Tonight kicks off the battle between the Miami Heat and the Oklahoma City Thunder for the 2012 NBA Championship. Both teams have rebounded this season after being eliminated by the Dallas Mavericks in 2011 – the Thunders’ loss being in the Eastern Conference Finals and the Heat losing in the championship round.
Superstar foward LeBron James and his squad have had a progressively tough schedule. After waltzing by the Knicks in the first-round, the Heat were given a surprise challenge by the upstart Indiana Pacers. They were given an even tougher battle versus the rival Boston Celtics who stretched them to seven games.
Out West, the Thunder rolled past conference royalty, soundly defeating the defending champion Mavericks in impressive fashion, blitzing through Kobe’s Lakers and coming back from a 0-2 deficit versus the Spurs.
Despite fielding one of the youngest teams in the league, the Thunder have looked remarkably poised throughout their impressive playoff run. However, if there’s one thing the team’s win over the Spurs, who won 20 games in a row before dropping four straight to Durant and Co., the team with the best resume doesn’t always come out on top.
The series will showcase the league’s top two superstars in James and Durant. But both have more than enough help to feel the need to get it done on their own. In Miami, Dwayne Wade and a well-rested Chris Bosh are waiting in the wings help bring home a title. In Oklahoma City, Russell Westbrook and James Harden bring serious game and serious hunger for an NBA title.
Will the Thunder’s home court advantage play a role in determining the champion? Can James continue his stellar playoff play and will his team to victory and shut up the naysayers? Only time will tell. If this series is anything like the rest of the playoffs, we’ll see lots of great plays, terrible calls, injuries, drama and excitement. The storylines are endless and the competition is tremendous.
Regardless of the outcome, the star power alone should make the 2012 NBA Finals real “must-see” TV.
