Can LeBron James and the Cavs Get it Right in Time for the NBA Finals?

At 3-3, the newly superstar-clad Cleveland Cavaliers have hardly been the inspiring force that fans expected upon LeBron James’ arrival.  Not entirely surprising, the trio of James, Kevin Love, and Kyrie Irving haven’t quite clicked so far this season; something quite common for a team just getting used to playing with one another.  With a record at .500, they’ve been considerably average.  While there is certainly a great deal of time to go before the NBA Playoffs for them to get this right, if the team continues to struggle they may miss out on the postseason entirely, let alone contend for the NBA title.

Further adding to the problems have been the rumblings bubbling under the surface.  Rumor has it that Love may opt out of his contract at the end of the season and push a move to the Los Angeles Lakers.  While it seems strange that he would want to leave so soon, based on the lackluster start to the season there certainly could be a disharmony amongst the key new arrivals.  Especially given his former star status with the Minnesota Timberwolves, he may struggle in the shadows of the team’s favored child, LeBron.

Meanwhile, an apparent heated chat between James and Irving could have led to a further trouble within the locker room.  Following a loss in which Irving failed to notch a single assist, the episode raised skepticism about whether the team will ever truly click like the championship-winning Miami Heat did for James.

As far as I can tell, this is far too early to tell if the Cavs will be contending for the title.  Possibly more than any other sport, basketball players must truly play with one another for an extended period of time before they reach their full potential as a team.  Given the talent alone of these three star players, a failure to start winning games with consistency would be a complete failure.  Also, one must understand that these guys are professionals.  They’ve played basketball for their whole lives and certainly know how to work well with others.  Constructing a championship caliber team simply takes time.

But what about the Cavs’ title hopes this season?  LeBron James certainly is capable of taking any team far, but a complete team cohesiveness is needed to win titles.  Evidence of the fact can be shown in the Heat’s Finals loss in James’ first season in Miami, as well as the San Antonio Spurs’ team effort to win the championship this past season.

The big question will be as to whether the stars of the Cavaliers can grow together in this year and compete for the title.  Fortunately, the generally weakened Eastern Conference should provide an easy route to the NBA Finals for them, but the Western Conference champion will likely prove to be very competitive amongst the likes of the Spurs, Golden State Warriors, Oklahoma City Thunder, Dallas Mavericks, and Houston Rockets.  It’s never easy to win in the NBA, even with LeBron James, Kevin Love, and Kyrie Irving!  Chances are that the early struggles will continue for the better part of the season and that the Cavs will probably not win a title this year.  However, as the players grow (considering Irving and Love stick around!), Cleveland should expect to earn an NBA title in the coming years ahead!

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A Look at the Surprising LeBron James Move to the Cleveland Cavaliers

When the NBA Finals ended in disappointment for the Miami Heat, no one thought that this sort of cataclysmic fall would happen to the organization, but in the weeks since, superstar LeBron James has opted out of his Miami contract and moved up north to rejoin his hometown team, the Cleveland Cavaliers.  This move will have a very dramatic effect on the entire league and has now ended the budding dynasty for the Heat.  However, it also presents an opportunity for James to do something miraculous for the city of Cleveland: to bring it a major sports championship, a thing not accomplished since the 1964 Cleveland Browns, in a time before the Super Bowl even existed!

For a city to go this long without any sort of title is quite appalling, and this inevitably brought so much pain to Cavs fans when LeBron deserted the team for Miami in 2010.  But with his return, the league’s best player could help lead the city back to glory.

There is no doubt about it, LeBron James is the face of the NBA, and he immediately makes the Cavaliers contenders.  Also, he isn’t coming to a broken team without a hope for anything.  With several recent top draft picks, the Cavs contain incredible young prospects like Anthony Bennett, Kyrie Irving, and Andrew Wiggins.  While the jury remains out on both Bennett and Wiggins, Irving is already a 2-time NBA All-Star and will likely become a top contributor alongside James.

And this will put LeBron James right into the role that he is ready to take on, that of team leader.  While he was the main ingredient for the “Big 3” in Miami, many felt that Dwayne Wade was really the vital cog of that team, as he had earned an NBA Championship years before James ever came to town.  In Cleveland, it will be all about LeBron helping educate these young stars and creating a new power team in the Eastern Conference.

