Spurs Make It Five Championships in Dominating Form

San Antonio Spurs are one of the best franchises in sports. They had won four championships in 14 years as well as a duration of great seasons as well. San Antonio captured their fifth championship beating Miami Heat in five games in a blowout fashion for the last three of them. San Antonio won with a pure team effort with beautiful passing and always finding the open man. The way the Spurs put Miami to sleep was extremely impressive.

Kawhi Leonard is one of the youngest players to win NBA Finals MVP. Leonard, the soft-spoken assassin, dominated the series with his enhanced scoring and defense of LeBron James. He was a worthy candidate to take home the MVP award due to the series changing when Leonard started taking over on the offensive end. In the last three games, Leonard averaged 23.6 points a game with 9.3 rebounds shooting a stunning 68 percent from the field. Kawhi took total control of his series looking like the star people thought he could in the future. He had three big games vaulting him into another echelon of players whether the quiet Leonard likes it or not.  Although it might not be fair to him.

People might have forgotten Leonard averaged 12 points with six rebounds a game for the season. Leonard did not have an All-Star season by any means. He looked like an All-Star in the last three games but will this immediately correlate into him being a consistent All-Star?  The jury is still out. Leonard is still a young player with a developing offense game. The expectations for Kawhi will be sky high, but in reality, we need to take a step back in thinking about him as a premier player in the league. He is a good one, and Leonard has the skill set to be a great yet at this point of his career, we need to take it day by day instead of making rash overreactions about him.

Many people including yours truly believe Duncan has reached the end of the road. Not many athletes can retire on top like Duncan will be able to if he decides to retire. This would almost be a mic drop for Duncan's career letting people know he is one of the best to ever play the game. The question is what if Duncan and the Spurs decide to run it back for another year? San Antonio could be contenders for the title again next season if most of the team comes back. Patty Mills will likely be elsewhere, same could be the case for Matt Bonner. Sure, they will have battle in the West with Oklahoma City, Los Angeles Clippers, Golden State and Houston, but San Antonio is still on the iron throne. If one of these teams want to take control, they need to beat San Antonio first.

This is the dream scenario for the LeBron haters.  People will point to LeBron James being 2-3 in NBA Finals, but there is a definite flaw with that record. First of all, like quarterback wins, it is completely stupid to judge a player's NBA Finals as an indication of what he is as a basketball player.  LeBron lost his first Finals appearance playing with a gang of nobodies against San Antonio's team in their prime. The lost to Dallas is really the only surprise out of those five honestly. For perspective, Magic Johnson went 5-4 in his NBA Finals career and lost the last two of his career. LeBron will get back to the Finals at least one more time whether it is with Miami or not. The only time the Finals things becomes a discussion is if he doesn't win one ever again.

NBA season is over in a quick instant, but what a season. I keep saying there is no hotter sport than the game of basketball. Sure, NFL might be king, but the Internet is dominated by the NBA. It will only continue as they are many things to watch in the upcoming offseason.

Charlie.

Charlie & Adam Email About NBA Finals

So this is late and long, but Adam Hatlak and Charlie Tritschler emailed about the NBA Finals plus what could be next for San Antonio and Miami after a stunning Game 4. 

Charlie Tritschler  
Truth be told, I have no idea where to start with this one. We are four games into the NBA Finals and the Spurs are absolutely dominating. It reminds me a bit of 2004 NBA Finals when Detroit Pistons came in and housed the Lakers in five. Granted, Spurs were not as big of underdogs as the Pistons yet it was the last time we saw a true team effort take a title.

My first question for you Adam is where do we put Kawhi Leonard in the echelon of great players? It would probably be an overreaction to say he made 'the leap' because he had two great games. But he definitely will have more eyes on him? The expectation should be he's an All-Star next year. I also think he will be the main reason why Pop will coach for at least five more years.

Adam Hatlak 

I'm honestly not getting too excited about the Leonard "jump", I mean, isn't this who we thought he was? I thought he made a jump last finals as a player who COULD do this, but not a guy who was ready for night in and night out dominance. I think that is still the case. Coming in, I thought he was an excellent defensive player, that was continuing to make strides on offense. He didn't have a great start to the series, but has played really well the last two games. We forgot about him during the season and the beginning of the playoffs because he's a quiet guy, and plays for the Spurs, but I honestly don't think my opinion on him has changed that much.

Now, I'm concerned that sounds like I don't like Kawhi, which couldn't be further from the truth, he's fun to watch, plays hard, and impacts the game significantly on both sides of the ball. I saw the article by Tom Ziller about Leonard deserving more credit for his development than the Spurs, which is true, but the fact he was able to develop in a system instead of having to be "The Man" right away helped him. If the Kings had taken him, he'd be forced to play outside of his game to start. He's going to keep growing in the Spurs ball movement focused offense.

