From the outset of the 2013 NBA finals (or perhaps more rightly from when Russell Westbrook was sidelined) it was clear that San Antonio were the only team that could truly challenge the might of Miami.
Underdog allegiance and personal preference aside, it was the match-up that every levelheaded fan knew would deliver the greatest spectacle – and deliver it has.
After swapping blowout victories throughout the first five games, and with elimination and ultimate elation now both immediate realities, game six was destined to be a blockbuster.
However, unlike many other blockbusters, this one could not have been written better.
The Spurs arrived at the Heat’s house needing just one victory to attain a championship that would secure their franchise a place in history as the most dominant team of the recent era.
The Heat on the other hand, arrived home with their backs against the wall, needing two victories from the final two games in order to lock down back-to-back championships and live up to expectations.
As it played out, San Antonio came out firing; at the end of the third quarter they looked well poised to pull off the win.
However, when it mattered LeBron James did what he had to do, pulling his team back from the brink of failure, and eventually getting them over the line.
Looking forward, what is perfect about this series is that both possible outcomes are equally tragic and equally deserved. As a result, for viewers and fans of the sport, it will be hard to be disappointed which ever way game seven falls.
I must admit, with thirty seconds left and the Heat down by five, a satisfied smile did spread across my face at the thought of the ‘King’ being toppled.
But in the end, I am thankful for James’ heroics, as it ensured that the 2013 NBA finals stayed on-script and arrived at the deserved finale of a game seven.
More than anything, the fourth quarter of game six provided a stark reminder for us all how significant this series is to LeBron James’ personal legacy as one of the greatest to ever play the game.
You could go as far as to say that for the legacy of every other player on the Heat list, losing this series would easily fall in the realm of acceptable; for LeBron James however, failure is just not good enough.
A string of championships is all that separates James from taking his rightful place in history beside a select group of NBA legends.
However, standing in his way are three classy veterans and a genius coach looking to bookend an era of success with one more championship.
So it simply comes down to whether this season is about a King firmly embedding his name in history, or about a King being thwarted.
In the end, the result of game seven will ultimately come down to how confidently LeBron James can assert that now is his time.
The scary thing for Spurs fans is, he knows it.
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