Hoping Spurs in 7

Spurs 4-0

The ultimate team verses the ultimate player. Will be great.

As expected, but still a very exciting series coming up I am sure.

For me the past few NBA final series have gone to the team that has someone unexpected or not quite a super star step up and play an exceptional series...

For the Spurs it is the Birdman who looms as a danger, for Heat it may be more than just one player, the bench for either team will make or break them IMO!

Prediction, Spurs in 7...

Spurs in 6. Hopefully our aussies get minutes

The Spurs would have to feel pretty good about their chances. There's no doubt they've improved their team that was a Ray Allen three away from them winning it all in 6 games last season. Plus, they've got home court advantage this time. I'm not sure that Miami has improved, in fact they've lost Mike Miller who was another big-time shooter for them. Maybe Bosh and Wade are in better form than last year, but will that be enough?

Spurs have revenge on their mind with Pop showing them games 6 and 7 of the NBA Finals on the first day of training camp. Miami are chasing history to 3-peat, and would be only one of 5 NBA teams to achieve that feat and would greatly enhance LeBron's legacy. Big motivation for both teams.

Spurs in 6.

IMO they are a better team than last year (which is pretty scary).

Ginobilli looks like he is set for a better finals series.
Duncan is Duncan.
Their bench has developed into the best in the League (Mills, Diaw, Ginobili, Bellinelli).
Splitter is much improved.
Leonard and Green are a year older and a year better.
Plus they have the revenge factor.

Only concern would be Parker.

Lets be honest, these injuries happen to everyone except the Heat.

MACDUB, did you forget about Bosh against Indiana 2 years ago?

miami gonna try sweep
lebron aint going down without a fight

Was amazing how much coaching dictated this year's playoffs. Both ECF were determined by coaching more than anything (both losers had significant matchup advantages over their opponents but failed to capitalise), so it will be fun to see a series where one team doesn't have a massive intelligence/strategic advantage over the other and just see two smart basketball teams go up against each other.

I'm calling Spurs in 6, depending on how fit Parker is.

This Miami team has not been tested this year. The Spurs are a million times smarter than any team they have faced in this year's playoffs.

They won't be able to use a Rashard Lewis to guard a David West like last round because you know the coach or point guard doesn't understand how matchups work: if they try to throw him on an interior force you better believe they will be getting the ball early and often.

Lebron is going to get lots of looks. You'll see everyone from Splitter to Ginobili to Leonard to Diaw on him at different stages. And that's the key IMO: he's too smart to just have one guy on him all series. He'll find the weakness and exploit it. You have to throw different guys at him.

Miami had to get some BIG shots from role players last year to win. I don't see all the same things happening again.

m, no offence to Bosh..but he isn't in the same category as a Parker, Ibaka, Westbrook in terms of value to the team.

Spurs are a no brainer. Should get it in 4. The west is weak and Miami wouldnt have made the 8 if they were in the east. Indiana would have been 12th seed. Can't see any way of Spurs losing it.

He means the East is weak clearly

http://www.nba.com/schedules/intl.html

Defence is the key.
So spurs to win in either 6 or 7 games for me.

If the heat win, they would be the first team to win the title while finishing outside the league's top 10 defenses since the 2001 Lakers.

The spurs were ranked in the top 5 (4th).

The spurs have to very good perimeter defenders in Leonard & Green.
Plus solid post defenders in Duncan & Splitter.

i want spurs to take it home for Coach Pop and the big 3.

maybe TD's last year win or lose.

but i got a feeling.....that number 6 guy on the heat wont let a three peat slip through his fingers...