This is my dream matchup. No Flashy stars. Play-the-right-way versus Mr. Fundamental plus a pack of sharp teeth fish. I know NBA must be having a huge headache because their worst nightmare has arrived. Modern basketball appeals to audience by flashy dunks, funky crossovers, and ankle-breaking moves. No offense to Amare Stoudemire and Dwyane Wade, as good a player as they are, fundamental defensive team basketball is how to win championships. From last year up to this year, I long to see what happens when defense hits defense, team ball crashes with team ball. Now my wish is granted. This two teams are balanced and well matched. This final series is the closest I've seen by far in my 10 year NBA viewership. To my surprise, there are way more people who strongly look forward to this exciting series than I thought... Now let me breakdown this matchup. The Billups-Hamilton combination is the most consistent backcourt duo throughout the playoffs. As complete and balance as a team Pistons is, Billups and Hamilton are the two players that carried the team through. They need to play at least to their usual performance to have a chance to hang with the Spurs. On the other hand, Spurs' consistency comes from Mr. Fundamental Timmy Duncan. If Billups-Hamilton or Duncan fail to perform to their norm, their respective team will struggle. But I think the Billups-Hamilton side is more vulnerable... This has become a cliche these few days. Rasheed Wallace and Manu Ginobili are the X-factors for each team. Ginobili, however, is more important to the Spurs than Wallace is to the Pistons. Ginobili doesn't score a lot of points. But he does a lot of dirty work and hustle for the Spurs. He has been the energy source for the Spurs. No defense can stop players like this. Not even Hamilton, who faced Iverson, Reggie Miller, and Wade in this year's playoffs... Spurs has been a chameleon throughout the playoffs. They play the style their opponents play and were better. Now they face a team that match their style very closely. My prediction is neither team can pull away in any games since neither teams are offensively explosive teams. Two defensive teams playing against each other, the offensive side of basketball come into play much more than in any matchups, especially in the third quarter and the final minutes of each game. Third quarter is traditionally when the winning team shows dominance. I like the Spurs at game ending situations. They have more options to go to.  All starting five (yes, including Nazr Mohammed) can score, then add Brent Barry, and don't forget Robert Horry off the bench. Pistons have shown game ending poise in game 7 against Miami. But I still think the Spurs are better in this situation... Game 1 will be a close game (as will all games in the series). I predict the Spurs to win by pulling away some times in the second half and win this opener. For the series overall, I pick the Spurs in 7 games. Homecourt advantage counts big time here. There has no NBA Finals game 7 since 1994. Rockets beat Knicks after trailing 2-3 then won two straight at home to win the title. In the 2-3-2 format, 7 games are less likely than 2-2-1-1-1. But I recognize how close these two teams are, I pick Spurs for sure, 7 games likely.

6.9.05 photos: AFP/Ronald Martinez, AP/Duane Burleson