| EXPERT PICKS |
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Hollinger |
Sheridan |
Stein |
(In 7) |
(In 5) |
(In 6) |
(In 5) |
ESPN RADIO PODCENTER
CAVS-SPURS RESEARCH NOTES
• In each of their three previous trips to the NBA Finals (1999, 2003, 2005), the San Antonio Spurs have won the NBA title.
• This is the Cleveland Cavaliers' first trip to the NBA Finals.
• Since 1983-84 the team with home-court advantage in the NBA Finals is 17-6.
• Road teams are 16-44 all time in Game 1 of the NBA Finals (.267 win pct.). Of those 16 winners, only eight of them went on to win the title.
• The team that wins Game 1 of the NBA Finals wins the series 71.7 percent of the time (43-17). All NBA Finals have been best-of-seven series.
• Eight different players on the Spurs bring a combined 103 games of NBA Finals experience into this series. Only one player from the Cavaliers has previous Finals experience. That player is Eric Snow, who was on 1996 Sonics and the 2001 76ers (11 total games).
• Notes compiled by Peter Newmann, ESPN research
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NBA Playoffs:
Thu, 6/7
CAVALIERS 76
SPURS 85
Sun, 6/10
CAVALIERS 92
SPURS 103
Tue, 6/12
SPURS 75
CAVALIERS 72
Thu, 6/14
SPURS 83
CAVALIERS 82
PLAYER MATCHUPS
| CAVALIERS | | SPURS |
 L. Hughes
Points: 14.9
Rebounds: 3.8
Assists: 3.7
| PG |  T. Parker
Points: 18.6
Rebounds: 3.2
Assists: 5.5
|  S. Pavlovic
Points: 9.0
Rebounds: 2.4
Assists: 1.6
| SG |  M. Finley
Points: 9.0
Rebounds: 2.7
Assists: 1.3
|  L. James
Points: 27.3
Rebounds: 6.7
Assists: 6.0
| SF |  B. Bowen
Points: 6.2
Rebounds: 2.7
Assists: 1.4
|  D. Gooden
Points: 11.1
Rebounds: 8.5
Assists: 1.1
| PF |  T. Duncan
Points: 20.0
Rebounds: 10.6
Assists: 3.4
|  Z. Ilgauskas
Points: 11.9
Rebounds: 7.7
Assists: 1.6
| C |  F. Elson
Points: 5.0
Rebounds: 4.8
Assists: 0.8
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TEAM STATS (Regular Season)
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CAVALIERS
|
SPURS
|
| PPG |
96.8 |
98.5 |
| RPG |
43.5 |
40.7 |
| APG |
20.8 |
22.1 |
| FG% |
44.728 |
47.393 |
| FT% |
69.573 |
75.051 |
| 3P% |
.352 |
.381 |
PLAYOFF HISTORY
 |
 |
| Championships: 0 |
Championships: 3 |
| Last Championship: N/A |
Last Championship: 2005 |
Last Season:
Lost in Eastern Conference semifinals |
Last Season:
Lost in Western Conference semifinals |
Injury Report
CLEVELAND CAVALIERS
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Shaquille O'Neal - C - Nov 21
O'Neal is out for Saturday's game against Philadelphia, the fifth straight game he has missed with a shoulder injury, the Associated Press reports.
Anderson Varejao - PF - Nov 20
Varejao (hip) will play in Friday's game against the Pacers, the Cleveland Plain Dealer reports.
Anderson Varejao - PF - Nov 19
Varejao (hip) is questionable for Friday's game against Indiana, Cleveland Plain Dealer writer Brian Windhorst reports.
Shaquille O'Neal - C - Nov 19
O'Neal (shoulder) won't play Friday against Indiana, Cleveland Plain Dealer writer Brian Windhorst reports.
LeBron James - SF - Nov 19
James (wrist) is probable to play Friday against Indiana, Cleveland Plain Dealer writer Brian Windhorst reports.
Shaquille O'Neal - C - Nov 19
O'Neal (shoulder) did not play Wednesday against the Wizards.
Jamario Moon - SF - Nov 19
Moon who tweaked his ankle in Tuesday's game played well Wednesday night scoring 10 points and puilling down five rebounds.
LeBron James - SF - Nov 18
James banged his left wrist on the rim during an aggressive dunk in the fourth quarter of Wednesday's loss to the Wizards. He stayed in the game temporarily, but eventually left and spent the rest of the game on bench with an ice wrap on his wrist.
Jamario Moon - SF - Nov 17
Moon left Tuesday's game against the Warriors with a sprained left ankle and will not return.
Shaquille O'Neal - C - Nov 17
O'Neal, who has already been ruled out of Tuesday's game against the Warriors with a shoulder injury, could sit out Wednesday as well, Brian Windhorst of the Cleveland Plain Dealer reports.
Anderson Varejao - PF - Nov 17
Varejao will miss Tuesday's game against the Warriors with a hip contusion, George Thomas of the Akron Beacon Journal reports.
Shaquille O'Neal - C - Nov 17
O'Neal (shoulder) will not play on Tuesday against the Warriors, George Thomas of the Akron Beacon-Journal reports.
Shaquille O'Neal - C - Nov 16
O'Neal (shoulder) did not practice Monday and is considered doubtful for Tuesday's game against Golden State, the Associated Press reports.
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SAN ANTONIO SPURS
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Tony Parker - PG - Nov 22
Parker returned to action for the Spurs Saturday after having missed the previous two games with an ankle injury.
Tony Parker - PG - Nov 21
Parker (ankle) will play against the Wizards on Saturday, the Washington Times reports.
Manu Ginobili - SG - Nov 19
Ginobili (groin) will miss the next week to 10 days, ESPN's Marc Stein reports.
Tony Parker - PG - Nov 19
Parker (ankle) is doubtful for Thursday's game against Utah, according to the San Antonio Express-News.
Manu Ginobili - SG - Nov 19
Ginobili (groin) has been ruled out of Thursday's game against the Jazz, according to the San Antonio Express-News.
Manu Ginobili - SG - Nov 18
Ginobili left Wednesday's game against the Mavericks with a strained left groin and did not return.
Tony Parker - PG - Nov 18
Parker (ankle) was a late scratch from the lineup on Wednesday night.
Manu Ginobili - SG - Nov 17
Ginobili (hamstring) said that he expects to play Wednesday at Dallas, according to the San Antonio Express-News.
Tim Duncan - C - Nov 15
Duncan played in Saturday's loss to the Thunder, but noted after the game that his ankle still was not 100%, according to the San Antonio Express-News. Despite scoring 22 on Saturday, Duncan went without a point in the fourth quarter.
Manu Ginobili - SG - Nov 15
Ginobili was held out of the fourth quarter of Saturday's loss to the Thunder with a hamstring strain, according to the San Antonio Express-News.
Tony Parker - PG - Nov 15
Parker (ankle) scored 17 points with five assists and five boards Saturday night in his return from injury.
Tim Duncan - C - Nov 15
Duncan (ankle) returned to game action on Saturday night. He started and played 37 minutes, showing no ill effects from the injury.
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Traveling Call
Being whistled for traveling is a good thing in the playoffs. Where will you be watching? From your couch? Or from the high-intensity confines of a postseason arena alongside thousands of other adrenaline-fueled hoops junkies?
• Be There: Playoff Travel Guide
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