NBA Playoffs & Finals Game 1 Preview, Date and Predictions: Heat, Spurs Meet in Rematch
It's the match-up that most fans wanted to see. An NBA Finals rematch between the San Antonio Spurs and the Miami Heat.
The Heat are trying to win their third straight NBA Championship and they are led by four-time MVP LeBron James. The Heat have made it to the last four Championships, winning the Eastern Conference with ease. Since joining up together in 2011, the Heat are an outstanding 14-1 in playoffs series together as a unit. Their only playoff series defeat was to the Dallas Mavericks in the 2011 Finals.
Of course, all eyes will be on James in game one, but Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade will be there as well playing pivotal minutes. Wade may not be in his prime anymore, but he did shoot a career high 54 percent from the field this season. Other players will have to step up for the Heat, as they so often do. Players such as Norris Cole, Ray Allen, Mario Chalmers, and Chris Anderson provide a huge boost off the bench.
This will be the third time that Tim Duncan and LeBron James play each other in the Finals. Tim Duncan and the Spurs were victorious in 2007 against the James-led Cavaliers, while James got revenge last year in a thrilling seven game series.
The San Antonio Spurs will be looking to avenge their loss from last season and win their first Championship since 2007. The Spurs bring a contrasting style of play to the court aganist the Heat. The Spurs play much slower, have more depth, and don't rely on fast break points as much as the Heat. The Spurs are led by their very own big three of Tony Parker, Tim Duncan, and Manu Ginóbili. These three players together have won the most playoff games in NBA history.
The magic with the Spurs success lies within their bench and depth. Although Tony Parker is battling an ankle injury, Manu Ginóbili has been supporting him extremely well, hitting shots from the outside and even playing the point guard position at times. Youngster Patty Mills has been playing with extreme confidence as well as Marco Belinelli and Borris Diaw.
Of course, as we all know, the NBA is a superstar league so the bench for the Spurs can only do so much. In the end, it's going to be up to Tim Duncan and Tiago Splitter to play big, Tony Parker to play dynamic, and Kawhi Leonard to play elite defense. The biggest difference from last year's finals is that the Spurs have home court advantage this time around. The Spurs also had the best road record in the NBA during the regular season, which should help them when they head to Miami in games three and four.
It's going to be a close series, so basketball fans won't be disappointed. Although the Spurs bring more depth, have better bench play, and have the superior coach in Gregg Popovich, they can't match the Heat's superstar play. The Spurs' best player is their point guard, Tony Parker. It's very rare that a team wins the NBA Finals when their best player is their point guard as it's only happened twice in the last 23 years. If Wade can be the dominant player he usually is, that will create huge problems for the Spurs. The Heat's bench may not be equal to the Spurs, but it's very good. As the series winds down, old age may play a factor for the Spurs as well, as they are the older team. The Heat are 8-0 at home this postseason and I think they will win this series in six games.
Game one of the NBA Finals tips off tonight at 9:00 EST on ABC.
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