Gregg Popovich All-Time Team vs. Eric Spoelstra All-Time Team: Who Wins A Best-Of-7 Series?

Tony Parker is a natural point guard, even if his presence was to score instead of passing up shots. One of the fastest players at his position ever, Parker was a master at getting into the lane and also spitting up for mid-range shots.

Dwyane Wade is more than capable of handling the ball, and he will bring the ball up on occasion as an elite ball-handler. But Wade would rather James bring the ball up, giving himself the freedom to roam around the court and free himself up in advantageous matchups against Parker.

Manu Ginobili vs. Jimmy Butler

Ginobili was mainly the 6th man for Popovich’s all-time teams because he was an All-Star talent that would blitz teams with skill and offensive firepower. The legendary Argentinian is one of the best non-American players ever and would fit seamlessly in the offense as a clutch shot-maker.

Manu is a great player, but he will not be able to sneak up Jimmy Butler throughout the series. Butler is aware that his main job will be to defend Popovich’s scorers, and will compete at a high level from the first second of the game. A capable scorer as well, Butler will be invaluable alongside LeBron and Wade.

Kawhi Leonard vs. LeBron James

Kawhi Leonard is already one of the best two-way players ever and is an incredible swingman that can shoot the ball and also lock up players on defense. The Claw brings size, defense, and scoring ability as a key contributor to Popovich’s Hall of Fame side. He will also be required to defend The King on almost every possession.

LeBron James will have a massive load to carry as a playmaker, but it will be bolstered by the presence of two elite scorers and two capable big men. James always plays better when surrounded by stars, because he can focus on efficiency and making the right play to win critical games in the series.

Tim Duncan vs. Chris Bosh

Tim Duncan is the greatest power forward in NBA history, and let’s start there. Duncan will always win the matchup against any other power forward because he is simply smarter and more capable than any opponent he comes up against. A leader with a high basketball IQ, Duncan will make his teammates better.

Chris Bosh is a Hall of Fame scorer at his position, but he will struggle to contain the dominant Tim Duncan. Duncan is stronger and more physical, forcing Bosh into precarious situations. But the versatile power forward will space the floor on offense, forcing Duncan out of the paint and that is where his impact will come.

David Robinson vs. Bam Adebayo

David Robinson is one of the best big men ever because he could score 25 points in a game with ease and block 3 or 4 shots naturally on defense. A powerful player with a solid offensive game, Robinson will be required to score in the paint and also defend the rim at an elite level. He will also have a size advantage over a smaller Bam Adebayo.

Despite being undersized, Bam will compete as much as he can on defense to throw off Robinson and Duncan while also providing some floor-spacing on offense. Bam likes the mid-range shot and can hit the three at times, so he will be needed to fight for rebounds and open the floor up for James and Wade.

Gregg Popovich Team Advantages

Gregg Popovich’s all-time roster has a beautiful mix of defenders, scorers, and leaders. Literally, every player in the starting lineup can defend at a high level and play perfect team basketball on both ends of the floor. Even if Tony Parker is a smaller guard, his physical inefficiencies can be covered by the likes of Kawhi Leonard.

That is what Popovich’s team does best: make up for any inefficiencies and perform consistently on both ends of the floor. The offense will run through Tim Duncan on most occasions, and all 4 All-Stars will play around him perfectly.

Eric Spoelstra Team Advantages

Spoelstra’s team has the smartest ball-handler on the court in LeBron James because the powerful forward can attack the basket and also feed his teammates easy looks. With LeBron running point, the likes of Dwyane Wade and Jimmy Butler will be elite on the break.

Spoelstra’s team will love to run the break at all times, bringing out the best of all the teammates. Chris Bosh and Bam Adebayo can also space the floor, forcing Duncan and Robinson out of the paint to allow drives by LeBron and Wade.

Who Wins A Best-Of-7 Series?

Game 1 is a hard-fought game, coming down to the wire. Tim Duncan dominates the game with 25 points and 15 rebounds, and he will be responsible for ending the game on his team’s terms. Wade is terrific with 20 points in the first half, and nails a shot to give Spoelstra’s team a 1-point lead with 24 seconds remaining in the fourth. Pop runs a play for Duncan in the post, and he takes his time before banking in a shot with 2 seconds left. Butler tried to win the game, but his shot rims out.

Spoelstra’s team responds terrifically well in Game 2, capturing a 120-115 victory thanks to the brilliance of LeBron James and Dwyane Wade. The two superstars combine for 66 points and 14 assists, nailing a combined 53% of their field goals. The King controls the pace brilliantly, leading the team to a 15 point lead at the end of the first half. Pop’s team comes back thanks to the scoring of Manu, but it is not enough.

Game 3 is another tight game, this time falling to a game-winner in 2OT. The game is even in almost every category, except Kawhi Leonard hits the deck hard in the 4th quarter which leaves him rather limped throughout the rest of the game. James takes advantage in 2OT, blowing past him for easy layups and feeding Butler for two big three-pointers. Spoelstra’s team wins the game 135-127 in 2OT to lead the series 2-1.

Pop wins Gam 4 for his side, mainly because he plays a zone defense. The disciplined superstars force the opponents to shoot threes, and it does not work. James, Butler, and Wade combine for 31% shooting from three, leaving more missed shots for Robinson and Duncan to grab. With Leonard bouncing back from a rough Game 3, the series is tied at 2-2.

Game 5 is another close one, but once again, the zone defense is the biggest factor. The game is tied 99-99 in the 4th quarter with 1 minute remaining, as Leonard pulls up and nails a mid-range shot over The King to give his team a 2-point lead with seconds remaining on the shot clock. A 2-for-1 play results in Spoelstra’s favor, because Butler immediately takes a game-tying jumper. Once again, Kawhi answers off a terrific out-of-bounds play leaving 6 seconds left on the clock. James catches the ball, gets space, and barely misses a game-tying shot as Pop’s team heads to Game 6 with a 3-2 lead.

Not to be outdone, James and company respond with the most lopsided game of the series. The superstar big man drops 42 points on an efficient 55% shooting, forcing Pop’s team to double team him in the second half. There is no use because James forces the action and creates a ton of scoring opportunities for his team. The big men have to concede that James is in a rhythm, and accept a 21-point loss as an anomaly in the series.

In the most exciting Game 7 in NBA history, Pop’s team and Spoelstra’s team go to an incredible 3 overtime periods. The first overtime happens thanks to a David Robinson tip-in at the buzzer, thanks to a genius play run by Gregg Popovich. The second OT happens thanks to a Tim Duncan miss, resulting in a Dwyane Wade and LeBron James fast-break basket with 10 seconds left. A miss from Parker sends the game to an incredible third overtime. With both sides exhausted from an incredible 7-game series with multiple overtime periods, only 4 baskets are made between both sides.

The first comes courtesy of Tony Parker, who rattles in a tough layup over LeBron James. LeBron answers with a mid-range jumper, and Duncan banks in a critical jumper with one possession left. Wade attacks the basket and finds Butler at the rim, who is fouled. He swishes the first, and the second ball rims out after 3 unlucky bounces. Robinson grabs the rebound, heaves the ball across the court, and the game ends with a 1-point victory to Gregg Popovich’s team. Due to his consistency throughout the series and leadership, Duncan is voted Finals MVP ahead of Davis Robinson and Tony Parker.

Final Result: Gregg Popovich All-Time Team vs. Eric Spoelstra All-Time Team 4-3

Finals MVP: Tim Duncan

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