NBA fans all over the world drooled for every live coverage of the Western Conference semi-finals series between the San Antonio Spurs and the Phoenix Suns. With the Suns being robbed of a fair series eventually (due to the stupidest of rules the NBA still has installed), most of these fans saw it as a foregone conclusion that the Spurs will advance to the finals as they will have an easy time against a Utah Jazz team that got lucky with the draw, evading the No.1 seeded Dallas Mavericks.

Alas for the naysayers, the Jazz have battled the Spurs valiantly in this series, and they have provided the only true rout in the four games played so far. I’ll go on record saying I do not think the Jazz can come back from a 3-1 deficit, but this does not mean they can not take this to seven games. With a healthy Deron Williams and a less fouls from Carlos Boozer this Jazz team could well upset San Antonio at least once in Texas. Give them a game 6 in Salt Lake City and we’re already talking about a game 7. I just don’t see them winning two games in San Antonio, and that’s why I’m still picking the Spurs, but I certainly hope this thing goes all seven games.

You see, in the Spurs-Suns series we saw the eye candy version of basketball. In this series we see the kind of playoff grind-it-out action we saw when Karl Malone and co. went up against David Robinson and his mates. This is a low post duel of Boozer vs. Duncan and a guard battle of Tony Parker vs. Deron Williams. I think this series has produced just as many Sportscenter highlights as the highly publicized semi-final.

Plus, you can’t help but love the Jazz. They have a coach who deserves a title, and at least a coach of the year award, more than anyone else. Jerry Sloan has been so good, he has been so consistent, that you take it for granted that his teams will do well. He has been overlooked for coach of the year so many times that I can’t even keep count. Sure, he had Stockton and Malone, but guess who adopted a playing style that played to the strengths of those two Hall of Famers? Guess who changed the game-plan when the team’s talent pool depleted following Malone’s departure and Stockton’s retirement?

Then there’s the duo of Carlos Boozer and Deron Williams. These two are extremely talented, and both have that killer instinct you look for in a champion. Williams needed this series against the Spurs to realize just how dominant a player he could become. Forget Chris Paul!!! I’d take Deron Williams before him at all costs. His averages in the conference final are crazy across the board. Anyone who has seen game 1, remembers “the dunk”.

Boozer has become the next Malone. He is strong, smart and he sees the floor as well as a point guard. It is telling of just how good he has gotten that the Spurs plan their defense along the lines of how to stop Boozer. Add a few years of seasoning and you might be talking about the most dominant forward of the game, that’s how much potential he has got.

Their supporting cast is a really mixed bunch. Andrei Kirilenko did not have a good season, but this guy is an All-Star when it comes to defense and effort. Mehmet Okur’s versatility allows the team to stretch defenses and Derek Fisher’s experience has been one of the key factors in these playoffs.

The Spurs, however, boast a lineup of Championship winning veterans. Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili, Tim Duncan, Robert Horry are but a few of their players that have already been in this situation. The Jazz are as of yet too inexperienced to handle this collection of savvy veterans. The addition of Michael Finley to their last Championship winning nucleus has been revealed by time as a move of sheer brilliance. Finley had a key role in downing both the Nuggets and the Suns.

Tim Duncan will be remembered as the most efficient forward in the history of the game. He makes no unnecessary movements, he simply dominates the paint. You can not even hope to stop him. With him teamed up with Tony Parker, one of, if not the quickest guard in the league, the Spurs hold such an advantage against any foe that it is hard to just keep pace with them. They have been an extremely and consistently great team since their first title in 1999.

However, these Spurs are no longer generating no emotions from the general public. After Robert Horry’s infamous cheap shot they have become public enemy No.1. I have not seen this much collective hate being channeled towards one team since the Detroit Bad Boys of the late 1980s. I mean sure, you hated Michael Jordan’s Bulls and Shaq’s LA Lakers for being so dominant, but the Bad Boys got so much hate for the “thuggery” they used on the court. Horry’s hip check got the Spurs on the same level as those Pistons.

And remember, that Pistons team went on to win back-to-back titles!