Thoughts running through my head as I go fishing with Kenny and Chuck...
Damn, damn, damn. The Spurs are out. Damn, damn, damn! Hey, remember that face Mark Cuban made when Manu Ginobili
made that three to put the Spurs up for the first time in the game? Well, that's the face I'll be wearing until November. Aside
from the Magic, the Spurs are my favorite team. I think they're the best run organization and aside from that one year where
they tanked the season due to injuries so they could have first crack at Tim Duncan, the Spurs haven't won less than 50 games
since 1994. That's quite impressive. Anyway, they ran into a totally motivated Dallas team that was both hungrier and quicker.
As hard as it is to admit, Gregg Popovich got out coached by his former point guard. Avery did a masterful job of juggling his
completely superior bench and creating lineups that presented mismatches all over the floor.
The only highlight for the Spurs? The heroic play of Duncan, who on one wheel - after having to play all season with
foot problems - rose to the occasion and almost single handily, willed the Spurs to a game seven. And if coach Pop had been
smart enough to give Duncan the ball at the end of regulation instead of a totally inconsistent, wild, yet capable Ginobili,
the Spurs would still be playing. Oh well. They're going home and the Mavs are moving on.
To avoid another eight paragraphs as a rant to this extraordinary series that was clearly one of the best in recent
memory, let's shift our focus to the purpose of this commentary. We're down to the final four. Let's take a look at how each
conference final will shape up.
(1) Detroit Pistons v. (2) Miami Heat
Here's what I wrote about the Heat in my last commentary: I'm like everyone else out there who hates the way Pat Riley
assembled the Heat. They have too many shooters and not enough complementary players.
Needless to say, I, like everyone else, completely ignored the possibility that this group of "stars" would use all
this heat (no pun intended) and criticism from this entire season and use it as motivation to build great chemistry. For
whatever reason, we always focused on this team completely imploding and not once think, "What if this team actually was on the
same page. How good would they be?" Well, we're finding our answer now. The Heat has won five straight games which include
four straight against the Nets and game one against the Pistons.
Speaking of the Pistons, I don't know what it is, but this is not the same team that was hungry for a championship in
2004. As good as Detroit has been over the past five years, they have one thing in common with the Spurs: A lack of a
championship killer instinct. The Pistons only decide to wake up and play their style of basketball when their backs are
against the wall. I mean think about it. You think Jordan and the Bulls would have let the Bucks steal two games against them?
You think Shaq and Kobe in their prime together would have let Lebron James and four backup singers to take them to a game 7?
Of course not. Those teams had championship killer instinct. Guys like Jordan and Kobe would rip the collective hearts of their
opponent's right out their chest like a fatality in Mortal Kombat. No way Jordan lets an inferior team take his team to the
brink of elimination. Now, after skating through and barely making it past the Cavs, the Pistons finally play a team that has
equal talent and new found ammunition (in the form of team chemistry).
So who am I taking in this series? Well, matchups really don't mean much. Coaching is about equal (they're both
overrated). When it really comes down to it, it's going to be about who wants it more. The Heat looks like they're the team
on a mission. The Pistons look like a team just skating through as if they have the automatic switch to turn on their
dominance. Unfortunately, they don't have a Jordan or Kobe who can take over games when they need to. The Heat, on the other
hand, has a superstar in the making with D-Wade. And let's not forget that he's got a bitter taste in his mouth and feels
partially responsible for the Heat losing last year in game 7 (by missing game 6 with the Pistons on the ropes). I think Wade
takes his game to the same level as Jordan and Kobe, and the Pistons join the Spurs at the travel agency.
Prediction: Miami in Seven
(4) Dallas Mavericks v. (2) Phoenix Suns
How do the Suns do it? Seriously. They have no one in their rotation over 6'9". They have duplications at the two and
three spots that everyone essentially brings the same thing to the table. They have a two time MVP who hasn't played defense
since 2002. They have a top 15 player in street clothes, and no one other than their MVP point guard who can create his own
shot. And yet, the Suns find their way back in the Western Conference finals again. I just don't get it.
Here's the thing about the Suns. The players only look good because they work well within the system. The Suns have a
system where if you're unselfish and love to shoot, there's a place for you (see Eddie House). For instance, you think Tim
Thomas just started playing like an all-star the minute he stepped foot in Phoenix? Of course not. He's the same Tim Thomas
who has been nothing but a huge disappointment since being drafted. He's the same Tim Thomas who never played outside of
himself, always giving just enough to get noticed, but not enough to make him anything better than a role player. It's the
same Tim Thomas who once called Kenyon Martin "Fugazzi" on national TV. On the Suns he looks great. In any other system, he's
a top four banana at best. It's that simple. Guys just look better in a Suns uniform. So if I'm a head coach or GM, as much
as I like a guy like Boris Diaw or James Jones, I know that I'm not going to get that same production on my team because I
play a totally different style. So while Suns players have put themselves in a great position financially, I can't shake the
feeling that someone will overpay for some of these guys without realizing that some times your level of effectiveness is
predicated on the system in which you play. Oh well.
Anyway, if you love offensive basketball, then you'll love this series. The Mavericks were the Suns before the Suns
were the Suns (got that?). They used to play an up and down type of game to minimal success. The Suns are in the same boat.
They're run and gun style of play will only work for so long. It takes a much disciplined basketball team who plays defense
and has a presence in the paint to beat the Suns. The Spurs did that last season. The key will be whether or not the Mavs
are a better team for beating the Spurs or if they will revert to their old style of play and try to run with Phoenix. If
they do, they'll be making a huge mistake and will out of this series soon. But, if the Mavs and superduperstar (he added the
"Duper" in the Spurs series) Dirk Nowitzki can play their game and take advantage of the numerous mismatches on the floor,
the Mavs should have no problem. If game one is any indication, Avery better head back to the drawing board and show his
team footage of just a few days ago. For me, as long as the Suns don't make the finals, I'm a happy camper.
Prediction: Mavs in Seven
See you in the Finals!
Kevin Anthony Jones is a contributing writer for MagicPride.t35.com. He is an instructional designer and technical
writer in his real life and won't bore you with the details. He writes articles every chance he gets and although he's never
busy, there is such a thing called writers block. If you'd like to contact KAJ, send your E-mail's to
bigsmooth7@gmail.com.
