The feeling of mutual respect also exists between Tim Duncan and LeBron, from Berman: “I hoped to be back here,’’ Duncan recalled. “Knowing the player he was then and the trajectory he was on, I had no doubt he would be back here. And I’m glad and honored to be back here playing against him.’’ At 37, Duncan would be considered young for the 2012-13 Knicks, but is an NBA graybeard whose stunning rebirth this season landed him as first-team All-NBA again. James tipped his crown to “The Big Fundamental,’’ saying he has “championship DNA’’ and calling the power forward “probably one of the best players to ever play the game.’’
- NBA legend Julius Erving shared some thoughts about Andrew Bynum and his take on the NBA Finals, from Jason Wolf of USA Today: “Julius Erving said the Los Angeles Lakers traded the Philadelphia 76ers “damaged goods” in Andrew Bynum, called analytics “turning basketball into rocket science” and predicted the San Antonio Spurs would defeat the Miami Heat for the NBA championship while speaking Wednesday at Xfinity Live in the South Philadelphia Sports Complex.”
Charles Barkley also believes the Spurs will beat the Heat in the Finals. Here is his explanation, from Spike Eskin of CBS Philly: “I think the Spurs are too smart. I think the Spurs won’t turn the ball over as near as much as the Pacers did, and I got the Spurs winning this series. But LeBron, he’s like having a nuclear weapon. He could go off four games in a row. Like I said, I think the Spurs are too good to let that happen. I think they would do something—they would take the ball out of his hands because those guys are still going to be small down low. Tim Duncan is gonna play well, [Tiago] Splitter is gonna play well,” Barkley said.”
Barkley also touched on why he believes Tracy McGrady will play a hand in the series: “I got a surprise for you, I think Tracy McGrady is going to have a hand in this series. Just studying the match-ups, I don’t know how much he got in the tank, but I think he’s got, well, first of all nobody can stop LeBron. Nobody can stop LeBron, but after Kawhi Leonard they don’t have anybody on their team who is big enough height wise, and thick enough physically, to give him any troubles. But listen, this guy [McGrady], he’s 6’9″, 6’10″, he’s strong enough physically. I haven’t seen him play in the playoffs, but he’s the only other guy on that bench—nobody can stop LeBron, but he can make him work hard.”
Ray Allen feels vindicated about choosing the Heat last summer, from Gary Washburn of Boston Globe: ““I knew when I assessed the situation at the time every player going into free agency wants to win and as you get older, you try to see everything,” he said Wednesday. “You try to look at the situation a little bit closer. You step out on the limb every summer and a guy says, ‘am I going to go to this team or that team?’ For me, I guess there is a little bit of vindication because being here is where my whole hope was of doing last summer.”… “Going back to my situation, last summer I had control. I had the ultimate choice to decide where my future was going to be and I didn’t have to worry about what a team was going to decide to do with me. What team out there possibly was going to give me the option to be able to play and also at the same time, being able to win.”
Tony Parker admits that if the Spurs acquired Jason Kidd back in 2003, he probably would not have stayed. Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports has details: “Coach Gregg Popovich planned to move Parker to the shooting guard and make him the point guard as Kidd grew older. Parker left town for Kidd’s recruiting visit, but couldn’t ignore the reports of Duncan escorting Kidd everywhere through Parker’s town. He was enraged and hurt. Finally, he called San Antonio Express-News reporter Johnny Ludden and made his case to the public. “I know I’m the best point guard for this team,” Parker told Ludden. “I can lead this team. I know deep down in my heart I can. I’m only 21, but I’m going to get better.” Years later, Parker told me: “If he came here, I don’t think I would be in San Antonio.”
- Jalen Rose blasted Justin Bieber for his wardrobe during Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals: