Battle-Tested Spurs Game For Finals Exam
Harold Wilson covers sports. He can be reached at 903.596.6293. e-mail: sports@tylerpaper.com
College and high school students spent the early and latter part of May doing it.
With summer providing them a break, the still-busy Cleveland Cavaliers and San Antonio Spurs take their turn at finals - as in the NBA finals - starting Thursday.
While trying to guess the superior team, and keeping with the finals theme, I created the finals exam - seven key questions surrounding the 2007 championship series.
---
What does Cleveland's 2-0 record against San Antonio during the regular season mean?
Not much. Remember Dallas and Phoenix, who both won 60-plus games during the regular season only to bow out before the conference finals.
Both Cleveland and San Antonio trek into the NBA finals clicking on all cylinders, with each holding a 12-4 playoff record and having displaced a higher seed along the way.
---
Does defense still win championships?
Yes! Just ask Dallas, Golden State and Phoenix.
San Antonio led the NBA in scoring defense during the regular season (90.1). Cleveland ranks first in the playoffs in scoring defense (86.7) and field goal defense (.420).
---
What holds more weight, San Antonio's experience or Cleveland's hunger?
Never count out a team with a rising superstar, like the Cavaliers with LeBron James. In 1991, the Lakers entered their finals series with the Chicago Bulls winners of two of the previous four crowns - ala the Spurs of 2007 - only to watch Michael Jordan lead his young team to their first of three straight titles.
With that said, San Antonio gets the edge here, for the simple fact it has both.
The Spurs' core from the 2005 title team remains intact, with the exception of Michael Finley, who joined the team last year.
While several Spurs in their mid 30s appear on the downside of their careers like Bruce Bowen (35), Finley (34) and Robert Horry (36), the youth of San Antonio's main three cogs - Duncan (31), Ginobili (29) and Parker (25) - balances out the age-old dilemma.
And like the Spurs showed before, they come back stronger the year after they fail to win the title, making them as hungry as the Cavaliers in that regard.
---
Who impacts the game more, San Antonio's Tim Duncan or Cleveland's LeBron James?
If you go solely on scoring, James gets the nod, with the 22-year old currently ranked fifth all time in playoff history in points per game (28.0).
But if you pay attention to detail, you know Duncan does as much for a team as any player in the game today - whether it be a clutch bucket, pass, rebound or block, or just by leading.
In the end Duncan dominates both ends, from averaging more than 20 points, 10 rebounds and two blocks on the regular to parlaying a team-first, unselfish attitude to the rest of his teammates.
Furthermore, only Duncan and Kobe Bryant of the Los Angles Lakers made the All-NBA first team and the NBA All-Defensive first team.
---
Which team has the better supporting cast?
Duncan's partners in crime hold a sizeable advantage.
Horry owns seven rings from his days with the Houston Rockets, Lakers and Spurs.
Three other key pieces for the Spurs sport impressive credentials as well - Bowen with seven appearances on the all-defensive teams, not to mention all-stars Ginobili and Parker.
The only members of the Cavaliers with championship rings all wear suit and ties - head coach Mike Brown, assistant Hank Egan, general manager Danny Ferry and assistant general manager Lance Blanks - and each won while working for guess who, the Spurs.
---
What would a championship mean for the winner?
For Cleveland, a title officially anoints James as the league's reigning and future king.
If James claims a title at the tender age of 22, the other 29 teams in the league look to be in trouble well into the next decade.
For San Antonio, another title - the team's fourth in nine years - makes them the league's unquestioned new dynasty.
Furthermore, it stands to bring the league's most decorated stars - Duncan and Miami's Shaquille O'Neal - to a dead draw with four rings apiece.
---
So, who will win the NBA Title and be named Finals MVP?
Spurs 4, Cavaliers 1
MVP -Tim Duncan
My preseason prediction for champion and MVP remained the same all year, despite the early hype surrounding Miami and Dallas, and the hoopla involving the Mavericks and Suns going into the playoffs.
Nothing against Cleveland, but San Antonio can play basically any way: by speeding up the tempo with Parker, slashing with Ginobili, banging with Duncan, getting clutch shooting from the likes of Finley and playoff legend Horry ... and making defensive stops when needed.
