Three teams against King James

Today, after quite a long time, I want to write in my blog about basketball. Time is flying and we are already in the Conference Finals of the NBA, so there are only four teams (almost three) left, fighting for the NBA (not World) Championship 2013.

I cannot say that I have positive feelings towards Lebron James as basketball player. I can extend this to his team, Miami Heat. In other words, I would be very happy if Indiana Pacers, San Antonio Spurs or Memphis Grizzlies take the rings home this season. I recognise that Lebron James has a perfect body for basketball, but I appreciate certain lack of leadership and of technique in basketball. I would like to see him opening my mouth with a play of wonderful technique, not because he has made dunk after dunk over an opponent.

Although Lebron James is playing at an awesome level this season, I see hope. The other three teams competing for the Championship are somehow the opposite to the Miami Heat. Where Miami Heat depends a lot on three players (James, Bosh, Wade) and the others seem to be there just to reach the mandatory number of players, Indiana Pacers, San Antonio Spurs and Memphis Grizzlies are teams and play like that. Do not forget that basketball is a sport played in teams of five, not by individuals.

Indiana Pacers are certainly my favourite for the title this year. It has always been a nice team to me (like Golden State Warriors, for example). I have always felt a strange positive feeling for this team from Indianapolis, with a lot of yellow in this T-shirt and coming from the heart of US basketball. They are playing this season very good basketball, with several players able to decide a game. I really think they are my favourite team for the whole Eastern Conference and I certainly wish them the best in Conference Finals.

On the West, it seems that San Antonio Spurs is already in the Finals. It is hard to believe how time is not going by for Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili, Tony Parker,... Year after year they are there, together with a brunch of new talents (like Thiago Splitter). I would add that they are one of the most European teams in the NBA (for rooster and for way of playing), what also helps. Finally, given that we share name, I somehow have a lot of sympathies for San Antonio Spurs.

Memphis Grizzlies are also cool and they have a Spaniard, Marc Gasol, but they have little chances left... I sincerely think that they have reached their top and their chances against San Antonio Spurs are really few.

Nonetheless, whatever the final outcome is, it is refreshing to see how team-play is being rewarded this season in the NBA. Those teams excessively dependant on a player (New York Knicks and many others) have fallen and what we have now are three teams with ten players able to do valuable things for the team, looking for the throne of King James. It is nothing personnal against Lebron James, but I really wish a new team seating on the NBA throne...