has been limited in Games 2 through 4. Although he was sensational in the 1^st half of Game 4, Parker was held scoreless in the 2^nd half, which makes sense now that Parker acknowledge the strain could become a tear at any time. If the Heat have solved the Parker riddle, it’s hard to imagine the Spurs still winning this series unless they hand the car keys back to Tim Duncan.

For the first decade of the Duncan/Popovich era in San Antonio the metaphorical car keys belonged to Timmy. Duncan wasn’t only the linchpin of the defense like he still is, he was also the focal point of the offense. The offense was run inside-out and they played much slower than they have over the last three seasons. But with Parker hobbled, Ginobili useless, and no other Spur ready to carry the burden of having to score on a consistent basis, it’s on Duncan to do just as I said he needed to for the Spurs to win a title: He needs to be Vintage Tim Duncan. He needs to turn back the clock and come through with a 24-14-5 game if the Spurs can’t rely on Parker to get into the paint and carry the offense. Duncan’s averaged a double-double in the series, but he’s shot a pedestrian 42% against the small Heat frontcourt. It feels like the Spurs are on the ropes and therefore, I expect the 2003 version of Tim Duncan to show up tonight. If that’s the case and the Spurs grab Game 5 and go on to win the series in Miami, Duncan would be the odds on favorite to win Finals MVP.

Jun 13, 2013; San Antonio, TX, USA; Miami Heat shooting guard Dwyane Wade (3) dunks against the San Antonio Spurs during the fourth quarter of game four of the 2013 NBA Finals at the AT

The “Hey Sonny, Here Are Two Middle Fingers… How Do You Like Me Now” Candidate

3. Dwyane Wade- 18.8 points, 2.5 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 2.8 steals, 49% FG
Watch this clip to reflect on how good Wade was in his Game 4 “Flash” back while I take a moment to try to get my foot out of my mouth. Just know this: I don’t trust Wade. I don’t trust that all of the sudden after one great game Dwyane Wade is “back.” And I definitely don’t believe Wade’s Game 4 is a sign of long lasting success for him. He can easily reassume his role as the victim of my barbs with another lackadaisical performance in Game 5, something I don’t completely rule out.

The “He’ll Never Actually Win The MVP, But Quietly He’s Been F****** Awesome This Series” Candidate

2. Kawhi Leonard- 11.3 points, 10.8 rebounds, 1.8 steals, 44% FG
Kawhi Leonard gets this spot for five reasons:
1. Did you really think after one great game and three crappy ones I was prepared to give Dwyane Wade this number two spot?
2. As mentioned about, Duncan and Parker haven’t been outstanding; if anything, they’ve played below their expectations.
3. Kawhi Leonard has huge hands. The only way you wouldn’t know this is if you watch the games on mute. Mike Breen is contractually obligated to note the size of Leonard’s hands once every three times he’s mentioned in the game.
4. Although LeBron finally got going in Game 4, it took three games for him to find a comfort zone. Obviously Pop and the Spurs have done a good job with their defensive schemes to limit LeBron and make him a jump shooter, but the majority of the credit needs to go to Kawhi Leonard, who has given LeBron more of a problem than all of the high quality perimeter defenders LeBron has faced in the previous three rounds (Luc Richard Mbah a Moute, Jimmy Butler, Paul George).
5. What hasn’t Kawhi done for the Spurs? He doesn’t need to carry the scoring burden, but he’s scored double figures in three of the four games. He’s grabbed the 2^nd most rebounds of anyone on the team behind Tim Duncan. He’s done an exemplary job guarding the best basketball player in the world. And he has a knack for making big plays and being in the right spot at the right time. His ability to grab offensive rebounds and get his massive hands in the passing lanes and come through with a big steal is vastly underrated, just like the rest of his game is.

The “When In Doubt, Just Assume The Best Player In The World Will Come Through” Candidate

1. LeBron James- 20.8 points, 12.0 rebounds, 6.5 assists, 1.8 steals, 1.3 steals, 46% FG
Call it a disappointing series for LeBron if you’d like (Admittedly, to some degree it has. I even went as far as Tweeting during Game 3 that LeBron was playing worse than he did against Dallas in 2011), but keep this in mind: If LeBron James were to win the Finals MVP and managed to keep his stat line where it is right now, he’d be the first player ever to win Finals MVP while averaging least 20 points, 12 rebounds and 6 assists throughout the series.

I love LeBron… Dwyane Wade is going to stink tonight… Is tonight really going to be the “Danny Green game”… Tim Duncan drop step and layup… Funny Popovich between quarter interview… Tony Parker floater… BIRDMAN BIRDMAN… I love LeBron, but what the hell is going on… Halftime… Snarky Dwyane Wade comment… Okay seriously, this is starting to feel a little too much like Boston 2010/Dallas 2011… Whoa, the Heat are on a run… (GATOR CHOMP)… Is tonight really going to be the “Mario Chalmers game”… (ANOTHER GATOR CHOMP)… LeBron block… Holy Crap… RIP Tiago Splitter… LeBron dunk… Is that Tracy McGrady’s music…  Heat win 103-84.

Yesterday wasn’t a normal day though. I was at the game. I almost forgot about that little nugget. I was at Game 2 of the NBA Finals.

I hope you don’t mind, but I’m going to type that out one more time just so I can soak it in a little more. I was at Game 2 of the NBA Finals. I can’t thank the lord enough that my parents will do just about anything to make their only child happy. Plus, they are just about as crazy about the Miami Heat as I am the NBA. If it weren’t for those two crucial elements, this Finals experience wouldn’t have happened. They were generous enough to fork over $350 per ticket to give me an experience that I had built up in my mind as the end all be all of sporting events. I don’t know that it’s the end all be all, but it certainly didn’t disappoint… and it certainly wasn’t a normal sporting event.

