2012 NBA Finals Miami Heat vs. Oklahoma City Thunder

Just looked at my postings and lots has happened since my last post.  Mainly, the Thunder have come through hell and high water (Mavs, Lakers, Spurs) to get to the NBA Finals.  The Heat struggled but made it through their own challenges (Knicks, Pacers, Celtics), most of them self-inflicted. This Finals is pretty much what many wanted from the beginning of this lockout shortened season, so let's take a look at the matchups and then I'll give you my pick. 

Oklahoma City Thunder - Of course this comes down to Big 3's, so let's take a look at them first.  Westbrook, other than a few bad shots here and there and the Gordon Gartrell shirts, is the linchpin for this Thunder team.  Westbrook has shown more willingness to get KD the ball but also stay aggressive.  Westbrook is the matchup nightmare for the Heat because there is no way that Chalmers can cover him and isn't called upon enough to score to balance this matchup out.  KD is the scorer and we all know that.  He has shown in these playoffs that he wants to be that man and has effectively mature right in front of our eyes, but I think in this series, IF he guards LeBron, he's gonna have to play some defense.  The lefty killer, Harden, is going to play a big role, because Miami doesn't really have many people that can guard him if he's on the floor at the same time that Westbrook and KD are. If Wade has to slide over and guard Westbrook, then Chalmers/Battier would have to contain Harden.  I can already see him getting to the lane. 

Outside of the Thunder Big 3, the Thunder are deeper and better.  Perkins brings defense, Ibaka brings defense, blocked shots and an iffy 16ft/17ft jumper, but past them you still have Collison, Cook, Sefolosha (starter), Derek Fisher and even Nazr Mohammed.

Who has to step up:  Harden, Sefolosha, Fisher.  Harden has got to get buckets against a Heat bench that has problems getting people on the floor. Sefolosha is going to be guarding Wade and LBJ during different times of the game.  He's going to have to make them work for everything they get and make things hard.  He might be giving up too much weight against LBJ, but that's why they pay him big dollars.  Did I mention that he's going to have to hit some shots too?  Fisher had an opportunity to go to the Thunder or the Heat and chose the Thunder.  People say Fish is too old and he's not this and that, but I think Fish's experience might help this young Thunder team in this moment.  

Miami Heat:- This is it.  We're back to where we were last year, in the Finals and an opportunity to not repeat that performance from last year.  LBJ may have exercised some demons with his performance in the playoffs thus far, but the big question starts tonight.  Can he get it done?  The heat Big 3 will have a lot of say so as it relates to that question.  Wade has got to prove to us that even if he is hurt, that he can suck it up and play for at least the next 7 games.  I know it's easy saying that from the chair I'm sitting in, but he can not have games in the first halves like he did against the Celtics or this series is over quickly.  He may need to fly Tom Crean in and have a talk with him again since it seemed to work during the Indy series.  Bosh is still recovering from his injury but he was the reason the Heat won Game 7 against the Celtics.  He'll be counted on in this series to keep Ibaka at bay.  Finally, LBJ.  I always point back to the night that Charles Barkley was on national TV and sent a message to LBJ, saying 'take over'.  What he did in Game 6 is still memorizing, but he's going to have to step it up in this series too. 

On the bench, someone has got to make some plays.  I do like seeing Norris Cole playing a little more and I think that Ronny Turiaf can help on the boards with the active Ibaka.  Jones and Miller have got to hit some shots or the Heat are done.

Who has to step up:  Coach Spo, Everyone besides Big 3.  Spo is always referred to as someone that puts time in and reviews tape and all of that,...he's going to have to do a lot of that on the fly.  He's going to have to put a plan together that will get his team in position to win.  If I see ANY plays where LBJ is standing in the corner while anyone dribble drives and hands off I will do my best to get to Miami and kick Spo in the shin.  Someone besides the Big 3 has got to step up.  I mean I'm not asking for 20 points or anything like that, but if Battier gets 10, Chalmers gets 10, Haslem gets 8, Anthony gets 6, that's what I'm talking about (FYI, those are per game numbers, not series total numbers).  Mike Miller I know you're hurting, but get two shots or something and give it all you can.     

Prediction:  This has been the hardest one of the year.  I mean I am from the old school where a team with their first arrival to the Finals means you lose and it helps prepare you for next year, but I've watched this Thunder team ball throughout the playoffs.  They are not only ready, but they are hungry and there's a quiet confidence around them.  This Heat team thought everyone was going to lay down to them last year and this year, but they have also learned how to fight for what they want.  They are not at full strength (healthwise) but this team seems ready to handle this challenge.  The Thunder are favored by most, my head says Thunder, but my heart says Heat. 

Winner - Miami Heat.   Hulk Smash (focused) Lebron  >>>>> anything.

Side note: Can ya'll please get off of LBJ's jock?  He is a baller who will more than likely make HOF even if he doesn't win a ring.  And before you go that far,...look at all the dudes that have never won the Finals.  Admire his greatness and let him get past 'the Decision' and any other tomfoolery. 

Who you got?!?!?!?

NYSTOM Top 50 NBA Players

Who's the best in the game?  Where does your favorite player rank?  Here are ours and I'm almost good with these.  As always, numbers never lie, but people do, so check these numbers and get back at us if you got something to say.

