2007 NBA Finals Thread: Cleveland Cavaliers v San Antonio Spurs

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This season’s NBA Finals sees the Western Conference Champions the San Antonio Spurs take on their Eastern Conference counterparts the Cleveland Cavaliers, who are making their first ever Finals visit. The Spurs have not had too much trouble making it to the Finals again, but the Cavs are the product of two close series against the Nets and, most recently, the Detroit Pistons, in which LeBron James and Daniel Gibson made incredible performances to guide them through
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Game #<font color="#F9FAFA">-----</font>Date<font color="#F9FAFA">-----------</font>Location<font color="#F9FAFA">----</font>Time<font color="#F9FAFA">--</font>TV<font color="#F9FAFA">------</font>CLE<font color="#F9FAFA">--</font>-<font color="#F9FAFA">--</font>SAS
Game 1<font color="#F9FAFA">-----</font>Thu Jun 7<font color="#F9FAFA">------</font>San Antonio<font color="#F9FAFA">--</font>9<font color="#F9FAFA">----</font>ABC<font color="#F9FAFA">-----</font><font color="#F9FAFA">-----</font>-<font color="#F9FAFA">--</font>
Game 2<font color="#F9FAFA">-----</font>Sun Jun 10<font color="#F9FAFA">-----</font>San Antonio<font color="#F9FAFA">--</font>9<font color="#F9FAFA">----</font>ABC<font color="#F9FAFA">-----</font><font color="#F9FAFA">-----</font>-<font color="#F9FAFA">--</font>
Game 3<font color="#F9FAFA">-----</font>Tue Jun 12<font color="#F9FAFA">-----</font>Cleveland<font color="#F9FAFA">----</font>9<font color="#F9FAFA">----</font>ABC<font color="#F9FAFA">-----</font><font color="#F9FAFA">-----</font>-<font color="#F9FAFA">--</font>
Game 4<font color="#F9FAFA">-----</font>Thu Jun 14<font color="#F9FAFA">-----</font>Cleveland<font color="#F9FAFA">----</font>9<font color="#F9FAFA">----</font>ABC<font color="#F9FAFA">-----</font><font color="#F9FAFA">-----</font>-<font color="#F9FAFA">--</font>
Game 5<font color="#F9FAFA">-----</font>Sun Jun 17<font color="#F9FAFA">-----</font>Cleveland<font color="#F9FAFA">----</font>9<font color="#F9FAFA">----</font>ABC<font color="#F9FAFA">-----</font><font color="#F9FAFA">-----</font>-<font color="#F9FAFA">--</font>
Game 6<font color="#F9FAFA">-----</font>Tue Jun 19<font color="#F9FAFA">-----</font>San Antonio<font color="#F9FAFA">--</font>9<font color="#F9FAFA">----</font>ABC<font color="#F9FAFA">-----</font><font color="#F9FAFA">-----</font>-<font color="#F9FAFA">--</font>
Game 7<font color="#F9FAFA">-----</font>Thu Jun 21<font color="#F9FAFA">-----</font>San Antonio<font color="#F9FAFA">--</font>9<font color="#F9FAFA">----</font>ABC<font color="#F9FAFA">-----</font><font color="#F9FAFA">-----</font>-<font color="#F9FAFA">--</font>
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The Cavaliers have managed to fight through the Pistons in 6, thanks to the coming of the King is Game 5, as LeBron scored a career playoff high of 48 points. However, this may have taken its toll on LeBron, as he managed a lower 20 points in Game 6, but Daniel Gibson took over with 31 points. There is no doubt that the Cavs will have their work cut out, as they are weaker in every position but for the SF spot – LeBron James, and possibly Zydrunas Ilgauskas at the C spot too. The only way for the Cavs to win will be to RISE UP.



