Liver's 2007 NBA Finals Pick: Spurs over Cavs

I think we can add LeBron James' Game Five showing against the Pistons to the list of greatest NBA playoff performances in the modern era.

There's Magic starting for an injured Kareem in Game Six of the '80 Finals, Isiah going off in the fourth quarter against the Knicks in the '84 first round, and Jordan's 63 points against the Celtics in the '86 first round—to name a few. 

 

What LeBron did—48 points, 29 of his team's last 30, and 25 straight from the fourth quarter through two OTs—was unlike anything I've seen in 22 years of watching basketball.

 

In typical David Stern fashion, the league made us wait FIVE days for the Finals start. So much for good publicity. Stern could have capitalized on the LeBron hype by starting the Finals early—and don't give me this shit about locked-in TV times. With a ratings bonanza on the line, ABC would have been flexible.

 

In a league with an ABSOLUTELY MEANINGLESS regular season, you've got to cash in on a good playoff buzz while you can. This isn't the NFL—the NBA needs to work hard to attract the average sports fan. 

 

I wonder how long it'll be before Stern enacts another bullshit rule like the flagrant foul (conceived for his precious Airness) to protect LeBron.

 

One last point: I don't mean to piss in your beer, Detroit fans...but what the HELL was Joe Dumars thinking bringing back Flip Saunders as coach— The man CLEARLY has no control over his team—and he got out-coached by Mike F***ING Brown. Watching those two coach was like seeing Emmett Fitz-Hume and Austin Milbarge from Spies Like Us on the sidelines.

 

The following NBA Finals pick is straight-up. Only Gary Sheffield, O'Dell Thurman, Lou Piniella, Carlos Zambrano, Billy Donovan, Lindsay Lohan, Danny DeVito, and Paris Hilton would be drunk enough to question the Esteemed Liver's pick.

 

 

2007 NBA Finals: Cleveland Cavaliers vs. San Antonio Spurs

 

That sigh of relief you hear is Stern thanking the devil that LeBron is in the Finals and the Pistons aren't. 

 

Even the Spurs players admit that more people are going to tune in now that Boy Wonder is in the big dance. Never mind that it would have been a MUCH better series had Detroit advanced—or that there'll be enough flopping and diving to fill an English soccer match.

 

The Spurs have a clear edge at every position except center and small forward. LeBron will get his points and free throws on Bruce Bowen, whose defense has gotten worse as the playoffs have worn on. (See Deron Williams' performance in the Conference Finals.)

 

Zydrunas Ilgauskas MUST take advantage of Fabricio Oberto, who has a tendency to get in early foul trouble.  Oberto rarely gets his number called, but he's shooting 67 percent in the playoffs.  Ilgauskas is at 52.5 percent.

 

As for Tim Duncan vs. Drew Gooden—please. In the playoffs, Duncan is averaging 23.2 points and 11.4 rebounds while shooting 53.9 percent and controlling the paint. Gooden has been a factor in maybe a handful of the Cavs' postseason games...and that's being generous.

 

Anderson Varejao and his obnoxious 'fro may be able to draw some cheap calls against Duncan.  The more I watch Varejao, the more I think that a) Vlade Divac and Reggie Miller must co-teach a flopping seminar for all foreign NBA players; and b) Antonio McDyess didn't hit Varejao hard enough.

 

At shooting guard, Michael Finley can still make big shots when needed. He's not the offensive threat he was with the Mavericks—but he might average 20 a game against Sasha Pavlovic's non-existent D. Watching Pavlovic play is akin to listening to that hot drunk girl at the bar you want to sleep with: mildly entertaining because of the potential...until you start to feel sorry for her.

 

At point guard, Tony Parker will have few if any problems penetrating against Larry Hughes and his sore foot. Parker's quickness to the basket will free things up for Duncan or leave the Spurs' sharpshooters open for threes.  Fellow UT alum Daniel Gibson—who came out of nowhere to give LeBron some much-needed help in Game Six—might see the majority of the playing time here if Hughes can't keep up.

 

Pick your bench: San Antonio's (with Ginobili, Horry, Barry, Vaughn, and Elston) or Cleveland's (with Varejao, Gibson, Marshall, Jones, and Snow). If Ginobili plays like he has the last few games and Gibson can't continue his hot streak, it's not even close.

 

As for coaching—Gregg Popovich versus Mike Brown—Get serious. Besides,  everyone knows LeBron's the real man in charge for the Cavs.

 

I would say sweep here—and San Antonio is certainly capable of it—but the Spurs have a history of stinking up a game before they go rolling.  So...

 

Liver's Prediction: Spurs in 5

 

 

By the way: Do I smell NFL training camp around the corner? Think I'll ask my AA sponsor to buy me a drink. 'Til then...end of line.