NBA Finals Preview

VS
Here it is. The Finals for the 2004-2005 season. Not that it is too hard to do up to this point but I am 13-1 in picking the series winners this year. (Here, here, here, and here.) I missed the Wizards-Bulls series in Round 1 tyring to see who would be swept in Round 2.

Hopefully I get this one right because I have a lunch riding on this series with Jon.

The Pistons have a strong team, great backcourt, strong frontcourt and a great coach. They are proven and have slain star-studded teams before (read Lakers in last year's Finals). The Spurs have a strong team, strong backcourt, great frontcourt and a great coach. Obviously or these two would not be here.

I think that this will be one of the better series in decades. You might have to go back to the days of the Lakers-Celtics battles in the 1980s for a Finals that will be as good as this one.

I think that the 2 keys will be on court and side court.

On Court: Duncan carries the Spurs very well even when he is playing badly. They have had to survive a very tough Western Conference two years running. The Suns, Mavericks, Kings, Sonics and even the Nuggets this year, the Wolves and Lakers from last year. On the other hand the Pistons have really only had the Heat to contend with for two years. The Spurs are very battle hardy.

Side Court: Larry Brown has coached one team to a championship...last year's Pistons. That task wasn't as hard as it sounds. Surviving the East was not an issue and enough big men to contain Shaq left a very divided Lakers team scambling. This year he does not have an intra team division to help him.

Popovich has won 2 championships with very different Spurs teams and very different styles. This year's Spurs team is a third one to throw into the mix. What that means is he can adjust the team to counter the opponent and still be able to coach them well. Brown could not do this with his 76ers against the Lakers. It is not just a matter of adjusting the game plan and the team prep, but also changing the coaching decisions and philosophies.

For example, and a very crude one at that, when I'm "coaching" a football game on the Playstation I am very effective in trying to stop the run on defense. But if my team pulls ahead and the other side is thus forced to throw I know that. I can change the personnel on the field to counter it, but I cannot change how I call plays or how often I should anticipate a pass play on 2nd & 4 between the 40's. Popovich can adjust that in himself, Brown not as well.

That will be the key.

Bottom line: Spurs in 6...and that will give me a lunch on Taco Tuesdays, too.