NBA Finals Prediction Thread.

[nuraman00]

Pick the series winner, number of games, and Finals MVP.

I'll post the past predictions game champions later.

[nuraman00]

Get your predictions in, the Finals start tomorrow!

[GoKings2010]

OKC in 5. Yes im a Lebron hater and hope he doesnt win anything. Ever! So with that said Durrant will go for 30+ on 3 nights and outscore Lebron on 2 but yet win the series. Ibaka is going to make 4 3`s during the series as well.Westbrook 40 pt game.
OkC
OkC
Miami
OkC
OkC

[nuraman00]

Thunder in four.

Oklahoma City
Oklahoma City
Oklahoma City
Oklahoma City


Heat can't guard Westbrook.


Thunder have the better frontcourt.


Thunder have more talent.


Battier is too streaky with his 3's.

MVP: Kevin Durant

Westbrook has a great chance to be it. But I have a hard time seeing the voters not vote for Durant. Westbrook would literally have to be twice as good as Durant to get it.

I remember back in 2005, Ginobili probably should have won it, but the media voted for Duncan. The same media that criticized Duncan during the series, for being shut down by Ben and Rasheed.

[PackfanMatt_12]

BOLD Predictions
Durant mom hug is talked about
Westbrook wears the ugliest shirt to a post game press conference
When they talk about Scott brooks they mention Sacramento

[nuraman00]

BOLD Predictions
Durant mom hug is talked about
Westbrook wears the ugliest shirt to a post game press conference
When they talk about Scott brooks they mention Sacramento

The last one isn't bold. :)

For the shirt one, post pics of ugly shirts that Westbrook, Wade, or whoever else may wear, so we can judge. :)

[Eze]

Thunder in 6.

Thunder
Heat
Thunder
Thunder
Heat
Thunder

MVP - Kevin Durant

Think the Heat may steal one in OKC simply due to OKC being a bit overwhelmed with the spotlight early, but Thunder shouldn't have much trouble in Miami. Don't like the 2/3/2 format, so, think the Heat snag one at home.

Could also go:

Thunder
Thunder
Heat
Thunder
Heat
Thunder

Either way, think the Thunder do have to go back home, but, they win it there. Thunder can match Wade and James offensively with Durant and Westbrook, but the Thunder have much more depth (and a better five).

[nuraman00]

Nice detailed predictions.

I remember last year, people kept forgetting to pick the MVP. Hasn't happened yet this year.

[PackfanMatt_12]

More BOLD Predictions
Lebron guards Durant for more then 3/4 of the time when they are both on the court
Lebron hits a buzzer beater
Wesybrook has a fast break dunk that makes the announcers, fans, people at home go crazy

[GoKings2010]

With that being said Mvp will be Durrant lol. I mentioned my prediction above but this is huge for Durrant right now just as much as it is for Lebron. I would like to see him struggle and also not win a ring once again in a Finals(LBJ). If Durrant wins a title this early in his career thats goiing to be scary. Def knowing there team is young as well and they dont look like there going to slow down anytime soon. He is a straight superstar that sets goals in front of him and chases it and achieves it. Will a ring for Durrant remake ur decisions on whod u rather have on ur team LBJ or Durrant?

[PackfanMatt_12]

My Prediction is in my NBA Finals Preview
http://247sportszone.blogspot.com/2012/06/nba-finals-preview.html

[OZfan]

Heat in 6, I'm not a fan of LBJ however less a fan of OKC. LeBron MVP.

[PackfanMatt_12]

Heat in 6, I'm not a fan of LBJ however less a fan of OKC. LeBron MVP.

why the OKC hate

[nuraman00]

Heat in 6, I'm not a fan of LBJ however less a fan of OKC. LeBron MVP.

Hey OZfan (http://kingsforum.net/live/member.php?76-OZfan). First time predicting this playoffs, I think. :)

[GoKings2010]

OKC is Americas newest favorite team!

[GoKings2010]

Think wh they have beat-Dallas,Lakers,SA(during a 20 game winning streak)Miami

[OZfan]

why the OKC hate

Sorry. Its more my love for the city of Seattle than hate for OKC. As a duo Payton and Kemp were my all time favorites to watch, Webber and JWill a close second. I never liked Stockton and Malone or Pippen and Jordan. Perhaps a bit childish, and would be all behind OKC if they had obtained a team through expansion. I do like the way OKC built their team, draft and smart trades.. Lebron is easy to dislike, but he did show the heart of a champion in the final two games vs the Celtics and I will stick with my prediction.