Just like the Orange Bowl and WrestleMania in the past, there was a different kind of energy in the air before the NBA Finals. You could just tell something big was happening; something bigger than all of us. Even the sometimes unforgivably lackadaisical Miami Heat crowd seemed to recognize that this wasn’t an everyday game. Perhaps it was because the Heat were playing a virtual must win game, or maybe it was because they had all afternoon to get hammered before the 8 o’clock tip, but they were ready to be loud right from jump street. As my parents and I moseyed to our seats and sat down, the “Whoa, this doesn’t happen every day” moments kept coming.

First was the comprehension that I was in a basketball arena with 4 of the 15 greatest basketball players to ever live (Magic, Duncan, LeBron and Shaq) AND my all-time favorite sports writer (Bill Simmons). That was almost too much for me to handle. It was a good thing I had a few drinks at Bubba Gump’s before the game, because a completely sober Sonny might not have been able to absorb all of that stimuli at once. Next came the warm-ups. Prior to last night I had seen three Heat games this year already, and I’ve been lucky enough to watch LeBron in person nine times before that. Obviously there is a certain excitement that jolts through my body every time he throws down the first of many vicious warm up slams, but it’s not a foreign feeling anymore. I still always get a kick out of watching the opposing team warm up though. Getting the first glimpse of Duncan, Parker and Ginobili last night was special. For a basketball fan who keeps a list of all the great players he’s seen play in person, adding the Spurs trio to the list meant a lot.

The biggest goosebump moment came when they showed ABC’s NBA Finals intro on the big screen above the court. I’m easily overwhelmed by big moments; moments that are bigger than any individual. And getting to take a stroll down memory lane reminded me that this is, pardon the NBA advertising pun, BIG. When you’re inside the arena and you see the Jordan shrug, LeBron hugging the trophy, the Magic skyhook and Larry waving the towel on the bench, you find yourself hoping that a moment you get to see in person will be that transcendent and  long-lasting. The National Anthem (automatic goosebumps at any sporting event) and starting lineups (the goosebumps don’t go away) come next, and all of the sudden it’s game time. I wasn’t totally adjusted yet. I was still in my “taking it all in” mindset. I might as well have stayed there.

What happened during the game didn’t make much sense, so it was pointless to ever get into a mindset where you are capable of processing what was happening on the court. Danny Green, 17 points, was the leading scoring for San Antonio, and Mario Chalmers, 19 points to lead the Heat, was carving up the Spurs defense with the bread and butter of the Spurs offense, the pick and roll. Tony Parker and Tim Duncan were a combined 8 for 27 from the field. LeBron played just about as crappy as I’ve ever seen for the first three quarters of the game, then turned it all around in the 4^th quarter sparked by his highlight reel block—block doesn’t even do it justice; it was a midair evisceration that left me with my jaw dropped and completely speechless for at least 60 seconds. I’ve never seen a better play made by LeBron in person in my entire life. Somehow, he finished with 17 points, 8 rebounds, 7 assists, 3 steals and 3 blocks, becoming the first player in 25 years to post that stat line in the NBA Finals. Once the Heat lead reached 25 or so, the final noteworthy moment occurred. 

The benches cleared and into the game came Tracy McGrady. This holds significance because McGrady was my favorite player for the stretch of time between Michael Jordan’s retirement and LeBron James entering the league. That period of time is now known as “The Dark Ages.” McGrady was a scoring machine whose most transcendent moment came in the 2003 playoffs when he finished on a reverse layup that instantaneously resulted in my friend Collin Stucko and I trying to replicate it in my driveway. That tells you all you need to know about McGrady. T-Mac and the Magic ended up blowing their 3-1 series lead to the Pistons and that was the final nail in the coffin of me as a Tracy McGrady fan. Ten years later McGrady is playing garbage time in the NBA Finals only because the floodgates were opened and the game got out of hand. Watching McGrady go through the motions with the likes of DeJuan “I have no ACL’s” Blair and Patty “The Matador” Mills was like seeing an ex-girlfriend from middle school who got way hotter a few years after you broke up with her, only the exact opposite. That moment was noteworthy for this reason: McGrady is a crucial part of my history as an NBA fan. Even though it was a brief and gloomy period, he still represents one of the many chapters of NBA memories I’ve stored inside my odd-working brain. I didn’t necessarily realize it as it was happening, but all of these moments from tonight are ones I’ll tell my future children and grandchildren about. Thankfully I had a 2 and a half hour car ride home and a laptop with me to help me put things in perspective. And thankfully my parents took me to Game 2 of the NBA Finals. Yeah, I was at Game 2 of the NBA Finals.

But if there was any hope at all, LeBron James ended it with his ridiculous block on Tiago Splitter. LeBron met Spliter at the rim to deny what looked to be a sure dunk for the Brazilian big man.

Yet another amazing highlight from the best player on the planet.

So during halftime, one of my acquaintances on Facebook complained that he was bored watching the NBA Finals. He is a baseball player, which makes his Facebook post funny considering baseball, according to me, is without question the most boring sport you could watch on television. I’d rather watch basketball, football, hockey, golf, tennis, soccer, boxing, mixed martial arts, 90% of the events at the Summer Olympics, and curling than baseball. I’m sorry, but I’ll never be able to get into a sport that is played where players are way overpaid, the game is played at such a slow pace, and the league is infested with steroid users. There are four takeaways from this introduction:

1: Baseball wouldn’t have a chance of catching on as a professional sport if it were invented in the year in 2000.
2: I’m giddy to see so many baseball players get busted for PED’s. It couldn’t happen to a crumbier group of individuals.
3: The aforementioned Facebook friend was deleted immediately for posting something so nonsensical.
4: Game 1 was not boring. Game 1 was a lot of things, but boring was not one of them.

