NBA Finals

I really think this was the most difficult team the Spurs have faced in the NBA Finals.  Nothing against the NY Knicks, the NJ Nets, the Detroit Pistons, or the Cleveland Cavaliers team.  Gosh, this sure was a strange series…1 close game, 4 games won by double digits, 1 OT game, and a Game 7!!!   Wow!!! 

In the first round of the NBA Playoffs, the Spurs took on a Kobe-less Los Angeles Lakers (that franchise has won 16 NBA Championships…they most recently won back-to-back in 2009 and 2010) team and we swept em!!  I know that had Kobe been healthy, a different type of broom would’ve to be brought out or not used at all.

Man, the second round poised more of a challenge for the Spurs as we defeated the Golden State Warriors in 6 games.  Dude, you got to look at the proposed arena for 2017 when Golden State plans to move to San Francisco…it is awesome looking!

For the Western Conference Finals against the Memphis Grizzlies (yes, I said the Memphis Grizzlies), the Spurs used a buy-one-get-one free BROOM coupon and swept the Grizzlies!!!  There reward…9 days off and a date against the defending NBA Champions, the Miami Heat!!

Please don’t be a hater since I am going to admit that I like LeBron James with and without the headband.  He is 6’8 and weighs 250 pounds…he can shoot, penetrate strong against anybody, rebound, pass, and defend.  In my book (that I am drafting now about the Life of Mark), James is worth every cent he makes and that sure is a lot of coins rolling around (he makes more than 17 million dollars).  Dang, if only I was athletic and taller…and black!!!

Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh are really good players and make the same as LeBron, but LeBron is clearly by far a much much much better player.  Just look at who won the NBA MVP this year and last year…LeBron James.  Hey, Tim Duncan won back-to-back MVP’s in 2002 and 2003 and since I worked for the Spurs during that time, I was a seat filler for the press conference in 2002.  No, I didn’t ask any questions to Timmy. 

I still think Lebron should’ve stayed in Cleveland.  And, such a stupid publicity stunt to announce his decision (on national TV) on where he was gonna sign.  Stupid me…I actually watched it and I am sure you did also.  Yes, I think the NBA draft is a conspiracy…come on, the Clevand Cavaliers lost LeBron to free agency in 2010 and they get the number 1 pick in 2011 and also this year…hmmm!!!  


Yeah, the Spurs got the number 1 pick in 1987 and selected David Robinson and 10 years later we got the number 1 pick again and drafted Tim Duncan.  Had we gotten the number 1 pick like in 1988 or 1989 and 1998 or 1999, then for sure I could sense something fishy in the NBA draft. But, that didn’t happen cause since David arrived, the Spurs have been a winning franchise with a top notch front office and coaching staff and the ability to scout talent!!   

Talk about talent, Mike Miller and Ray Allen are two Miami Heat role players that really impressed me.  Ray Allen went to University of Connecticut and I have and always will be a fan of former UConn players.  Plus, Ray is one of the top 5 shooters ever to have played in the NBA.  I was not happy when Ray Allen complained about former Spurs Bruce Bowen!   Mike Miller is a former Florida Gator…hey, he played with teammate Udonis Haslem and Spur Matt Boner in 1999-2000!!  Miller is another excellent shooter, but he really needs to do something with his hair!!!


The Miami Heat also have a player with a freaking mo-hawk and tattoos all over his body (most visibly on his neck…man, that must’ve hurt) and his name isn’t Dennis Rodman.  It is Chris Anderson and he actually went to High School and College in the great state of TEXAS!!  OMG, we claim him!!!  And, even though he was kicked out of the NBA for a banned drug substance in 2006, he made it back.  How the heck is that even possible?

Game 1 – SAN ANTONIO SPURS 92 vs MIAMI HEAT 88 

Thank you Tony Parker!!!  He looked determined and was absolute clutch all game long.  But, man, that shot he took in the 4th quarter as the shot clock buzzed was unbelievable; falling down, out of control, LeBron defending, and a 2 point lead at that time…WOW!!!   The Spurs have had a lot of great shots in there history…Avery Johnson hitting the game winner in Game 5 of the NBA Finals at Madison Square Garden, the Memorial Day Miracle by Sean Elliott in 1999 against the Portland Trail Blazers, and Steve Kerr putting on a 3-point show against the Dallas Mavericks in the 2002 Playoffs.  Those are just some of my favorites.  


Game 2 – SAN ANTONIO SPURS 84 vs MIAMI HEAT 103

What the fuck happened?  I mean, this game was tied at 58 with about 5 minutes left in 3rd quarter.  Oh, I know…the Miami Heat woke up and decided to go on a little run (33 to 5) to blow this game open.  That little run was quite impressive!!!  Midday thru the 4th quarter, Coach Popovich gave up and let the benchers play in garbage time.  

Game 3 – SAN ANTONIO SPURS 113 vs MIAMI HEAT 77

I am not a fan of blowouts, but when it is your team winning, it is fun to watch!  Everything flowed perfectly for the Spurs.  When Danny Green and Gary Neal went to the bench in the 4th quarter, I got goosebumps and was like, wow, the Spurs have a really bright future in Gary and Danny in addition to Kawhi Leonard.  


The Spurs BIG 3 of Tim, Tony, and Manu scored 25 points.


The Spurs OTHER BIG 3 of Danny, Gary, and Kawhi scored 65 points.  Those 3 players also combined to shoot 15 of 22 from 3 point land!!!  WOW!!