[nuraman00]

dutch_litchford's prediction:

+++++++++++++++++++++++++

My pick is Thunder in 5, and yesterday's game didn't influence this pick, I promise. I was debating whether it would go 5 or 6, but I picked 5 primarily for three reasons:


1 - I think OKC's Big 3 is better than Miami's. I still don't like how Lebron plays so timid in 4th quarters of big games (including last night, when it seemed like he was hiding from the ball), Wade has been struggling lately, and Bosh isn't 100%. Durant, IMO, has been the best player in basketball all season, and while Westbrook is known to make questionable decisions late in games, he's still more effective than Lebron. And Harden has stepped up in the clutch during these playoffs, even though he didn't have a great game yesterday.


2 - OKC's bench is significantly better than Miami's. Fisher, Harden, Collison are more productive than Jones, Cole, Miller and Anthony. I think Bosh is going to start game 2.


3 - Scott Brooks is a very good coach. He has potential to be a great coach in this league. I've just never really been a fan of Spoelstra. He doesn't make adjustments like other good coaches do, and I've never liked the offense he's installed in Miami.


The Thunder can shoot better than the Heat and are more athletic. Miami is going to need Wade and James to combine for 60+ to win, and I could see it happening once or twice, but not enough to win the series.


In yesterday's game, Miami was able to take a big lead early due to hitting threes and playing pretty good defense. In the second half, I thought their defensive intensity slacked off and Durant and Westbrook were able to penetrate and score at will. Durant had 17 points in the 4th, Lebron had 5.

[nuraman00]

Think wh they have beat-Dallas,Lakers,SA(during a 20 game winning streak)Miami

I'm not that shocked.

Dallas - They were the 7th seed, and have been inconsistent all year. These weren't the defending champs. It's not like they were good most of the year and just lost a few games at the end to drop down to 7th. They played like the 7th seed all year, and were in danger of missing the playoffs too.

If you remove the year they won, they had 1st round exits in 2007, 2008, 2010. They hadn't been to the conference finals since 2006. It's not like they were Detroit from 2003-2008, who would make the conference finals every year.

Most people expected a short series between OKC and Dallas, and that's what it was.

Dallas had one good year, but reverted back to the way they normally play in the playoffs.

Lakers - Again, this was just another team. They were 2 years removed from the championship. They hadn't been super elite all year, they were up and down. Bryant had his worst shooting year since his 2nd year in the league. Gasol had gotten older too. Artest played worse than he did a few years ago. Their bench sucked during the year, they had the 18th best bench in the league to go with aging starters.

When mentioning the elite teams in the regular season, it was always OKC, Spurs, Heat, Bulls first, then people would add Lakers, Clippers, Grizzlies, and Pacers in the next tier. Lakers were usually mentioned as the 5th most elite team, at the highest.

It wasn't a surprise that the Thunder won, 13 of 14 experts on ESPN expected them too.

Beating the Lakers is no different than beating some random 2nd round team from a few years ago. Hardly anyone thought the Lakers would make the NBA Finals, so they didn't think they were elite.

The Lakers had been getting old and slow for a few years, and their lack of bench has been hurting them too.

Spurs - That was impressive.

Heat - Beating the Heat, they're doing what most expect them to do. Most people are saying the Thunder have more talent, have a better big 3, have a better frontcourt, have a better bench. Westbrook has played better in the playoffs than Wade. There's no one that can guard Westbrook. The Thunder and Spurs were the two most talented teams in the league.

Even if the Thunder would have faced Boston and beaten them, they were supposed to beat Boston. This isn't the 2008 or 2010 NBA Finals Boston. This Boston team can't shoot anymore, Pierce and Ray Allen have been so erratic this season. Being surprised in beating Boston would have been like bragging about beating Orlando. This isn't the 2009 anymore for Orlando, just like it's not 2008-2010 for Boston anymore.

The Thunder have been one of the two most talented teams in the league this year, and they're they're playing like it. Not too surprising.


Now if the Clippers, Grizzlies, or Pacers had made the NBA Finals, then I'd be surprised. But the Thunder? They have so much talent, they should be at this stage.

[GoKings2010]

Well No matter wat seed Dallas got they were still the defending champs. I didnt have the Thunder beating them cause although Dallas didnt play well throughout the season I thought they werte built for playoffs. They have so much talent on that team its crazy they didnt win more games.

La isnt just some reg team u see in a 2nd round and predict ur going to beat them. I think its safe to say La is one of the NBA`s fvorite teams and theyll never get swept or get more calls against them in a series. Thats one team u cant count out and yes they have a weak bench and thats wat hurt them again this yr but they coulda beat the Thunder if they used theere talents right. Gasol was a no show, Bynum dissapeared at times and went away from timeouts. Artest was rusty. If they all lived up to wat there suppose to do ud prob see a different team playing right now.