Game 1 was a stomach punch.

Has there ever been a more dramatic inside of two minutes review than Tony Parker’s shot clock buzzer beater with 5 seconds left? I can’t recall one that’s even close given the moment in the game and the game itself, being the NBA Finals and all. Thanks to the 257 replays they showed during the game, I got to relive Tony Parker punching me in the stomach over and over again while yelling “Sacreblue!” for 3 minutes while the refs huddled around a monitor. Not only did Parker get the shot off with less than one tenth of a second left, but that ball did its best to bounce out. It popped up and hung on the rim just long enough for me to think it was going to rim out, but lo and behold it went through. Parker was the best player in the 4th quarter (10 points) and ultimately that’s what won San Antonio the gamee. I don’t know if stomach punch is even the best way to describe what I feel like Tony Parker did to me. This is probably a better way to put it.

Game 1 was typical 2013 Miami Heat playoff basketball.

Jun 6, 2013; Miami, FL, USA; San Antonio Spurs point guard Tony Parker (9) hits a shot with 0.1 on the shot clock and 7.4 on the game clock in front of Miami Heat small forward LeBron James (6) in the fourth quarter during game one of the 2013 NBA Finals at the American Airlines Arena. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

When LeBron said, “Not one, not two, not three, not four, not five, not six, not seven” was that a prediction for how many titles the Heat were going to win while he was there or how many seasons he was hoping it would be until the people starting jesting that the Heat had become the Miami Cavaliers? I’m starting to think it’s the latter, but what do I know. LeBron posted a rare 18-18-10 triple double and didn’t get a whole bunch of help from the other two members of the Big Three. Dwyane Wade played a forgettable game (17 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists, 0-2 shooting in the 4^th quarter) and Chris Bosh (13 points, 5 rebounds, 0-4 from downtown) must’ve went to Vegas before the series and parlayed “Yes, Sonny Giuliano will throw something against a wall in a fit of rage after Chris Bosh misses multiple wide open three-pointers in the playoffs” with “Chris Bosh averages under 6 rebounds per game in the NBA Finals.” He hasn’t won yet but he’s well on his way. I hate to sound like a broken record, but there is only so much LeBron can do. The Spurs defense was designed to make LeBron a passer, which accounts for only 18 points tonight. I’d be willing to bet he’ll score more as the series goes on, but that isn’t what really matters. If Bosh and Wade don’t start playing like their salaries say they should the Spurs will be raising banner number five in a hurry, regardless of if LeBron tries to put the team on his back.

Game 1 was a vintage Tim Duncan performance.

I hate Tony Parker for what he did to me at the end of Game 1 (the grisly details are coming up) and because of the man crush my arch nemesis Skip Bayless has on him, but I have nothing but love for Tim Duncan. I went into this series with the belief that for the Spurs to win the title Duncan needed to have three throwback Tim Duncan games. Well, one down, two to go. Duncan carried the Spurs in the 2nd quarter with 12 points after picking up two fouls and being held scoreless in the 1st. He had his way with Chris Bosh all night and converted two huge free throws with under a minute left to extend the Spurs lead to four.

He notched 20 points, 14 rebounds, 4 assists and 3 blocks. This was the 14th time in Duncan’s career that he put together a 20 point and 10 rebound game in the Finals, a number that jumps a whole bunch of levels of impressiveness when you consider that the first time he did it was in 1999; that was the the year I entered 2nd grade, the year Napster debuted, one year after Michael Jordan played his last game for the Chicago Bulls, five years before the Charlotte Bobcats became an NBA team, and the year Tim Duncan was only 22 years old. He’s 37 now. I’m entering my senior year of college, Napster has been replaces by iTunes, Spotify, and Pandora, and Michael Jordan owns the Charlotte Bobcats. Tim Duncan is still putting up 20-10 games in the NBA Finals. I guess some things never change.

Game 1 was a great night for true basketball fans.

I’m sure you’ve heard enough of the legacy stuff. And the x’s and o’s of every game will be beaten to death over the days following each game. Game 1 became a great night for basketball fans early in the 1^st quarter when Tim Duncan got caught guarding LeBron on the perimeter. LeBron sized him up, attacked the basket and scored. It wasn’t the result that made that sequence great. It was the moment. One player is at the peak of his powers while the other is fighting for one more reign at the top of the mountain. You can’t ask for anything better as a basketball fan. And you certainly can’t call that boring.

Mar 31, 2013; San Antonio, TX, USA; San Antonio Spurs guard Tony Parker (9) passes the ball as Miami Heat forward Chris Andersen (11) and Shane Battier (31) defend during the first half at the AT

On Thursday night, another edition of the NBA Finals will tip off. Here’s a little primer to get you ready for the action.

The Opponents:

Miami Heat vs. San Antonio Spurs.

The Heat, representing the Eastern Conference are making their 3rd straight Finals appearance. They finished the season 66-16, good for the best record in both the Conference and the league.

The Spurs, making their first trip to the Finals since 2007, were the number two seed in the West, finishing with a 58-24 record.

The Path To Get Here:

Miami Heat:

1st Round: 4-0 series victory over the Milwaukee Bucks.

2nd Round: 4-1 series victory over the Chicago Bulls.

