With all due respect to the Los Angeles Clippers vs Oklahoma City Westbrooks game that is on ESPN tonight, the game of the week pits the Spurs vs the Cavs tomorrow at 9:30 ET on TNT. Anytime we get a Kawhi vs LeBron match up it is must see TV but there is so much more about this game that gets me excited.
Two Evenly Matched Teams
If the Cavs were in the Western Conference they would currently be tied for the 7th seed. Yea you read they right but go ahead and check. Waiting… Ok your back, I told you. So like I said the Cavs would be the 7 seed with guess who right in front of them, you guessed it the Spurs. So not only are these teams separated by .5 a game they have both been winning recently. Cleveland has won 4 out of 5, including 3 wins against above .500 teams and a point butt kicking in Dallas last night. San Antonio has won 6 in a row, including 3 wins over above .500 teams. Both of these veteran teams look to be hitting their stride coming off the All-Star break and this looks like a statement game for both teams seeing as it is their last match up of the regular season.
Point Guard Match-Up
Is there anyone in the NBA with better handles that Kyrie Irving? The best way to describe his game is smooth, smooth handles, smooth passing, and a smooth shot. This guy has all the skills to be one of the best if not the best Point Guard in the game (he’s only 22!) but to do that he needs to continue to find his role in the Cavs system. He is shooting the least amount of shots per game of any month this season while still averaging 20 PPG (if you take out that atrocious Suns game). If he can get up that play the Cavs will keep this streak going. And don’t think Kyrie doesn’t come to play on National TV. He is going to bring it Thursday.
“Uh oh.” That has to be what every team in the West is saying after seeing Tony Parker’s numbers during this 6 game winning streak. In my opinion Parker has been the key cog in the Spurs system since the 2007 title. We all know Duncan keeps putting up the same numbers year in and year out but it is pretty easy to see the way he gets those numbers changes. His age shows, his play gets older each year. Ginobili has always broken down and that is no secret at all. So what has kept this Spurs train rolling? Parker. He comes in each year and looks the same, he runs the Pick-and-Roll the same, and he plays defense the same. This year he came in and looked old (12.8-3.8 in December, 11.0-4.0 in January, and 12.5-5.0 in February) and don’t lie the “Many this is finally the year the Spurs are too old” thought crept in your head. But this month Parker is averaging 25.0-4.0 APG and is averaging only 1 TO in those games. Repeat after me team in the West “Gulp”. This was all confirmed to me when I watched Parker slice and dice my beloved Bulls apart on Sunday to the tune of 32 points on 13-19 shooting, which he then followed up with a 22-9 performance with only 1 TO last night.
Is he back for real or is this just a short hot streak? I am not sure but all I know is if my team was fighting for the 2 or 3 seed in the West I would want them to get whichever one doesn’t play the Spurs in Round 1 if Parker keeps playing like this.
LeBron’s Revenge
And finally the best story line of game. The Spurs beat the Heat so bad last June LeBron made the decision “I can’t win with this Heat team”. And then the next game playing that same Spurs team he lost the game like this:
Yea I think he might have last June and that play in the back of his mind as he takes the court Thursday night. This Cavs team is winning and most people agree are the favorites in the East right now, what better way to add confidence to the fan base and to the team itself that they can win a title than beating the team that LeBron couldn’t last June.
Prediction
I expect the Cavs to win a close one here. Even if Tim Duncan doesn’t play because of that hyper extended elbow he suffered last night I think it is still going to be an entertaining game to watch. Kawhi Leonard has been playing well (21.5 PTS 8.2 REB 1.8 AST 2.7 STL 1.5 BLK on 54% shooting over the past 6 games) and I expect him to pick up the slack for Duncan as well as try (and I stress the word try) to lock down LeBron all night. Enjoy the game everyone and interact with me on twitter @kmoran18 if you are watching.