	Player	Team	PPG	RPG	APG	FG%
1	James, LeBron	MIA	26.53	8.22	6.59	0.535	199.3194
2	Wade, Dwyane	MIA	22.95	4.88	4.88	0.507	179.2781
3	Durant,Kevin	OKL	27.69	8.12	3.53	0.501	178.8671
4	Westbrook, Russell	OKL	24.43	4.41	5.47	0.476	169.9297
5	Howard, Dwight	ORL	20.87	14.52	1.87	0.580	167.7008
6	Duncan, Tim	SAN	15.19	9.00	2.47	0.471	165.9254
7	Boozer, Carlos	CHI	15.57	8.26	1.81	0.537	165.1759
8	Bynum, Andrew	LAL	18.31	12.13	1.50	0.583	164.3395
9	Parker, Tony	SAN	19.34	2.89	7.96	0.474	162.1538
10	Griffin, Blake	LAC	21.00	10.81	3.08	0.539	161.5350
11	Jefferson, Al	UTA	19.65	9.42	2.17	0.496	159.6497
12	Paul, Chris	LAC	19.57	3.43	8.81	0.490	157.9771
13	Rose, Derrick	CHI	22.82	3.47	7.97	0.450	155.6653
14	Love, Kevin	MIN	26.53	13.86	1.96	0.451	153.5303
15	Gasol, Pau	LAL	16.85	10.48	3.33	0.506	151.7410
16	Garnett, Kevin	BOS	15.73	8.19	2.96	0.519	151.1083
17	Bryant, Kobe	LAL	27.87	5.54	4.63	0.421	150.3861
18	Gortat, Marcin	PHO	16.20	9.96	1.00	0.561	149.4577
19	Aldridge, LaMarcus	POR	21.39	8.10	2.47	0.512	149.2675
20	Smith, Josh	ATL	18.76	9.76	3.91	0.448	148.1005
21	Millsap, Paul	UTA	16.19	8.87	2.31	0.499	147.4876
22	Nowitzki ,Dirk	DAL	21.22	6.57	2.29	0.456	146.3467
23	Bosh, Chris	MIA	18.34	7.74	1.89	0.494	145.4572
24	Nash, Steve	PHO	12.85	3.06	11.21	0.537	143.9758
25	Noah, Joakim	CHI	9.90	9.86	2.67	0.497	143.3172
26	Ibaka, Serge	OKL	8.96	7.96	0.43	0.531	139.9077
27	Faried, Kenneth	DEN	9.63	7.03	0.59	0.587	139.5573
28	Lee, David	GSW	19.65	9.61	2.71	0.510	137.8819
29	Cousins, DeMarcus	SAC	17.66	11.12	1.56	0.441	137.7640
30	Monroe, Greg	DET	15.85	9.83	2.44	0.511	137.6488
31	Irving, Kyrie	CLE	18.93	3.98	5.67	0.471	135.1051
32	Hibbert, Roy	IND	12.90	8.80	1.63	0.496	133.3370
33	Ilyasova, Ersan	MIL	12.65	8.71	1.12	0.490	130.8592
34	Blair, Dejuan	SAN	9.60	5.66	1.18	0.530	130.6446
35	Gasol, Marc	MEM	15.53	9.71	3.04	0.486	129.3797
36	Gooden, Drew	MIL	14.13	6.63	2.52	0.435	129.0305
37	Pekovic, Nikola	MIN	13.51	7.46	0.57	0.565	128.6651
38	Lawson, Ty	DEN	15.60	3.83	6.70	0.474	128.3122
39	Rondo, Rajon	BOS	12.27	4.78	10.98	0.449	128.0445
40	Brand, Elton	PHI	10.90	7.42	1.60	0.494	127.6070
41	Stoudemire, Amare	NYK	17.56	7.98	1.07	0.476	127.3866
42	Scola, Luis	HOU	15.88	6.48	1.96	0.503	127.1135
43	Pierce, Paul	BOS	19.00	5.19	4.75	0.433	127.1093
44	West, David	IND	12.08	6.69	2.18	0.470	127.0389
45	Lin, Jeremy	NYK	14.63	3.06	6.14	0.446	126.7854
46	Chandler, Tyson	NYK	11.14	9.69	0.98	0.677	125.9738
47	Gay, Rudy	MEM	18.84	6.61	2.29	0.450	123.5250
48	Wright, Brandan	DAL	6.39	3.06	0.31	0.627	122.9256
49	Williams, Deron	NJN	21.63	3.35	8.63	0.410	122.9228
50	Splitter, Tiago	SAN	9.21	5.14	1.23	0.602	122.8499

NYSTOM, somehow this Roy Hibbert guy keeps showing up in your numbers and I'm not sure why?  I know I might get ethered for saying this but I think that Russell Westbrook is slowly positioning himself as one of the top 3 PGs in the league.  Rondo throwing up triple doubles has me tempering some of my excitement, but pay attention to this youngster in OKC.  Rose has probably fallen because of injuries, but I hope the Bulls rest him so that they are prepared for the playoffs.  

Who you got?!?!?!?