NBA finals matchups

0 Comments | Deseret News (Salt Lake City), Jun 7, 2007 | by Ira Winderman South Florida Sun-Sentinel

CENTER

Cleveland tends to go to Zydrunas Ilgauskas early and then only goes back to its center if its perimeter offense falters or if Ilgauskas is on with his midrange jumper off the pick-and-pop. San Antonio counters with Fabricio Oberto and Francisco Elson as nominal starting centers, but eventually settles in with Tim Duncan handling almost all the post responsibilities.

EDGE: Cavaliers

POWER FORWARD

Duncan has been dominant through the Western Conference playoffs and it is difficult to envision him having any trouble with the league's lesser half. His two-way presence includes supremacy on the boards and with his blocked shots. Cleveland never seems to know what it will get from Drew Gooden and shows little confidence in him in pressure situations.

EDGE: Spurs

SMALL FORWARD

LeBron James has single-handedly lifted Cleveland to this level and will have to remain transcendent for the Cavaliers to have any chance. While San Antonio counters with the one-on-one defense of Bruce Bowen, Bowen's lack of an offensive role beyond 3-pointers figures to allow James to recharge while on defense. The Cavaliers must dominate this matchup.

EDGE: Cavaliers.

SHOOTING GUARD

Neither team opens with its most efficient option at the position, with Michael Finley having gotten the opening nod over Manu Ginobili for the Spurs, and Sasha Pavlovic doing the same ahead of Daniel Gibson for the Cavaliers. To evaluate the matchup means coming Finley/Ginobili to Pavlovic/Gibson, with experience giving San Antonio a significant edge.

EDGE: Spurs

POINT GUARD

Not only has Cleveland's Larry Hughes been up and down all season but now he is dealing with a troublesome foot injury. It is not exactly the position one wants to be in when contending with the speed and savvy of San Antonio's Tony Parker. The consistency issue delivers a huge advantage to the Spurs, with Hughes offering only unpredictability with his productivity.

EDGE: Spurs

BENCH

Both teams arguably are at their best once they cycle through their bench, with Ginobili and Robert Horry likely to be on the floor at the ends of close games for San Antonio, and Anderson Varejao, Gibson and even Eric Snow more trusted at the end by Cleveland than some of its starters. Ginobili's edge over Varejao swings this advantage to the Spurs.

EDGE: Spurs

COACHING

Cleveland's Mike Brown received much of his NBA insight while a Spurs assistant and certainly has a solid read on San Antonio's system. Still, his game management has raised questions throughout the postseason, most often requiring a bailout from James. San Antonio's Gregg Popovich has been here before and acts like it.

EDGE: Spurs

INTANGIBLES

In many ways, this sets up as last season's Finals, when the Heat entered as a decided underdog to the Mavericks. The difference is, unlike Dallas, San Antonio has a designated perimeter stopper in Bowen, who at least should be able to slow James, something the Mavericks lacked against Dwyane Wade. Figure James to win two on his own, but that's it.

EDGE: Spurs

PREDICTION: Spurs in six.