The league's real Most Valuable Player, Duncan, delivers again it where it counts - the playoffs.
Expect a quick end to the series - five games - unless San Antonio wants to celebrate on its own floor and go one more.
- Harold Wilson
---
Spurs 4, Cavaliers 3
MVP - Tim Duncan
The 2-3-2 format will benefit Cleveland, but Tim Duncan's supporting cast of Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili are more talented than LeBron's helpers.
- Clint Buckley
---
Spurs 4, Cavaliers 1
MVP - Tim Duncan
I just think the Eastern Conference is so inferior to the Western Conference, and that's half the reason the Cavaliers were able to make the finals.
- Joe Buie
---
Spurs 4, Cavaliers 2
MVP - Tim Duncan
Call the Spurs boring all you want, but the Spurs are, top to bottom, clearly the best team out of the two. The Spurs are more fundamentally sound, more experienced, and arguably more talented. LeBron will get his, but the Cavaliers don't have enough talent across the court to handle the Spurs' excellent defense.
Chase Colston
Spurs 4, Cavaliers 2
MVP - Tony Parker
The Spurs defense will clamp down on the Cavaliers.
- Phil Hicks
---
Spurs 4, Cavaliers 1
MVP - Manu Ginobili
The Cavaliers have improved in a year, maturing past the point of simply "enjoying making the playoffs." LeBron and Co. will gain more valuable experience when the high of winning the Eastern Conference championship becomes a depressing low with the River Walk dynasty pasting them in the finals.
- Brett Hone
---
Cavaliers 4, Spurs 2
MVP - LeBron James
The Cleveland Cavaliers have surpassed all expectations and will do themselves one better by bringing a second-consecutive NBA title to the Eastern Conference, which is amazing in itself considering the Western Conference is widely viewed as the superior conference.
Chris Parry
---
Spurs 4, Cavaliers 1
MVP - Tim Duncan
"Although the Cavs swept the two-game series between the teams during the regular season, the Spurs are title-tested. The NBA should crown a new dynasty June 17 on the Cavs' home floor, which happens to be the expected birth date for the King James household's second prince."
- Shane Stark
With summer providing them a break, the still-busy Cleveland Cavaliers and San Antonio Spurs take their turn at finals - as in the NBA finals - starting Thursday.
While trying to guess the superior team, and keeping with the finals theme, I created the finals exam - seven key questions surrounding the 2007 championship series.
---
What does Cleveland's 2-0 record against San Antonio during the regular season mean?
Not much. Remember Dallas and Phoenix, who both won 60-plus games during the regular season only to bow out before the conference finals.
Both Cleveland and San Antonio trek into the NBA finals clicking on all cylinders, with each holding a 12-4 playoff record and having displaced a higher seed along the way.
---
Does defense still win championships?
Yes! Just ask Dallas, Golden State and Phoenix.
San Antonio led the NBA in scoring defense during the regular season (90.1). Cleveland ranks first in the playoffs in scoring defense (86.7) and field goal defense (.420).
---
What holds more weight, San Antonio's experience or Cleveland's hunger?
Never count out a team with a rising superstar, like the Cavaliers with LeBron James. In 1991, the Lakers entered their finals series with the Chicago Bulls winners of two of the previous four crowns - ala the Spurs of 2007 - only to watch Michael Jordan lead his young team to their first of three straight titles.
With that said, San Antonio gets the edge here, for the simple fact it has both.
The Spurs' core from the 2005 title team remains intact, with the exception of Michael Finley, who joined the team last year.
While several Spurs in their mid 30s appear on the downside of their careers like Bruce Bowen (35), Finley (34) and Robert Horry (36), the youth of San Antonio's main three cogs - Duncan (31), Ginobili (29) and Parker (25) - balances out the age-old dilemma.
And like the Spurs showed before, they come back stronger the year after they fail to win the title, making them as hungry as the Cavaliers in that regard.
---
Who impacts the game more, San Antonio's Tim Duncan or Cleveland's LeBron James?
If you go solely on scoring, James gets the nod, with the 22-year old currently ranked fifth all time in playoff history in points per game (28.0).