I'm not a fan of overreactions to one or two games, but it seems obvious that the type of games that have been on display in the Finals will alter both teams' off season plans. Do you think a Finals win means retirement for the Spurs players? Will they all go together, or separate? Let's ignore the Melo story line for right now, but what are the Heat going to do to fix this?

Charlie Tritschler 

You're right. It was one of those situations where Leonard fell into the perfect spot. No pressure and allowed his game to build like his 3-point shooting. He shot 29 percent at San Diego State, and in his first three years with the Spurs, he shoots around 37 percent. That's not San Antonio driven, that's more Leonard making himself a better player. I have a feeling he will only get better.

I have a feeling Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili will ride off into the sunset if the Spurs win. Duncan has nothing left to prove, added his fifth ring, will only be the third player to win a ring in three decades. He can retire on top, something very rare for a player to do. Ginobili would also get similar satisfactions and with how his body has taken a toll over the years, it makes sense. This would also make San Antonio an interesting team this weekend.

Miami is screwed. Dwyane Wade is going to stay on his player option meaning he will be there another year which is terrible for the team. Chris Bosh might opt-out if he is smart. I know he loves Miami but you gotta think about being a good second banana to a team or the headliner. Imagine if he went to Dallas or Golden State? Even Houston for that matter. LeBron is the million dollar question. A part of me thinks he will opt-out causing everyone to freak out, but then he at least gives him a chance to explore his options. I don't know if it all blows up, but it could get real interesting.

Back to the Finals... Even though he will not win the NBA Finals MVP, is it fair to say Boris Diaw is the second or third-best player on San Antonio's team right now?

Adam Hatlak 

I think you're right on the Spurs off season, Duncan and Ginobili can go out on top, as well as getting rid of the demons from last year's collapse. I think Pop might follow them out the door as well, but he might hang around with Parker.

Is Wade a max player anymore? I tend to think not, he took off a bunch of time during the regular season, and isn't consistent enough right now to carry a team. I tend to view a max player as a guy who can bring his team to the playoffs as the number one option, and I don't think Wade fits that bill anymore. James isn't going anywhere, he's in a destination city now, and can tell players to come play with him. I really don't think he will leave, but I think this team will look different next year. Battier, Chalmers, and Allen could all be gone next year, it might get ugly.

I don't think it's fair to say that Diaw is the second or third BEST player on San Antonio's team. If I were listing best players, it would look like Duncan, Parker, Leonard, Ginobili, Diaw. No doubt, Diaw is incredibly important to what the Spurs do, and presents a terrible matchup for Miami, but I don't think that makes him one of the best players. He could be considered for MVP of this series, though, and that's an incredible thought for a player who was once cut by the Bobcats.

Flash forward to a week from now, (June 20th would be the day of a game 7 if it happens) and miraculously the Heat have won two in a row to force a game 7 in this hypothetical, how would they do it?

Charlie Tritschler 

I disagree about Pop. I mean he is 65 years old, but with Parker and Leonard as his key cogs, it is not unreasonable to think he couldn't get a sixth title with those guys in the next five years. I don't see him coaching into his seventies, but who the hell knows with him. He seems like a 'by my own rules kind of guy.' 

He isn't but Wade wants a max deal. He has said publicly in his mind, he is still a max player. Now, he was TERRIBLE in Game 4 and really hasn't played well for most of the Finals. I don't think he is a number two on most teams in the league right now with his knee problems honestly. He cannot be taking seriously. But with all those players gone, they could reload with younger, more efficient bench players. What if they added Kyle Lowry as a starter with Trevor Ariza and Rodney Stuckey to their bench (All unrestricted free agents) with the Big 3, isn't that a scarier team than what they have right now?

Okay, maybe I overreacted there, but Boris is playing his ass off right now. It finally showed up a little more in the box score with eight points, nine rebounds and nine assists. I think he has been one of the most valuable guys on this team and a big reason it is 3-1.

The way the Heat get to Game 7 is actually pretty simple... They win Game 5. In an arena that will be jacked for the Spurs, Miami finds a way to kill their will would be massive. They also need more Chris Bosh. He added only 21 points in the last two games after back-to-back 18 point games in the first two. He needs to be part of the offense early on as that seems to be the key to unlock Bosh's scoring.

Adam Hatlak 

I think the title window closes for the Spurs when Duncan retires. They will still be good, but I don't think they will be able to win the loaded Western Conference. The Clippers, Thunder, Rockets, and Warriors are all on the way up still, and a Duncan-less Spurs would slip just enough in my opinion to not be contenders anymore. It's going to be too difficult for them to acquire a top-notch interior presence to replace Duncan. I doubt they will fall off a cliff like other teams do when they fall from contention, but the title window will close.

