2014 NBA Finals Free Picks: Miami Heat vs San Antonio Spurs Odds and Predictions: For the second year in a row, the Miami Heat and San Antonio Spurs will meet in the NBA Finals. The Heat will be making their fourth straight appearance in the NBA Finals and will gunning for a three-peat. Meanwhile, the Spurs will be making back-to-back appearances in the NBA Finals for the first time in a franchise history. Last season, the Heat outlasted the Spurs in a thrilling seven-game series, but unlike last year, Miami will not have home-court advantage. From a basketball fan’s standpoint, it’s tough to ask for a better matchup. The series begins Thursday in San Antonio.
It all starts with LeBron James for the Heat, and he is averaging 27.1 points, 6.8 rebounds and 5.0 assists during Miami’s run to the NBA Finals. Meanwhile Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh are averaging a combined 33.9 points per game, and the Heat are shooting an efficient 49.7 percent as a team. Miami has been equally impressive on the defensive end during the postseason, holding opponents to just 92.1 points per game. Overall, the Heat won the Eastern Conference with relative ease, posting a 12-3 record and destroying the top-seeded Indiana Pacers in Game 6 of the conference finals to punch their ticket to the NBA Finals.
San Antonio rolls into the NBA Finals firing on all cylinders, especially on the offensive end. The Spurs are averaging 106.6 points per game, and five of their nine regular rotation players are averaging double figures. Tony Parker is currently leading the team in scoring this postseason, and Tim Duncan has been a double-double machine. Meanwhile, Manu Ginobili and Kawhi Leonard both seem to be playing their best basketball when it matters most, and Boris Diaw has been a surprise matchup nightmare with his outside shooting and passing. Reaching the NBA Finals hasn’t been a walk in the park for the Spurs, but they survived a seven-game series against Dallas in the first round and ultimately dispatched Oklahoma City in six games in the conference finals.
The Heat Win If:
For the Heat to win the series, they have to be the better defensive team, and they must use their defense to fuel their offense. Keeping Parker out of the lane is a great first step. Miami may have the best player on the court, but the Spurs are deeper. If this series ends up being played mainly in a half-court setting, Miami’s athleticism and speed will be neutralized and San Antonio’s well-oiled offense will have an edge. When the Heat aren’t getting quick looks in transition, James and Wade have to remain aggressive. By continuing to attack the rim rather than settling for jumpers, Miami’s stars have a chance to get the foul line or at least create open looks for the Heat’s array of 3-point snipers, including Ray Allen and Shane Battier. If James and Wade impose their will on the offensive end and Miami brings its best defensive effort, the Heat will win this series.
The Spurs Win If:
If the Spurs are going to knock off the Heat, they have to take advantage of their depth on offense to wear down Miami’s defense. The Heat need their defense to create turnovers and quick scoring chances in order to be at their best, but San Antonio can use efficient, mistake-free offense to turn Miami into a much more predictable offensive team. Defensively, the Spurs need to make James and Wade get their points on the perimeter rather than at the rim. In general, San Antonio needs to take the explosiveness out of Miami’s game and force them to execute against a set defense. If the Spurs can keep James and Wade from dictating the pace of the series, San Antonio’s depth and balance should win out.
Bottom Line:
Last year, the Spurs came as close to winning a championship as a team can come without actually sealing the deal. One more made free throw or one more defensive rebound in Game 6, and San Antonio would have been champs. For an accomplished, veteran group like the Spurs, the missed opportunity had to eat at them all offseason, and they are going to be plenty motivated to avenge the loss. More importantly, San Antonio is an even deeper team than it was a year ago, Ginobili is playing well, and Leonard can at least make James work for his points on a consistent basis. The Spurs shouldn’t have lost to the Heat last year, but they did. It won’t happen this time around.
Prediction: San Antonio Spurs Win in 6 Games
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