Post-mortem to the NBA Finals 2007

Okay… okay… I didn’t really watch the series. Just bits and pieces of the whole shebang.

When I watched a portion of the 1st game, I knew I made a fool of myself when I said that this will be an interesting series…

If a tag can be placed to this post, it might as well be “BORING”. Since the series was, as many would say, BORING. Indeed, it was, especially to us Filipinos who are really looking for the exciting, the flair, the flamboyance in anything. Filipinos love entertainment (what with the fascination for beauty pageants, singing contests, dance contests, noon-time variety shows, fiestas, etc.). It may have something to do with our cultural upbringing, being under Spanish rule and influence for over 3oo years. Or we are really just looking for some way to escape the vicissitudes of our environs.

NBA Finals 2007: SPURS Win It All!

Got it all wrong with my 4-1 prediction. The Spurs made a sweep out of the Finals Series. LeBron and Co. were given the LeBroom (courtesy of Tony Parker’s French — incidentally, this year’s Finals MVP).

Popovich still has a pristine Finals record as a Coach, going 4-of-4 (Phil Jackson is 6 of 6 with the Bulls, and ONLY 3 of 4 with the Lakers). Horry won his 7th title with his 3rd NBA Finals Team. Duncan has 4. Finley finally got his championship ring. So did Brent Barry (now, he can tell his Hall-of-Famer dad, Rick Barry, that he’s got one also). Parker got his 4th ring, and another one of the wedding variety soon. Ginobili has 3 (and 1 together with his fellow Argentinian Fabricio Oberto).

LeBron can wait. I am sure he’ll get his soon enough. But only when the Cavaliers management can surround him with a sound supporting cast. Hughes is not enough. Gooden may not be good enough. Z is getting old, and so is Eric Snow and so is Donyell Marshall. Gibson needs to polish his playmaking skills (other than that, he’s got the make of a good supporting cast). Sasha Pavlovic and Varejao are also a “must retain” for the team. They got the exposure they needed to still them down during high pressure, high stakes games.

The Cavs, in short, would need a major overhaul. This team isn’t just good enough with James and others only. Actually, it would’ve been a bit more interesting series if the Pistons made it to the Finals. The Cavaliers got it lucky going past Detroit.

Stern should be happy. He just witnessed the confirmation of a “semi-dynasty” in the Spurs (one of only 4 teams which have won at least four titles — the others beating the Celtics, the Lakers, and the Bulls). And he witnessed James initiation to the Finals arena. This year’s Finals was more of an introduction of what may be the portent of things to come in the NBA than an actual competition between two (2) equally matched teams to win the title.

NBA Finals 2007: Spurs Lead, 3-0

Most basketball junkies know that the Spurs are the overwhelming favorites to win the Title this year. And they’re proving these junkies right by leading the best of seven series, 3-0.

Despite playing so-so in the 3rd game, the Spurs heavily relied on their patented D and made it much harder for the Cavs to score on successive, crucial possessions in the dying minutes of the game. It didn’t help also that Varejao decided to try to score on Tim Duncan — with a shot that had all prayer in it. The shot didn’t even touch the ring.

On hindsight, the keen basketball mind would say that Lebron, harassed by Bowen, realized that he would run into a trap coming from TD’s help defense, and made the correct decision to pass to Varejao in order to re-start his offense. However, the King never got the ball back. You could say that inexperience, on the part of the young Brazilian workhorse, got the better of the moment.

What should have been done was… Varejao passes the ball back to James, and James will make another go at it. It’s time to live and die with James in situations like these. It’s also good training for him, really.

But Cavalier fans need not despair. The Cavs played relatively well last night. They just didn’t hit the shots in the final minutes. Putting themselves in a position to win, in a game that could really have gone either way, is a huge step forward, psychologically, for this young team.

The 3rd game may well have broken some “psychological” barriers for the Cavs, and pave the way for a win in Game 4.

Then the Spurs will adjust and win Game 5. And end the series, 4 games to 1.

At the least, Cleveland faithfuls can say that they were able to salvage one win in the Finals. And that one win may well be an all important one. It will do them good in the coming seasons.

NBA Finals 2007: Cavs vs. Spurs

Place your bets. Favored to win in this series are the Spurs. The Cavs present an outside chance if King James can once again will his team to victory.

Let’s see how both teams matchup against one another.