3rd Round: 4-3 series victory over the Indiana Pacers.

San Antonio Spurs:

1st Round: 4-0 series victory over the Los Angeles Lakers.

2nd Round: 4-2 series victory over the Golden State Warriors.

3rd Round: 4-0 series victory over the Memphis Grizzlies.

The Starting Lineups:

Miami Heat:

PG: Mario Chalmers

SG: Dwyane Wade

SF: LeBron James

PF: Udonis Haslem

C: Chris Bosh

San Antonio Spurs:

PG: Tony Parker

SG: Danny Green

SF: Kawhi Leonard

PF: Tim Duncan

C: Tiago Splitter

The Schedule:

Game 1: At Miami – Thursday, June 6 at 9:00 PM ET on ABC.

Game 2: At Miami – Sunday, June 9 at 8:00 PM ET on ABC.

Game 3: At San Antonio – Tuesday, June 11 at 9:00 PM ET on ABC.

Game 4: At San Antonio – Thursday, June 13 at 9:00 PM ET on ABC.

Game 5: At San Antonio – Sunday, June 16 at 8:00 PM ET on ABC. (If necessary.)

Game  6: At Miami – Tuesday, June 18 at 9:00 PM ET on ABC. (If necessary.)

Game 7: At Miami – Thursday, June 20 at 9:00 PM ET on ABC. (If necessary.)

May 27, 2013; Memphis, TN, USA; San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich (middle) talks with his team in the second half of game four of the Western Conference finals of the 2013 NBA Playoffs against the Memphis Grizzlies at FedEx Forum. The Spurs won 93-86. Mandatory Credit: Spruce Derden-USA TODAY Sports

As most of the sports world predicted, the Miami Heat have found their way back to the NBA Finals for the third straight year.  And this year, they are projected by many to repeat as NBA Champions.   Many acknowledge that the Spurs have the assets that play directly into Miami’s weaknesses.  However, very few are confident that Miami can lose four games to this team.

Consider me part of the minority.  Barring a major injury, the Spurs should be favorites to hoist the Larry O’Brien trophy this month.  And I will give you three main reasons why:

1)       The Spurs are really, really, really underappreciated and underrated.

This is not the first time people have glossed over the Spurs this season – or the last several seasons, for that matter.  It seems that every preseason, several so-called “experts” predict that the Spurs would lose their status as a perennial contender.  But GM RC Buford and Coach Gregg Popovich have done an absolutely masterful job of building around their Big 3 of Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, and Manu Ginobili.  Each year they reload their lineup and rotations admirably, and each year they maintain their status as one of the league’s elite.  It has been a long six years since they were last in an NBA Finals – which just so happened to be against LeBron James in a Cleveland jersey.  Back then, Parker was an up-and-coming 25 year old that absolutely TORCHED that Cavs team.  Now, he has blossomed into arguably the best point guard in the league today.  Granted LeBron has gotten a little better, too, as he pointed out himself.  Nevertheless, the Spurs know their window as a title contender is closing, and are not taking this Finals trip for granted.

The Spurs’ relentless offensive execution has worn teams out for well over a decade.  Teams that get punished by Miami are generally those that fail to generate the offense potent enough to match theirs.  Unlike previous years, the Spurs have that firepower to match that of Miami’s.  And, they have a propensity for letting the other team’s best player score as much as they want, while shutting the rest of his teammates down.  From LeBron in 2007 to Steve Nash/Amare Stoudemire in 2005 to Kobe/Shaq in 2003, the Spurs have orchestrated game plans that allow the team to endure monster performances from individual superstars.  If they beat the loaded Heat, it would not be the first time they will have found a way to beat a superstar-filled team.

Why have they not made the Finals the last couple years?  Two reasons:  Manu Ginobili’s health in 2011, and James Harden’s breakout performance in 2012.  I know that Ginobili is not exactly in prime condition this year.  But unlike 2011 against a tough Memphis Grizzlies team, the current Spurs lineup is built to sustain Ginobili’s inconsistent play – as displayed in this year’s Conference Finals against that very same Memphis team.  And don’t forget that in 2012, they were 10-0 in the playoffs before Harden went ballistic and helped OKC rattle off four straight games against them in the Conference Finals.

2)      Right now, the Spurs are playing better than the Heat.

History has also shown us that the quality of opponents throughout playoff runs has mattered in the Finals.  Out of Miami’s three opponents thus far, only Indiana was a good enough team capable of beating them.  Yes, a team that was 16 ½ games behind them in the conference standings during the regular season  was the only legitimate threat in the East to dethrone the champs.  They were hardly tested after defeating a heavily depleted – albeit an incredibly tenacious – Chicago Bulls team and an overwhelmed Milwaukee Bucks squad.

The Heat deserve credit for eventually dismantling a feisty Pacers squad, but not as much credit as the Spurs should get for what they did to Memphis and Golden State (and heck, even LA).  Unlike Miami’s road through the East, it is no small feat to get through the West.  Before the playoffs even started, San Antonio undeniably limped to the finish of the regular season, giving Lakers fanatics (like Magic Johnson) the audacity to say that the Spurs would be upset by a Kobe-less Los Angeles team in the first round.  Despite Manu being gimpy and Parker battling calf and ankle injuries, they immediately blew that possibility out of the water and gave the Lakers their worst playoff loss in their prestigious history.  They seemed to struggle against a young and feisty Warriors team, but eventually figured them out.  Then, they SWEPT a very formidable Grizzlies team that was just two seasons removed from upsetting the Spurs as an 8^th seed in Round 1.  This season, they are absolutely peaking at the right time.

