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NBA 2014 Finals (1 Viewer)

Robert Crawford

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For some reason, I've never warmed up to Duncan and the Spurs. Therefore, I hope LeBron wins it again as I didn't care for how the media and general public ganged up on him when he made that going to South Beach mistake.
 

Ockeghem

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I'm not sure how this series will play out. I think Miami will have to be on their best as far as defense is concerned, because these Spurs can really score a lot of points. They're like a locomotive at times when it comes to scoring in bunches. Miami can be a really good defensive team at times, but they've also shown huge defensive lapses during the regular season and playoffs.

When the Celtics defeated the Lakers in 2008, I knew beforehand that they would win that series if (and only if) they won the first two games at home. Then all they had to do was win one game in Los Angeles, which they did before coming home to win it in six games. I'm getting a similar feeling for this series as well with regard to San Antonio. I think it's important that the Spurs win the first two games on their own floor. That being said, I don't think it's as imperative for the Spurs to do it as I thought it was for Indiana since San Antonio can win on the road in big-game situations.

The Spurs were about twenty-eight seconds away from winning the title last year. After seeing what Duncan did in the last overtime game (he outscored OKC himself in that period), I would really like to see him carry this team to its fifth championship.

My pick:San Antonio over Miami in six games.
 

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Robert Crawford said:
For some reason, I've never warmed up to Duncan and the Spurs. Therefore, I hope LeBron wins it again as I didn't care for how the media and general public ganged up on him when he made that going to South Beach mistake.
It seemed to me that he enjoyed playing the "Bad Guy" for a while after that, but then got tired of it. I was glad when he returned to his naturally personable self. :)

I don't care a whole lot about this series, but my son is a HUGE Heat fan, so there's that. . .
 

Ockeghem

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Walter,LOL. With the Heat up by six points with under eight minutes to go, I thought "Here we go again." Thankfully, the Spurs' 31-9 run put the Heat away. I really hope the Spurs go to Miami up 2-0. Otherwise ... you know the drill. ;)
 

Patrick Sun

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Yeah, what was up with the "Heat" last night? Heard it got up to 102 degrees in there... The sport talk about Lebron cramping up was unmercifully sharp.
 

Ockeghem

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Patrick,Two things are fairly well known in the world of sports. Peyton Manning cannot play in the cold, and LeBron James cannot play in the heat.

http://espn.go.com/nba/playoffs/2014/story/_/id/11043152/lebron-james-disappointed-game-1-exit-says-ready-game-2

Seriously, game two is beyond pivotal for the Spurs. In the past four or five playoff series in which the Heat have lost game one, they have come back to win game two and then series was pretty much over regardless of whom they were playing. In my opinion, game two is vital for San Antonio to win if they are to win this series. The Heat will win at least two-of-three in Miami. But if they go down 0-2 and (assuming they go 2-1 at home) then have to win two in San Antonio I would say that even mighty Miami cannot do that.
 

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I thought it was a bad sign when Parker and Duncan missed 4 free throws in a row. Can't squander so many free points!
 

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Lebron's big hitch is that he played more minutes then any other player in the league this year and it wasn't even close. Eventually the body doesn't like that.. but watching that cramp he took and seeing Game 2 you know it was a smart move to get him out of there, even if they lost to make sure he didn't injure himself. You'll take him coming back in Game 2 and performing like that and running up a win.
 

Ockeghem

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I realize that Miami is rarely out of a game, but I am loving what I'm seeing thus far in the first half. The Spurs are up 71-50. I hope they continue their torrid shooting and win by about forty or so points.
 

Ockeghem

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The Heat have cut it to ten (90-80) with 8:30 to go in the fourth quarter. Let's go Spurs!

Now that's more like it. I love the fact that the Spurs got gritty when they had to tonight. Seeing the Heat get blown out on their own court is a lot of fun. :)

I've been rooting for San Antonio since about 1927, so it's not like I'm just rooting against the Heat or anything. ;) At least now Miami will have to win another game in San Antonio if they have any hope of three-peating.
 

Patrick Sun

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Just read the amazing FG percentage shooting in the first half in Game 3. Wowzers! Need to see if theSpurs can just push through the next 2 games on the road too. :D
 

Ockeghem

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Patrick,

Yeah, it set a record (75.8%) for an NBA finals.
 

Aaron Silverman

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The craziest thing about that game is that the day after the Heat gave a historically bad defensive performance (granted, it was due more to great shooting than to bad defense), all the talk is of them trying to acquire. . .

Carmelo Anthony?!?!?!

What's wrong with this picture? :D
 

Ockeghem

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I'm really hoping that having Phil Jackson and Derek Fisher in New York will motivate Carmelo Anthony to stay there and try to win a championship with the Knickerbockers.
 

Ockeghem

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Needless to say, I am thrilled with how San Antonio is handling the Heat -- and in Miami. After blowing them out in game three, they're headed for another blowout. I did not see this coming once the series was tied 1-1, especially given Miami's penchant for winning series after they have won game two. The Spurs look better now than they did in their previous three playoff series.
 

Ockeghem

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I was surprised to learn that game five is in San Antonio. I knew that changing the NBA Finals format back to 2-2-1-1-1 had been discussed, but I didn't realize until yesterday that it went into effect this year. I thought it was going into effect next year.

The way the Spurs are playing I doubt it would even matter where the next games are played. I think it's safe to post this now since no team has ever come back from a 3-1 deficit in an NBA Finals to win the series.

 

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