Off the Bench #3 - Mavs/Spurs - The Real Finals?

[irwin1227]

Tonight begins what people are calling “The Real NBA Finals.” I am sure that the Pistons and Nets would have something to say about that. Let's face it though, they are in the Eastern Conference. Scoring over 100 points is a privelage.
The Dallas Mavericks and the San Antonio Spurs meet in the Western Conference Finals. For all intense purposes, this should be an interesting series.
How it got there is interesting also. The Spurs opened their playoff run by running past a overmatched Phoenix Suns. Then they did the rest of the playoff teams a favor by defeating the three-time defending champion Los Angeles Lakers.
Meanwhile, the Dallas Mavericks playoff run has been just as interesting. They blew a 3-0 series lead on the Portland Trailblazers, only to win it in an intense game 7. Then they defeated the Sacramento Kings in another Game 7 series. Losing Chris Webber in game 2 had an effect on the series climax. However, the emergence of Nick Van Exel maybe had a little more to do with the outcome.
So now here we are in the Conference finals with Game 1 happening tonight in San Antonio. Hopefully the series will deliver the best that the NBA has to offer.

What should we expect?

I would look for Tim Duncan to establish why he is the two-time Most Valuable Player.

Dirk Nowitzki will show the fans why he will have a few MVP awards in his future.

The match up between Tony Parker and Steve Nash could decide the series.

This will be the last season for David Robinson. It would be nice for The Admiral to have one more ring.

The Mavs have Shawn Bradley.

Ouch. In that case….Spurs in seven.

[jjcourtright]

I definitely have to disagree with the "The real finals" statement. Before the playoffs started I would have agreed. But with the way that Jason Kidd has been playing, aside from that terrible game 1 last night, the Nets look like legit contenders. Ditto for the Pistons. Have you seen Chauncey Billups in the playoffs. This kid never had a 40 point game in his career and then he puts together a 40 point and a 37 point in consecutive games against the Magic. He showed that he can own games. I think that any of the teams remaining can win it all, but Dallas seems to be the weakest of the 4.

[Efexeye]

They got Chauncey because Chucky Atkins couldn't handle it, but he has been stepping up in the playofs- Chauncey is hurt, rolled his ankle. If they can keep it as close as the game Sunday, I think they have a good shot of going to the finals.

[35mmCritic]

We'll just see when the real "real finals" get here and Jersey wins. I've been watching the Nets languidly stumble through seasons since '88 when I became a fan of theirs and now finally I can say(and believe it for a change) They are the best team in basketball. You can laugh it's cool. But, like Kid Rock says,"It ain't braggin [censored] if you back it up."