So they meet again. One year after suffering one of the most excruciating Finals defeats in recent memory, Tim Duncan and the San Antonio Spurs will get one more shot at LeBron James and the Miami Heat with the 2014 NBA championship on the line. The Heat will be going all out to complete an historic three-peat, while the Spurs will hope to exorcise the Ray Allen-induced demons of 2013 once and for all.
If the conference finals were any indication, this should be another epic encounter between the two best teams in the league. Create a betting account now and don’t miss a single game of this series.
[sc:NBAArticles ]Miami Heat vs. San Antonio Spurs NBA Finals, Game 1 Betting Preview
Series Scores & Schedule
Game 1 – June 5, 9:00 PM ET, Miami (+4) at San Antonio (-4); total: 199.0 – view all NBA lines
Game 2 – June 8, 8:00 PM ET, Miami at San Antonio
Game 3 – June 10, 9:00 PM ET, San Antonio at Miami
Game 4 – June 12, 9:00 PM ET, San Antonio at Miami
Game 5 (if necessary) – June 15, 8:00 PM ET, Miami at San Antonio
Game 6 (if necessary) – June 17, 9:00 PM ET, San Antonio at Miami
Game 7 (if necessary) – June 20, 9:00 PM ET, Miami at San Antonio
Betting on the Miami Heat
LeBron James and Dwyane Wade (23 and 20 PPG in the Pacers series, respectively) will get their points against the Spurs. Apart from his foul trouble-riddled Game 5, James has been scoring in the 20’s all postseason long, while Wade looks to have benefited from his regular season rest with consistent playoff performances.
[sc:NBA240banner ]But of the Big Three, Chris Bosh may have the biggest impact in the Finals. Bosh averaged 23 PPG in the last three games vs. the Pacers, and his improved three-point range will be a new wrinkle from last year’s Finals that the Spurs now have to solve.
Speaking of three-point shooting, Rashard Lewis has emerged as the team’s new stretch four, going 9-for-16 (56%) from beyond the arc in the last two games. The Heat’s ability to space the floor with the likes of Mike Miller and Shane Battier was vital in last season’s Finals win, and Lewis’ rise to that role bodes well for Miami.
Unlike last season, the Heat begin the Finals on the road, where they have been up-and-down this postseason. Miami is just 4-3 SU/ATS away from home, with the over going 4-2-1 in those games.
Betting on the San Antonio Spurs
If any team can withstand the possible loss of its top scorer, it’s the loaded San Antonio Spurs. Despite losing point guard Tony Parker for the entire 2nd half of Game 6, Tim Duncan (19 points, 15 rebounds) and Kawhi Leonard (17 points, 11 rebounds) helped the Spurs weather that storm to close out the Thunder in Oklahoma City over the weekend.
If Parker can’t go in Game 1, Manu Ginobili will have to take on primary playmaking duties, a role he should thrive in. OKC’s long and athletic defenders – similar to the ones he’ll face against Miami – didn’t bother Manu, who averaged 15 PPG on 50% shooting with just one turnover per game in the series.
Boris Diaw will also have a big part to play in this series on both ends of the floor. Diaw emerged as a key to the downsized Spurs line-up which prevailed in Games 5 and 6 vs. OKC. He showed his offensive skills with 26 points in Game 6 and his passing remains top notch, but his ability to defend the likes of Chris Bosh, Rashard Lewis and LeBron James (at times) on the perimeter will be especially vital in the Finals.
After carrying the best record through the regular season, the Spurs have homecourt advantage in this series, which they have capitalized on all postseason long. The Spurs have topped 110 points in five of their last six home games, which has helped them to a 7-0 SU/ATS in their last seven games at the AT&T Center.
Writer’s Prediction
Even without Parker, the Spurs still have the weapons on offense to outgun the Heat, especially in San Antonio, where they have been so stellar. Take the Spurs to win and cover -4 in Game 1 at home.
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