Ariza, Stuckey, and Lowry would make that team better, but I'm guessing Lowry will go for the team that offers him the most money, and that won't be Miami. Just like the Heat's first title run, the key, in my opinion, is Wade. LeBron took over the team when they finally won their first ring, but part of that was Wade realizing James was a better player. If Wade realizes again that the team can't be a dynasty with him at a max deal, and accepts a lesser role, the Heat can obviously reload right away. If Wade demands max money, something that nobody should fault him if he does, it will be tough for this team to fulfill their absolute potential. I could see them adding a big man Spencer Hawes or Jordan Hill, a wing who can defend and shoot, Ariza would be great if they can make it, and a point guard, would Patty Mills or Nate Robinson be the bench energy they need?

If the Heat are going to win any games, they need the Big Three to be the Big Three. The Spurs have out played them, no doubt about it, but Miami was built to have three players dominate with the role players doing specific jobs. Currently, only LeBron is dominant night in and night out. They need more help.

How long does this series go?

Charlie Tritschler 

You're probably right. They really cannot replace Duncan and Ginobili's production that quickly, but if Pop does stay, he is still the best coach in the Western Conference without question. If they get three good years, I could see San Antonio making some improbable run because of Pop and Kawhi is a next level player. They will be a perennial playoff team, but yes, the West will only get better with the Kings and Pelicans nipping at the heels as well.

Yeah that's probably a little ambitious by me, but I like where you headed with this one. Hill or Hawes would be a great option for Miami giving them some size and Patty Mills whom I love as a player and think could be a starter on some teams. Nate would be a fun one because I think he would add more character to this team and could be a valued bench player.

I think it ends Sunday. I really cannot see Miami bouncing back from two blowouts and finding a way to win on Sunday. What do you think.

Adam Hatlak 

I think San Antonio finishes them off in 5. Most series, I'd say that the Spurs are due for a drop off, but I think you're right, after how the series ended last year, I can't see the Spurs letting up. I expect a big game from LeBron, and one of Wade/Bosh, but I don't think all three will put it together.

Charlie & Adam 

NBA Finals Recap: LeBron & Bosh Shush San Antonio and Take Game 2

Miami Heat did not want to head back to South Beach trailing 2-0 in the series. That's not the Miami way in recent years. Miami hasn't lost back-to-back playoff games since the Eastern Conference Finals in 2012 when Boston took three straight games. The Heat got a primetime performance from LeBron James, Chris Bosh proving why he is one of the best second banana and how San Antonio squandered this game away in multiple ways.

Everyone took shots at The King after Thursday's night game where James left the game early with cramps brought on by AT&T Center's air conditioning going out mid-game. People loved to laugh at James because he is an easy target, and people love to pick on him. James heard all of shots and took full control of this game in the second half. He ended with 35 points and 10 rebounds. LeBron put on a complete clinic for anyone whom dared to give him a hard time about his cramping issues. He looked on another level than everyone else in that gym. When you get that LeBron, the only one whom can stop him is James himself.

James' night is more impressive considering he began the game missing three of his first four shots with only two points in the first. James would only miss five shots the rest of the game. He did in all different ways as well. Sometimes, we see LeBron take it to the lane and earn most of his points from the free throw. Not Sunday night as he made three 3-pointers in the second half along with other mid-range jumpers. James had the whole arsenal working on Sunday. If LeBron could be like Stone Cold Steve Austin and hold up middle fingers to the crowd, he would have easily have done it after this game. Solid way to bounce back from Game 1.  

Chris Bosh gets hated on so much by the NBA community. It is due to his antics and demeanor, but for a long time, people didn't take him seriously as a basketball player. Rather a player just coming along for the ride. This season, Bosh has been much more of the second option when LeBron has needed him. Even though James had a Hall of Fame-like performance, Bosh came up with the two biggest plays in the fourth quarter. Bosh drilled a big three in the corner like he has done all season with Miami. The Big Shot Bosh nickname rang true on Sunday night. Additionally, Bosh took Tim Duncan on the dribble causing Duncan to stumble with Miami's final possession leading to an easy dagger lay-up by Dwyane Wade ensuring Miami's victory. 

San Antonio has to be kicking themselves today though. They could have easily be up 2-0. Spurs put Miami on the ropes multiple times throughout the game but couldn't deliver the knockout punch at any point of the game. There were a couple times in the first half where San Antonio could have really push the lead out, but they would have a turnover or a couple missed shots like Miami stay in the game. Probably their biggest undoing was in the middle of the fourth quarter, San Antonio was up 87-85. Mario Chalmers would get called for a flagrant foul giving Tony Parker two free throws which he both missed and the following possession, Duncan missed two free throws as well. Naturally, LeBron hits a three on the following Duncan's two clanked throws.  If the Spurs make all four, they are up six with not much time left and take advantage of the quarter.  If Miami wins the series, we could point to the Spurs inability to close the door on Sunday. 

The series head to Miami where the Heat haven't lost all playoffs. James handled responding to the haters about the cramps and the target on Sunday. Now, he will have a chance to take control of this series. Something tells me he will not miss out on the opportunity. 

Charlie. 

