There are plenty of storylines and scenarios to be discussed, debated, disputed, and dissected regarding this year?s NBA Finals combatants.  Heralded Top Draft Pick of the Nineties Tim Duncan versus Heralded Top Draft Pick of the Aughts LeBron James.  Mentor Gregg Popovich versus Disciple Mike Brown.  The Alamo versus Rock and Roll.  

What makes this series so interesting is that it will definitely play a major role in sculpting the historical landscape of the NBA.  Regardless of which team prevails, the championship record books will be impacted.  Before previewing and predicting the outcome for this year?s NBA Finals, let?s first take a look at how the history books can and will be rewritten.

In the first 60 years of the NBA, 22 current franchises have reached the NBA Finals, while only 16 have ever won a title.  The Cleveland Cavaliers are entering their first and will be the 23rd current team to reach the NBA Finals.  More interestingly, there have only been 9 teams to win more than 1 title, and only 3 teams with more than 3.  There have also only been 6 different champions in the past 20 years (Los Angeles Lakers, Detroit, Chicago, Houston, San Antonio, Miami).  Here are the current NBA championship standings:

1) Boston Celtics ? 16  (16-3 overall in Finals history)
2) Los Angeles Lakers ? 14  (14-14)
3) Chicago Bulls ? 6  (6-0)
4t) Philadelphia 76ers ? 3  (3-6)
4t) Detroit Pistons ? 3  (3-4)
4t) Golden State Warriors ? 3*  (3-3)
4t) San Antonio Spurs ? 3  (3-0)
8t) New York Knicks ? 2  (2-6)
8t) Houston Rockets ? 2  (2-2)

*(2-1 as Philadelphia Warriors, 0-2 as San Francisco Warriors)

If the San Antonio Spurs take home the title for the fourth time in the past nine seasons, they will be alone in fourth place all-time, despite getting their first Larry O?Brien trophy in 1999, the league?s 52nd season.  If the Cleveland Cavaliers win their first title, not only will they be the first team to defeat the San Antonio Spurs in the Finals, but they will also become the second consecutive team to win their first NBA Finals appearance (Miami) and the 17th current NBA franchise to hang a championship banner in their arena.  

The historical significance boils down to more than just the Spurs trying to become the next dynasty versus the Cavs trying to make their first ever Finals trip a successful one.  The fabled Draft Class of 2003 will also be represented by number one overall pick LeBron James, who looks to become the third member of the Top 5 to become an NBA champion?yes, I?m counting Darko Milicic?s title with Detroit in 2004.  Never before have three of the top five picks in a Draft won championships within their first four years in the league.  

This will be the chance for the 22-year old iconic face of the entire league, LeBron James, to emerge and take on the heavily-favored consistently powerful San Antonio Spurs.  The last time a player of James? abilities and expectations faced a team in the tail end of a dynasty, it was Michael Jordan?s Bulls defeating the defending two-time NBA champion and 3-time defending Eastern Conference champion Detroit Pistons.  Jordan then continued on to destroy the Los Angeles Lakers in the Finals, who had been Western Conference champions 9 of the past 12 years and NBA champs in 5 of those seasons.  Ironically, LeBron has already willed his team to an upset victory over the defending five-time Eastern Conference Finals combatant Detroit Pistons, and now it is his turn to go through the most recent dynastic team in this year?s Finals.

It appears the injury to the foot of Larry Hughes will play a major role in this series, as the Spurs are very quick and adept at playing on the perimeter.  As they demonstrated against the high-flying Phoenix Suns, they are capable of planting Tim Duncan in the middle and flanking him with four perimeter players that can play small-ball with the best of them.  With a hindered Hughes, the slower Sasha Pavlovic and the inexperienced Daniel Gibson, the Cavs are going to have trouble stopping Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili, Michael Finley, and Bruce Bowen.  Don?t think Popovich won?t use the smaller lineups to his advantage.

Like the Cavaliers did against the Pistons, they must slice through the middle and kick out to their shooters.  If King James can penetrate and find open three-point shots or a slashing Drew Gooden to the basket, they can get good looks and drop plenty of shots for Zydrunas Ilgauskas to swarm the rim for put-backs.  They must utilize the often crafty and defensive nuisance, Anderson Varejao, to finagle a few offensive fouls out of Tim Duncan and frustrate him out of his game.  With a new realm of confidence hovering over his shoulders, watch for LeBron to steal the show late in the ballgame with his newfound ?Refuse to Lose? attitude and determination that he has recently discovered.      

Expect the Spurs to be well prepared for everything Mike Brown will throw at them.  With Games 1 and 2 in San Antonio, it is vital that the Cavs gain some confidence by avoiding being blown out in both games.  If they get demolished by the Spurs and travel back to Cleveland down 0-2 with two heavily lopsided losses, expect them to fold in five games.  However, if the Cavs can go into the AT&T Center and steal Game 1 or 2, or even just plant the seed of fear into the eyes of Goliath by taking a game to the final minute, then I expect this series to be epic, with a nail-biting series finale hinging on the freshly bitten fingers of LeBron James in Game 7.

Let?s be bold?  Prediction: David in 7.

Spurs?  Cavs?  Who do you think will win this year?s NBA Finals?  Feel free to contact Jason M. Williams with your thoughts and predictions.  He can be reached at [email protected] for comments or questions.