I saw a great Tweet from the San Antonio Express News columnist, Richard Oliver (@RichardCOliver) during the game, “Please notice who is NOT on the court for Spurs during a blowout win. As opposed to say, Miami, the other night.”

Yes folks, I read Twitter and Facebook during the games…the majority of my followers and friends are sports media people or Spurs fans!!  Besides Richard Oliver on Twitter, I also get updates from Fox29 San Antonio sports caster, Hector Ledesma (@HectorLedesmaJr).  I just started following Chris Duel (@ChrisDuel).  I really like the extra insight and pictures that everyone provides…thanks all.  Boy, I just name dropped big time and I don’t care what you think!!! 

Something I didn’t do during any of the games is watch the Halftime show.  I got better things to do than to listen to Magic, Bill, Jalen, and Michael.  Now, had it been Charles Barkley, Shaq, Kenny Smith, and Ernie Johnson, then I would have been glued to the Hafltime show and would’ve prepared my clothes and gym bag for the next day some other time or not folded the laundry which I did during Game 5. During Game 7, I muted the TV and worked on this blog post (I had the majority of it written already). 

Don’t you wish Bill Land and Sean Elliott could’ve broadcasted the Spurs games instead of Jeff Van Gundy and Mike Breen? Where is Marv Albert or Al Michaels or Bob Costas?  Man, we got a lot of top notch broadcasters.  Oh, I forgot to mention San Antonio High School broadcasters, Bobby Stautzenberger and Mark Kusenberger…yes, they do basketball in addition to football (starts August 29th…look at the top right of this mdlblog.com for my High School football schedule) and baseball. 

Game 4 – SAN ANTONIO SPURS 93 vs MIAMI HEAT 109


The Big 3 of Miami, LeBron, Dwayne Wade, and Chris Bosh scored 85 of the 109 points for the Heat!!!  The Spurs as whole team scored 93…enough said.  Next game please…

Game 5 – SAN ANTONIO SPURS 114  vs MIAMI HEAT 104


This was a MUST win game for San Antonio.  And, boy, I am SO GLAD the good guys (aka the SPURS) won this game.  Thank you Tony, Timmy, Danny, and Manu.  Welcome back Manu!!!


Now, comes the hardest part…winning a series clinching game (for the Championship) on the road in Miami!!   


Game 6 – SAN ANTONIO SPURS 100 vs MIAMI HEAT 103

I said to myself during the 3rd and 4th quarter break, “withstand the run from Miami.”  I knew Miami would not go down easily.  FUCK, the Spurs were :20 away from NUMBER 5 but yet somehow we lose in OT. Stupid Lebron, Ray Allen, and Chris Bosh!!!   I didn’t want to read or watch any of the media stories about the “what ifs.”

Chris Duel had, by far, the best status update on Facebook after the game ended…”Meanwhile, in an Alternate universe, Manu or Kawhi made one more free throw or any Spur got one more rebound in the final minute of regulation.  I am at Academy and have just purchased my Championship t-shirt and baseball cap and we are trying to figure out when the Spurs will land at the airport.  I loves me the Alternate Universe.”

So now we gotta play a Game 7…where anything can happen.  Boy, I betcha the Spurs are pissed and that is good news for us and bad news for the Miami Heat.  

Game 7 – SAN ANTONIO SPURS vs MIAMI HEAT

Instead of playing this game and making everyone nervous, I wish we could’ve fast forwarded the first 43 minutes and made the score tied at 85 and let the teams battle it out for 5 minutes!!!  

I am a Spurs fan, but I am also a fan of the NBA and Game 7 last night was an absolute classic and it will go down as one of the best games ever in the NBA Finals!

Even though the Spurs came up 7 points short, you gotta give a bunch of KUDOS to the Miami Heat.  LeBron was feeling it from downtown and when that happens, he is impossible to defend.  And, LeBron’s shooting rubbed off on Dwayne Wade, Shane Battier, and Mario Chalmers.

For the Spurs last night, Timmy and Kawhi performed phenomenally and almost pulled off a victory.  Tony and Manu had flashes of greatness but not all game long.  I hope Manu is OK, cause he didn’t look the Manu I know for the Playoffs.  Man, I feel bad for Danny Green…the first 4 games, he was on fire from downtown, but the last 3 games, the Heat threw buckets of water on him and basically shut him down!!   Remember when we saying Danny Green for NBA Finals MVP?  Is it me or does Boris Diaw look likes he is in a ballet when he plays? 

I am gonna jump on the Kawhi Leonard bandwagon…dude can rebound, defend, and shoot the ball and he is only 21 years old and he is only gonna get better.  He is the Spurs future and we can easily build around him.  Hell, he could lead the Spurs down the road in the next Championship for the team!!   He also always has the same expression on his face!! 

What’s next for the Spurs?

Well, for the players…a very nice well deserved vacation and lots of family time.  Some will have to ultimately make a decision on whether or not to come back next season. 

For the coaches and the gm and their staffs… a very nice well deserved vacation and lots of family time it but has to be quick since they got the NBA Draft next week.  After the NBA Draft comes the summer league games, roster exploration, and then it will be time to tip-off next season!!!

For Mark Lieberman…I am gonna spend quality time with my wife, watch the season finale of Criminal Minds, and the series finale of Touch.  I am also gonna devote a little bit of time to research and development on some future blog posts.  

Next week, I will “FLIP A SWITCH” and concentrate primarily on High School football for the rest of the year.  And, appearing next Wednesday June 26th will be Mark’s TOP 10 PRE-SEASON HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL RANKINGS!!!  

Let’s all take another drink (don’t matter what it is) and thank the SPURS once again for an awesome season!!