LeBron James has set about building a project.  He saw that time was nearing the end in Miami and he wants to do something great for his hometown.  How can anyone argue against what he’s shooting for?  Sure, it will take time and he’ll probably take a lot of criticism if the first few seasons don’t go exactly according to plan, but if LeBron can tough it out and deal with the growing pains of this young supporting cast, the Cleveland Cavaliers could very well become the best team in the league within 3 or 4 years.

The challenge with LeBron will be what happens if these youngsters never materialize?  No sport experiences draft busts like basketball, and should neither Bennett or Wiggins succeed, life could become hard with the Cavs.  Recruiting top caliber players to Cleveland will be nearly impossible with competition from teams like the Los Angeles Lakers and New York Knicks in the fold.  If LeBron is stuck with a mediocre squad in a year’s time, he could opt out of this contract and move on.  However, I don’t think this will happen.  While this project may not enable James to equal Michael Jordan in titles won, he could build a miraculous success for his hometown team and officially become a hero in Cleveland, helping the city to win its first sports title in over a half century!

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Are Key Injuries Threatening to Ruin the NBA Playoffs?

NBA PlayoffIt’s an inevitable problem ingrained within competitive sports.  While we would love to always see the best athletes gather for ceremonious feats of strength, the injury bug can always take away such joys.  But injuries in the NBA this season seem to be widespread and could possibly extend a long-reaching finger into the NBA playoffs, which are set to begin this weekend.  Many of the league’s top players have battled injuries this year (some have seen their seasons end early) and these problems could eventually filter seriously into some team’s title hopes.

The problem with injuries in basketball is that each team has just a handful of superstar playmakers, that when injured, leaves the team a hopeless mess.  For instance, the Oklahoma City Thunder have the second best record in the Western Conference and have their eye fully set on a trip to the NBA Finals.  Led by Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook, these two key men make the Thunder a joy to watch!  But for much of the season Westbrook has been missing.  Despite Durant leading the team to a strong season on his lonesome, we saw their championship hopes ruined last year when Westbrook went down.  Let’s hope he can stay in the game this time around!

Another player currently battling an injury is Dwayne Wade of the Miami Heat.  The number 2 star next to the legendary LeBron James, Wade’s hamstring gave out several weeks ago.  Although he has returned fit, we will need to see how well he can figure in when the playoffs get started.  Should he go down, the Heat’s hopes will fall squarely on James.  And while some fans may enjoy this stern test of his supernatural merits, there’s no doubt that the team’s quality would greatly suffer from the loss of a key player!

Earlier this season, several good players were injured, and their teams’ fortunes were ruined.  Such tragic occurrences happened Derrick Rose, Kobe Bryant, Steve Nash, and Nate Robinson.  And looking ahead to the NBA playoffs, there are several teams nervously hoping key players return in time for the season’s biggest matches like the Golden State Warriors' Andre Iguodala.

Injuries have become such a crucial part to the sport that the teams involved in the NBA Finals are often the ones with the healthiest crop of key stars.  When one of your big guys goes down, so do all your hopes!

Another problem related specifically to the NBA is that the playoffs and season are so incredibly long, pushing all the players to the brink in long-lasting playoff series.  With every game played, the injury risks increase as the players fight for points and rebounds.  While right now it seems that most of the key members of playoff contenders are returning to their teams and readying for the big games ahead, there are still a lot of questions over whether they are really fit enough and if they will last throughout the tournament.  Here’s to hoping for a largely injury-free 2014 NBA playoffs where we get to see the best players compete for the ultimate prize in basketball!

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King James’ Throne Being Challenged By Kevin Durant?

While everyone in the NBA has generally regarded LeBron James to be the undisputed “king” of basketball for the last 5 years, there has been another young star developing that soon might just dethrone the Miami Heat sensation.  Oklahoma City Thunder’s Kevin Durant is a beast and he’s currently the league’s top scorer.  While he is still young and reaching his peak level of playing, is the time nigh for Durant to rise up and derail James’ incredible run of NBA titles?

