By Mike Corasaniti
With tip-off for Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals just minutes away, Season's Over is taking a look at the four possible NBA Finals match-ups. Both series are tied at two apiece, so it's anyone's game right? Let's take a look:
Boston Celtics vs. Oklahoma City Thunder
It's hard to imagine the Heat not making their second-straight Finals appearance, but with the way the C's have been playing in Games 3 and 4 (and 2 for that matter), it's not too hard to fathom. This match-up would be cool (just think of the Kendrick Perkins homecoming stories) and an interesting one with the whole old vs. new aspect. And who doesn't want to see two of the league's best PGs in Russell Westbrook and Rajon Rondo go at it? This match-up could be a lot of fun. Prediction – The series depends mostly on Rondo's impact. He's been the MVP of these playoffs so far, but how long it will last has been questioned at every step of the way (and it's not stopping anytime soon). But more than likely, the Thunder prove that they have finally become the team that they have been trying to be for four years now and dominate the series en route to their first championship since the move from Seattle. Thunder 4-1
Miami Heat vs. San Antonio Spurs
This nightmare has had to formulate in the dreams of LeBron James before, right? The man that stood in the way of his first NBA Finals run (Tim Duncan) is now once again the main reason why the Heat could go home empty-handed. At this point in time, neither the Heat nor Spurs are looking like the best they have been all season. And unless the leaders from both sides start to step up, this could quite possibly be the least possibly scenario for the championship. Prediction – So let's say the world isn't really ending and both Miami and San Antonio find their mojo to win their respective conference finals. Do we go with the League of Extraordinary Veterans who have time and time again shut teams down with their unselfish play? Or do we go with the hungry, hungry Heat who, most likely revitalized with the return of Chris Bosh. My instincts want me to say the Spurs, because they never seem to want to go away. But something deeper inside of me feels like hell is about to freeze over, LeBron is about to hit a couple clutch fourth quarter shots, and the Big 3 laugh all the way back to South Beach. Heat 4-3
Boston Celtics vs. San Antonio Spurs
After how many years, how is it possible that only just now are Kevin Garnett and Tim Duncan meeting this deep in the playoffs? But as awesome as it sounds, the frontcourt won't be where this Finals match-up is decided. Tony Parker and Rajon Rondo are itching to show again and prove to the league and it's fans that they can be the best players on their team when it matters the most. And who ever comes closest to doing so will decide the fate of the series if these two teams meet. Prediction – Part of me feels bad for not going the way of the Celtics, a team that with the first real "Big 3" of the 2000s should be a team with multiple championships to their name. But the Spurs have done this just one too many times before, and whether Duncan, Parker, Manu Ginobli, or Matt Bonner emerges the hero, this match-up has San Antonio written over it all the way. Spurs 4-2
Miami Heat vs. Oklahoma City Thunder
Am I the only one that is dying to see this? It's Durant vs. LeBron. OKC vs. South Beach. Hell it's Serge Ibaka vs. Udonis Haslem. Almost everything about this series just seems, I don't know, exciting. Because if this match-up came to be, it's the hardest one for me to predict an outcome. Teams would go back and forth with streaks; maybe Nick Collison explodes for 25 in Game 2, maybe Chris Bosh comes back from injury for a monster series tying Game 4 in Miami, who knows? The story-lines would be never-ending. The thought of turning on the TV to see either a Blue-out or White-out every not is just way too cool for me. But when it comes down to the games, which superstar (James or KD) will come away with their first ring? Prediction – It's a barnburner. If I was ever to bet my life on a series going seven games it would be this one. Durant goes crazy in Game 1, sending the media into a fenzy about the game's new King. But the Heat take the next two. And the Thunder take the next two. And after Wade wins game six on a pull-up jumper with 1.3 seconds left, it could go either way in the finale. Too close to call
With tip-off for Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals just minutes away, Season's Over is taking a look at the four possible NBA Finals match-ups. Both series are tied at two apiece, so it's anyone's game right? Let's take a look:
Boston Celtics vs. Oklahoma City Thunder
It's hard to imagine the Heat not making their second-straight Finals appearance, but with the way the C's have been playing in Games 3 and 4 (and 2 for that matter), it's not too hard to fathom. This match-up would be cool (just think of the Kendrick Perkins homecoming stories) and an interesting one with the whole old vs. new aspect. And who doesn't want to see two of the league's best PGs in Russell Westbrook and Rajon Rondo go at it? This match-up could be a lot of fun. Prediction – The series depends mostly on Rondo's impact. He's been the MVP of these playoffs so far, but how long it will last has been questioned at every step of the way (and it's not stopping anytime soon). But more than likely, the Thunder prove that they have finally become the team that they have been trying to be for four years now and dominate the series en route to their first championship since the move from Seattle. Thunder 4-1
Miami Heat vs. San Antonio Spurs
This nightmare has had to formulate in the dreams of LeBron James before, right? The man that stood in the way of his first NBA Finals run (Tim Duncan) is now once again the main reason why the Heat could go home empty-handed. At this point in time, neither the Heat nor Spurs are looking like the best they have been all season. And unless the leaders from both sides start to step up, this could quite possibly be the least possibly scenario for the championship. Prediction – So let's say the world isn't really ending and both Miami and San Antonio find their mojo to win their respective conference finals. Do we go with the League of Extraordinary Veterans who have time and time again shut teams down with their unselfish play? Or do we go with the hungry, hungry Heat who, most likely revitalized with the return of Chris Bosh. My instincts want me to say the Spurs, because they never seem to want to go away. But something deeper inside of me feels like hell is about to freeze over, LeBron is about to hit a couple clutch fourth quarter shots, and the Big 3 laugh all the way back to South Beach. Heat 4-3
Boston Celtics vs. San Antonio Spurs
After how many years, how is it possible that only just now are Kevin Garnett and Tim Duncan meeting this deep in the playoffs? But as awesome as it sounds, the frontcourt won't be where this Finals match-up is decided. Tony Parker and Rajon Rondo are itching to show again and prove to the league and it's fans that they can be the best players on their team when it matters the most. And who ever comes closest to doing so will decide the fate of the series if these two teams meet. Prediction – Part of me feels bad for not going the way of the Celtics, a team that with the first real "Big 3" of the 2000s should be a team with multiple championships to their name. But the Spurs have done this just one too many times before, and whether Duncan, Parker, Manu Ginobli, or Matt Bonner emerges the hero, this match-up has San Antonio written over it all the way. Spurs 4-2
Miami Heat vs. Oklahoma City Thunder
Am I the only one that is dying to see this? It's Durant vs. LeBron. OKC vs. South Beach. Hell it's Serge Ibaka vs. Udonis Haslem. Almost everything about this series just seems, I don't know, exciting. Because if this match-up came to be, it's the hardest one for me to predict an outcome. Teams would go back and forth with streaks; maybe Nick Collison explodes for 25 in Game 2, maybe Chris Bosh comes back from injury for a monster series tying Game 4 in Miami, who knows? The story-lines would be never-ending. The thought of turning on the TV to see either a Blue-out or White-out every not is just way too cool for me. But when it comes down to the games, which superstar (James or KD) will come away with their first ring? Prediction – It's a barnburner. If I was ever to bet my life on a series going seven games it would be this one. Durant goes crazy in Game 1, sending the media into a fenzy about the game's new King. But the Heat take the next two. And the Thunder take the next two. And after Wade wins game six on a pull-up jumper with 1.3 seconds left, it could go either way in the finale. Too close to call
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