3)       The Spurs are a worse matchup for Miami than the Pacers were.

There was much talk surrounding Miami’s lack of size, and Indiana proved there were valid concerns about it.  However, size is hardly Miami’s only weakness – it’s just their only glaring weakness that was exposed during the series.  If Roy Hibbert and David West were able to dominate Miami’s front line, what makes you think that Tim Duncan won’t do the same?  The greatest power forward of all time is fresh off taking Zach Randolph completely out of their series against Memphis.  Tiago Splitter was no slouch, either, putting up an admirable defensive effort on Marc Gasol.  Think Chris Bosh, whose anemic performance put added pressure on LeBron and D-Wade to play well against Indiana, can play better against the Spurs’ front court?  I have my doubts.

Miami has also yet to face an elite point guard of Parker’s caliber in the playoffs.  Thanks to injuries, they were fortunate not to run into the likes of Derrick Rose, Rajon Rondo, or Russell Westbrook – who had a 43 point game on Miami in last year’s Finals.  Then again, the Spurs have yet to face a LeBron, so the mismatches may even out.

With all the talk about Miami’s weaknesses, they more than made up for them in the Conference Finals by taking advantage of Indiana’s weaknesses – weaknesses that the Spurs simply don’t have.  The Heat capitalized on Indiana’s lack of perimeter scoring, as well as their apparent inability to take care of the ball.  That’s NOT going to be the case against San Antonio; the Spurs are masterful at executing offensively and limiting turnovers.  Perimeter scoring obviously will not be an issue with one of the most prolific scoring backcourts in the league in Parker and Ginobili.

You also cannot dismiss Indiana’s inexperience as a major factor for their eventual demise.  Only two Pacers had ever even played in a Game 7 (David West and Sam Young) until Monday night.  You could argue that the pressure of the moment eventually became their undoing.  Needless to say, with San Antonio’s seasoned veterans and coaching staff, the Spurs will not have that problem.

But…

Jun 3, 2013; Miami, FL, USA; Miami Heat shooting guard Dwyane Wade (3) and Miami Heat small forward LeBron James (6) high five during the third quarter of game 7 of the 2013 NBA Eastern Conference Finals against the Indiana Pacers at American Airlines Arena. Mandatory Credit: Robert Mayer-USA TODAY Sports

There are two key factors that could turn this series into the Heat’s favor:  1) a potential superhuman and legendary performance from the King , and 2) officiating.  Just ask the Pacers about the officiating factor, who saw LeBron play 41 minutes in Game 3 (AT Indiana to boot) and was called for ZERO fouls.

Overall, there is no more prediction to make that is more exciting than this one.  Not only have the Spurs and Heat never faced off in the Finals, but neither team was ever at full strength during their current respective eras whenever they did play each other.  Therefore, we have a nonexistent sample size to base our predictions on, so this should be one of the most anticipated Finals in recent memory.  Many are looking for LeBron James to add to his legacy, and are banking on that to happen.  But don’t be shocked if the Spurs are the ones making history.  I expect the Spurs to win in six games.

Their mainstay off the bench, Manu Ginobili got involved in the action late in the first quarter, providing the highlight of the night.

After a steal (one of Memphis’ 13 turnovers) Ginobili was running the floor and caught an outlet pass on the right wing. Upon catching the ball, he spotted Cory Joseph making a hard cut to the basket and hit him with a bounce pass that he threw between Tayshaun Prince’s legs. From there, it was an easy catch and finish for Joseph.

It was a classic Ginobili – playing the game with flair. The Argentine finished with just 6 points on 1-6 shooting, but chipped in 6 rebounds and 6 assists on the night.

Ginobili has been on and off this post season, averaging just about 11 points a game on 38% shooting from the field. At the same time however, he has hit some big shots (including an overtime game winner against Golden State) and managed to make an impact in other areas – chipping in 5.4 assists and 4.5 rebounds a night.

May 27, 2013; Memphis, TN, USA; San Antonio Spurs chairman Peter Holt hoists the Western Conference championship trophy in the locker room after game four of the Western Conference finals of the 2013 NBA Playoffs against the Memphis Grizzlies at FedEx Forum. The Spurs won 93-86. Mandatory Credit: Rogelio V. Solis/Pool Photo-USA TODAY Sports

It was a hard fought fourth game and series as a whole, but the better team won. After winning Game 4 93-86, to complete a four game sweep, the San Antonio Spurs have advanced to the NBA Finals.

The Spurs took control from the tip, and though the Grizzlies kept it within reach, they were never able to get over the hump. Every time they made a little run, the Spurs pushed the lead out again.

Tony Parker was magnificent, finishing with 37 points and 6 assists. He took command of the Spurs offense, leading the way to victory, despite taking a nasty, inadvertent poke in the eye from Marc Gasol in the process.

Tim Duncan was his usual, steady self, providing 15 points and 8 rebounds. And as they always seem to do, the Spurs got solid, though not spectacular contributions from a number of players.

While the Grizzlies certainly didn’t play their best basketball in this series, they have nothing to be ashamed of. It was a closely contested series – the Spurs were just a little bit better.

San Antonio will now sit and wait for the winner of the Miami Heat and Indiana Pacers Eastern Conference Finals series. The Heat currently have a 2-1 series lead, with Game 4 set for tomorrow night.

First, it was a screaming lady during the second round series against the Golden State Warriors. Tonight, it was an excited fan yelling after the Spurs overtime victory against the Grizzlies.

Following the final buzzer, the camera is showing the Spurs celebrating and Grizzlies, disappointed, walking off the court. In the background, you can hear an excited fan screaming, “We did it! We did it!”