The rivalry was first brought up during the 2012 NBA Finals.  It was James’ first victory in the league and was a dominating one.  While Durant had the support of both James Harden and Russell Westbrook, all three of the Thunders players were in their lower 20’s.  Meanwhile the Heat were led by James, Dwayne Wade, and Chris Bosh, all of whom were in their later 20’s.  More mature and developed as players, the Heat had their way with the Thunder and won easily 4 games to 1.

But while the Heat pushed on to win a second championship last season, the Thunder experienced heartbreaking losses.  Not only did Harden depart the team, but Westbrook got hurt in the 2013 NBA playoffs, and Durant was unable to shoulder the entire burden for his team.

But now at age 25, Durant isn’t necessarily a young, inexperienced kid anymore.  He has been dealt some tough lessons in the past, but his play has continued to grow, and he is now a major threat to LeBron James’ NBA dominance.  Remember, a young LeBron once took the Cleveland Cavaliers all the way to the NBA Finals, only to get swept by the San Antonio Spurs back in 2007.  Experience is definitely a bonus in the latter stages of an NBA season.

Kevin Durant has come out guns blazing in 2014, averaging an astounding 35.9 points per game in the month of January.  His great play has found the Thunder currently atop the Western Conference standings at 43-13 (The Heat are 40-14).  There has even been a discussion that Durant could be the frontrunner for the NBA MVP this year.  While a big game by James and the Heat in a 103-81 victory over the Thunder last week did quiet these rumblings, the message clearly got home.

And while that minor victory was surely a nice ego stroke for James (though his nose got broken in the process), what matters is what happens in June, when everything is on the table.  Will James win his 3^rd straight title and begin to really begin to start the argument of his greatness compared to Michael Jordan, or will Durant finally reach his potential, win a championship, and begin a huge new rivalry between the pair?  Something tells me that the NBA is bracing up for a crash course between these two superstars and that Durant is finally going to have his say this time around.  Looking ahead to the future, this pair might be dueling it out for the next 5 years as the LeBron James – Kevin Durant rivalry seems to just be getting started!

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5 Teams Besides the Miami Heat that could Compete for NBA Title

We all know that the two-time defending NBA Champions Miami Heat and their superstar LeBron James are all poised to continue their domination over professional basketball, but where the San Antonio Spurs pushed the 2013 NBA Championship to a full 7 games, perhaps there is a team out there that could actually go on to beat the Heat.  Here are 5 such teams that just might give it a real go this year and can potentially win the title, other than the Heat:

1.  The Indiana Pacers – With the best record in basketball, the Pacers are a potentially dangerous team for the Heat.  They play great defense and have a balanced attack, with 5 players averaging more than 10 points per game.  Paul George is a rising star and would love to lead the Pacers to success.  They took Miami to 7 games last season and will be desperately looking to usurp them in 2014.  This is definitely a team to look out for that successfully frustrated the Heat is last year’s Eastern Conference Finals.  Might they beat Miami this year?

2.  Oklahoma City Thunder – This team is rated in the top 10 for both offense and defense and are led by the sensational star Kevin Durant, who went on a 12 game streak of scoring over 30 points per game.  At 25, he is ready to take that next step and win a championship.  It seems the question is quickly becoming when rather than if he will win it all.  When Russell Westbrook returns, this team should become a contender again.

3.  San Antonio Spurs – The team that simply cannot age is at it again, and nearly won it all last year save for a dramatic Ray Allen 3-pointer at the end of Game 6.  The Spurs are led by the maturity of Manu Ginobili, Tim Duncan, and Tony Parker, who would simply love another shot at knocking LeBron back a peg.  They could definitely find themselves back in contention for a title and would love to get another championship together, and have not won it all since 2007.

4.  Houston Rockets – This team is a force offensively, as Dwight Howard, James Harden, Jeremy Lin, and Chandler Parsons are all effective scorers.  Yet, as a team they are quite average defensively and I simply cannot see them matching up against James, Chris Bosh, and Dwayne Wade.  They will be outscored in a shootout against top opposition.  However, the future is certainly bright in Houston and they could become a force in the Western Conference in the long term.