NBA Finals Recap: LeBron Overheats as Spurs' Offense Shreds Miami

Usually when people are rushing to question Miami Heat's superstar LeBron James, they usually wait until after Game 3 or Game 4 when James has a bad game leading to Miami losing a game in the series. People come out with their pitchforks, and those whom have hated James in his Cleveland days can come back to roost for a day in the sun. These people arose like zombies in The Walking Dead after Thursday's Game 1 when LeBron couldn't play the fourth quarter as he battled through cramps brought on by AT&T Center losing air conditioning. Toughness has been put into question as the Spurs took Game 1 winning 110-95, but hopefully, people realized how bad of a game the Heat played sans the issues with James. 

The national media will ignore San Antonio winning because James cramping up is the bigger story. People forget this is a problem that's plagued LeBron for his entire career. For whatever reason, the training regime James has before the game leads to him cramping up more so than other NBA athletes. It is like the kryptonite for James' Superman abilities. Cramps are the one thing where it reminds LeBron that he is actually human and not superhuman. Most of the people questioning James' toughness are the same people whom rode the bench throughout high school watching their friends dominate games. Cramps aren't something to pass over. If he couldn't play through another injury, maybe we are having a different conversation. 

There are others having the opinion or the hot take if you will of 'I understand cramps are serious business, but I hate LeBron's theatrics.'  Fine, you want to made LeBron needed some help getting to the bench, or he looked like an assassination attempt happened after James scored a basket in his only possession in the fourth quarter. That's a weird thing to be generally mad about honestly. Let's be clear, most NBA players are overdramatic about nearly everything. Look at Tim Duncan, one of the most beloved players in the league, he is one of the biggest whiners in the NBA, but doesn't get called out for it anymore because it is uncool to make fun of a legend like Duncan. Dwyane Wade is a historical flopper. Also if LeBron acted casual about his injury, would people criticize him even more and say 'He's not really that hurt.'  It is a no-win situation for the best in the NBA. 

But enough with LeBron, people are ignoring the fact San Antonio completely outworked Miami throughout the game especially in the fourth quarter. San Antonio shot  90 percent from the field and played completely out of their mind in the final period. Danny Green caught fire late having 13 points in the fourth quarter including three 3-pointers which helped the Spurs pull away from the Heat.  Green is a microwave-type player. If he heats up, the opposing team is in trouble. There is a chance we might have a straight repeat of what happened in 2013 with Green. Duncan also had a Throwback Thursday-like game with 21 points, 10 rebounds and shooting 90 percent from the field. 

We saw the redemption of Manu Ginobili shine bright as he sparked the Spurs earlier with an impressive 16 points, eleven assists and five rebounds.  If Ginobili is playing at this high of a level, the Spurs become very hard to beat especially when Tony Parker is delivering 19 points as well. If you want to point to an ideal game for San Antonio, this would be it minus the turnovers. They had all of their major players get involved with the scoring and found a way to put Miami in a stranglehold by the fourth quarter.  The fact they won by double-digits and turned the ball over 23 times should terrify Heat fans. No matter what happened with LeBron, the Spurs offense looks unbeatable last night. 

After Game 5 against Indiana, everyone expected LeBron to come up with an iconic game. It didn't happen even though it was an ass-kicking victory. This might be the time where you see LeBron come out with 45 points, 15 rebounds and 12 assists. He knows what everyone is saying about him and knows this will be a time for him to prove everyone else wrong. But that kind of game from James will become useless if the Heat defense cannot stop the Spurs. 

Charlie.

SnoTap NBA Finals Preview: 15 Dollar NBA Finals Challenge

The Internet is in a complete tizzy over the 15 dollar game or the 25 dollar game or the 20 dollars and shut the hell up about it. Anyways, it is a cool concept, but my goodness, it is dominating my Twitter feed for the last week. I am pretty sure the trend is over, but a few people will try to run it back like the people doing 'Gangnam Style' videos two months after the trend already begun. But we are going to do it for the only time on SnoTap as we utilize it for the NBA Finals preview.

Five dollar players will be the ones with the most valuable to either San Antonio Spurs or Miami Heat winning the Larry O'Brien trophy. From there, we will look at other players working our way down.

Five Dollars
LeBron James - This is the obvious first choice. LeBron had a fairly good NBA Finals against the Spurs. Granted, Kawhi Leonard is a year older which could be a factor into wondering how good James will be this June. For reference, he had two triple-doubles and three games with 30 points or more. Although in the two games against San Antonio this year, James struggled mightily with under 20 points and poor shooting in both games.

Kawhi Leonard - I think he is the most important player on the Spurs roster. Say he holds LeBron to under 23 points a game for the series and the Spurs win plus Kawhi ends up averaging around 15 points a game. He would easily be the Most Valuable Player of the Finals. Leonard had some big games down the stretch in last year's NBA Finals and if he is more assertive on the offensive end, he could do some big things in this series.

