I wasn’t going to weigh in on this for another day or two, but after checking out the always entertaining thoughts provided by Dave Ling over at The Vortex, I couldn’t resist. Ling made a bold prediction and took the feel-good Cavs in six games. You can’t blame him for coming down with a case of LeBronitis, the fever that has now gripped (almost) everyone in NBA circles. As usual, I have to be the bad guy and give everyone a dose of reality. Let’s just get this out of the way before we get to the goods: San Antonio is winning this series, whether you like it or not (and clearly, not many people do).
Predictions aside though, this series represents many things for the NBA. For one, it’s the classic meeting of the old and the new. It signals the arrival of the league’s new ambassador and may usher in a new era regardless of the outcome (really?). Actually, it’s eerily similar to the 1991 Finals. Follow me on the parallels here. In ‘91, the Chicago Bulls, an up-and-coming team led by a dominant, young star defeated the Los Angeles Lakers (the old guard, thanks to three titles and five Finals appearances in seven years). The Bulls reached new heights with their Michael Jordan-fueled title win and never looked back, joining the NBA’s legendary dynasties. The Lakers were fading and it was the dawn of a new era. Well, in 2007, we have much the same scenario. Now that we’ve put it in context, it’s time for a reality check.
Don’t get me wrong. Cleveland is a great story. “King” LeBron James has officially been sworn in. Daniel Gibson is now an instant household name. Zydrunas Ilgauskas is playing the best basketball of his career. Anderson Varejao is the spark that every successful team needs. The future looks tremendously bright for the wine-and-gold.
But these are the Spurs. As a former ESPN.com Fantasy Basketball correspondent for the Cavaliers, you’d think I would be driving the bandwagon. Guess again. Are we forgetting San Antonio won three titles in seven years? Sure, they’re about as exciting as Al Gore. Sure, their franchise player (and the league’s former Most Valuable Player…remember?) is past his prime and shows emotion about as often as a guard at Buckingham Palace. Sure, their system lulls you to sleep faster than a Thanksgiving dinner. But there are three things that always make the difference in the NBA:
1. Home court. San Antonio was nearly unbeatable at home, while the Cavaliers were a .500 team on the road. The Spurs don’t care where they play (as evidenced by their 27-14 record on the road in the regular season).
2. Depth. Look at the rosters, one through twelve. No need to say anything else here.
3. Experience. Cleveland is feeling the love right now, as they should be. Enjoy it, guys. Soak it all in. But when that ball is thrown up for the tip-off of Game One, that all goes out the window. LeBron has the drive (now, anyway…this is the same player who slept through this season’s first half) and the take-over ability, but his team is too young and inexperienced. I’ll be keeping a deer-in-the-headlights count to see just how many looks of utter dismay we’ll see from the Finals newcomers.
Look, we’d all love to see the Cavs pull this out. I would actually enjoy being wrong, for the sake of the league’s present and future. But let’s look at the big picture. LeBron will get his title. He has already willed this team to the brink of bedlam, but, if you look at the history books, The Team of Destiny always needs a few near-misses before it breaks through. They need that bitter taste in their mouths and that glimpse of what could be. The 2006 Eastern Conference Semifinal loss to Detroit in seven games left the bitter taste, and this Finals appearance will be their glimpse of the NBA’s largest stage. Right now, if you look at the city’s reaction, you’d think they won the championship. Case in point: the conference title trophy presentation. This club is just happy to be in the Finals. Yes, a win would catapult the franchise into the stratosphere. But be patient. This will be the last breath of a dying sage. The last hoorah for a world-class organization. These Spurs are riding off into the sunset. As for Cleveland? Well, the sky’s the limit.
