Finals Have Plenty of Intrigue, Really

Deep in the heart of Spur country ... I saw two people wearing Laker jerseys and nobody wearing a Spur jersey in my first two hours in town.

If the NBA Finals aren’t the topic on everyone’s mind here, are they registering at all across the country?

ABC and ESPN are relentlessly hyping the NBA Finals that no one seems interested in watching, usually with a series of promos during the Stanley Cup finals that few people are watching.

On paper, this should be an ideal matchup for the NBA. On one side is the No. 1 team in the league this season, featuring the two-time most valuable player. On the other is a fastbreak squad from the nation’s largest metropolitan area, just across the Hudson River from all of those television sets in New York City.

In real life, the NBA’s showcase event has taken a backseat to all of the coaching vacancies around the league.

Maybe it’s because the nice-guy Spurs don’t inspire hatred. Cities despise seeing their teams lose to the Lakers because of their arrogance. It isn’t that way with the Spurs. They’re not the type to plant flags and scorch the earth when they’re finished with a town. They’re more likely to leave behind customer survey cards that ask, “How was our service?”

Another reason the Spurs aren’t regarded as classic championship material is their penchant for blowing fourth-quarter leads. No killer instinct.

There are two counterarguments. First, it’s a sign of just how good the Spurs are that they can afford to toss away at least one game a series and still advance to the Finals. Second, when they did get it together, they closed out the Lakers and Mavericks by a combined score of 66-22 in the final quarters of those series -- both on the road.

The Nets, meanwhile, are the victims of their weak conference. Conventional wisdom has it that the championship is contested only among Western Conference teams, and that the destination for the Larry O’Brien trophy was determined when Robert Horry’s shot rattled out and Chris Webber’s knee blew out during the conference semifinals.

Don’t believe the non-hype. Here are five reasons to watch the NBA Finals:

1. To see the best player in the league.

Until Shaquille O’Neal hits the treadmill and Kobe Bryant hits a few more teammates with passes during the playoffs, this title belongs to Tim Duncan. In the low post, Timmy on the Block is as good a scoring threat as there is. Send a second or third defender at him and he’ll make the right pass.

New Jersey Coach Byron Scott said, “Shaq is so dominant because of his size. I think Tim is just as dominant because of his footwork.... He’s got great touch. From 15 feet in, he’s almost unstoppable. So, after Shaq, I think as far as just dominating, probably Tim Duncan is the next best thing.”

One question later, Scott upgraded Duncan: “He is without a doubt right now the best player in the NBA.”

Imagine what he’ll say after a series spent trying to stop him.

2. To see the best point guard in the league.

Jason Kidd almost always makes the right decision with the ball. Name another player who can make you leave your seat without leaving his feet. His passes are breathtaking and often lead to an alley-oop for Kenyon Martin or Richard Jefferson.

No NBA champion has featured a great point guard since Isiah Thomas ran things for the Detroit Pistons in 1989 and ’90. Even though Thomas was a great passer, he also was the team’s primary scorer.

Kidd is closer to the Magic Johnson-John Stockton mode, a point whose first priority is to involve his teammates. Great passing is contagious; note that Martin and Kerry Kittles are much better at dishing the rock now than they were when they came into the league.

3. To see the Laker fastbreak of the past.

When Kidd gets running with Jefferson and Martin on the wings, it’s the closest thing to the old Magic-Scott-James Worthy three-on-two from the Showtime Era.

The pace is supposed to slow down in the playoffs, but the Nets kept right on running, even against the defense-oriented Detroit Pistons.

They’ll remain committed to that during the Finals, because the Nets believe the Spurs are at their best when they can set up their defense and post their two 7-footers by the basket. Plus, the Spurs are prone to fastbreak-starting turnovers.

“If you can force your tempo and maintain that, for whoever does the longest will probably win,” Kidd said. “So tempo is going to be 1a and 1b.”

4. To see the Laker coach of the future?

If Phil Jackson leaves at the end of his contract next year, Scott would be a logical candidate to replace him. At the very least, Scott will be a coach who took his team to consecutive NBA Finals. He’d be a popular choice, back in the town where he starred at Inglewood’s Morningside High and won three championships with the Lakers.

And he would have Bryant’s support. Scott was near the end of his playing career with the Lakers in 1996-97, Bryant’s rookie year, and became a trusted source of advice for the teenager. Having a coach approved by Bryant would be another enticement for him to stay in L.A. instead of leaving via free agency.

5. To see the Spurs win in six games.

J.A. Adande can be reached at j.a.adande@latimes.com.