PG – Larry Hughes


Hughes has not been all that comfortable in Cleveland since joining in 2005. He has spent long periods of time out injured, and has only shown brief flashes of the brilliance that earned him his $60 million+ contract. Now that the Cavaliers have made the NBA Finals, it is essential that Hughes proves why he is worthy of the contract and must be on top form defensively for the Cavaliers to be in with a good chance to win. His job will be to try to contain the French PG Tony Parker, who is often a game winner for the Spurs.

SG – Aleksandar ‘Sasha’ Pavlovic


Pavlovic might not actually start in this series, such has been the play of Daniel Gibson recently. If Gibson starts instead, expect Larry Hughes to slide across here and guard Finley instead. Pavlovic is a weak link defensively, but I wouldn’t say he is a liability as such, just weak. Expect, therefore, to see the Spurs try to take advantage of this, utilising their wing duo of Michael Finley and Sixth Man Manu Ginobili to beat Pavlovic off the dribble. Should Pavlovic not be able to stop this, the Cavaliers will be in serious trouble.

SF – LeBron James


LeBron James just recently made his first step into legendary status with his incredible 48 point performance to silence and stun not only the Pistons and their fans, but also the entire world. He has now proven that he is capable of carrying the Cleveland team to victory against good teams with a mixture of dunks, three-pointers and, most importantly, clutch shots. The hopes and dreams of all Cleveland fans lie solely on his back. To quote his most rivalled company, the motto of Cleveland must now be (along with ‘Rise Up’) ‘Impossible is Nothing’.

PF – Drew Gooden


Gooden has had a solid, but not strong, Playoffs so far. He has been good, proving his ability to score, but has only had one stand-out performance, scoring 24 points and grabbing 14 rebounds way back in April against the weakened Wizards. Though some people call Coach Brown stupid, surely he will not be ignorant enough to match Drew Gooden up with Tim Duncan, so instead expect to see the former Kansas man match up with the Argentine big man Fabricio Oberto. Gooden will have a key job to do in grabbing rebounds and, if he succeeds and also scores a few points inside, he can lay the first steps to Cavaliers glory.


C – Zydrunas Ilgauskas


Ilgauskas will have a very tough job in this series, as he will likely be given the task of guarding Tim Duncan and his wide arsenal of moves. Importantly, Ilgauskas must ensure that he still grabs multiple rebounds and scores around 15 points per game, as well as guarding and trying to stop Duncan. It is no mean feat, but Ilgauskas will know that if he fails miserably, the Cavs will stand virtually no chance of winning the NBA Championship. If he succeeds, well, then the Cavs can go all the way.

Key Bench Player – Daniel 'Boobie' Gibson


Gibson has just made the performance of his life, scoring 31 points against the Detroit Pistons, including 19 in the fourth quarter, to win the game, and the series, for the Cavaliers. The man affectionately known as Boobie has seemingly shot to stardom and into the media spotlight, who will no doubt scrutinise his every move. Not as much as LeBron’s, but enough. Yes, Gibson is a promising player, but it may be expecting too much for him to light the world on fire on the biggest stage of them all. One of his key jobs will be to draw fouls from Tim Duncan, to hopefully get him into trouble and therefore have to sit for long periods of time. If Gibson can do this job, or indeed make some incredible, awe-inspiring performances, then he will set the Cavs in good stead for winning a Championship.

Key Bench Player – Anderson Varejao


Varejao is an eccentric player, capable of inspiring the Cavaliers fans with his energy and hustle. This energy is contagious within the Cavaliers team, and can often be an antidote to the opponent’s energy. If he can make the momentum-changes for the Cavaliers that he is capable of, he could just send them on scoring bursts that help them win games. And if he can do that consistently, he could just send them off on their way to an NBA Championship.