He was happy with the win and wanted to let everyone know. And you know what? Good for him.

(Thanks to @shighkinNBA for the video)

A big reason for their comeback was a flagrant foul called on the Spurs’ Manu Ginobili. The flagrant allowed the Grizzlies two free throws and the ball. Down 4 at the time of the foul, Tony Allen hit both of the free throws and Mike Conley hit a floater on the ensuing possession to tie the game.

The flagrant call will certainly come under speculation, but Ginobili grabbed Allen’s arm and pulled him out of the air. After landing, Allen grabbed his head and rolled around on the ground even though he never hit his head. He might be receiving a call from the league offices for that acting job.

Here at STS, we previewed the series in a roundtable format.

San Antonio Spurs:

Most Important Player:

Jack Maloney (@jmaloney9) – Manu Ginobili. He still found a way to make an impact despite the fact he didn’t score well in their series against the Warriors. And as important as his playmaking is, the Spurs need him to score if they want to beat the defensive minded Grizzlies.

May 16, 2013; Oakland, CA, USA; San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich (left) instructs point guard Tony Parker (9) against the Golden State Warriors during the third quarter in game six of the second round of the 2013 NBA Playoffs at Oracle Arena. The Spurs defeated the Warriors 94-82. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

Sonny Guiliano (@SonnyCG) - For quite some time I’ve maintained the belief that in order for the Spurs to win an NBA title, Tim Duncan needs to resemble Tim Duncan from somewhere between 2003 and 2007. Maybe not for every single game, but Duncan needs to turn back the hands of time and deliver a few 25 point and 13 rebound games against the Grizzlies frontline for the Spurs to advance to the Finals.

Quentin Haynes (@Haynesenburg) – Kawhi Leonard. I think Leonard will be needed as a two-way player in this series. If I’m San Antonio, I’m throwing Leonard on Mike Conley in the fourth quarter to disrupt their offense. On the offensive side, I think Leonard needs to put pressure on Prince and Memphis’ other wings by hitting corner threes.

Vijay Shravah – Manu Ginobili. We know what Duncan is going to bring. We know what Tony Parker is going to bring. But Ginobili is the single biggest wildcard the Spurs have. After taking it relatively easy since returning from injury, he is going to have to play great to overcome Memphis’ other advantages.

Biggest Strength

JM – Their foundation. Coach Popovich, Duncan, Ginobili and Parker lead the way, and in their footsteps everyone follows.

SG – The Spurs have the playoff chops that the Grizzlies in large part don’t. They’ve been in this position before. This is the 8^th time in the Duncan/Popovich era that the Spurs have been to the Western Conference Finals. This is the 1^st appearance in the Conference Finals for Memphis in their franchise’s history, and only Tayshaun Prince, Tony Allen and Keyon Dooling have been there before. It’s much more likely that the Grizzlies get swallowed up by the pressure of the big stage than the Spurs.

QH – Guard play. Memphis has wings, but the Spurs have Manu Ginobili, Danny Green, and Leonard; all three should be able to change at least one or two games in this series.

VS – Coaching. Gregg Popovich is the best in the business when it comes to analyzing matchups and making adjustments on the fly.  Lionel Hollins has never coached a Conference Finals, while Pop has done it a billion times.

Biggest Weakness

JM – Frontcourt. After Duncan, the Spurs are thin up front. Getting Tiago Splitter back is big, but the Spurs will still have a tough time dealing with both Gasol and Randolph. Splitter’s defense will be an x-factor in this series. If he can contain one of the Grizzlies’ big men, it will go a long way in deciding this series.

SG – This series ultimately boils down to three key matchups- Who wins the coaching matchup (Popovich vs. Hollins), which “Big Three” produces the most (Duncan, Parker, and Ginobili vs. Gasol, Randolph, and Conley), and what team gets the most from everyone else? There lies the “weakness” of both teams. Is there any guarantee that Kawhi Leonard, Danny Green, Tiago Splitter, Gary Neal, Tayshaun Prince, Tony Allen, Jerryd Bayless, or Quincy Pondexter can produce offensively on a nightly basis? Absolutely not.

QH – Honestly? No clue. I don’t like their bench much, but guys like Diaw, Manu, and Mills/Joseph do the best they can in their roles.

VS – Depth. The Spurs role players and bench have not been giving them much this postseason, hence the struggles against a young and athletic Warriors team in their last series. Tiago Splitter, Kawhi Leonard, and Boris Diaw must make significant contributions to match the bigger and deeper Grizzlies.

Memphis Grizzlies:

Most Important Player

JM – Mike Conley. He was amazing in the series against the Thunder, averaging 18 points, 6.8 assists, and 6.4 rebounds a game. Whether or not he can keep this up while also trying to shut down Parker on the defensive end will be a big key for Memphis if they want to win this series.

SG – It’s a dead heat between Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph. You can’t force me to choose just one because essentially, the Grizzlies need only one of their two front court stars to match or surpass the play of Tim Duncan for Memphis to have a very good chance of beating San Antonio. And as you’ll see with my pick, I don’t see this being too big of a task.

QH – Mike Conley. Conley needs to put the team on his back during this series and play Tony Parker to a draw. His ability to run this offense will be key to keep Memphis in this game offensively.

VS – Zarc Ransol. I think the play of the team’s two-headed monster down low is going to decide the series. Duncan is going to match up with one of them, but can’t stop both. Whoever Duncan is not guarding will have to impose his will in the paint.

