NBA Finals Notes

It will be the defending NBA champion and top ranked Miami Heat vs the San Antonio Spurs in what shapes up as a compelling NBA final.

The Heat are slightly over two-to-one favorites, but are facing a franchise that is (4-0) in NBA finals. The Spurs coach Gregg Popovich and their forward Tim Duncan were there for all four titles, each in odd years (’99, ’03, ’05 and ’07: the last one a four game sweep vs LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers.) 2013, is of course, an “odd” year.

Additionally, both Tony Parker, no longer married to Eva Longoria but an even better player (basketball) than he was then, and Manu Ginobili have contributed mightily to three Spurs’ title teams. They are still there. I wish the great Spurs player George Gervin, known as “The Ice Man,” had even one title, but it was not destined to happen.

The Heat beat the Indiana Pacers in seven games in the semi final round. Indiana is (5-20) in road semi-final games, (0-4) in game seven, all on the road. The Spurs swept the Memphis Grizzlies and have gone nine days sans a game, before game one of the finals.

Speaking of game one, it is tonight in Miami. The Spurs as mentioned (4-0) in NBA finals are also (4-0) in game one of the finals.

It is different concerning the Heat and game one of the finals. Miami (2-1) in previous finals is (1-2) in finals openers. In fact, the team winning the opener in a “Finals” involving the Heat, lost the series all three times. Other than finals involving the Heat, the team winning the finals opener has gone on to win the series 16  of the last 18 times starting in 1992.

No prediction: too close to call, but I really think the Heat need to win game one. Likely the series will be (1-1) and go at least six games. That is not saying much so after my Heat in six pick vs Indiana (they won in seven, no real credit for that either) I will GUESS the Heat in seven.

Miami has never played a seven game final but just played in their third seven game, semi-final series.

The Spurs played in one seven game final (vs the Detroit Pistons, who were defending champions,in 2005) and lost their only seven game, NBA “semi” to the defending champion Washington Bullets, despite 40 plus points by George Gervin in 1979. That was their first NBA semi-final series. Since that one, “S.A.” has been in eleven semis,  not one going  seven games.

Click for a look back at George Gervin