Cavaliers’ Keys to winning the series
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[*]Win the Battle on the Boards. This is one of the Cavaliers’ main strengths, and a distinct opportunity for them to get one over on the Spurs. If Drew Gooden and Zydrunas Ilgauskas, amongst others, can grab a lot of offensive boards, the Cavs will gain more second chance opportunities which will give them a huge chance to beat the Spurs.
[*]Rally behind LeBron James. Not only has LeBron James just proven that he is capable of making big plays at big moments, but the Cavaliers are 3-0 against the Spurs when LeBron James scores 30 or more points, and 1-3 when he scores 20 or fewer. The stats, therefore, show that when he scores, the Cavs win. When he doesn’t, they won’t. In addition, the Cavaliers’ supporting cast, especially Larry Hughes, Ilgauskas and Gibson, will have to step up. If they can average around 15 points each, they will provide themselves with a great opportunity to beat the Spurs.
[*]Contain Tim Duncan. Whether this is by getting Duncan into foul trouble, by smothering him on defense, or even sending him to the foul line, it is essential that the Cavs do something that will slow down the amazing Tim Duncan on the court.
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The Spurs will be competing in their third of the last five NBA Finals. And they are possibly at their strongest yet. Not only do they have arguable their weakest opponents in the Cleveland Cavaliers, but they also have an incredibly strong and deep lineup, with Manu Ginobili as their sixth man. On top of that, they have Mr. Clutch in Robert Horry, a man who seemingly cannot miss in the closing minutes of tight games. They have all the pieces to win another NBA Championship and, with homecourt advantage as well as a better team, it is theirs to lose. It is the Cavaliers’ to win.

PG – Tony Parker


Parker is a tremendous talent for the San Antonio Spurs. He is perfectly capable of speeding past a player to get to the hoop for an easy lay-up, pulling up for a mid-range jumpshot or of making a key pass to provide another player with an easy shot. If Parker plays to the best of his ability, the Spurs will most likely be able to place both hands onto the Larry O’Brien trophy. If he doesn’t, the rest of the Spurs will have to produce consistently good performances.


SG – Michael Finley


Finley was released by the Dallas Mavericks under the amnesty provision in 2005. As he became available, it allowed the Spurs to strengthen their side yet more. As Finley would still be receiving his large contract from the Mavs, it also enabled the Spurs to sign a quality player for just $2.9 million per year. Finley will have an important role in this series, and is accustomed to scoring three pointers as well as making key free throws, which will help to guide the Spurs to yet another Championship.

SF – Bruce Bowen


Arguably the best perimeter defender in the League, with an occasional cynical approach to defending against jumpshots, whenever one sees LeBron James go for a jumpshot, one will also immediately look where Bowen places his foot in relation to LeBron’s landing point. Aside from the well-publicised foot, Bowen is a tenacious defender, capable of containing great players. His obvious job will be to defend LeBron James and, if successful, the Spurs will be able to stroll en route to an easy title.


PF – Tim Duncan


The three-time Finals MVP and two-time Regular Season MVP Tim Duncan is obviously no stranger to winning Championships and awards. Nor is he one to shy away from the pressure of an NBA Finals appearance. Ever. He is certain to lead from the front, in a bid to earn San Antonio their fourth NBA Championship. He is a complete player, who’s major weakness is the fact that he is often drawn into foul trouble by opposing teams and as such, he will have to look out for LeBron James and Daniel Gibson, who will do everything possible to draw fouls out of the Spurs’ star. If he performs like we all know he can, the Spurs win. It’s that simple.

C – Fabricio Oberto


Oberto is the weakest link of the Spurs team. That is not to see the he is an awful, ghastly player, it is merely a compliment to the quality of the Spurs roster. He is not great, but a solid Center, capable of decent numbers, and supporting the rest of his team with a few rebounds and points. If he shows up and continues doing what he is capable of, he won’t light up the court, but he will lay the foundations to a Spurs win.


Key Bench Player – Emanuel 'Manu' Ginobili


Ginobili placed second in the NBA Sixth Man of the Year award voting this year, and is an invaluable member of this Spurs team. He is averaging 16 points in these playoffs, but it is his circus shots and studding three point plays that rejuvenate and rally the Spurs in some of their more impressive performances. If he can keep in line with his scoring average, and make some of his ridiculous plays, the Spurs will no doubt be within touching distance of the trophy.






