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What San Antonio Spurs Championship Victory Means
Jun 15, 2014; San Antonio, TX, USA; San Antonio Spurs guard Manu Ginobili (20)pats guard Tony Parker (9) on the chest in the first half against the Miami Heat in game five of the 2014 NBA Finals at AT&T Center.Mandatory Credit: Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports
After emphatically erasing the nightmares of what happened in 2013, what does the fifth title in San Antonio Spurs history mean for the NBA?
LeBron James may not even surpass Tim Duncan
After his second title in two years all anybody could talk about was not if but merely how long it would take LeBron James to catch Michael Jordan on the championships list. Now, after his third career loss in the NBA Finals, second to the San Antonio Spurs, it’s fair to wonder if the King will even manage to catch future Hall of Fame forward Tim Duncan who just got his fifth ring at age 38. Duncan has beaten James twice in the Finals alone. Considering the fact that Jordan never lost a Finals at all, these ongoing arguments are turning more and more against LeBron.
Miami Heat have reached their limit
The Big Three of James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh have had quite a run winning two titles and playing in four-straight Finals. However, age and injury began to do their work on the Miami Heat even before the series was over and it’s a clear sign the team is in decline. James is has a chance to opt out for free agency and there are whispers he could join forces with Carmelo Anthony. If not that he’ll have his choice of other possible destination that will offer a better chance to keep winning than the aging Heat.
Gregg Popovich joins elite company
He is arguably the best NBA coach of the new millennium but there is no arguing what Gregg Popovich has accomplished with the San Antonio Spurs. With his fifth championship ring secured, he becomes only the fifth coach in the history of pro basketball to reach that mark, joining the likes of Pat Riley, John Kundla, Red Auerbach and Phil Jackson. That is the kind of company legends keep.
Spurs add to rather bland 2014 sports championship series
Hey, not every year can be must-see TV when it comes to championships. Still, 2014 hasn’t exactly raised the profile of “competitive” sports. So far fans have been treated to a Super Bowl that was a 43-8 runaway by the Seattle Seahawks. The Los Angeles Kings dispatched the New York Rangers in a quick five games for the Stanley Cup. Now the San Antonio Spurs pour on the blandness by pulverizing the Heat in five as well. Make no mistake, they earned every bit of it, but the selfish part of every fan loves to see games and series that are a tad more even.