Saturday / June 08 / 2013 1 5 Big Questions for the Finals pio garcia This Finals series between the Miami Heat and the San Antonio Spurs brings up a lot of intriguing points. (AP photo) The first game between the San Antonio Spurs and the Miami Heat may be over. However, there are points that should be considered, not just for the game, but for the whole series as well. What we are seeing is probably the best live chess match between two brilliant minds. One that relies on metrics and the other, just pure, old-school genius. Spo and Pop may very much dictate how the series will be played out. As much as Timmy and ‘Bron try to outlast each other in leading their squad, this will still end up as to which coach pushes the right button at the right moment. 1. Is Spo willing to gamble on putting LeBron at the four? Here’s my take: this is a very feasible gamble. A little high risk-high reward. Why? Basketball fans wrap your minds around this: LeBron is arguably the best talent in the world right now when it comes to pounding that leather and running away with it. Haters, this isn’t ass-kissing. You guys ought to recognize how good this guy is. He stands about 6’9” modestly. But thing is, he’s a living battering ram that weighs about 250lbs with the speed of a guard. He ain’t no locomotive that needs to build up, he can burst outright and take it straight to the chest of a defender for the bang-and-a-bucket. He’s match up nightmare if relegated to play full time at the post. He can face up and fade or just utterly back you all up. However, he will be a gamble defensively if he can hold his own against Tim Duncan. Duncan is no David West. He might not be rugged but we are talking about THE BEST Power Forward in the history of the NBA. The Big Fundamental, no matter if his wheels are a bit loose, can still jack up monster numbers. It’s the Finals. Duncan is at his best at this stage of the Playoffs. Also, it’s an odd number-ed year. Yeah. 2. Who’s picking up Tony Parker? Oh dear, Mario Chalmers can’t have this assignment. You need someone bigger and as fast asn TP. Why can’t Chalmers have it? Well, we’re talking about all-world point guards here. Chalmers isn’t even All-NBA. Parker will just annihilate him just like what he did against Mike Conley, the practice run. If Spoelstra isn’t going to put LeBron down on the blocks, look for him to cross- match Parker up pretty much the same he did to Derrick Rose in 2010. If you cancel Parker from the equation, there’s no George Hill to pick up the pieces for San Antonio. It’s Patty Mills, and that’s a very big downgrade to say the least. However, if Spo decides to go small with LeBron at the four, Dwyane Wade will be the one to shoulder this assignment. I would say Shane Battier would need floor time if LeBron plays four but Battier would not be able to keep up with Parker, veteran smarts or not. Ah, if only they had Gary Payton. Well, the Gary Payton two years before he went to the Lakeshow. Where Parker goes, so does San Antonio. After all, he brashly, and rightfully so, exclaimed ten years ago: “I’m the best point guard for this team.” Give me one hell of a show Mr. Parker. 3. Danny Green or Manu Ginobili? One is defensive minded and can hit the corner pocket 3 similar to Bruce Bowen. The other, he’s a third of the Spurs core, he can start for any team. But he accepted this role as the high- powered Sixth Man who can change the complexion of any game. So, who will start? Sometimes, it’s better to start off with Manu. Sometimes, you go with Green, the Tar Heel alum. Maybe Pop can use this as a tactic, switching off between the two who starts and who gets off with the second unit. But I’d do that haphazardly. Why? Manu can pretty much draw LeBron’s or Wade’s ire and get locked up so much that he can’t contribute the way he does. For Green, if he plays funky, then Wade gets a breather on defense similar to how he sagged off an offense-less Kieth Bogans. And no, you can’t have Gary Neal out there to start things off. Spo is too smart not to pounce and have Wade run away with multiple counts of murder en route to a big Heat win. 4. Is Leonard ready for a bigger role? The Spurs traded away George Hill for Kawhi Leonard. For Pop to give away one of his beloved tutees, that means something. He wants a long, athletic wing that has become their weakest link since Stephen Jackson made his announcement to the NBA world back in 2003. Yes they had Brent Barry, but the once high-flying Barry was in the twilight of his career. They thought Boris Diaw would be the trick. But Diaw showed up overweight and a step slow from his dominating play in Phoenix with Steve Nash and Shawn Marion. Leonard pretty much lives on scraps from the Big Three and Green’s pocket shooting. Yes, he may have averaged 10 points a game modestly, but is he ready to up the offensive production while keeping LeBron from bullying his way in the paint? My bet is yes. Leonard may be young, but his game is anything but. He’s got an old man’s game and he’s ready to be the cog that puts this Black and Silver machine over the top. The Heat don’t have a consistent fourth guy. Even a third guy for that matter (hello Chris Bosh didn’t know you still existed). If he emerges as a potent offensive threat for the Spurs and Pop to rely on, Spo is going to have a loooooong night. Who can pick him up? Shane Battier can. But Pop would put Leonard in off-the-dribble situations where he can just pick off a bounce pass and drive straight to the rack. If he puts Ray Allen on Leonard, they would just run him to screens to free him up down low and push that entry pass as Allen catches up. With Jesus Shuttlesworth out of position to contest, it’s an easy reverse parking maneuver for San Diego State standout. Very big headache eh? 5. How much will Pop ride The Big Fundamental? Tim Duncan is 37. His wheels are about to fall off. But you can’t, you just can’t count out ol’ man Timmy. He’s still good. He’s very well damn good. He’s THE BEST power forward there is. And with the amount of touches and burn time he has received in the Playoffs, couple that with the rest that came after sweeping the Grizzlies, Duncan’s legs are fresh and raring to go for a full 43-minute outing this time around, for seven games if need be. Any sensible coach knows that if you got a big guy with top-flight offensive skills, you start your possession there. Now, if Spo doesn’t call LeBron to man up the four position, you wouldn’t have to blink twice or think twice that Pop would not call for Tony to have Duncan take the wheel this time around and control how the Spurs will go. Chris Bosh doesn’t stand a chance. Birdman? Please, Duncan schooled him when he was with the Nuggets. Joel Anthony? Can I say oh dear lawrd with my poor Texan twang? Duncan can still dish out a mean 24-13-2blk game. And now that he’s fresh, expect that on a consistent basis and compete with Tony Parker for the Finals MVP plum.
Posted on: Sat, 08 Jun 2013 22:10:38 +0000
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