2012 NBA Finals OKC vs Miami

[Ridders]

Can't wait for this.

Feels crazy to say but the Heat almost feel like underdogs in this series. Not by much though.

Times and dates listed below; (times and dates both as per Sydney)

Game 1 - Wednesday -13/06 - 11am
Game 2 - Friday - 15/06 - 11am
Game 3 - Monday - 18/06 -10am
Game 4 - Wednesday - 20/06 - 11am
Game 5 (if required) - Friday - 22/06 - 11am
Game 6 (if required) - Monday - 25/06 - 10am
Game 7 (if required) - Wednesday- 27/06 - 11am

I'm going to go with the Heat in 6. I think last years experience should help them, although OKC do have homecourt in their favour.

 

[BunniesMan]

The two best players in the league going up against each other. And they happen to play the same position.

The #1 and #2 in ppg in these playoffs. The thing that makes Lebron better is his superior defense and passing. I think he'll do a better job limiting Durant than Durant will limiting him.

Then you have good second tiers in Harden and Westbrook v Wade and Bosh.

Bosh has dramatically improved the Heat. Wade overall has been disappointing in the playoffs. He will need to be consistently better than recent form.

The 3rd tier supporting players, the likes of Battier and Haslem against Perkins and Sefolosha. On paper OKC has more talent here, but hope the expierience of the Miami role players helps them in key moments.

On paper looks to be the most mouthwatering matchup since Boston v LA.

 

[Big Mick]

Thunder in 5.

 

[KeepingTheFaith]

Don't have the hate for the Heat that most people do, but I'm thinking along the same lines as Mick here.

For me the Thunder win their two home games to kick off and then it's a case of whether the Heat win 1/3 or 2/3 at home.

I'll go with the Thunder in 6.

Would love to see a Game 7 though. Imagine the OKC atmosphere in game 7 of a finals series.

 

[Band On The Run]

Why couldn't Boston win. Can't stand Heat or Thunder. Hate the Thunder because they are plastic and even though I don't mind the Heat as a club, all the LeBron bandwagoners piss me off. I'll probably go for the Thunder.

 

[royce10]

Why couldn't Boston win. Can't stand Heat or Thunder. Hate the Thunder because they are plastic and even though I don't mind the Heat as a club, all the LeBron bandwagoners piss me off. I'll probably go for the Thunder.

Don't meet Lebron bandwagoners often - haters on the other hand, everyday. Having said that, if Wade and Bosh turn it on, Heat in 6.

 

[Band On The Run]

Don't meet Lebron bandwagoners often - haters on the other hand, everyday. Having said that, if Wade and Bosh turn it on, Heat in 6.

Not a Cleveland fan, but the way he ditched his hometown team is a disgrace, especially when he was a god-like figure while there.

And I know a LeBron bandwagoner who is very, very annoying. Be thankful you don't know him.

 

[betcats]

Okc.

 

[Special K]

Gotta feel for old seattle fans

 

[abpanther]

OKC in 6.

 

[Band On The Run]

Gotta feel for old seattle fans

Agreed. What I hate most about American sports.

 

[The Gambler]

Heat in 7.

 

[Tanner Ave]

OKC in 6,

Also screw the HEAT! could careless who plays on the team. Celtics all the way.

Its a tough call though, there is going to be one city out there that will be devastated no matter what the result.

1: Seattle as they went through the birthing and rebuild stages to get this team that will probably win the championship for another city
2: Cleveland, they were royally screwed over by LeBo.

Either way I reckon this series will be FILLED with highlights, cant wait.

 

[Tonearm Terrorwrist]

Miami's playoff brick highlight package was great :lol:

"I trust Lebron James more than I trust Udonis Haslem" lmao some people here think Haslem is the right option

 

[Ridders]

Miami up 29-22 at the end of the 1st. Some great shooting from Battier and Chalmers. Durant really carried OKC that quarter.

 

[edabomb]

Gotta feel for old seattle fans

The way Schultz was running the Sonics I don't think we'd have been in this situation anyway. He'd have but corners somewhere to save $$ - despite being close to a billionaire he was a very tight owner.

In a strange way this OKC roster was born out of the plan to get the Sonics to OKC. If the strategy wasn't to make Seattle a 20 win team in 2007/08 to get crowd numbers and public sentiment down then they wouldn't have traded away Allen and Lewis in 2007. If they hadn't made those trades then Allen, Durant and Lewis would have made a good enough core in 2007/08 to be competitive, quite possibly a playoff team. With this being the case they never would have had the picks to get Westbrook & Harden in the following years, and would probably be stuck as a 45-50 win team now.

So I give respect to the OKC owners for making this happen.

That said I do hope Miami sweeps them. The Spurs made OKC look superhuman - but people forget the Lakers gave them a highly competitive series.

 

[Ridders]

Been a really good team effort by the Heat so far.

 

[KeepingTheFaith]

Heat look a lot more comfortable against the Thunder defence. The big 3 aren't scoring big, but they're creating space for Battier and Chalmers to get good looks.

 

[Ridders]

Lol at that double tech. I guess holding the ball up in the air counts as taunting?

So Miami end up leading 54-47 at HT. Chalmers and Battier both really stepped up in the first half. I wonder if the Heat might just keep having Bosh off the bench for the rest of the series. Like OKC with Harden, gives them some scoring off the bench.

OKC got some good production from bench. They seemed to be coming back at the end of that half.

 

[Ridders]

I don't think OKC will mind that first half too much. Miami were ridiculously hot from downtown, shot like 60% from 3 point.

Also gotta wonder if the respective benches will play a part as the game goes on. Apart from Bosh, Miami got nothing from there's (tbf Spo barely played any of them). Not sure if the Heat will be able to win this game with a 6 man rotation.