Chris Bosh - This is the player to watch in the series. Bosh has been coming on hot of late. He had three straight games with 20 points or more plus he is shooting 57.5 percent from the field in those three games. Bosh is red hot. He is also rebounding which is something I was highly critical of him in the past. He grabbed eight and 10 boards in the last two games. Don't be shocked if he is the NBA Finals MVP if Miami takes their third straight title.

Tony Parker - The health of Tony Parker is a major concern. He says it will be all good, but one tweak could disable him from being a factor in this series. He hurt his ankle recently and hurt a hamstring earlier on in the playoffs as well. If he is 100 percent, Parker is a huge game-changer. Not one player on the Heat can really guard him. Maybe Dwyane Wade is the only answer, but he has definitely lost a step in his defense.

Four Dollars 
Tim Duncan - The last two games have been great for Duncan with double-doubles in both games as well Duncan scoring 19 and 22 points. The rebounding numbers were vast improvements from where he was after the Portland series. Duncan has some demons looming with him missing bunnies in the late game. Biggest thing for him is if there is a close Game 1 or Game 2, Duncan needs to hit a couple of those late and get the confidence back. Because if Duncan misses them again, the demons could return.

Dwyane Wade - Everyone talking about Miami to win the series are saying Wade will be the difference given his health is much better than it was last season. I don't disagree, but I don't know if he will be as effective as people believe him to be this series. Wade will have his moment though at some point whether it is a big game-winning basket or an iconic game like Game 4 last season.

Manu Ginobili - Many people are talking about how this is a redemption series for Duncan, but it is more so for Ginobili. He struggled mightily besides Game 5 and Game 7 last season. Granted, Ginobili came up big when it mattered the most, but he has something to prove in this series. A part of me feels Ginobili will come up huge for the Spurs at some point. He is having a real solid playoffs including probably being the difference maker against Oklahoma City.

Rashard Lewis - This might be an overreaction to Lewis' Game 5 and Game 6 performances, but you cannot overlook what he did in the last two games. He had 18 points with Game 5 and added 13 in the Game 6 win. If Lewis can basically be Sam Perkins for this team and just drill corner threes, huge addition for this team's offense. He also could spend the whole time on the bench and I wonder why I am wearing this f---ing shirt.

Boris Diaw - Big Game Boris???  He tends to come up big when San Antonio needs him the most. Diaw could be a true factor battling Miami's small lineup. The likely assumption is he will play a heavy (no pun intended) role into the Spurs offense with likely him playing at the four with Duncan at the five. Diaw should add something to the Spurs offense.

Three Dollars 
Ray Allen - Every now and again, you will have 'Ray Allen Game.' They do not come often, but all the sudden, Allen hits a huge three in the waning moments of the game. He is completely lethal and terrifying to be out there on the court late in games. Ray isn't giving you 10 a game, but he will give a big three somewhere in this season.

Tiago Splitter - I know a lot of people are saying Tiago will not get much run because of the Spurs small lineup. I would disagree. San Antonio could put him with the small lineup forcing LeBron to play more in the post and hopefully draw fouls on him. Splitter might not score points or pull down a ton of rebounds, but his size could pay off for San Antonio.

Chris Andersen - He could be more valuable than this guarding Tim Duncan and the other big men in this series. They also need Andersen to be healthy because if he is absent from the series, San Antonio can have their way in the paint.

Danny Green - I really do believe there will be one game where Green comes out of nowhere and has five or more threes leading the Spurs. He had a huge stretch through Game 2-4 last season where everybody couldn't stop talking about him. Green did it one time against Oklahoma City, and I doubt he will be a ghost in this series.

Two Dollars 
Mario Chalmers - He has not reached double-digits in scoring since Game 2 of the Brooklyn series, but he will still play a part in this series. If Chalmers can take advantage of Parker not being 100 percent, he could contribute to this offense plus the defense on Parker will be vital. Worth noting he had games of 19, 14 and 20 points against San Antonio last Finals.

Matt Bonner - He started the last two games for San Antonio against Oklahoma City. Will the trend continue?  It doesn't sound promising looking at 2013 NBA Finals as he only played in garbage time in Game two through four.

One Dollar  
Norris Cole - Every now and again, Norris steps up in a big way. He bails the Heat out off the bench from time to time.

Patty Mills - I believe in Patty Mills. I think Gregg Popovich doesn't trust him enough, but have a feeling weird feeling there will be a night where NBA Twitter is using Patty's name in all caps.

Prediction
Heart says Spurs in 7, head says Heat in 6. I really don't know. It is so damn close. Let's go with Miami wining in six games.

Charlie.

Spurs-Heat: The Rematch We All Deserve.

As the NBA season’s picture cleared up in the months of March and April, it felt like we were due for the Miami Heat and San Antonio Spurs to run it back one more time in the NBA Finals. It is like seeing a great match at Wrestlemania and need to see a rematch in one of the lesser Pay-Per-Views the following month.  Both teams turned the rematch into a reality this weekend with Miami’s blowout win against the Pacers and San Antonio holding on in overtime despite not having Tony Parker to put away the Thunder. We will have another rematch, and I don’t think many people are complaining about it.

