Opposites Battle in 2013 Finals

They say that opposites attract and the Miami Heat and San Antonio Spurs are exact opposites. With the Heat's dismantling of the Indiana Pacers in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals Monday night, they set up a date with the decade's best team. The Heat are everything the Spurs are not. Miami's Big Three paraded around on stage declaring how many championships they would win before they every set foot on the court. Can you imagine Tim Duncan doing such a thing? The Heat play fast-paced, lobbing alley-oops to the rafters and let their freak athletes go chase them down. San Antonio methodically tears apart defenses with ball movement and precise screening. Miami is surrounded by drama throughout the year by the media. San Antonio is forgotten all year long until the playoffs. They certainly are opposites in many regards, but they do have one thing in common: winning.

Because they are both winners, they now meet in the Finals. We've seen LeBron James go toe-to-toe with the Spurs in the Finals before and it wasn't pretty. In 2007 the Spurs mopped the floor with James' Cavaliers team, sweeping them for their fourth franchise title. Much has changed since that series and there will be no such sweep this season. LeBron is older, better and surrounded by far greater players. The Spurs are still the Spurs. They have maintained a consistency that is rarely seen in professional sports.

Some things get better with age and the Spurs belong in that category. Tony Parker is having arguably the best year of his career at the age of 30 and Manu Ginobili has struggled with his health yet the crafty veteran is still a force when on the court. And then there is Duncan. The 37-year-old recently said he's not worried about how old he is and you can tell because his play does not reflect that of an "old man." Duncan still puts up double-double numbers and this may be his swan song. Players can fight off age for a while, but eventually the body can't do it anymore. This may the Spurs swan song with Ginobili and Duncan.

It would be some swan song if they could defeat the Miami Heat, but the task will be difficult. Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh disappeared in the back half of the ECF, but in Game 7 they proved that Miami is far too good when all three are clicking. Can San Antonio guard Miami? Kawhi Leonard is going to be a focal point in this series because his defense will have to be extraordinary against James and Wade. No one can stop both James and Wade, but the key is to limit one of them. Indiana held Bosh to almost nothing and Wade to a few bad games and they nearly stole the series.

To the general public this is a series of good vs. evil. The Spurs are the classy, take care of business franchise to most NBA fans while the Heat represent all that is wrong with professional sports. They flop, they whine, they loaded up their roster. Say what you want, but you can't ignore the results and Miami may be hoisting the trophy for the second time in as many years. That's how good they are despite all the negative opinions about them.

Still, going back to 2003 the Spurs have been the most successful franchise in the NBA. Why not close out the decade with another title? San Antonio wins it in six games.

Cavs Hoping Strong Draft Class Makes Them A Contender Again

By: Nate Wadley

It all started with “The Decision” last July. Throughout the entire summer, Cleveland fans held on to only a ray of hope that the kid they had embraced as a hero would elect to remain with the team that drafted him, the team that had built their city around him. Yet that all came to a screeching halt when LeBron James told the world that he would be “taking his talents to South Beach”. From then on, everyone knew that the Cleveland Cavaliers perennial runs through the playoffs were over. But nobody expected their first season without the King to go like it did. A dreadful 19-63 record (which at one point consisted of a 26-game losing streak) haunted the Cavs players, organization, and fan base for what turned out to be a painful year. While the Cavs are at home watching the Playoffs, LeBron is making noise down in Miami, the same city that will host the Dallas Mavericks in game one of the Finals on Tuesday night.

As for the Cavaliers, it can’t get any worse…right? Correct. Experts and analysts have shown that this year’s draft class is sure to be weaker than years’ past. However, Cleveland will potentially have the first, second, AND fourth picks in the first round. Kyrie Irving, Derrick Williams, and Kawhi Leonard stand in those three spots in ESPN’s mock draft in which the Cavs will draft.

Kyrie Irving left Duke early, exiting the campus after being injured for half of his freshman year. Yet at the young age Irving is at right now, he dominated the games he played and shows unbelievable potential at the NBA level. Irving is considered to be a true point guard, yet can score whenever need be. He has a knack for the game and his basketball IQ is very high for a kid his age. In time, Irving just might be one of the elite point guards in the NBA.

Derrick Williams came alive in the NCAA tournament last year. Proving to all the critics that he was not just a post presence, Williams has developed a jumper from anywhere inside the arc. His knack for getting to the rim will surely draw multiple defenders, opening countless opportunities for kick-outs. With a 6’8, 240 frame he’s a little undersized for his position, but his strength and versatility will surely prove that he can play against anyone.

After his team had a breakout season, Kawhi Leonard decided to leave San Diego State and enter the draft. A 6’7 small forward, Leonard is a flexible player and feels comfortable playing power forward as well. Leonard repeatedly dominated the offensive boards at the collegiate level and shows great tenacity as a defender. He’s a threat to score both inside as well as outside and will surely draw attention from defenses around the league.

It is a term used in college year-round; “this was a rebuilding year”. Well, we can say that about the Cavs, but as a team they never had the players (or will?) to compete with anyone last year. Yet trade negotiations are flying around the league and the Cavaliers may just end up with the first, second, and fourth overall picks. When LeBron left, Cleveland fell to rock bottom of the league and was constantly a source of amusement on SportsCenter. If they are able to snatch these three picks, the Cavs may just end up being a contender once again.

Nate Wadley is the brother of Zach Wadley and is a contributor to the World of Wadley site. He is a senior in high school.