And the 2015 NBA champ will be…

This article was first published in the 144th edition (2015 - No. 5) of SLAM China magazine. Here is my original English version.

*I wrote this article before the playoffs began!

We have seen this movie before. Over and over again, Popovich’s disciplined and dedicated troops have stretched their dominance, squeezing the last bit of talent out of the Duncan-Ginobili-Parker ‘Big Three’, up to a point where we have entered the Kawhi Leonard era and a new face of the franchise threatens to haunt NBA rivals for another decade.

But this isn’t about the past or the future, it’s about the present. And in the present, all signs point towards another title for the Spurs, their sixth in the Duncan-Popovich era, and their first successful title defence.

There will be strong contenders on both coasts, but you can expect the Spurs to have an upper hand against every postseason challenger. The Warriors have been historically good this season on both ends of the floor, but I fear that that their inexperience (they were ousted in the First Round last year) will be exposed and they will be outclassed by the Spurs in the West. The East may present the Bulls, Cavaliers, or Hawks as the sacrificial lamb in the Finals, none of whom have the two-way balance, experience, and tactical cunning that the Spurs will be riding on.

After a relatively slow start to the regular season, Leonard, Parker, Duncan, Popovich, and co. have finished in style to peak just in time for the playoffs. The NBA is a problem, and the Spurs are the solution. With their team-first approach, passing, three-point prowess, and defensive intensity, the San Antonio Spurs will finish this season just as they began it: as NBA champions.

Spurstastic: The Spurs play the beautiful game to lift 2013-14 NBA Championship

Years from now, young people learning how to play this beautiful game should watch videos of the Spurs in the 2014 NBA Finals. Instead of offering us individual stars to emulate, this team offered us lessons on how to play winning basketball selflessly. How to think further than individual stats or glory, and how to think about the working unit as a whole instead of different pieces of a puzzle.

Click here to read full feature.

Repeat or Redemption: The NBA Finals are set for a rematch for the ages

One by one, 28 of the 30 NBA teams were knocked out of title contention, and the last two remaining contenders for the title are the same teams who were right here exactly 12 months ago: the Heat and the Spurs. The 2014 NBA Finals will be a battle between a bid to repeat or a bid for redemption: Will the Heat Repeat (and thus, Three-Peat), or will the Spurs redeem themselves to win the title they believe they deserve?

Click here to read my full preview of the Finals.

The Spurs are still here

There are a surprisingly low amount of San Antonio Spurs related posts, not only on this blog, but across on most blogs and websites around the global INTERNAATS (outside of San Antonio, of course). Somehow, the last decade's most successful basketball team (along with the Lakers) went by either hated, or at worst, unnoticed by most in the basketball world.

But the San Antonio Spurs, NBA Champions in 1999, 2003, 2005, and 2007, and contenders for damn near every other year, have once again sprung up from under the radar and are currently owners of the NBA's best 13-1 record, including owners of an incredible 12 game winning streak. Ask the casual NBA fan of the intriguing storylines of this NBA season, and he/she will mention the failing Big 3 at Miami, the chase for a sixth championship for Kobe in LA, the Celtics and their acquisition of Shaq, or Kevin Durant and the exciting young Thunder squad. And still, none of these teams have had a better start than the Spurs have.

Maybe it's because of their leader Tim Duncan, who has once again been the model of a quiet professional, getting it done year after year (after year, after year) without fanfare, hype, big shoe deals, and relatively lower global attention. Maybe its because of their coach Gregg Popovich, who has stuck with the same winning system, rated boring by half the world (and cheaters by the other half). Even the antics of Tony Parker and his Desperate Housewife or Manu Ginobili's incredible clutch talent/ incredible flopping talent have brought this team into mainstream attention.

Duncan recently became the Spurs' all time leading scorer, overtaking their other legend and twin tower, David Robinson. Duncan, known as T-Robot for his efficiency and lack of emotion (expect that he is programmed to frown at questionable referee calls), continues to cement his legacy as one of the greatest power forwards of all time. And yet, year after year, he continues to be overlooked.

But the Spurs are still here, and still winning. After getting swept by the Suns in last year's Conference Semi-Finals, Spurs have responded well with more of the same formula that has made them so successful over the past 12 years. Duncan, Parker, and Ginobili are once again getting it done, and are being supported ably by younger talent such as Richard Jefferson, George Hill, DeJuan Blair, Tiago Splitter, and the rest.

When the season began, I had predicted that there will be few teams who could really challenge the Lakers for the Western Conference Championship. The Spurs' fast start has made me doubt that prediction: I still feel that no one is stopping Kobe and LA from reaching the Finals again, but I don't think that the ride through the Western conference will be as smooth as I had earlier expected.

I spent much of the last decade cursing and fearing the Spurs - no matter what the scene around the league, you could bet that they would always be a threat to your favourite team. And here they go again. The best managed franchise in the league just won't go away...