Even before Miami and Indiana tipped off, it felt like a foregone conclusion the Heat would win the game on Friday night. That's usually not the case when Game 6 happen in sports, but the series felt over.  That's really weird to explain after seeing Indiana winning in Game 5 with Paul George scoring 37 points. Heat looked the strongest they have been all series dashing Indiana's dreams from the get-go. Miami led by 26 points at halftime allowing Heat fans to start the party early. No one really had a memorable game rather Miami had all their players contribute in a major way with both LeBron James and Chris Bosh adding 25 points ensuring this series was not headed back to Indiana. One team took its place in the Finals and would their opponent join them after Saturday?

The answer is yes. San Antonio lost Tony Parker for the second half of the game, but the Spurs willed their way to victory. The game went back and forth for all four quarters delivering the first great game in this series. It appeared like the Spurs were going to put away Oklahoma City in the fourth quarter as they had a 10 point lead. But Russell Westbrook helped get the Thunder back into the game with his strong play late sending this game to overtime. Manu Ginobili had a bad night going 4/14 from the field, but he hit the biggest shots of the game with a big 3-pointer putting San Antonio ahead late in regulation plus added big free throws down the stretch. Tim Duncan also had a throwback game with a 19 points and 15 rebounds performance.

The stage is set for a Finals rematch. There are some pieces missing from the last time plus the series will begin in San Antonio. Duncan and Gregg Popovich will attempt to win their five NBA title, and win a title 15 years later after their first one. We will talk later this week, but it feels like either way, one of these two might be done with basketball after this season.  As for Miami, they could have the first three-peat since the early 2000's Los Angeles Lakers. The whole promise of 'Not one, not two, not three' would start to become more of a reality instead of laughing it off like we did when James uttered that famous phrase. Plus the whole discussion of how we perceive each team if and when they lose because there are some interesting storylines there as well.

Rematches aren't always the best thing for the professional sports product, but right now, this is one of the best things going in sports. Happy we will get to see LeBron against San Antonio at least one more time.

Charlie. 

Spurs Shut Down Thunder in Another Blowout Win

It is hard to remember a series that has been so boring go at least six games. There are still great individual performances, and things worth talking about yet one of the five games the final score has been under 10 points with none of them being close in the fourth quarter. TNT is probably going to church each day praying for a close game.  San Antonio didn't answer those prayers on Thursday night blowing out Oklahoma City, 117-89 featuring a big night from the Spurs bench, Gregg Popovich making the necessary adjustments and what's really going on with Serge Ibaka?

One of the things we haven't seen from the Spurs in the last couple of games is their bench coming to play on Thursday night.   San Antonio got great contributions from their bench last night with the stalwart Manu Ginobili having another great game and Boris Diaw coming to play making it real difficult on the Oklahoma City big men. Diaw spread out the floor creating separation inside allowing the Spurs perimeter players to attack the lane much better than the past two games. Matt Bonner started for Tiago Splitter, but he only played 17 minutes. It seems like Diaw will probably be getting the start for Game 6.  It makes the most sense for the Spurs. When he's playing at his highest level, it is the best Spurs team facing the Thunder.

Even though games are won on the court, Popovich ran circles around Scott Brooks. He didn't stay the course with the lineup he put out there for the last two games, and it paid off. Tim Duncan had his best game of the series since their Game 1 victory with 22 points and 12 rebounds making eight field goals as well. Duncan had a lot more room to operate thanks to the decision to increase the minutes of both Diaw and Bonner, the newest buddy cop drama. Pop also gave big minutes to Patty Mills who contributed with nine points off the bench hitting three big 3-pointers.  In the last three games, Mills combined for a total of seven points. Will Brooks have an answer for the new look Spurs?  The only thing I can think of is going super small with the Thunder starting Westbrook-Jackson-Butler-Durant-Ibaka, but that might do more harm than good.

Speaking of Ibaka, he might be hurt again. Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! reported last night Ibaka feels the same he did in the first two games of this series. What does that mean exactly?  His body feels like it did for the first two games of the series?  Or is he bummed out with what happened in Game 5 as it did compare to the first two games?  I am going to guess the former because that's all we care about right now is the health of Serge. If he is at 50 percent in Game 6, can Oklahoma City really start him out there? I guess they could for a little while, and then keep him on the bench the rest of the game. It is also possible Serge is toying with the media as they have done with him for the past couple of weeks. It has become a boy cried wolf scenario for Ibaka. I don't put much stock into what's out there until we see it in front of our faces.

I wish I had a handle on this series like I do with Indiana-Miami. I have no idea what to expect in Game 6, but please for the love of James Naismith can we have a close game?  Just one, that's all I am asking for out of this series. I expect some changes to Oklahoma City's lineup and I do think Pop will make slight adjustments as well.