5.  Los Angeles Clippers – Certainly one of the most enjoyable teams to watch this season, the Clippers have finally gained control of the City of Angels (thanks in large part to Kobe Bryant’s injuries).  Behind Blake Griffin, Jamal Crawford, and Chris Paul, the Clippers are going to be a dangerous team in the playoffs this year, even though things haven’t gone well for this team in recent NBA playoffs.  Another offensive powerhouse, the Clippers may get stunted by a stern defense, but there is a definite possibility that the team could make some greatness happen!

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NBA Season Preview: It’s All About LeBron James

 As the NBA returns to competitive action, fans will be thrilled to see their basketball heroes return to the court and compete for the brilliance that only an NBA Championship can bring.  Although LeBron James and the Miami Heat are the undisputed kings of basketball after consecutive NBA titles, a series of returning stars should make the three-peat a very difficult proposition.  Here are the 5 NBA teams worth watching in the upcoming season:

1.  Chicago Bulls – Fans have been eagerly anticipating the return of Derrick Rose for months.  Just as he was reaching his peak abilities in 2012, Rose tore his ACL and has been out of action ever since.   Nevertheless, the Rose-less Bulls managed to make the NBA playoffs last season and won a series before being eliminated by the eventual champions Heat.  All eyes will be on Rose as he returns.  His play is simply incredible and he can take over games.  With a team that has proven itself in his absence, the Bulls can take on anyone, including LeBron James.

2.  Oklahoma City Thunder – After winning the Western Conference top seed last season, the Thunder’s hopes were derailed when Russell Westbrook was injured in the playoffs.  Superstar Kevin Durant wasn’t able to do it all on his lonesome, and it was really a shame.  With Westbrook back in the fold, this team should once again be contenders.  They should win a lot of games and hopefully make a serious run at the title.  Remember, Westbrook and Durant are still just 24 and 25 respectively.  They can get even better!

3.  Houston Rockets – With Dwight Howard in the mix, this team can be a dynamic force in the NBA.  Teaming up with James Harden and Jeremy Lin, the Rockets may be the surprise team in the league.  They have had excellent 3-point shooting, but now with a serious force in the middle, their offence will be dominant!  Howard will have learned some humility over his Los Angeles Lakers fiasco last season, and he should come in with a chip on his shoulder and a more hardworking team-oriented effort.  I foresee this as a great opportunity for Houston, and if they face the Lakers in the playoffs, we could be in for one enormous treat!

4.  Los Angeles Lakers – The hopes of this team fall squarely on Kobe Bryant’s ability to rebound from his injury.  With veteran players Steve Nash and Pau Gasol in support, the Lakers can beat anyone, as long as Kobe is healthy and producing.  This team could struggle early as he tries to regain his groove, but I think things will pick up later in the season.  Last season was built on title hopes but ended in disaster.  I think that experience will bring the team together and lead to greatness.  Is a title in their future, I still doubt it.

5.  Miami Heat – The reigning kings of the NBA have every reason to believe they’ll win it all again.  We all know about LeBron James, Chris Bosh, and Dwayne Wade, and about how great they are, and about how much they love each other, and frankly, it’s getting old.  But such is the way of competitive sports.  Until someone beats this team, they’ll be all smiles and fun up all the way to another championship.  But if there’s one reason for hope it’s this:  every major contender last season took on a terrible injury that ruined their season; Kobe in Los Angeles, Westbrook for the Thunder, and Rose’s absence all season for the Bulls.  The Heat had it easy last year and may grow complacent from their simple march to the title.  If another great team can avoid injury in next year’s playoffs the Heat just might be truly challenged for the NBA title.  Until then, be sure to watch the Heat this year because it will surely be professional basketball at its absolute finest!

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The 5 Top Contenders for the 2014 NBA Title

Yes, this is an extremely premature prediction regarding the potential title contenders for next year’s NBA title, but with the 2013 NBA Finals having just wrapped up and with the NBA Free Agency Period having just begun this month, why not speculate ahead as to which teams will be competing for the ultimate prize in basketball? Here are 5 teams I expect to be right in the thick of the action 10 months from now:

5. Houston Rockets – By accumulating superstar center Dwight Howard from the Los Angeles Lakers last week and by bringing in shooting guard James Harden last season, the Rockets have two star players, which is often what it takes to gain an NBA Championship. Harden is still just 23, but had his best season last year, averaging over 25 points per game. Another factor in the Rockets’ favor is their point-guard Jeremy Lin. Although he has yet to match the kind of play that brought about “Linsanity” in New York, Lin has shown moment of brilliant play and is also still developing at age 24. Although they may be too young to claim an NBA title next season, if this team develops well together, the sky is the limit down the road with a center like Howard!