As for the Heat there suppose to be the best in the league! Atleast there Egos say they are. I hope the Thunder sweep em and embarass James,Wade,Bosh!!! You said they should beat the Heat cause of no bench either but can u really count them out?

[nuraman00]

I hope the Thunder sweep em and embarass James,Wade,Bosh!!! You said they should beat the Heat cause of no bench either but can u really count them out?

Yes you can count them out. Battier, Miller are old and inconsistent. Miller is 1/3 as good as Harden. Miller isn't the guy who used to come off the bench for Memphis and have big scoring nights.

He's been bad the past 2-3 years.

He averaged 5 points a game last year and 6 points a game this year.

Battier has always been streaky on offense, and his defense hasn't been as good for 2-3 years.

And the Thunder frontcourt is better than all of Miami's. Collison, Ibaka, Perkins > Bosh, Anthony, Haslem. No contest.




La isnt just some reg team u see in a 2nd round and predict ur going to beat them. I think its safe to say La is one of the NBA`s fvorite teams and theyll never get swept or get more calls against them in a series.

Lakers may be the NBA's favorite team, but that doesn't mean they're that good.

The FTs were even in the Lakers-Thunder series.

Lakers - 128
Thunder - 131

And the Lakers have gotten swept before.

2011 - Dallas


1999 -- defeated Houston, 3-1, first round lost to San Antonio, 4-0, conference semifinals


1998 -- defeated Portland, 3-1, first round defeated Seattle, 4-1, conference semifinals lost to Utah, 4-0, conference finals



1989 -- defeated Portland, 3-0, first round defeated Seattle, 4-0, conference semifinals defeated Phoenix, 4-0, conference finals lost to Detroit, 4-0, NBA Finals



1983 -- defeated Portland, 4-1, conference semifinals defeated San Antonio, 4-2, conference finals lost to Philadelphia, 4-0, NBA Finals



1977 -- defeated Golden State, 4-3, first round lost to Portland, 4-0, conference semifinals



1959 -- defeated Detroit, 2-1, division semifinals defeated St. Louis, 4-2, division finals lost to Boston, 4-0, NBA Finals


Here's them losing in 5 games:

2012 - OKC

2007 -- lost to Phoenix, 4-1


2004 -- defeated Houston, 4-1, first round defeated San Antonio, 4-2, conference semifinals defeated Minnesota, 4-2, conference finals lost to Detroit, 4-1, NBA Finals


1997 -- defeated Portland, 3-1, first round lost to Utah, 4-1, conference semifinals

1991 -- defeated Houston, 3-0, first round defeated Golden State, 4-1, conference semifinals defeated Portland, 4-2, conference finals lost to Chicago, 4-1, NBA Finals

1990 -- defeated Houston, 3-1, first round lost to Phoenix, 4-1, conference semifinals

1986 -- defeated San Antonio, 3-0, first round defeated Dallas, 4-2, conference semifinals lost to Houston, 4-1, conference finals

1979 -- defeated Denver, 2-1, first round lost to Seattle, 4-1, conference semifinals



1974 -- lost to Milwaukee, 4-1, first round


1973 -- defeated Chicago, 4-3, first round defeated Golden State, 4-1, conference semifinals lost to New York, 4-1, NBA Finals



1971 -- defeated Chicago, 4-3, conference semifinals lost to Milwaukee, 4-1, conference finals


1965 -- defeated Baltimore, 4-2, division finals lost to Boston, 4-1, NBA Finals

[nuraman00]

Atleast there Egos say they are.

Shane Battier doesn't have an ego. :)


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ULEwhdB0P4k

[nuraman00]

Not only that, but when the Lakers lose, they lose hard.

2012 - Lost by 16 in final game.

2011 - Lost by 36 in final game.

2008 - Lost by 39 in final game.

2007 - Lost by 9 in final game, but I believe it was almost a wire to wire win for Phoenix.

2006 - Lost by 20 in final game.

2004 - Lost by 13 in final game, were down by 23 to start the 4th, was never close after first 3-4 minutes.

2003 - Lost by 28 in final game.

1999 - Lost by 11 in final game, were down 15 at halftime and didn't get too much closer.

When they lose, they lose hard.

Some of those years, while they may have some superstars, they don't play well enough to be a resilient and tough team.

Remember, 13 out of 14 people on ESPN picked the Thunder over the Lakers. This wasn't a series that people said "could go either way". Almost everyone predicted the Thunder would beat them.

With Bryant getting older, if they don't get him more help, they're going to be even less good next year.

[OZfan]

For all you predicting Thunder, I dont know. As 5th game in Miami now wish I had gone Heat in 5.

[GoKings2010]

Wheres the faith? lol