Spurs have been to mountaintop; Cavs stuck at base camp
SAN ANTONIO -- Cleveland, everyone tried to tell you.
The Finals are a different animal. Getting here is like climbing a mountain, but you have to watch your step. If you stop to raise your arms, the ground might just slip right out from under you.
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| LeBron James and the Cavs have skill but they lack what the Spurs have in Finals experience. (AP) |
Add experience to the laundry list of reasons why San Antonio has enormous advantages over the Eastern Conference champions.
"It definitely played a lot, us never being a part of it, but that's not an excuse for us, because we've been in games in the Eastern Conference finals we've never been apart of and we didn't make an excuse," said LeBron James. "It's something we've been able to adjust throughout the course of a series. That's going to be the biggest thing to try to, adjust to Game 2 from Game 1 and get better."
Now that Thursday night's 85-76 loss is in the books, the Cavs are ready to admit what they wouldn't just a few days ago.
"This is the best team we've faced, and we know that," Cleveland's Drew Gooden said. "We kind of use them as a measuring stick to see where we're at. I think we are comfortable running our offense against them and our defensive principles, but at the same time, their experience I think kind of overcame us in this first game.
"You walk in here and see all the banners, the Western Conference championship banners, and you get a feeling that this team, these fans, this coaching staff has been here before. This is new to us, especially starting on the road is tough. We knew that would come into play."
Eric Snow tried to warn his teammates. He's the only one of them ever to play in an NBA Finals, and Gooden calls him the team's "guiding light" during this time of year.
Whenever Snow opens his mouth to lend some sage advice, his teammates are all ears.
That said, hearing about it is one thing. Actually experiencing is another.
Zydrunas Ilgauskas compared it to an All-Star Game, but bigger. He mentioned the police escorts and the pregame festivities that seemed to go on forever. He's taking it all in, and hopes to make better use of his opportunity on Sunday than the 1-for-8 shooting effort that spoiled his initial Finals endeavor.
It's strange that in terms of experience at this level, a 32-year-old former All-Star with loads of international and pro experience feels the same way as his rookie teammate, 21-year-old Daniel Gibson. But Gibson, like the kid who really doesn't understand the magnitude of where he is, shrugged off the added pressure, knocking down 7-of-9 shots to lead the Cavs with 16 points.
