NBA finals predictions thread

[TinyManInside]

I'm thinking Thunder in 6. OKC wins the first 2, Miami wins 2 of 3 at home, Thunder closes out at home in game 6.

Heat's top 3 and Thunder's top 3 basically cancel each other out, Thunder's #4-10 much better than the Heat's #4-10, I just think that OKC is a better constructed team.

It'll be interesting to see if LBJ can maintain his current level of play against a more athletic and talented team. Last year's finals were obviously a disaster for him.

Mason

 

[MikeSU02]

I'm thinking Thunder in 6. OKC wins the first 2, Miami wins 2 of 3 at home, Thunder closes out at home in game 6.

Heat's top 3 and Thunder's top 3 basically cancel each other out, Thunder's #4-10 much better than the Heat's #4-10, I just think that OKC is a better constructed team.

It'll be interesting to see if LBJ can maintain his current level of play against a more athletic and talented team. Last year's finals were obviously a disaster for him.

Mason

I just replied in the other thread for this.

I agree, OKC in 6.

I think OKC's interior defense, the win at the PG position for OKC and Wade being injured will do them in.

 

[Knicks411]

Disagree that OKC's top 3 is better than Miami's. Lebron is that good that he swings it, IMO.

I've said OKC in 7 a few times. Hollinger's article yesterday may have swayed me to t he other side. Miami was incredibly effective with their big 3 in the last series.

Curious; if Bosh had been healthy and Miami wins the last 2 series in 5 games, I wonder if that changes a lot of people's opinions. I've pretty much seen everyone go OKC here. But I think a healthy Bosh and Miami easily takes care of Indy and Boston.

 

[Guinness]

Disagree that OKC's top 3 is better than Miami's. Lebron is that good that he swings it, IMO.

I've said OKC in 7 a few times. Hollinger's article yesterday may have swayed me to t he other side. Miami was incredibly effective with their big 3 in the last series.

When it comes to offensive games I think it is a push between James and Durant.

If the Thunder limit the rest of the team I don't know that James and Wade can score enough points themselves over a 7 games series to win 4.

 

[Knicks411]

When it comes to offensive games I think it is a push between James and Durant.

Certainly they are closer offensively than defensively. Durant is a scoring machine. They had similar usage rates and efficiency. But Lebron is a much much better passer which gives the pretty clear edge to him, IMO. They are about the same at purely scoring the ball.

I wonder how much they end up guarding each other. I'm sure Miami is more comfortable having Lebron guard Durant then the other way around, but they'd also probably like to have Lebron not have to guard Durant for 45 minutes a night.

I noticed OKC was closing with a small lineup, basically Durant at the 4. I wouldn't be surprised to see both teams close with a lineup like that.

 

[CorduroyG]

heat in 7. i think its lebron's time (although i been saying that for last 4 years), okc gotta pay their dues for 1 more year.

 

[RF2044]

OKC in 6.

The Thunder are constructed to more advantageously exploit Miami's suspect interior defense, something that the Celtics were not able to capitalize upon.

 

[jr4750]

Disagree that OKC's top 3 is better than Miami's. Lebron is that good that he swings it, IMO.

I've said OKC in 7 a few times. Hollinger's article yesterday may have swayed me to t he other side. Miami was incredibly effective with their big 3 in the last series.

Curious; if Bosh had been healthy and Miami wins the last 2 series in 5 games, I wonder if that changes a lot of people's opinions. I've pretty much seen everyone go OKC here. But I think a healthy Bosh and Miami easily takes care of Indy and Boston.

agree. a healthy bosh makes them a much different team. Not to mention the suspensions and the fact that they were playing that big guy from gonzaga at important moments. Heck, that dude shouldn't play at all. Wade is the key. If he plays well, Miami will be tough to stop. LJ is just too good, but as Mason said, he's gotta play better than he did last year...

 

[MikeSU02]

Disagree that OKC's top 3 is better than Miami's. Lebron is that good that he swings it, IMO.

That top 3 assumption is assuming Wade is healthy. He isn't. His knee isn't right.

The other thing, LeBron is going to have to hit more jump shots because of OKC's interior defense.

