No place to hideBy Steve Kerr, Yahoo! SportsJune 6, 2006Steve KerrYahoo! Sports ExclusiveWhen I ran onto the floor for warmups for the first time in an NBA Finals game in 1996, I looked around and thought, "Where am I?"I was playing with the Chicago Bulls and we had won a league-record 72 games that season, so of course, we had home-court advantage in our matchup with Seattle. But the United Center looked nothing like it did for any of our previous games, either in the regular season or the playoffs.There were new banners and signs hanging everywhere, platforms set up for the media and NBA Finals logo stickers on the floors. It seemed that there were a thousand people milling around the court, most of them with cameras and microphones. And there was an unmistakable aura in the air that said, "This is the biggest game you'll ever play in."For me, when Game 1 started, there was too much adrenaline flowing through my veins. In the NBA you play so many regular season contests that, a few weeks into November, you settle into a groove where you don't get too emotional after individual games. You just play, knowing that if you lose or play poorly ? or both ? there's always a game the next night. That even occurs in the playoffs after several games ? you settle in, relax and find a comfort level.But the Finals were different for me in '96, and I knew it right away that night against the Sonics. The change in the surroundings in the United Center altered my usual approach to playing ? I was too pumped up, too nervous, too jumpy. My first shot after entering the game was long, and so was my second. Before I knew it, I was out of rhythm, unable to find a comfortable flow. We won the game, but I missed all five shots I took and felt out of whack.ADVERTISEMENTA bad game or two in the regular season goes unnoticed, but in the Finals, it is cause for front-page coverage. There is so much scrutiny from the throng of media that every player's performance is put under a spotlight on a daily basis. If you're in a rut, you're going to hear about it every day, and the pressure can be suffocating.After my slow start in the series, I never did get comfortable, basically choking under the weight of the pressure. Fortunately, we beat the Sonics for the title and nobody remembered my uneven play. But I remember thinking that if I ever got another chance to play in the Finals again, I'd play much better.Well, since I had the fortune of playing with some of the best players in NBA history during my career ? Jordan, Pippen, Robinson, Duncan, etc. ? I received four more opportunities to play in the Finals, twice each with the Bulls and Spurs. The experience I had gained the first time helped me. I was ready for the media blitz ? there are outlets from all over the world hovering over you the entire series ? and the change in scenery in the arena. I was prepared for the intangible feeling that the games were "different."I felt more relaxed, played better and made some big shots. But without the knowledge I gained from my original Finals trip, I don't know if I would have played well in subsequent opportunities.The point I'm making is that, as the Dallas Mavericks and Miami Heat get ready to square off for the right to win the Larry O'Brien Trophy, experience is invaluable. There are sure to be jitters and butterflies for every player on the floor in the series opener, and the team that can get over those nerves more quickly has an advantage.A look at the respective rosters reveals that the Heat would have the edge in Finals experience. Both Shaquille O'Neal and Gary Payton have been to the Finals before ? Shaq with five trips and Payton two. (The last one being together with the Lakers in 2004). No doubt those two have been sharing thoughts and advice with their teammates on what to expect. And of course Pat Riley made seven trips with the Lakers and another with New York, so he has seen it all.For the Mavericks, only Keith Van Horn has Finals experience, playing for New Jersey during its Eastern Conference title run and ensuing 4-0 series loss to the Lakers in 2002. Other than Darrell Armstrong playing a bit role for Orlando in the '95 season when the Magic lost to Houston in the Finals, no other Maverick can say that he's been there before.That's where Avery Johnson's 1999 Finals run with San Antonio can help. Johnson ? who hit the game-winning shot for the Spurs in Game 5 in that series ? will counsel his team on what to expect ? from the media coverage to the change in the scenery to the scope of the national attention.Still, it is up to each individual player to respond to the pressure and perform at a high level. Some players will rise up and excel, while others will shrink under the glare of the spotlight.During Dallas' epic seven-game Western Conference semifinal series win over San Antonio, Johnson told his team that in order to win a championship, "You can't hide." He's exactly right. There can be no hiding in the Finals if you want to play well. And whichever team stands up, competes and absorbs the pressure ? starting Thursday in Game 1 ? will have the edge.Steve Kerr is Yahoo! Sports' NBA analyst. Send him a question or comment for potential use in a future column or webcast. http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news;_ylt=Ajhh...=yhoo&type=lgns
