NBA Finals Prediction

The Spurs are a 7.5 point favorite for game 1 of the NBA Finals, and that isn’t nearly high enough. We love LeBron James here at Hit Some Dingers, but there is just no way he can carry the 3,111 lbs. of deadweight that comprise the Cavaliers roster to anything more than one victory in this series. I don’t mean to make incredibly bold statements, but Spurs in 5. And to be honest, it will be really, really hard for the Cavs to get that one.

This time next year, Hollinger will have to update his megalist of “THE 30 GREATEST TEAMS EVER” to include these 2007 Spurs. I really think they’re the best non-Bulls or Lakers team I have ever watched. This team is stacked from bottom to (almost) top.

Tony Parker is a star point guard in this league and the glue of the Spurs offense. In spite of his terrible ideas (rap cd) and off-court issues that make us dislike him (giving his testicles to Eva Longoria as an engagement present), the Spurs need Parker. He gets the ball to the guy who is in the best position to score. He touches the ball more than any other PG in the playoffs. Also, he’s finally getting to the basket and putting it in himself, which is huge for the half-court style the Spurs play.

The two-headed monster of Michael Finley and Manu Ginobili is one of the most dangerous at the position. When Ginobili is on, he is nearly unstoppable. Only the Kobes and LeBrons of the league have better body control. Pairing him with Michael Finley and his deadly three-point shot (46% in the post-season) is a solid one-two punch. I know it’s easy to forget, but it wasn’t so long ago that Finley was an all-star in back-to-back seasons.

I hate Bruce Bowen. He is a dirty player and he is going to really hurt someone. I really hope that person is not LeBron James, and I wouldn’t put it past him at all to go out to game 3 (first one in Cleveland) and just try to take Bron Bron out. Somehow he got his 3-point percentage up to 46% in spite of his 38% regular season shooting. He doesn’t force shots or turn the ball over and he’s one of those cogs that every great team needs. He is a great defensive player and is the toughest matchup King James has had, but he will not shut down LeBron; he isn’t fast or agile enough.

I don’t even have to comment on Tim Duncan. TD is the best basketball player of the era. He’s consistent, composed, reliable, and every other positive adjective you would apply to any athlete. He is dominant on the post and anchors the Spurs defense like no one else in the league. I thank the basketball gods every chance I get that he isn’t a Celtic.

Fabricio Oberto… I said bottom to (almost) top.

Now, for the Cavaliers:

I only have 2 guys to comment on

Boobie Gibson is the Cavs’ second-best option. That is absurd for an NBA Championship team. Gibson is LeBron’s go-to guy, and that could prove to be The King’s greatest downfall. Unless the Spurs pay such close (and unnecessary) attention to him and open up space for LeBron, it’s going to be a short and disappointing series for Cleveland.

Ilgauskas is a shell of his former self. He’s shooting over 50%, but he’s also missing entirely too many open shots. Big Z is slow on help defense and he can’t rack up blocks like he used to. Z is hobbled by injuries and doesn’t have what it takes to work the inside of the San Antonio defense.

The Cavaliers remind me a lot of my 2001 Sixers. That team was Allen Iverson surrounded by mediocrity. He had an old, past-his-prime Dikembe Mutombo, Tyrone Hill who was very ugly like Drew Gooden and had a similar skill set, Eric Snow was on that team also, Aaron McKie was his Daniel Gibson- second in scoring, which was disappointing on its own. As everyone knows, that team didn’t perform too well. They stole one game from the Lakers, but that was only because the Lakers took them lightly in game 1. The Spurs are smarter and more experienced than that team was, and they will not get shell-shocked tonight. The Spurs will continue the trend of West-coast dominance we’ve seen all season and handle the Cavaliers easily.

The Sixers were killed by a great big man that year, and the Cavs will suffer the same fate. No one on that team can stop Tim Duncan, no one in the league can, and he will tear them up from the inside out. I do enjoy watching the Spurs, between Duncan, Ginobili, and Parker with Finley on the outside they are actually fun to watch. I just hope that the Cavs can keep the games remotely close and occasional flashes of greatness from LeBron James.