But if you pay attention to detail, you know Duncan does as much for a team as any player in the game today - whether it be a clutch bucket, pass, rebound or block, or just by leading.
In the end Duncan dominates both ends, from averaging more than 20 points, 10 rebounds and two blocks on the regular to parlaying a team-first, unselfish attitude to the rest of his teammates.
Furthermore, only Duncan and Kobe Bryant of the Los Angles Lakers made the All-NBA first team and the NBA All-Defensive first team.
---
Which team has the better supporting cast?
Duncan's partners in crime hold a sizeable advantage.
Horry owns seven rings from his days with the Houston Rockets, Lakers and Spurs.
Three other key pieces for the Spurs sport impressive credentials as well - Bowen with seven appearances on the all-defensive teams, not to mention all-stars Ginobili and Parker.
The only members of the Cavaliers with championship rings all wear suit and ties - head coach Mike Brown, assistant Hank Egan, general manager Danny Ferry and assistant general manager Lance Blanks - and each won while working for guess who, the Spurs.
---
What would a championship mean for the winner?
For Cleveland, a title officially anoints James as the league's reigning and future king.
If James claims a title at the tender age of 22, the other 29 teams in the league look to be in trouble well into the next decade.
For San Antonio, another title - the team's fourth in nine years - makes them the league's unquestioned new dynasty.
Furthermore, it stands to bring the league's most decorated stars - Duncan and Miami's Shaquille O'Neal - to a dead draw with four rings apiece.
---
So, who will win the NBA Title and be named Finals MVP?
Spurs 4, Cavaliers 1
MVP -Tim Duncan
My preseason prediction for champion and MVP remained the same all year, despite the early hype surrounding Miami and Dallas, and the hoopla involving the Mavericks and Suns going into the playoffs.
Nothing against Cleveland, but San Antonio can play basically any way: by speeding up the tempo with Parker, slashing with Ginobili, banging with Duncan, getting clutch shooting from the likes of Finley and playoff legend Horry ... and making defensive stops when needed.
The league's real Most Valuable Player, Duncan, delivers again it where it counts - the playoffs.
Expect a quick end to the series - five games - unless San Antonio wants to celebrate on its own floor and go one more.
- Harold Wilson
---
Spurs 4, Cavaliers 3
MVP - Tim Duncan
The 2-3-2 format will benefit Cleveland, but Tim Duncan's supporting cast of Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili are more talented than LeBron's helpers.
- Clint Buckley
---
Spurs 4, Cavaliers 1
MVP - Tim Duncan
I just think the Eastern Conference is so inferior to the Western Conference, and that's half the reason the Cavaliers were able to make the finals.
- Joe Buie
---
Spurs 4, Cavaliers 2
MVP - Tim Duncan
Call the Spurs boring all you want, but the Spurs are, top to bottom, clearly the best team out of the two. The Spurs are more fundamentally sound, more experienced, and arguably more talented. LeBron will get his, but the Cavaliers don't have enough talent across the court to handle the Spurs' excellent defense.
Chase Colston
Spurs 4, Cavaliers 2
MVP - Tony Parker
The Spurs defense will clamp down on the Cavaliers.
- Phil Hicks
---
Spurs 4, Cavaliers 1
MVP - Manu Ginobili
The Cavaliers have improved in a year, maturing past the point of simply "enjoying making the playoffs." LeBron and Co. will gain more valuable experience when the high of winning the Eastern Conference championship becomes a depressing low with the River Walk dynasty pasting them in the finals.
- Brett Hone
---
Cavaliers 4, Spurs 2
MVP - LeBron James
The Cleveland Cavaliers have surpassed all expectations and will do themselves one better by bringing a second-consecutive NBA title to the Eastern Conference, which is amazing in itself considering the Western Conference is widely viewed as the superior conference.
Chris Parry
---
Spurs 4, Cavaliers 1
MVP - Tim Duncan
"Although the Cavs swept the two-game series between the teams during the regular season, the Spurs are title-tested. The NBA should crown a new dynasty June 17 on the Cavs' home floor, which happens to be the expected birth date for the King James household's second prince."
- Shane Stark
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