Biggest Strength

JM – Defense. They have the Defensive Player of the Year in Marc Gasol (who somehow found himself on the 2^nd Team All-Defense), Tony Allen (1^st Team All-Defense) and Mike Conley (2^nd Team All-Defense) all in their starting lineup. San Antonio is one of the most efficient offensive teams in the league, but the Grizzlies have the ability to disrupt them.

SG – The Spurs waltzed through the 1^st two rounds without Parker and Ginobili having to deal with defenders that could give them a headache. That won’t be the case against the Grizzlies. Tony Allen (1^st Team All-Defense) and Mike Conley (2^nd Team All-Defense) will be hounding Parker and Ginobili all game long, which will put the pressure on Duncan (dealing with Gasol and Randolph) and an unproven supporting cast to be able to create their own shots.

May 15, 2013; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; Memphis Grizzlies center Marc Gasol (33) warms up before game five of the second round of the 2013 NBA Playoffs against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports

QH – The big man combination of Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph.

VS – Defense. With the two All-NBA defenders in their starting five, it is going to be very tough for perimeter creators Parker and Ginobili to get anything going. Tony Allen will probably be assigned to Parker through some spurts throughout the series. And there is little doubt who the Defensive Player of the Year will be guarding.

Biggest Weakness

JM – Three-point shooting. Over the course of the playoffs, the Grizzlies have shot just 31% from downtown. So far, however, it hasn’t slowed them down. But if Conley, Prince, and Pondexter can knock down some threes, it will be a huge boost to their offense.

SG – This series ultimately boils down to three key matchups- Who wins the coaching matchup (Popovich vs. Hollins), which “Big Three” produces the most (Duncan, Parker, and Ginobili vs. Gasol, Randolph, and Conley), and what team gets the most from everyone else? There lies the “weakness” of both teams. Is there any guarantee that Kawhi Leonard, Danny Green, Tiago Splitter, Gary Neal, Tayshaun Prince, Tony Allen, Jerryd Bayless, or Quincy Pondexter can produce offensively on a nightly basis? Absolutely not.

QH – Offense, especially in the final five minutes. Memphis needs to have a lead, or be down as little as one to really win games. I’m just not a fan of that, and San Antonio has two wing players that could defend Mike Conley, and that could spell out trouble.

VS – Perimeter half-court offense. I’ve maintained for months that trading Rudy Gay was a bad idea, and the Grizz have sure made me look bad in that regard. But against a gritty Spurs team looking to clog the interior against the Gasol-Randolph tandem, they may have to rely on outside scoring from Conley and Jerryd Bayless. Without a guy like Gay, that may be tough. But they’ve gotten this far without him, so maybe it’s not a glaring weakness.

Series Prediction:

JM – I think this will be a great series, and I can see it going either way. I’m going with Memphis in 6, but not with a ton of confidence.

SG – Memphis in 6

QH – I have San Antonio in 6. I REALLY want to go in five, but I respect Memphis. I think the Spurs have everything needed to stop (contain) the wings and bigs of Memphis. If Splitter can give the Spurs 20 minutes, I think San Antonio is going to the finals.

VS – Memphis in 6. I picked against them every round so far, and I’m not foolish enough to do it again. This is a tough bunch that truly embraces the pound-and-grind style that seems to always win in the postseason.

(Thanks to @HPBasketball for the video)

(Thanks to @SBNationNBA for the .gif)

Apr 14, 2013; Los Angeles, CA, USA; San Antonio Spurs forward Tim Duncan (21) blocks a shot by Los Angeles Lakers guard Jodie Meeks (20) at the Staples Center. The Lakers defeated the Spurs 91-86. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

I arose from slumber on Thursday to see the Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Houston Rockets. That means, we get to see the Lakers elevate to the seventh seed in the West to face the San Antonio Spurs. First, I’m mildly disappointed in Houston for allowing that to happen, mainly because Houston could’ve created an interesting series with San Antonio. No matter. The Los Angeles Lakers also provide some intrigue to San Antonio, but can they truly beat them after a roller-coaster of a season? Let’s look at both teams to see if the Lakers can upset the Spurs, or if San Antonio has this series in hand.

San Antonio Spurs

The San Antonio Spurs are the machine. For the past 15 years, San Antonio have dominated the Western Conference with Tim Duncan and other players around him. Eventually, Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker settled in and created the team we see today. The Spurs rank 7th overall in offensive efficiency and 3rd in defensive efficiency. They aren’t the same Spurs, but they seem like it. Around the big trio, guys like Danny Green, Tiago Splitter, Gary Neal, and Boris Diaw just fill in the holes to keep the team afloat. Over the past two months, the Spurs seem to have taken a step back (mainly because of Ginobili out), but as the playoffs loom, look for the Spurs to be the same dangerous team.

Can San Antonio get Ginobili back? Out with an hamstring injury, the Spurs simply cannot expect to advance past round two with him. With him, I think San Antonio could make the Western Conference Finals, but without him? I think San Antonio is ripe for the picking against a Los Angeles Clippers team. Sadly, Ginobili has been battling injury for most of the season. Could the duo of Leonard and Green hold the fort down until Ginobili returns? Sure. However, if San Antonio can’t rely on Ginobili for twenty-five minutes a game after this round, the Spurs could be in trouble.

Player To Watch: Kawhi Leonard

The connection between the aging Duncan and Ginobili is Leonard, who in his second season, taken a huge step forward for the Spurs. He’s not the elite defender many make him out to be, but he’s one of the underrated offensive players in the league. For San Antonio, he’ll be placed on James Harden and will see some defensive action against Chandler Parsons. Where Leonard should fear Houston is his ability to shoot from the corners. If Leonard could continue his scoring totals, while providing moderate defense against Harden on the perimeter, the Spurs could have this series in a cakewalk.