 

4. Los Angeles Lakers – The team is currently in shambles having lost their prized free agent, Dwight Howard, who deserted the team after a disastrous first season. Injuries derailed the Lakers’ title hopes last year as Steve Nash missed time and Kobe Bryant was injured before the NBA Playoffs. Now in the dumps, there are two paths that the Lakers can take. They can collapse and come out terribly next year. Or, they can come out firing and re-conquer the Western Conference. I suspect the latter, considering the team still has Bryant and Nash. Although they are aging, I think the entire focus around Howard hampered the cohesiveness of this team last year, and I think that without that distraction, the Lakers will have a chance to contend with veteran maturity.

 

3. Los Angeles Clippers – With Blake Griffin and Chris Paul last season, the Clippers were one of the strongest teams in the NBA. Both players are young and extremely talented, bringing hope to the “other” team in LA. Now they have Doc Rivers as manager, and that makes the Clippers contenders for the 2014 NBA Championship. Rivers worked magic with the Boston Celtics and helped the team come together to win the 2008 NBA Championship. I expect him to get the best out of this team and help them contend for a title.

 

2. Oklahoma City Thunder – Kevin Durant’s hopes of avenging the 2012 NBA Finals loss were dashed in the NBA Playoffs when star teammate Russell Westbrook went down with an injury. Proving that no single NBA player can do it on his own, Durant wasn’t able to lead his team past the second round of the playoffs. However, with both players in the lineup, the Thunder was the strongest team in the Western Conference. With both players healthy and maturing well, this team should be in contention for the 2014 NBA Championship.

 

1. Miami Heat – Unfortunately for the teams listed above, the 2-time reigning NBA Champions are simply too strong for anyone other than the Heat to really challenge for an NBA Championship. LeBron James, Dwayne Wade, and Chris Bosh make up by far the NBA’s strongest team, and all three players are well within their prime years. Additionally, all the fun has inspired other talented players like Ray Allen and Chris Andersen to come to South Beach and join the party. It makes for the deepest team in the league, and although once contracts expire in 2015, the future of the Heat’s “Big Three” will be in question, for the short term there is really only one team that anyone should expect to win the 2014 NBA Championship: The Miami Heat.

 

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NBA Finals Returns to Miami With Epic Showdown in Store Between Heat and Spurs

Game 5 saw the shooters get hot again for the San Antonio Spurs, and they took down the marvelous Miami Heat, who simply cannot defend against such high scoring opponents. With the Spurs owning a 3-2 NBA Finals series lead over the Heat, the teams are headed back to Miami to settle to championship. The seesawing affair has provided brilliant individual displays, record-setting performances, and is setting up smartly for a dramatic finale.

 

For both teams, this NBA Finals has massive implications surrounding players’ legacies and the way they will be remembered. LeBron James has been unfairly compared to Michael Jordan since the day he entered the NBA. But, if he is to equal or surpass Jordan’s 6 NBA Championships with the Chicago Bulls, James and the Heat will need to win nearly every year. For the team to stumble in the NBA Finals like they did in 2011, James would quite possibly be remembered for not coming through in the most vital of moments. Hoping to build upon his single NBA Championship last season, LeBron James needs this victory.

 

The San Antonio Spurs are more of a model of team efficiency. A dominant force in the mid 2000’s, the Spurs have won 4 Championships since 1999. Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, and Manu Ginobili combine exceptionally well on the court, and this NBA Finals appearance is a testament to the proud legacy they have created together. This current championship run represents probably the last time that these players will have the opportunity to win a championship together as age is beginning to catch up with them.

 

Nevertheless, the Spurs of tomorrow have several bright young faces who have emerged as playmakers this season. Danny Green, a former national champion basketball player with the University of North Carolina, has been on fire from beyond the arc. His 25 3-point shots in the series have already broken the NBA Finals record, and we still have potentially two games to go! This team is ready to win this championship, and have been playing incredibly well.

