NBA -- Battle royale between best player vs best team
By Reylan Loberternos
PhilBoxing.com
Wed, 11 Mar 2015
FOLSOM, California - Mark your calendars, folks. March 12, 2015 (March 13 Manila time) is a special day for hoops fans as the defending champions San Antonio Spurs defend their home floor against LeBron James and the visiting Cleveland Cavaliers at the AT&T Center.
This is a rematch of their November 19, 2014 squeaker, one that didn't disappoint, thanks to a 92-90 escape that the Spurs pulled on the road at the Q Arena in Cleveland .
Tim Duncan powered the Spurs in that encounter with an impressive statline of 19 pts, 10 rebs, 3 asts, 2 stls and 2 blks to beat Cleveland for the 10th straight time, while Boris Diaw was equally impressive with 19 pts, 6 rebs, 7 asts, 3 stls, and 1 blk of his own.
On the other hand, 4-time league MVP LeBron James was held to only 15 points, 6 rebounds, 9 assists, 1 stl, and 1 blk to go along with his team high 5 TOs. Kawhi Leonard hounded LeBron all night long, limiting him to 3 for 11 field goal shooting, including 0 for 3 in the second half, when the reigning Finals MVP was his primary defender.
The Cavs will be facing basically the same Spurs team, whereas the defending champions will have to deal with a squad reinforced by acquisitions before the trade deadline in big men Timofey Mosgov and Kendrick Perkins and former New York Knicks wingmen JR Smith and Iman Shumpert. Brazilian center Anderson Varejao, who compiled game high 23 points on an 11 for 16 field goal shooting and game high 11 rebounds to go along with 2 blocks for the Cavs in their first encounter with the Spurs this season, will be out of commission for this particular game, as he underwent a surgery early this year that is expected to sideline him for 6 to 8 weeks.
All things considered, this should shape up as another good one,
This could very well be a preview to this year's NBA Finals, a rematch of the 2007 battle which the Spurs easily took over the young and inexperienced Cavs.
But LeBron has grown so much since and has become a two-tine NBA champion.
It's Big 3 --- LeBron, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love --- versus Big 3 -- Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili.
Hard to pick a winner in this easy, but it's easy to predict another must-see TV.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Reylan Loberternos.
Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:
Rodrigo to challenge undefeated Sandoval in US
By Lito delos Reyes, Sat, 23 Aug 2025Round 12 with Mauricio Sulaimàn: Call to Action 12 Items for Boxers' Safety
By Mauricio Sulaimán, Fri, 22 Aug 2025Libranza vs Pangga headlines Elorde card on Aug 24
By Lito delos Reyes, Fri, 22 Aug 2025GM Antonio to compete in P100,000 top prize Rapid chessfest this Sunday in Roxas City, Capiz Province
By Marlon Bernardino, Fri, 22 Aug 2025AISAT Basic Ed football training starts
By Kim delos Reyes-Teves, Fri, 22 Aug 2025Josh Navarro Scores Another Win in Pomona, California
By Carlos Costa, Fri, 22 Aug 2025UNDEFEATED CRIZTIAN PITT LAURENTE SET TO FACE HEBI MARAPU FOR IBF PAN PACIFIC TITLE
Fri, 22 Aug 2025Dare To Enter: Undefeated WBC Interim Champion Vergil Ortiz to Defend Super Welterweight Title From Number 1 Contender Erickson “The Hammer” Lubin
Fri, 22 Aug 2025Euri Cedeno Takes on Willie Jones on Friday, September 5th at Wind Creek Event Center in Bethlehem, PA
Fri, 22 Aug 2025COE AND HART CLASH ON BOOTS ENNIS CARD IN PHILADELPHIA
Thu, 21 Aug 2025‘There's nothing that he brings to the table that I've not got an answer for’ Sam Rennie on upcoming fight at Thunderdome 51
Thu, 21 Aug 2025JAMAINE "THE TECHNICIAN" ORTIZ TRAINING CAMP NOTES
Thu, 21 Aug 2025Gervonta Davis vs. Jake Paul: Exhibition Bout Announced for November
By Gabriel F. Cordero, Thu, 21 Aug 2025Legendary boxing coach John Brown Compares cornering Tommy Morrison & Rising young star Marco Romero
Thu, 21 Aug 2025World Kid to Host Meet-and-Greet and Open Workouts In advance of “The Return” on August 31 in Detroit
Thu, 21 Aug 2025