KRS-OKC Evens Up The Series

People love to bring up Oklahoma City traded James Harden to the Houston Rockets. It is a fun topic to remember as Harden became one of the top 10 scoring guards in the NBA. Many people assumed there would be countless situations where we wondered as basketball 'What if the Thunder had Harden, would they won an NBA Finals or made another NBA Finals appearance.' It is time for those articles and the hypothetical situations to rest in peace. 

Serge Ibaka is proving to be a more vital cog to Oklahoma City as they have won the last two games in rousing fashion. Last night featured an all-time Russell Westbrook game with Kevin Durant playing a solid Robin to Russ's Batman in a 105-92 victory. Oklahoma City has turned the tide on San Antonio, how do the Spurs adjust?     

Vince Carter had the nickname of 'Half Man, Half Amazing' and it honestly fit him during his time with the Toronto Raptors yet we could reuse it for Oklahoma City's point guard. Westbrook played a complete game with a stellar performance with 40 points, 10 assists, five rebounds, five steals and a block for good measure. If anyone ever wondered if Oklahoma City could make without Westbrook probably stopped trying to make that argument with their buddies at the bar. Same goes for those whom think Westbrook is only a second banana. When Russ is playing at his 100 percent, there are not many better. Only three of Westbrook's baskets were outside 13 feet with many of them of him attacking the paint. He got to the free throw line 14 times. There was also this crazy statistic about Westbrook's night. 

The weird thing is Durant had a pretty damn solid night. If it is hard to have a quiet 31 points, five rebounds and five assists, that is exactly what happened with KD last night. Durant had a big second quarter which helped push Oklahoma Ctiy out to a 15 point lead at halftime which included a 58 point half from the Thunder. Durant and Westbrook combined for 71 out of 105 points for Oklahoma City. The dynamic duo had two-thirds of the team's buckets. Some might say this should be a cause for concern, but if Durant and Westbrook are playing at this elite level, I don't know what team is stopping them. 

Ibaka being back is helping in a major way though. The last time San Antonio beat Oklahoma City with Serge in the lineup was Monday, March 11th, 2013.  That's over a year ago. Ibaka had only nine points and eight rebounds with a PER of +11 last night, and in Game 3, he had 15 points and seven rebounds. But it is not the point total, it is the defensive presence inside. Tim Duncan had only nine points in Game 4, he only added 16 in Game 3. Ibaka keeps haunting nightmares and it's not just Duncan's as the Spurs seem afraid to visit Ibaka's lane. Their confidence against Ibaka seems to have disappeared therefore what can be done to rid themselves of this terror known as Serge? 

The simple answer is foul trouble.  The game plan should be taking it to Serge right away in the opening part of the game with Duncan getting some of the first touches trying to draw Ibaka in foul trouble early on. Same goes for attacking with him with Tony Parker whose been terrible in the last two games. If he gets his shot blocked, so what? If a foul is called and Ibaka is out of the game, it opens up the floodgates to attack the paint. The other one is they need a secondary big man scorer. Duncan can only do so much in the twilight of his career. If the Spurs can get a 15 to 20 point effort from Boris Diaw or Tiago Splitter, that will be huge for the Spurs.

Many people are saying this is history repeating itself from 2012. I am not ready to go there yet. This Spurs team showed a great deal of resilency this playoffs in the Dallas series, and their overall bounce back from the heartbreak in Miami last June. But I do know, this is a different Thunder team. One that's getting more terrifying by the moment. 

Charlie. 

NBA Playoff Recap: Spurs Inside Dominance Take Game 1

When Oklahoma City Thunder lost Serge Ibaka for the playoffs, they knew it would be an uphill battle. Ibaka is a defensive force for Oklahoma City, and their weak inside presence became weaker without having Serge in there. San Antonio exploited them with 66 points in the paint including a big second half from Manu Ginobili and Tim Duncan having one of his best games this playoffs. But this shouldn't be a panic button sort of things for Oklahoma City right now.  

While it is great to have players like Russell Westbrook and the NBA MVP Kevin Durant, it means absolutely nothing, if the team cannot guard the paint. Arguably one of the pillars to the NBA in terms of being successful. Points in the paint equate to easy buckets most of the time. Using that logic, 54 percent of San Antonio's shots were scored inside the paint and 'easy.'  54 percent!  That's only half of their points happened in the paint. No team is winning a basketball game with those sort of numbers meaning the Thunder will need to adjust in a major way in the following games.

Manu Ginobili always seems to have one game where he stands out in a major way. We all know he is not the same player as he once was, but sometimes, Manu dials up the time machine for a big performance. He definitely did on Monday night with a massive 18 point second half. He made 7 of  12 shots including three big 3-pointers helping San Antonio pull away.  Ginobili looked great out there finding different spots on the court to cause problems for the Thunder. This is a solid bounce back game for Ginobili whom averaged only eight points a game in the five-game series against Portland. He seemed comfortable out there and could be a real big problem for Oklahoma City.