 

Is the Miami Heat up to the task? Sure, as dominating as Game 5 was for the Spurs shooters, Game 4 showed the Miami trio of James, Dwayne Wade, and Chris Bosh combine for 85 points as the Heat won big. With a sport so determined on who gets hot on what night, the NBA Finals is about to be decided on who comes to play on the biggest stage.

 

LeBron James has already shown he is a capable force in Game 7’s, but will the Heat even get there? The Spurs have not looked like a team ready to step aside and bless LeBron James with an easy second championship. They are focused and determined, and trying to improve their own legacies to the game of basketball. The thrill of victory has been long remembered since the Spurs’ last title in 2007, and they would surely want nothing more than to add to it.

 

However, I still like the Heat in this series. LeBron James has been put to the test routinely throughout his career, and he usually steps up to the challenge. While I do concede that the NBA Finals can now go either way, I do feel that he will be the star of the show by the end of it all. Games 6 and 7(?) will certainly make for an enthralling end to what has already been an incredible NBA Finals.

 

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NBA Finals Preview: Miami Heat vs. San Antonio Spurs in Potentially Epic Series

The upset hope for the Indiana Pacers ended last night as the Miami Heat powered their way to a dominating game 7 victory in the Eastern Conference Finals. Now in their 3^rd straight NBA Finals, is their any doubt that LeBron James and his cronies will take home another title? There is a hope, although slim, and it comes in the form of Manu Ginobili.

 

The Argentinean shooting guard is the type of player that can awaken and shoot a team to victory, and against the dominating big bodies of the Heat, Ginobili will need to catch fire in this NBA Finals for the San Antonio Spurs to stand a chance.

 

The one aspect of this series that favors the Spurs is their experience winning championships earlier this decade, with 3 titles in 2003, 2005, and 2007. During those years, I recall Ginobili leading the team in clutch shots and terrorizing his opponents in the playoffs, which was often the Phoenix Suns.

Tony Parker, Tim Duncan, and Ginobili were a force back then, and while they certainly have aged, they are clearly experiencing a bit of resurgence late in their careers with this NBA Finals run. Although Ginobili is currently behind Danny Green on the starting roster, he still gets minutes and will need to come in and make the big shots in this series.

 

Tony Parker and Tim Duncan are still leading the Spurs well. This form will have to continue if the team is to compete in the series. Parker is scoring at the highest rate of his career and while Duncan’s numbers are down from his high point 5 years ago, he is still the leader in the paint for the Spurs.

By sweeping their Western Conference foes, the Spurs have now been able to rest ahead of this NBA Finals while the Heat has been forced into a long series with the Pacers. There is no doubt in my mind though that the Heat is the best team in the NBA. James, Dwayne Wade, and Chris Bosh (although he hasn’t been much of a playmaker these playoffs) are a monstrous force to be reckoned with. Additionally, they are young enough to handle the enduring schedule.

 

What inspires me to pick the Heat in this NBA Finals is their incredible game 7 domination. This was a tricky situation to deal with and Wade and James put the game beyond any doubt early in the second half. These players are big-game guys who thrive in close encounters. This is why I feel that Ginobili will need to emerge in the NBA Finals. When the Heat get going, he seems to me to be the one player capable of sinking a calm 3-pointer to slow those momentum shifts.

 

Another problem for the Spurs is that they haven’t really faced a powerful team in the playoffs. The Los Angeles Lakers were a joke with Kobe Bryant, and were hopeless without him. Neither the Memphis Grizzlies or Golden State Warriors were really that talented, and now the Spurs will have to face the league’s best players. Therefore, I predict that the Miami Heat will claim their second straight title in 6 games, and LeBron will continue his reign as king of the NBA.

 

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San Antonio Spurs Sweep their Way to the NBA Finals

San Antonio Spurs Signature Court

The San Antonio Spurs have a perfect record in the NBA Finals, winning all 4 of the championships they have reached. Since 1999, the Spurs have been a true force in the NBA, and currently have a roster built around proven success. Having just swept the Memphis Grizzlies to earn a spot in this year’s NBA Finals, will the Spurs continue this impressive run, or will LeBron James and the Miami Heat prove too strong an opponent in the NBA Finals?

