Indiana really isn't that athletic outside of Stephenson and Paul George. Hibbert is really big but not a superior athlete, David West and George Hill are both average athletes.
Athleticism encompasses many different characteristics. But go down the line, comparing the Pacers starting 5 to the Spurs starting 5. With the exception of Tony Parker, would you not agree the Pacers starting 5 is more athletic (through either ability or youth) at every other position than the Spurs? Of course you would.
Indiana's size advantage was really just a Hibbert advantage as David West is only 6'8.
Who was still larger than Battier (who guarded him quite a bit in the series) and stronger than anyone else on the Heat's front line.
Duncan and Splitter are both just under 7 feet and Bosh will likely struggle against them as well.
Agreed, but they'll also struggle to defend Bosh around the perimeter or even from mid-range, unlike the Pacers.
Plus the Spurs have Tony Parker as the X factor. Mario Chalmers will have no shot guarding him.
Mario Chalmers will guard him as well as most anyone can. Parker is a star, he's going to score. Chalmers should not be graded on the amount of points Parker scores, but the difficulty he has in getting those points.
The Spurs also have more depth then Indiana.
No question.
I'm not saying Miami can't win, in fact they may still be the favorites, but if they play against the Spurs like they did in the Indiana series then they have no shot.
I don't think you, and a lot of other people, are properly putting into perspective how good the Pacers are. The Pacers are an athletic team, but more importantly, they are a very good defensive team. They were second in the league in points allowed per game and first in opponent field goal percentage. They also led the league in rebounding. Don't dismiss how good the Pacers are when trying to evaluate the Heat.
San Antonio, on the other hand, was not as good defensively and they were statistically a poor rebounding team. Miami, for all of their heralded offensive names, actually thrives off of their defense. The Pacers style was a much better match for the Heat than I think the Spurs are.
The biggest advantage the Spurs have will be in coaching. Greg Popavich is, in my mind at least, indisputably the best coach in the NBA. Erik Spoelstra has never impressed me with his end of the game coaching. If the Spurs win this series, I'd bet your next paycheck it'll come down to the difference in coaching.
I still think the Heat will win, and it wouldn't surprise me if they won in 5 games. I just don't think the Spurs can do to the Heat what the Pacers could.
That was a good series. I was pulling for Indiana for an upset. I was impressed by Indiana, nobody gave them a chance but they made it to game 7 against the Miami Heat. Indiana need's to get a shooter this off-season, like a Kyle Korver or a Steve Novak would improve Indiana. I'm looking forward for Indiana next season, things are looking up for the Pacers.
The Pacers need to upgrade Lance Stephenson. Right now, he's the kind of player who should be coming off of the bench, not one who is starting for a team trying to make the NBA Finals.