BY TRAVIS OFFIELD
tjoffiel@go.olemiss.edu
The Miami Heat and San Antonio Spurs will tipoff in the NBA Finals tonight in South Beach, FLa., setting the tone for a highly anticipated, best-of-seven championship round with more at stake than just an opportunity to hoist the Larry O’Brien Trophy.
For LeBron James and the Miami Heat, I would argue that this series garners more to be lost than to be gained. James will surely be seeking vengeance for being swept 4-0 at the hands of these same Spurs in the 2007 finals when he played for the Cleveland Cavaliers, but I believe a more recent memory has greater implications for how LeBron and this series will be remembered.
Everyone remembers the summer of 2010 when James and his cronies teamed up to form a “super team” in Miami while prematurely promising to win multiple (more than seven, if my memory serves me correctly) championships. Well, this is their third consecutive trip to the finals, but they only have one ring to show for it so far. Pressure will be at a premium for the super team to fulfill their promise; King James’ legacy depends on it. One more ring is nothing but another stepping stone for the King and his army, but another loss at the doorway to the promised land could leave a lasting stain on a career which is destined for all-time great status.
San Antonio’s legacy, on the contrary, is all but solidified in the history books. This is the Spurs’ fifth trip to the title series in little more than a decade, having won the championship in all four previous appearances. With much of the same core in place for the majority of these championships, San Antonio will go into this series looking to add one more title to their already phenomenal résumé before Father Time catches up with these seasoned veterans. A fifth championship for this bunch would certainly catapult them into dynasty status, if they aren’t there already.
With the scene set for a battle of epic proportion, what should we expect?
Momentum seems to favor San Antonio, who comes into the Finals after making quick and tidy work with a 4-0 sweep of the Memphis Grizzlies in the Western Conference Finals. Coach Gregg Popovich has Tony Parker, Tim Duncan and company firing on all cylinders; they are an assembly line, manufacturing points at will, smoothly and efficiently. Parker has been simply unstoppable this postseason, using the pick and roll masterfully like only the point god could, and I don’t see much the Heat can do in hopes of stopping him.
Miami, on the other hand, seemed to stumble through the Eastern Conference Finals, being forced to win a do-or-die game against the Indiana Pacers to get to this point. What once was a “super team” has looked more like just a “superman” as of late, with LeBron James averaging more points and assists than his next two best teammates combined throughout the ECF. James is certainly hoping his sidekicks return to form, because his Heat are about to have by far their toughest matchup of this postseason. Either way, James was dubbed the King for a reason and always gives his team a chance to win. For me, this will come down to which star player will have a better series: Tony Parker or LeBron James? I’m rolling with the Spurs in seven.
So, with history biting at the heels and legacy in view, let the games begin.
Travis Offield is a chemical engineering major from Horn Lake. Follow him on Twitter @travisoffield.
