Parker must lead Spurs against LeBron's Heat

The buzzer sounded and the San Antonio Spurs were NBA Champions for the third time in five seasons. They swept LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers. Tony Parker thought this was just the beginning. He had just been named NBA Finals MVP at 25 years old.

Can Tony Parker lead Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili and the
San Antonio Spurs to another championship?

Parker was going to be the next superstar of the league. He had three world championships and was on a team that was built to win more. But, the victories never came.

In 2012, they had their best chance, but lost four-straight games to the Oklahoma City Thunder after taking a 2-0 lead in the Western Conference Finals. Parker promised teammate Tim Duncan that they would reach the finals once again.

"I'll get you back to the NBA Finals," the point man told Duncan (via Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports). "We aren't done. You aren't done."

Parker has delivered on his promise, averaging a team-high 23 points, 7.2 assists and shooting nearly 48 percent in the playoffs.

Now he finds himself against a familiar foe. Parker’s Spurs are set to face James again. A lot has changed since they last met. Since then, James joined the Miami Heat and is considered to be the best player in the NBA. The Spurs have stayed consistent. They are still led by the trio of Parker, Duncan and Manu Ginobili. They continue to fly under-the-radar and once again find themselves on the biggest stage, just four wins from another championship.

This is a challenge the Spurs embrace. They are the old heavyweight boxer that wants to win the belt one more time.

"Every team wants to beat you," Parker said (via J.A. Adande of ESPN.com). "And that's why it makes it even more special to go back after all those years playing at a high level with the same coach, with the same Big Three."

They are facing the young guns that came together for one reason: to win championships.

If there is one team that can beat the Heat, it’s the Spurs. They have a mastermind in Gregg Popovich, a hall-of-fame power forward who has found the fountain of youth in Duncan and Ginobili is as crafty as they come. But, the 2013 Spurs begin and end with Parker. He is their leader and the oil that keeps San Antonio’s engine running.

"He (Parker) was the best player in the Western Conference playoffs each game and we're well aware of that," said Heat coach Erik Spoelstra. "Every time he stepped on the court, he was the best player, the most impactful player, and he was driving their success. They have obviously Hall of Famers and a well-oiled system, but he creates so much offense for them. What you have to respect more than anything is his engine and he's tireless to work for those opportunities."

Tony Parker has beat Lebron James in the NBA Finals
before. He will need to play well if the
Spurs are going to do it again. 

If Parker has a great NBA Finals so will the Spurs. If he is average, it will be tough to win their fifth NBA Championship. In fact, it won’t happen. The pressure of earning his fourth ring has set in. This could be Parker’s last opportunity to win with the Spurs.  

The most underrated player in the league has to be great if he is going to take down the king on his own court. Parker realizes how much effort he puts into the game for the Spurs to be successful.

"I took it as a challenge to improve my game and get better every year," Parker told NBA.com. I got a great example in Timmy (Duncan), who has been unbelievable all those years. I want to try and do the same thing. I want to try to improve my game, as the responsibility and the ball came in my hands. I try to do more and try to deliver."