Key Bench Player – Robert Horry


Horry is one of those players who is simple incredible. Not usually, however, usually he is just your run-of-the-mill kind of player who is neither a heavy scorer nor contributor. However, when you get to the fourth quarter in a close game, Horry morphs into some kind of superhero. He can knock down three point shots and will make the clutch plays when nobody else can. It is that that makes him an invaluable player to the Spurs. He was, earlier in the Playoffs, involved in controversy regarding his forearm and Steve Nash, for which he was suspended two games and so, conveniently, were the Suns’ stars Boris Diaw and Amar Stoudemire. Big Shot Bob (as Horry is known) is only key in the closing stages of close games – a time where being a key player earns you repect and makes you into a much-sought after type of player. If he ever needs to come up big in this series, be sure, he will, and could propel the Spurs to a close victory or two.

Spurs’ Keys to winning the series
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[*]Stop LeBron James. The Spurs will know that this is such an important task of the series. If they can contain and stop the physical phenom, they ought to be able to stroll to victory. If, on the other hand, LeBron is allowed to run riot, making shot after shot and dishing assist after assist, the Spurs will be in serious danger of losing the chance to be the NBA Champions.
[*]Play through Tim Duncan at all opportunities. He is one of the finest players in this era, and is more than capable of tearing the Cavs’ low post defense to shreds. If the Spurs can take full advantage of this, Duncan will not only score a monumental number of points, but it will also allow their perimeter players to be left open as the Cavaliers run to double or triple team Duncan. If Duncan is utilised well, as surely he will be, the Spurs should be able to defeat the Cavaliers.
[*]Ensure that the field goal percentage is at its usual high standards. The Spurs shoot 46% from the field and 39% from downtown. If they can continue these standards throughout the Finals, the Cavs will struggle and probably be ousted before too long.
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<u>Prediction</u>
Since LeBron James entered the League in 2003, the Cavs and Spurs have met 8 times. The have won 4 apiece, with the Cavs averaging 89.75 points per game and the Spurs 93.25. LeBron James averages 26.4 points, 6.4 rebounds and 5.1 assists against the Spurs, but will probably need to up those to around 34, 7 and 7 if the Cavaliers are to stand any chance of beating the Spurs. Interestingly, the Cavaliers have never lost the Spurs when LeBron James scores more than 30 points, and won both meetings between the two sides in the regular season. To add more spice to the matchup, Coach Mike Brown used to be an assistant in San Antonio under Gregg Popovich, winning a championship in 2003. He is also still in contact with his former mentor and now rival for the 2007 NBA Championship. They will therefore both, but Popvich especially, know each other’s mindsets very well, and already have their counter-plans arranged. It should be a good series, in what is the Cavaliers’ first ever visit to the Finals, and I expect the Spurs to win in 6, possibly 7.

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As much as I want LeBron to win it all, I think the Cavs would be lucky to get a win against the determined San Antonio Spurs.

4-1 Spurs.

 

The Spurs dirty play couldn't overcome the Cavs during the regular season, and it sure as hell isn't going to overcome them in the Finals. Spurs just don't match up well against them at all.

ANAL-ists said:
we wouldn't get past even the Wizards
Then they said Nets.
Then they said Pistons.

I hope I'm not going to have to hear about us not beating the Spurs....

 

<div class="quote_poster">Lostmyluggage Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">The Spurs dirty play couldn't overcome the Cavs during the regular season, and it sure as hell isn't going to overcome them in the Finals. Spurs just don't match up well against them at all.

ANAL-ists said:
we wouldn't get past even the Wizards
Then they said Nets.
Then they said Pistons.

I hope I'm not going to have to hear about us not beating the Spurs....</div>
I don't know what television stations you watch, but I don't think one analyst picked the Wiz over the Cavs, especially because Arenas and Butler weren't playing...

 

<div class="quote_poster">Lostmyluggage Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">The Spurs dirty play couldn't overcome the Cavs during the regular season, and it sure as hell isn't going to overcome them in the Finals. Spurs just don't match up well against them at all.

