We knew the Oklahoma City Thunder and Miami Heat would be here. Or at least, we were pretty doggone sure.
But let’s face it – when it came to the San Antonio Spurs and Boston Celtics reaching the NBA’s Final Four, we had our doubts.
Both the Spurs and Celtics were deemed as experienced, yes. But they were also considered a little too old, a little too slow, a little too past-their-prime-times to withstand the physical demands of an entire postseason. And that still may be the case, as the Spurs still have to get past the Thunder in the Western Conference finals. And the Celtics still have to face the mighty Heat in the East.
No matter, you can’t deny what the Spurs and Celtics have done so far, or that they’ve exceeded a lot of expert expectations so far.
The doubts aren’t necessarily a surprise when you consider the overall age of each team’s most celebrated trio. You know the names. For the Spurs, the Big Three consists of Tim Duncan (36), Manu Ginobili (34) and Tony Parker (30). For the Celtics, it’s Kevin Garnett (36), Ray Allen (36) and Paul Pierce (34).
Of course, both teams have gone about it in entirely different ways.
Entering Sunday, the Spurs have been dominant, having won 18 straight dating back to the regular season and sweeping opponents from the first two rounds. They have passed and cut and found the open man on offense, and bent their knees and shuffled their feet on defense. It truly has been a thing of basketball beauty.
While it all starts with Duncan, Ginobili and Parker, the Spurs have clearly benefited from perhaps the league’s two most underrated additions, both of which came in mid-March. Those would be none other than swingman Stephen Jackson, obtained at the trading deadline, and big man Boris Diaw, picked up off waivers from the lowly Charlotte Bobcats.
Those two have responded well off the bench, understanding that you either adhere to coach Gregg Popovich’s viewpoint or you pout from the bench.
Throw in surprising rookie forward Kawhi Leonard, and it’s easy to understand how dramatically the Spurs have improved since getting bounced in the first round last year.
Then there’s Boston.
The Celtics have barely scraped by, winning ugly and squeaking to victories in a pair of Game Sevens. They have done just enough, at just the right time, to survive. They are the ultimate been-there-before sort of squad, proving that guts and pure will can carry you a long way.
Like the Spurs, familiarity among the team’s leaders has worked wonders for the Celtics.
Garnett, Allen, Pierce and Rajon Rondo are in charge, and remain the biggest reasons for hope. After that, coach Doc Rivers crosses his fingers and prays to the heavens above that the likes of big man Brandon Bass or swingman Mickael Pietrus gives the Celtics something, anything.
Both the Spurs and Celtics, of course, are quite a contrast to their counterparts in the conference finals.
The Thunder are loaded with energetic youth, a team that can score from anywhere behind Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and James Harden.
The Heat are a two-man juggernaut with LeBron James and Dwyane Wade, who are capable of beating you all by themselves – with or without injured All-Star No. 3, Chris Bosh.
So what chance do the Spurs and Celtics really have?
Well, the answer is the same chance they’ve possessed all postseason. In short, all they really need to do is keep utilizing what’s worked.
The Spurs must keep getting by on smarts and depth, the talent and togetherness that enabled them to downright coast in the first two rounds.
The Celtics must continue to play an unattractive, feet-on-the-floor and elbows-out brand of basketball, and keep games close to give themselves a shot at the end.
For both the Spurs and Celtics, it’s worked so far. And both know this is likely their last shot at a ring. They also both know that now poses another chance to prove everyone wrong. If they have anything going for them, it’s that both have already done so twice.
Follow Sam Amico on Twitter @SamAmicoFSO
