San Antonio Spurs Daily: Game 1 of NBA Finals Is Tomorrow

Jun 18, 2013; Miami, FL, USA; Miami Heat small forward LeBron James (6) grabs a loose ball against San Antonio Spurs power forward Tim Duncan (21) during overtime of game six in the 2013 NBA Finals at American Airlines Arena. The Heat won 103-100 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

2014 NBA Finals: Miami Heat at San Antonio Spurs

Game 1 is scheduled to tip off tomorrow, Thursday 9 PM ET on ABC.

We’ve had a bit of a back and forth between these two teams already. As covered earlier, Tim Duncan said he was happy that it was the Heat again, and LeBron James retaliated.

Now, both Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich and the walking bald spot Manu Ginobili is joining in on the fun. From Hayden Kane of FanSided:

LeBron James seemed to suggest that the Spurs have an open disdain for the Miami Heat, something that would have a bearing on the 2014 NBA Finals. When asked if he dislikes the Heat, Popovich wasn’t impressed (as quoted in the San Antonio-Express News): 

“I like everybody. Come on. This is silly.”

Pop might not speak for everybody, however. Veteran guard Manu Ginobili described something like dislike for the Heat after facing them in the finals last year:

“(The animosity) grows on you. It’s such challenge, you want to beat (the other team) so bad, you start to grow that challenge. In some way, it’s a sort of dislike.”

I suppose the Heat could use that as motivation, but to me it reads like the worst bulletin board material ever.

Popovich speaks for the voice of reason here. This is silly. There’s no reason for these teams to beef. They played a good, tightly contested series last year. They will likely do the same this year. And while the Spurs went down in heartbreaking fashion last time, there’s really no reason to have a problem with the Heat other than wanting to beat them.

Tim Duncan sort of provided motivation by saying that the Spurs would win this time. Meh. There’s nothing to see here, other than the fact that Popovich says he likes everybody. 

I believe it when Pop says he likes everybody. You can certainly tell through his interviews:

So what’s a more important storyline: the three-peat or five rings for Timmy and Pop?

Unfortunately, I think the answer is obvious:

J.A. Adande, ESPN.com: The Miami Heat going for the three-peat. We’ll try to remember this is a team sport and stick with the broader themes at the top. A franchise that didn’t exist 30 years ago has a chance to join the legendary Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers and the iconic 1990s Chicago Bulls as the only teams in NBA history — a history that stretches back nearly seven decades — to win three consecutive championships. It would be the fourth overall championship for the Heat, which would move them out of a four-way tie for the fifth-most-decorated teams and elevate them to fourth place — tied with the San Antonio Spurs.

Keep tuning in to Air Alamo for constant coverage of the 2014 NBA Finals, as we will have previews, predictions, post-game analysis and more. Go Spurs Go!

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