NBA title series commences Wednesday

SAN ANTONIO, June 4 (UPI) -- The long-waited NBA Finals finally start Wednesday night in San Antonio, where the Spurs will host New Jersey in Game One of the best-of-seven series.

It will be the first NBA action since the Spurs won the Western Conference Finals by ousting Dallas on May 29, ending that series in six games.

"I thought about this (Tuesday) when I was shooting around," said San Antonio forward Stephen Jackson. "It's kind of weird to going from playing day after day, then, going to a long layoff. I think it's going to be something new for both teams. We're going to have to come out with a lot of energy at the beginning to shake that off so we won't get behind early."

The Nets, who have won 10 straight playoff games, have not played since capping off a four-game sweep of Detroit on May 24.

New Jersey reserve guard Lucious Harris does not think the Nets will be affected by their long layoff.

"I think we're going to be relaxed," Harris said. "That's how we're going to have to play. We have to come out aggressive and not play to lose and come out to win. Last year, we came out here and didn't know what to expect. It was overwhelming. Now, it's like we came here last year and this year, I think it's totally different. We're used to all this. You go through your whole career to get to this point, and here I am two years in a row to try to win a ring."

Veteran guard Steve Kerr, who helped the Spurs shoot down the Mavericks in the critical Game Six, thinks his team has momentum.

"I think it does (work to our advantage)," Kerr said. "We had about nine days off one year with the Bulls when we played Seattle in the Finals, and we struggled, the first couple games. I don't think it helps at all to have that kind of time off and I like our position, having four or five days since the Dallas series."

Game One is set for an 8:30 p.m. Eastern time tipoff. Game Two is Friday night at San Antonio. The series shifts to New Jersey on Sunday.