Once upon a time, my father told me,
"Son, I never watch the NBA and I never will!" Well, wouldn't
ya know, yesterday I get an email from him "Who ya got tonight,
Heat or Spurs? I would love to see the Spurs take it in Miami." And that's
when I knew, this NBA Finals was a series for the ages.
It
may have started off a little rocky through the first few games. There were
more blowouts than a season of Jersey Shore. It seemed like the Miami
Heat and the San Antonio Spurs were trading off 20+ blow out games. But when
Game 5 was over and LeBron was left there with egg on his face, many had a
feeling he was coming back for Game 6 looking for blood.
The
old school Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker with a strong supporting
cast were fundamentally strong in these games. Led by Coach Pops, watching this
team you could tell they had played with each other for years! They're a blue
collar, hard working classy team that isn't concerned about their Twitter
followers (do these guys even have a Twitter?) or worried about the money
they're being paid. All they fought for was to regain the NBA
Championship. Rumors buzzed that Parker begged Duncan and Pops to stick
around for one more year last year to put everything they had left in for the
Championship. Well, they left everything they had on that floor last night.
They looked drained but they powered through and gave LeBron and the Heat a run
for their money. Danny Green, Kwahi Leonard and Gary Neal gave everything
they could but it just wasn't enough. You've got to feel for Duncan. He is one
of, if not the best, post-up forwards ever to play the game. Stats and numbers
don't lie my friends. But, it came down to Duncan's fundamental baby hook shot
to tie the game and it rimmed out. He's a great role model for kids and has
class unlike any other player in the NBA. My hat off to you Tim, you sir, are a
legend.
The
Heat had their issues and at various points throughout the series and it even
looked as though they had given up on games. It goes without saying the Heat
needed a big man holding down the paint though Chris "Birdman" Anderson
gave it all he could to guard Timmy D. Chris Bosh was trapped inside a shooting
guards body and was barely a factor throughout the series. Dwayne Wade was
basically hurting the team until Game 6 and 7 when he rose out of nowhere as if
he was preserving his body for the games that mattered. The Heat didn't win the
series in the fashion that people thought, it went to a Game 7, but at the end
of the day they won and that's all that really matters.
Here's
what I don't want to address; All this conspiracy junk, 'the NBA is rigged' and
that nonsense. The NBA wanted a Game 7 series so. They fixed the games?! Well,
there's only been 3 Game 7 series in the NBA Finals ever, so go figure that. Also,
anybody that calls someone else "bandwagon fans" is just an uptight,
over jealous name-caller. Calling someone a "bandwagoner" is too
easy. What they don't understand is that the NBA was able to get non-NBA fans
to turn on the games and witness history. Scrolling through Twitter last
night, I was reading die hard hockey fans commenting on the NBA!! Why
can't a normal sports fan turn on the game and cheer for a hard fought, gritty
game?! They got to cheer for someone right? Let's not be so quick to overuse
the term "Bandwagon" huh?
From
the HUGE LeBron block on Splitter, to the game-tying last second shot from
legendary Ray "Jesus Shuttlesworth" Allen this series had all the
thrills and the pieces to make a historic NBA Finals. It was a pleasure to
watch the old school play the new school.
MVP
LeBron James got the job done. No matter if you like him, hate him or don't
care, you have to respect his game. Constantly getting triple-doubles,
averaging over 28 points a game AND he gets his teammates open shots and gets
rebounds?! What other 6'8", 275-lbs freak do you see running the floor
like he does, passing the ball like he does, jumping like he does?Carmelo?
Durant? Kobe? Ha! Riddle me that? If you disagree with me and say he's
not a basketball player because he can't shoot...well, then you must not have
watched last night. LeBron has finally earned "The King" title,
whether he's wearing a headband or not.
It
was great to be a "Witness" and to watch a great Finals. This doesn't
happen every year so appreciate what just happened.