ANAL-ists said:
we wouldn't get past even the Wizards
Then they said Nets.
Then they said Pistons.

I hope I'm not going to have to hear about us not beating the Spurs....</div>


I cant wait to see what excuses you're going to make when the Cavs lose. Playoffs is physical basketball, quit calling the Spurs dirty and realize that the Cavs are going to get their butts spanked.

 

<div class="quote_poster">Lostmyluggage Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">

ANAL-ists said:
we wouldn't get past even the Wizards
Then they said Nets.</div>
No they didn't, you guys were not underdogs until the ECF. It is a huge mountain to climb and I don't think Cleveland will be able to pull it off. I'll be rooting for them however I'm going to have to pick, Spurs in SIX.

EDIT: 23 beat me to it.

 

<div class="quote_poster">Lostmyluggage Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">The Spurs dirty play couldn't overcome the Cavs during the regular season, and it sure as hell isn't going to overcome them in the Finals. Spurs just don't match up well against them at all.

ANAL-ists said:
we wouldn't get past even the Wizards
Then they said Nets.
Then they said Pistons.

I hope I'm not going to have to hear about us not beating the Spurs....</div>

As others have said, to be perfectly honest, I didn't hear anything of the Cavs not winning a series until the Pistons series was about to begin. Most analysts said Cavs in 4 against the Wizards, and then 5 or 6 over the Nets. Only when the Cavs played the Pistons did they say they might lose in 6 or 7.

In my heart of hearts I don't truly believe that the Cavs have the depth to surpass the Spurs, as much as I'd love them to. And this is coming from a Cavs fan...

 

Varajeo vs Bowen

Battle of the Floppers, this will be fun

 

Spurs take series 4-1.

The Spurs have almost everything you need to win a title, but the bottomline is that San Antonio won`t fall asleep on you. Like I said from the beginning of the playoffs, the Spurs are the most focused team in the game and they`re goal is to take apart a team one game at a time. Gregg Popovich won`t let his team think elsewhere.

 

If the Spurs lose, I think Duncan will ask for a trade, then say he loves SA. They will not lose. I want the Cavs to win, just so the Spurs don't win, because I don't want them to win again. The Cavs however, will not win, they don't have that great of a chance.

Spurs in 5.

 

Has ESPN hyped up Golden Boy?

 

Spurs are playing great defense on Lebron. He just seems puzzled. The obvious thing would be to get your teammates involved, but SA is daring him to make shots.

 

LeBron is getting sufficated out there, I'm guessing he'll be back in after this Time Out.

On a side note, loving these American commericals, so funny.

 

The Cavs biggest problem is triple teaming Tim Duncan, its just leaving an easy path for Tony Parker to the rim. Loved that fake Duncan pulled on the double team, then pulled back and drained the mid range shot, one of the most beautiful plays I think I've ever seen.

 

Gibson has been looking good as of lately. They need to set up more plays for him, it's clear that he can ball. This might be the guy they have been looking for to take pressure off Lebron.

 

Hughes was absolutely terrible tonight. Took too many jumpers coming right down the court. As the point guard he should have looked to set up his teammates more, or at least get it to Lebron's hands.

If Cleveland loses Game 2 as well then Mike Brown should take a chance and maybe start Donyell Marshall or Daniel Gibson. They need perimeter shooters to stretch out the defense and give space for James, Pavlovic and Hughes to drive. San Antonio is just daring the Cavs to shoot and Cleveland can't adjust. Lebron was too passive this game for Cleveland to have won.

 

<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Hughes was absolutely terrible tonight. Took too many jumpers coming right down the court. As the point guard he should have looked to set up his teammates more, or at least get it to Lebron's hands.</div>

Problem is, he isn't a distributor. It's just not his game, and I'm surprised Mike Brown still starts him at point.


Oh and he's always dealing with injuries.

<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post"> Lebron was too passive this game for Cleveland to have won.</div>

Well wasn't he like 1-10? He was constantly double or triple teamed.

 

Does anyone know how old Gibson is?