 

The majority of NBA fans will surely support the Spurs, and will wish to see King James dethroned. The Heat has built seemingly too strong a team around James, Dwayne Wade, and Chris Bosh. Their team would enter dynasty phase of they can win their second consecutive NBA title. The rest of the league has struggled to assemble a worthy competitor. The Los Angeles Lakers attempted the feat by joining together Kobe Bryant, Dwight Howard, and Steve Nash but they never managed to live up to the hype as a worthy challenger to the Heat.

 

The Spurs on the other hand have already been assembled for a decade and are a finely tuned team that has proved to be capable of winning NBA titles with great success. Center Tim Duncan is an absolute force and has done it all. Point Guard Tony Parker showed in the Western Conference Finals that he can still take over a game, while shooting guard Manu Ginobili makes the big plays when the team needs him. This combination is deadly and has won multiple championships, becoming an NBA dynasty themselves in the mid 2000’s.

 

The one thing that makes this an intriguing matchup is the Spurs’ ages. Duncan is 37, Ginobili is 35, and Tony Parker isn’t exactly a spring chicken at 31. This could be the group’s last legitimate shot at a final NBA championship and they seem determined to earn it this year. Regardless of whether they complete the job, they will certainly be worthy competitors against the Heat.

 

Going in their favor is the fact that by sweeping the Memphis Grizzlies, the Spurs will have over a full week to rest and prepare for the NBA Finals. Meanwhile, the Miami Heat has already given a game to the Indiana Pacers. Although likely to win the series, the Heat could be exhausted if the Pacers can win another game or two in the Easter Conference Finals.

 

Although the Heat’s stars are much younger than the Spurs’, the Spurs will have the edge in rest and veteran maturity. Although the recent Heat success has seen them evolve into championship caliber leaders as well, the Spurs will have the extra edge in the fact that this could be their last real shot at a final championship.

 

It all sets up for a fantastic NBA Finals that will begin in just over a week. Perhaps there could be a Pacers assault that would stun the basketball world, but my hunch is that the Miami Heat will be in the NBA Finals and ready to win. However, this Spurs team has proven time and time again that they are title winners, and I suspect that they could push the Heat to 7 games, and perhaps even snatch the NBA Finals title one last time!

 

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Will the NBA Playoffs See Anyone Challenge Miami Heat?

With the NBA pundits crying foul over the fact that LeBron James wasn’t unanimously declared the league’s MVP (he missed out on just a single vote), and with the Miami Heat holding the NBA’s best record by a wide margin, is there any hope at all for the teams that wish to make a legitimate challenge on the superstar basketball team from Miami?

 

Based on recent events though, it seems the Chicago Bulls may just be the team to give the Heat a real fight. Having pulled off a dramatic game 1 victory, the Bulls have shown themselves to be capable without having their impressive star Derrick Rose in the lineup. Nate Robinson drained 27 points, scored several important 3-point shots, and basically dominated the game in the last 2 minutes. However, the NBA playoffs engage in 7 game series to ensure that the best team wins, and barring a miraculous run by the Bulls, I would still put my money on the Heat romping back to the Eastern Conference Finals and beyond.

 

One of the things that has made the path for the Heat so encouraging is the fact that so many key players on major teams have been injured. We already saw the demise of the Los Angeles Lakers when Kobe Bryant had to sit out the end of the year. Additionally, the Los Angeles Clippers suffered an injury to Blake Griffin that saw their impressive Pacific Division victory result in the team crashing out in round 1 of the NBA Playoffs.

 

Further injuries have hampered the teams still in the chase. The Oklahoma City Thunder had already absorbed the loss of James Harden this offseason, but recently saw Russell Westbrook go down with a knee injury. The point guard has been instrumental to the Thunder’s success, and now the team’s hopes lie solely on the play of Kevin Durant. Durant is a true star player, but as everyone knows in the NBA, even Michael Jordan needed Scottie Pippen to reach his full potential. Though, if Durant could propel the Thunder to a NBA Championship, the feat could be the mark of a true legend. There is a long way to go, and a potential NBA Finals rematch with the Heat would be extremely tough now without 2 of the 3 crucial players in last year’s Thunder run.