Another player whose been sort of so-so through the playoff is Tim Duncan. Now, Duncan's 'so-so' is some players best effort so it is not really fair criticism. Although we haven't seen a game like this from Timmy D since Game 1 of the Dallas series.  Duncan had 27 points in 28 minutes with seven rebounds. He played great out there taking control with guys like Steven Adams and Kendrick Perkins being absolutely no match for the old wily veteran. For reference, Duncan averaged 14.8 points a game in the four meetings in the regular season meaning there was a direct effect of Ibaka not being on the court. Duncan could have one of those playoff series we will remember him fondly for if this continues in the coming games.

Oklahoma City is sort of screwed. They really cannot play zone against the Spurs because Danny Green, Kawhi Leonard and Ginobili will hurt them from the outside plus the zone allows Duncan to hit some of his favorite spots on the court. This is no time to panic for Oklahoma City, but they will need to do something different with their defensive effort. For whatever it's worth, they gave up 120-plus points to Los Angeles to start the series and adjusted nicely. Granted, they had Ibaka, but it is apparent Oklahoma City needs a game to adjust a bit.

For people to think this series is over should take a big cup of relax. It's not over yet, but if 60-plus points in the paint happen again in Game 2, we could be looking at another chance for the Spurs at the Larry O'Brien trophy.

Charlie.

SnoTap NBA Playoffs: LMA's Dominance, Heat Hang on & Road Mavs?

I am a man of the people. I realized our NBA Playoff recap blog posts where not really popping as they suffered in hits, but story of this blog's life for 2014. I want to try something different with the hopes that maybe this is more what people want versus having to rely on three different blogs. We are going to try to include a GIF or video for each recap, but I cannot make any promises. We will also rank the games because why not?

1. Portland 112 Houston 105 (Blazers lead 2-0) - LaMarcus 'Don't call me LAM, call me LMA' Aldridge dominated for the second straight game with 43 points with eight rebounds. Aldridge is averaging an insane 44.5 through the first two games of the playoffs. Aldridge will be even more of a household name tomorrow morning. Good for LMA though. He is a really good player that doesn't get credit for being great sometimes, and he will get his due. It really seems like Houston has no answer for him, and Aldridge knows damn well this is the case. Fascinating to see how he plays for the reminder of the season.

As for Houston, Dwight Howard played his ass off with a 32 points, 14 rebounds performance although most of it came in the first half when Howard wasn't in foul trouble. Howard still looked like a guy ready to put the team on his back. James Harden is starting to develop a reputation of disappearing in the playoffs a la Tracy McGrady and others. Harden has missed 30 shots from the field already, and it will not get easier heading into a fired up Rose Garden.

Approrirate Video: Robin Lopez ended Jeremy Lin's life. (h/t @cjzero) 



2. Miami 101 Charlotte 97 - Honestly, Miami did not play well at all in this game besides LeBron James, but that's all it takes for Miami to win basketball games. Heat are the only home team with a 2-0 lead which is crazy to think about given the lack of parity in the NBA. James delivered 32 points, eight assists and six rebounds which is also known as another night at the office. Chris Bosh played well with 20 points as well. Charlotte needed a better late game shot down three. Gary Neal got the ball and tried to be the hero leading him passing the ball to Chris Douglas-Roberts whose asshole was tighter than a wet cat on a rain barrel. It should be Kemba and only Kemba who showed a Big East glimpse hitting a big shot late from the top of the key. Yet he struggled from the field as Al Jefferson and him combined to go 14/41 for the game.

Approrirate Video: Josh McRoberts throat chops LeBron. WHO SAYS THIS SERIES CAN'T GET CHIPPY. McBob landed a pretty nice shot to James' Adam Apple. (h/t Sports Illustrated) 



3. Dallas 113 San Antonio 92 - Um what the hell?  This was a series expected to last four or five games, but maybe the Mavericks want to throw it back old school where we have these teams playing seven with some ridiculous games thrown in.  Dallas had four players score more than 15 points last night - Dirk Nowitzki, Shawn Marion, Monta Ellis and Devin Harris, were all great for the Mavs at some point. They used a balanced attack to take down San Antonio and make this a more intriguing series. For the season, Harris or D-Ha if you're from Wauwatosa, averaged right under eight points, he is averaging 18.5 in two games versus San Antonio. He is an obvious problem for them.

Another big issue for San Antonio was the turnovers. Spurs gave away the ball 22 times which is very un-Spurs like. Tim Duncan only had eleven points with shooting five times. That cannot happen. Duncan needs to get way more involved to ensure a deep run for San Antonio. If you want one bright spot, Manu Ginobli looked like his old self with 27 points making five threes and only missing three shots for the game He had 17 on Sunday so it appears there might be a bit of a mismatch problem.

Charlie.