2014 NBA Finals Predictions: Small Ball Will Fall Short! In-depth Analysis Will Show San Antonio Spurs Win In 7 Games! Unless LeBron Goes Beast Mode, The Spurs Can Handle The King!

The 2014 NBA Finals has brought about all sorts of predictions. But the best predictions should have some analysis behind it. After all, this is a seven game series and a whole lot of strategy must come into play before it's all heart and guts.

Grantland has one of the best analyst/writers in Zach Lowe and he points out some of the big factors that can spell the difference in this series:

"Small Ball - The Heat dared to go even smaller against San Antonio in last year's Finals, swapping Miller and even Ray Allen into the Battier slot - and leaving LeBron and Bosh as the only two "big men" on the floor. Such lineups played a much larger share of Miami's minutes in last year's Finals than normal, and they are basically unguardable."

The Heat doesn't have a reliable center, and they had to use Chris Bosh, a natural power forward at the position.  This also places LeBron James matched up against bigger opponents. They have succeeded using small ball the past two seasons, but the Spurs-who are only the second team after Indiana to get a second crack at them, may have figured how to beat that strategy.

Speaking of figuring things out, the dominance of LeBron James has actually been curbed by the Spurs for the most part of the series. Lowe points out: "The Spurs held the most potent offense in the world to a manageable scoring number, and they forced Miami to heave more long 2-pointers; about 39 percent of Miami's regular-season shots were midrange jumpers and paint shots outside the restricted area, but that share jumped to 47 percent in the Finals, per NBA.com. Miami also got to the line at the lowest rate, per field goal try, of any series it has played since LeBron signed there - by a huge margin."

The only caveat is that LeBron James would usually one game in the series where he would show just how good he can be. If he goes on Beast Mode, usually in a do-or-die game, the Spurs won't have an answer. But again, that is just one game. This is where homecourt advantage-something the Spurs did not enjoy last year, could come into play.

In the final prediction: "The Heat have played a dangerous game, summoning their best effort only when absolutely necessary. The Spurs are too good for that; the Heat needed an all-time comeback to snatch the title last season. These Spurs are better. Spurs in seven."