Los Angeles Lakers

The most tantalizing team this season. From acquiring Dwight Howard and Steve Nash in the offseason, to a sluggish start, the Los Angeles Lakers provided the most storylines this season; and it isn’t even close. Now, after Kobe Bryant went out for a season-ending injury, the Lakers finally got into the playoffs off the backs of Dwight Howard and “Trade him, don’t trade him” Pau Gasol. Even with the large disappointment of the season, the Lakers fan base and organization seems to feel like this is a fresh start, and against a familiar foe like San Antonio, the Lakers look to upset San Antonio, and get to the second round.

The role players have to step up with Bryant out for the season. The candidates? Steve Blake, Jodie Meeks, and Earl Clark. Blake gives Los Angeles a huge boost on the offensive end with his three-point shooting, Meeks doubles that three-point shooting dose, while adding a bit of slashing, and Clark is the dimensional player who can score, rebound, and move the ball around the perimeter. Clark is interesting because he can give Los Angeles another fluid athlete who can get baskets in the interior at the small forward position.

Player To Watch: Steve Nash

He’s never been 100% all season, and yet, I expect him to be back for at least game two of this series. The Lakers need someone who can run this offense, and Nash is perfect. With constant double teams against Dwight and Pau, I can envision the Nash getting a ton of open looks from three, and that could change the entire look of the series. Nash only played 50 games this season, only played two minutes in the last nine games, and yet, Nash could be one of the biggest X-factors of any series.

Prediction: Spurs in 6: I think the Lakers will fight in this series, and I wouldn’t be shocked if they pushed San Antonio to seve games, but I’m going Spurs for many reasons. The first is the lack of defense in Los Angeles. The Lakers finished 16th in the league in defensive efficiency, while San Antonio finished 7th in offensive efficiency. The second reason is Tony Parker. Los Angeles struggles to defend point guards, and Parker has played like one of the top 10 players in the league. Not only Parker can tear up the Laker defense, but Patty Mills, and maybe….maybe Gary Neal. I think Howard won’t go out without winning a game for the Lakers, but in the end, I think San Antonio will win at the end of the day. 

Apr 1, 2013; Memphis, TN, USA; San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich and small forward Stephen Jackson (3) talk during the game against the Memphis Grizzlies at FedEx Forum. Mandatory Credit: Spruce Derden-USA TODAY Sports

News broke yesterday that on the eve of the playoffs the San Antonio Spurs have waived veteran forward Stephen Jackson. The move comes as a surprise despite Jackson’s steep decline in minutes due to the timing of the announcement. NBA rules stipulate that no player signed beyond March 1st can participate in the Playoffs, which means the neither anyone the Spurs sign in Jackson’s place or the man himself, can play beyond the last few games left in the regular season.

Mar 14, 2013; San Antonio, TX, USA; San Antonio Spurs guard Tony Parker (9) watches from the bench during the second half against the Dallas Mavericks at the AT

Just about three weeks after badly spraining his ankle, Tony Parker is active and expected to play tonight as the Spurs take on the Utah Jazz.

Tony Parker will be active and available tonight vs. Utah.

— San Antonio Spurs (@spurs) March 22, 2013

The injury was initially expected to keep Parker out for 4 weeks, but the point guard is making an early return. Parker was only out for 8 games, and the Spurs held it together without him, going 6-2 over the stretch.

The Spurs were also able to keep their hold on the top spot in the Western Conference, currently holding a 2.5 game lead over the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Mar 11, 2013; San Antonio, TX, USA; San Antonio Spurs guard Danny Green (4) shoots Oklahoma City Thunder forward Serge Ibaka (9) during the first half at the AT

Once again, the Spurs find themselves among the best records in the league, currently sitting at 49-15, the best mark in the Western Conference. Also, despite being labeled as “boring” by many casual NBA fans, the Spurs once again have one of the best offenses in the league. They currently boast third best offensive efficiency rating, scoring 107.6 points per 100 possessions.

So why are the Spurs consistently one of the best teams and offenses in the league? Well they are blessed with great players – Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili, Tony Parker – and a fantastic coach in Gregg Popovich. But they also run crisp sets and shoot very well from three, (38.2% this year) where they have been among the league leaders in both attempts and percentage in the last few years.

One reason they shoot so well from three is that they often get a lot of open looks. Today I want to take a look at one of my favorite ways the Spurs free up their shooters.

This is a flex action set that they like to run for mainly either Danny Green or Gary Neal.

In the first example below, it starts with Danny Green coming across the lane to set a cross screen for Boris Diaw. As soon as Diaw uses the screen, Green starts curling up towards the top of the key.

Waiting near the free-throw line is Tim Duncan, who sets a down screen to free Green up at the top of the key. Diaw, who had received the ball in the post, then kicks it out to Green, who is wide open and buries the three.

The rest of the clips vary slightly, but the main concept is the same. First, either Green or Neal sets a cross screen on the weak side block. Then, as soon as the screen is used, they start to curl up towards the top of the key, where a down screen is waiting for them. After coming off the screen, the ball is swung their way, and they knock down the shot.

A fairly simple set, but one that works often for the Spurs. The defense is often confused or bogged down by the multiple screens run in succession. It also works on a regular basis because the Spurs are crisp and disciplined on the offensive end.

With the help of the Spurs’ mascot “The Coyote,” Mills, dressed in full cowboy gear, shows the various techniques he uses when celebrating a big play from one of his teammates.

My personal favorite? “The Zorro” technique.