Not done yet: Spurs win Game 7, meet Lakers

Admit it. Like many others — including your humble narrator — you thought the New Orleans Hornets would smoke the tired, old Spurs Monday night in the final game of their Western semi series. The Hornets’ young legs and exciting up-tempo approach would be too much. Changing of the guard and all that.

Ha! History continues to teach us the same lesson, and the constants of the NBA remain ever in place. The Spurs won, of course, because they are the veteran, championship club. Because they have seen it all. Because they know how.

NBA history is littered with examples of upstarts being given hard life lessons at the hands of established winners. The Warriors/Sixers had to get past the Celtics. The Pistons had to get past the Celtics. The Bulls had to get past the Pistons. Dozens of other teams never made the climb. Meanwhile, the Hornets remain in the Spurs’ rear-view mirror. It’s not a shot at New Orleans. This was a great season by a team with a bright future. It’s just that the harsh realities of a seven-game series mandate that inexperience not be rewarded. The Hornets lost Monday night in large part because they didn’t understand what it meant to play such an important game and weren’t ready to win it.

Coach Byron Scott knew what it was about. He played in many biggies with the Lakers and coached a bunch with the Nets. But Chris Paul had no idea. Neither did David West or Tyson Chandler. Sure, Peja Stojakovic and Mo Peterson could relate some experience, but as complementary parts, they were less involved in the actual execution of the operation and therefore not as responsible for the ultimate outcome. Should they stay together and continue to mature, Paul, West and Chandler will no doubt experience future success. Monday night, they just weren’t ready.

What threw many of us off the scent was the ease with which the Hornets had dispatched the Spurs in the three previous games played in New Orleans. The Hornets had won by 19, 18 and 22 points, exerting their will in the third quarters of each and making the Spurs appear ill-equipped to handle life in the new, up-tempo NBA. San Antonio had returned serve in its south Texas home and had done so in resounding fashion. But a seventh game on the road, especially after being blown out the previous three times? That was asking too much.

San Antonio didn’t mind the request. It held strong through the first half and then controlled the decisive third quarter, limiting the Hornets to 14 points. Down the stretch, when big shots had to be made, the Spurs drained them. Tony Parker’s jumper with 50.1 seconds left was the killer. The Spurs also dominated the areas that so often determine a game. They outrebounded New Orleans, 51-42. They hit 19-of-21 free throws. They made 42.9 percent of their three-point attempts and held New Orleans to 23.5 percent success behind the arc. It was a complete victory and evidence San Antonio deserves all the credit it gets as a four-time champion and NBA bully. Bleat all you want about the team’s “boring” style and its propensity to protest too much when fouls are called against its players, but don’t argue with the results.

When it was over, Spurs power forward Tim Duncan told reporters his team had “a lot of confidence” and “a lot of games under [its] belt.” Guard Manu Ginobili said it was “a collective effort.” That’s what winning requires: self-assurance, experience and a commitment to a common goal. Marketers yawn at that stuff. Fans sometimes turn away. Those who want to succeed inhale that formula like it was straight from the fountain of youth.

Next up are the Lakers, another team with plenty of talent and an exciting style. It’s tempting to look at the Spurs as substantial underdogs, because of Kobe Bryant’s superior talent, Pau Gasol’s great frontcourt scoring and Lamar Odom’s intangibles. This is a stiffer challenge, because Bryant has won three titles and knows what it takes. Point man Derek Fisher has three rings of his own. And if anybody can prepare the less experienced team members for what to expect in this high-pressure series, it’s coach Phil Jackson, owner of nine rings. Yep, the Lakers have a lot of good arguments in their favor, enough to make plenty of people pick them to win the series.

Not me. I’m sticking with the Spurs, if only as penance for doubting them against the Hornets. You would be wise to do so, too.

GAME OF THE WEEK: Boston at Detroit, Saturday, May 24, 8:30 p.m.

The Celtics have yet to win a game on the road during the post-season, but since they have homecourt advantage throughout the playoffs, that might not be a problem … unless the Pistons win one of the first two in Boston. Then, the Celts must return serve. Can they do it? Do they even need to? It’s nice to win at home, but the odds are stacked against the possibility of winning a title without capturing a game or two on the road. This would be a good place for the Pistons to start.

IN THE PAINT

While the Lakers prepare for the Spurs, center Andrew Bynum gets ready for arthroscopic knee surgery, with the hope of being ready for the start of next season. It has been a tough stretch for Bynum, who became a major factor before his Jan. 13 injury but has been unable to recover completely.

Don’t be surprised if the Nets and Sixers are big players in the offseason. The Nets need to find some new pieces, and the Sixers have to find a low-post presence. Some of the names mentioned in Jersey are Boris Diaw, Leandro Barbosa, Andrea Bargnani and even Carmelo Anthony. The Sixers might just be willing to import Zach Randolph and his beastly contract from the Knicks.

Before everybody starts to hearken back to the days of Magic and Bird when describing the LeBron James-Paul Pierce shootout on Sunday, remember the two Hall of Famers have eight NBA titles between them, and the other two have zero. Perspective, people. Please.

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