Built Versus Bought

If last season’s seven-game series was not enough, the basketball gods have intervened with all the other team’s championship aspirations and have given us, the fans, another opportunity to watch two of the league’s best teams slug it out again for the Larry O’Brien trophy.

This series is filled with polarising match-ups, intriguing yet sophisticated offensive systems, and different unique personalities. But ultimately, it is focused on unfinished business and glorious championship aspirations. The Spurs were 28 seconds away from wrapping up in what would be the fifth and the most elusive championship in the Duncan-Popovich era—potentially paving the way for the Big Fundamental to hang his sneakers up for good—until Ray Allen happened.

Allen’s back breaking triple off a missed three from LeBron single-handedly kept The King’s legacy intact. A loss in last season’s Finals would implode on LeBron’s career—giving him a 1-3 (win-loss) record in the Finals and put into question his status as one of the greatest to ever play the game. It would also put his ‘Decision’ in a bad light as “not one, not two, not three…” would just become one (you could add an asterisk into that because of the lockout shortened season).

A year removed from one of the better NBA Finals in recent memory, the personalities are roughly the same but only magnified. The Spurs collection of young talent: Kawhi Leonard, Patty Mills, and Danny Green, have had a year to assimilate themselves more into Greg Popovich’s system. Boris Diaw’s impressive play down the stretch in the Western Conference Finals provides the Spurs with the flexibility to either play big or go small. The Heat are coming into the series for the first time as underdogs; with Dwyane Wade’s ailing knees and their inconsistent bench play looking shaky as even in their pursuit for a third straight ring. With Shane Battier’s decline and Mike Miller’s departure, the Heat are searching for their important floor spacer and tough interior defender forcing coach Spo to search high and low for the right combination.

We are lucky to witness the NBA’s two top teams in peak form in the Finals. Both teams run creative motion sets with the Spurs relying on more ball movement and quick passing compared to the Heat which at times rely on James and Wade’s individual brilliance to manufacture points. Both teams also possess excellent outside threats which could swing the game to either team. Both teams also are excellent defensive teams with the Spurs relying more on sound, fundamental, yet unique defensive patterns compared to Miami’s vaunted (now a less vaunted) trapping defense.

This series’ unpredictability is due to the fact that both teams are evenly matched, well coached, and both having huge implications on a series win. A fifth championship would only further cement Tim Duncan’s status as the greatest power forward to ever play this game and celebrate the Spurs prolonged length of success. It will also put Duncan in a position to win a championship in three different decades which is something unheard of.

Miami with a series win would put them in consideration as one of the greatest dynasties the league has ever seen. Four straight appearances in the Finals and a three-peat would establish a new dynasty in South Beach.

Despite both team’s similarities, it is also a series which highlights the differences between both teams in their journey, composition, and demeanour leading up to the Built versus Bought tagline. The Spurs are the league’s model franchise. With timely losing seasons in the pre-Duncan era, they were able to secure timely #1 overall selections ten years apart (Robinson 1987 and Duncan 1997). With the proper front office personnel behind team owner Peter Holt, Popovich and company have built a basketball machine through the draft, timely and smart free agent signings, and through a unique mix of international talent.

The Heat on the other hand were once Dwyane Wade’s team and by landing three of the top four free agents in 2010, they’ve wrecked havoc since with their small ball line-ups, excellent outside shooting, and trapping defensive schemes especially after their loss to Dallas in the 2011 Finals.  Once regarded as the villains of this league, the Heat have turned themselves into battle-tested champions. Their team has evolved through the years as LeBron’s game has continued to expand as well as Coach Spo’s creativity to create schemes to maximize his personnel.

I care not to make any prediction. Despite Miami and LeBron being both my current favorite team and player respectively, I have a soft spot for the Spurs. This was the first team I fell in love with and I was able to witness Duncan’s two MVP seasons which were absolutely magical before I pledged allegiance to Tracy McGrady and his scoring prowess. Somewhere inside me is pulling for Duncan to win and to leave with a title just like The Admiral did in 2003. It’s a surreal feeling to exit as a champion and a winner.

Let’s just sit back, relax, and enjoy what the NBA Finals has to offer. It might be a while before we witness something as magical as this.