NBA Finals Predictions

[slamtheking]

On a side note, does anyone else think the 2-3-2 system of the finals is really dumb? I always thought it was...

I hate it.

Yeah, messes up the flow from the rest of the playoffs. In most hotly contested series the two close out games are 6/7. I much prefer those are split among the two teams' home court.

not a fan of it either but I get why -- trips between the East and West coasts (usually but not this year) can have an impact on performance.  cut the trips to just 2 per finals and it minimizes that impact as opposed to the 4 trips in the 2-2-1-1-1 format

[Fafnir]

On a side note, does anyone else think the 2-3-2 system of the finals is really dumb? I always thought it was...

I hate it.

Yeah, messes up the flow from the rest of the playoffs. In most hotly contested series the two close out games are 6/7. I much prefer those are split among the two teams' home court.

not a fan of it either but I get why -- trips between the East and West coasts (usually but not this year) can have an impact on performance.  cut the trips to just 2 per finals and it minimizes that impact as opposed to the 4 trips in the 2-2-1-1-1 format

Memphis to LA and both teams did just fine. Very similar distance to what occurs in the Finals most years.

Its not for the teams, its for the media. They adopted at the broadcast networks prodding because they wanted the NBA to be cheaper to cover.

Awful relic of the days when the NBA was still clawing its way back to prominance after the struggles of the 1970s.

[JSD]

Miami

6 Games

Lebron James MVP

[Mr October]

Thunder win 4-2. Westbrook is the MVP.

I figure James and Battier will take turns on limiting Durant. I don't know who will be able to stop Westbrook. Certainly not Chalmers or Wade.

And then I think the interior defense of OKC will be too much - particularly Ibaka's shot blocking.

[ScoobyDoo]

OKC in 4 or 5 games - Durant the MVP.

[Who]

Thunder win 4-2. Westbrook is the MVP.

I figure James and Battier will take turns on limiting Durant. I don't know who will be able to stop Westbrook. Certainly not Chalmers or Wade.

And then I think the interior defense of OKC will be too much - particularly Ibaka's shot blocking.

I don't think either player can limit Durant. He has been very effective against each guy.

[angryguy77]

OCK in 5

Durant MVP

[Fafnir]

Thunder win 4-2. Westbrook is the MVP.

I figure James and Battier will take turns on limiting Durant. I don't know who will be able to stop Westbrook. Certainly not Chalmers or Wade.

And then I think the interior defense of OKC will be too much - particularly Ibaka's shot blocking.

I don't think either player can limit Durant. He has been very effective against each guy.

Durant's too quick and long for them to stiffle him.

Neither is going to be as handsy or agressive in denying/grabbing as Ron Artest and/or Tony Allen are when they've done okay in bothering Durant.

[Moranis]

Heat in 5 - James wins MVP

[Moranis]

Some media predictions

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2012/basketball/nba/06/11/nba.finals.predictions/index.html?eref=sihp&sct=hp_t11_a1

http://espn.go.com/nba/playoffs/2012/story/_/page/5-on-5-120611/nba-finals-miami-heat-oklahoma-city-thunder-preview

http://espn.go.com/nba/playoffs/2012/story/_/page/Smackdown-2012/truehoop-stat-geek-smackdown-2012

[Mr October]

Thunder win 4-2. Westbrook is the MVP.

I figure James and Battier will take turns on limiting Durant. I don't know who will be able to stop Westbrook. Certainly not Chalmers or Wade.

And then I think the interior defense of OKC will be too much - particularly Ibaka's shot blocking.

I don't think either player can limit Durant. He has been very effective against each guy.

Just to be clear, limiting Durant means holding him to 25 PPG and tough shots. We'll see if it happens. It pains me to have seen Boston Lose. But I am really looking forward to seeing these 2 teams clash.

[eugen]

I wish OKC sweep them. Go OKC

MVP: Durant

[Birdman]

Thunder in 5

Westbrook MVP

I think Westbrook will have a field day with the Heat. If u can beat the Mavs, Lakers, and Spurs the way they did, they can beat the Heat. I dont think the Heat will score over a 100 in any games. Thunder will in maybe 3

[JoT]

I say OKC in 6. The Heat are talented and I can see them winning, but OKC overall has a better team and I said from the jump that whoever won that SA/OKC WCF would win the championship.
MVP is Durant

[wiley]

Thunder in 5 games unless the refs get funky in Miami.