The NBA Finals

The NBA Finals

(Photo Courtesy of: The New York Daily News)

My original prediction for the NBA finals this year was for the Heat to close it out in six. After the loss in game 1, my prediction stands. The Miami Heat will win the championship in six games. In game one the Spurs took the victory by forcing Miami to settle for jump shots and LeBron James not taking over in the fourth quarter. I don't see Miami rolling over in the fourth in two consecutive games. Given their propensity to rebound with a vengeance following a loss, I foresee Miami going off in game two to even the series. Furthermore given they way they decimated the Thunder after losing game one last year, I don't feel like I'm exactly out on a limb with this prediction. After all, LeBron James is the best player in the game. Yes, Tony Parker is great, as is Duncan, as is Ginobli, but come on, Parker dribbled around and lost the ball about four times before jacking up an off balance prayer as the shot clock literally hit zero and barely got the ball off of his fingertips to finish the Heat in game one. No, I am not trying to say it was pure luck that the shot hit bottom...but seriously it was pure luck. Not only was it a horrid offensive possession by Parker who never passed and proceeded to lose the handle on the ball around 3 or 4 times but the ball was barely off of his finger tips when the shot clock hit zero. Plus LeBron James, all 6'8" and 260 pounds of him, had a hand in his face. Lets face it, the Spurs caught a break on that shot and in the fourth quarter in general because LeBron James shifted into facilitator mode instead of attack mode. I don't think there is a team on the planet that can stop that freight train when he is in attack mode. A mode which we saw him shift into in game seven against the Pacers and a mode I am sure we will see throughout the rest of this series. We all know LeBron still has something to prove and he will not settle for another finals loss to the Spurs' big three. I don't see anyone stopping a motivated Heat squad. Granted I have no idea why they wouldn't be motivated to win game one but by their play in the fourth quarter of that game, it did not appear that they were. None the less Heat in six.