San Antonio and Miami are ready to run it back and for fans of the franchise and basketball buffs alike, it's a case of many happy returns. If the faces in this face-off look familiar, that's because one year removed from a terrific tilt, the fundamental Spurs and the flashy Heat are competing in the Finals a second straight season. This showdown is a sequel audiences actually want to watch (think of it as Days of Future Recent Past).
The story lines for the series are straightforward: for the Spurs, it's a chance for redemption, after the title slipped through their fingers last season, like the Larry O'Brien trophy was carved out of soap; for the Heat, it's an opportunity to be distinguished as a dynasty by winning three in a row, or over one-third of the way toward fulfilling LeBron's ambitious assertion (and for Pat Riley to sell some sheets*). Who cares whether California Chrome will win the triple crown, we want to know whether King James will be crowned thrice or if Tim Duncan will be telling teammates, "give me five," after capturing championship number five.
How the Heat win: Bosh rebounds and plays in the post periodically, Allen gets free and hits threes, Anderson protects the paint, Chalmers and Cole are careful with the ball, Wade doesn't wear down or settle for outside shots, James is selfish in spots and does the heavy lifting himself down the stretch, if Oden behaves on the bench how his Buckeyes buddy suggested.
How the Spurs win: Parker suffers no setbacks with his ailing ankle, Belinelli and Mills match Allen's makes, Diaw sets up his squadmates, Leonard uses his length to leak out on fastbreaks and limit LeBron on offense, Duncan demands the ball, Ginobili gets in a groove, if Bonner resumes his web series and eats hot dogs with Snoop Dogg.
It took seven to settle it before and the same sum will be needed, but the Spurs have home court advantage this time and that alone will be the deciding factor in an otherwise even encounter (it'll be National Spelling Bee contest-close, you have our word^). Cue coach Popovich popping open the champagne (and, in a gracious gesture, aiming the cork away from Heather Cox's cornea) and Duncan being uncharacteristically bubbly as he has bubbly poured over him.
*his money is on top of the mattress, not underneath it
^if the teams are tied at the end of regulation in Game 7, instead of overtime, whoever spells "Tiago" and Kawhi" correctly will be declared the winner
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