 

Perhaps the team that people should predict in the NBA Finals as a challenger to the Heat is the San Antonio Spurs. Having won several championships in the mid 2000’s, the team still has most of those stars in the lineup and have won their division for 3 straight years. Although their playoff play hasn’t been as great recently, Tony Parker, Tim Duncan, and Manu Ginobili could use their experience to present a serious challenge to the Heat.

 

Regardless of their opening round loss to the Bulls, I do feel that this year will be another victorious march for LeBron James, Dwayne Wade, Chris Bosh, and co. The Heat is by far the most talented team in the league, and they are playing with real pride and passion. Although sports fans do love an exciting upset story, I find it real hard to visualize any team pushing the Heat to the brink this year.

 

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Current Win Streak Puts Miami Heat and LeBron James on Brink of Dynasty

Miami Heat LeBron Jame 12x20 Pano

LeBron James is surely reaching the true heights of his pro-basketball powers.  After winning the NBA Finals with the Miami Heat for his first title last season, James has now led his team to a win streak that stands at 23 games, which is second longest in the entire history of the NBA (The current record is 33 games set by the 1971-72 Los Angeles Lakers led by Wilt Chamberlain).  Although many of the LeBron-haters would hate to admit it, this Miami Heat team is on the verge of becoming an NBA dynasty that could last for a long time.

With the dynamic trio of Dwayne Wade, Chris Bosh, and LeBron James signed to fairly equal $20 million/year contracts through 2016, the Miami Heat may not be losing another game for 4 years, at which point we will all have to unanimously praise the heroics of LeBron James and the invincible Heat.

But although that prospect is rather unlikely, the basketball world looks totally unprepared to handle the Miami Heat at the present time.  LeBron James put up another classy game-winning shot to defeat the Boston Celtics with just 10 seconds remaining in the game, and it once again showed all the markings of a Hall of Fame leader for the Heat.  Still playing in MVP form, James again made plays all over the court with his 37 points and 12 assists. 

The win streak sees the Miami Heat currently own the top record in the entire NBA and has probably struck fear into the hearts of opponents’ players.  What is the rest of the NBA to do?  The Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs seem capable of actually testing the Heat and hold similar powerful records, but neither has been able to snatch a win from Miami.

Regardless of how impressive the win streak is for the Miami Heat, the only true determinant of making them a dynasty would be another NBA Finals victory.  Regular season games count little once the NBA Playoffs begin.  I do think that the Heat will repeat as champions, however, and this current streak is simply the work of a clearly dominant basketball team playing to their full powers. 

With easy games coming up against the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Detroit Pistons, the Charlotte Bobcats, and the Orlando Magic, the streak will probably continue.  Then the Heat plays the Chicago Bulls (who still may be without Derrick Rose) followed by a trip to the pathetic New Orleans Hornets. 

Therefore, by the time the Heat travel to San Antonio to face Manu Ginobili, Tony Parker, Tim Duncan, and the Spurs, the Heat’s streak could be on the verge of 30 games and within striking distance of the all-time record.  The Spurs would surely provide a stern test for the Heat in preventing the record-breaking run from continuing.

Streaks can be very dangerous in sports though.  With so much emotion and intensity surrounding winning day in and day out, there is a possibility of losing focus and disappointment whenever the inevitable loss does occur.  How the Heat responds to that day and finishes the rest of the 2013 NBA season will surely go a long ways to determining whether this Miami Heat team is a true dynasty.

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NBA Suspends Boston Celtics Kevin Garnett for Game 2

The NBA playoffs are heating up and one Boston Celtics player has already been suspended.

During the Boston Celtics and Miami Heat game, an altercation ensued near the Miami Bench while Boston's Paul Pierce lay on the floor with an apparent right shoulder injury with 40 seconds left in the game.

During the altercation, Kevin Garnett hit Quentin Richardson in the head with an elbow. Garnett claimed he was just trying to make room for his teammate Pierce. Garnett and Richardson had exchanged words.

Garnett received a one game suspension for his action. The league also fined Richardson $25,000. Boston won the game 85-76.

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