Should be a great series. But I think Miami is a lot more banged up than people know. Chris Bosh isn't going to hit 3 threes in another game. Wade's knee isn't going to heal before the end of the series.

If Miami was 100% healthy, I think you are probably right. But they aren't and not having home court advantage is going to be a tough hill to climb.

 

[Knicks411]

I'm probably being crazy, I know Ibaka is a very good shotblocker but I don't consider him a great interior defensive presence. I think Garnett is more if a presence than he is. (Ibaka will probably go nuts and block 8 shots tonight).

 

[TinyManInside]

I'm probably being crazy, I know Ibaka is a very good shotblocker but I don't consider him a great interior defensive presence. I think Garnett is more if a presence than he is. (Ibaka will probably go nuts and block 8 shots tonight).

I sort of agree with this. Ibaka gets a huge share of blocks, but I view KG as a more effective overall defender because he's great at positioning, anticipating, and reading plays. No way the Boston series goes 7 without KG's defense (his block of LeBron near the end of game 5 was the difference in that game).

 

[TinyManInside]

Disagree that OKC's top 3 is better than Miami's. Lebron is that good that he swings it, IMO.

In a way I was sort of toeing the company line when I said that. LeBron of the last 3 weeks is better than Durant of the last 3 weeks.

To be completely honest, I'd probably say Miami in 6 or 7 if not for the way that LeBron played in last year's finals. There is still a part of me that wonders if he can keep his level of play up. I know he's been amazing in the playoffs this year, but he was amazing last year too, until the Finals.

Mason

 

[Knicks411]

To be completely honest, I'd probably say Miami in 6 or 7 if not for the way that LeBron played in last year's finals. There is still a part of me that wonders if he can keep his level of play up. I know he's been amazing in the playoffs this year, but he was amazing last year too, until the Finals.

Yes. If he plays like he did in the last 2 games of the series Miami will win in 5 games, but that is a pretty ridiculous level of play. If he plays like he did int he finals last year then Miami has pretty much no shot.

I assume he'll be somewhere in the middle.

 

[MikeSU02]

I'm probably being crazy, I know Ibaka is a very good shotblocker but I don't consider him a great interior defensive presence. I think Garnett is more if a presence than he is. (Ibaka will probably go nuts and block 8 shots tonight).

That may be true, but they also have Perkins, who besides being a good defender, is also always angry and somewhat crazy.

 

[MikeSU02]

Yes. If he plays like he did in the last 2 games of the series Miami will win in 5 games, but that is a pretty ridiculous level of play. If he plays like he did int he finals last year then Miami has pretty much no shot.

I assume he'll be somewhere in the middle.

See, I don't think it will be LeBron that will do in the Heat. I think Wade will do it. I think LeBron will basically win two games for them on his own and the game when the series hangs in the balance, Wade won't be able to deliver.

Either way, should be an amazing series. For any NBA fan, this is an awesome match up.

 

[Knicks411]

I wonder how much Perkins is gonna play. I could see both teams going small a lot. Miami is always going small anyway.


But yeah, I can't remember the last finals I was this excited for, Knicks aside.

 

[donniesyracuse]

I'll say Heat in six. I think James knows what he needs to do now. He will carry his team. Durant will score his points if matched-up with James, but he will have to work for everything. I think Durant will get frustrated.

 

[skurey]

Heat in 6. Everyone now shifts to Durant not being able to win a ring. Chaos ensues.

 

[moqui]

Heat in 5

 

[44cuse]

OKC in 6. OKC just feels better top to bottom than the Heat. Too much dependence on the role players stepping up for the Heat.

44cuse

 

[Ghost]

Heat in 7.

LeBron is reading books, and according to ESPN that's keepin' his mind right. I don't know, it's too close to call, but I just have a feeling LeBron is going to play well enough to get it done and get the monkey off his back.

 

[samspann1]

Durant is so friggin' fun to watch.

Seems like a genuinely good kid, too.

 

[samspann1]

Not for nothing, but Battier kind of looks like Eddie Munster.

 

[longislandcuse]

Good job! Good effort!

 

[Knicks411]

Good job! Good effort!

Never fails to get me