Better chance of returning to Finals next year?

[The Regime]

I'm pretty sure both teams will be the favorites to win their respective conferences and making a deep run next year, so the question is who has the better chance of returning to the Finals?

 

Thunder can only improve with such a young team, and despite a disappointing Finals their two superstars Durant and Westbrook took significant strides and showed a lot of promise for the future. The Lakers, Spurs, Mavs and Grizzles are their main competition and depending how free agency ends up either team could take them out.

 

As for the East, it's alot more weaker than the West. Bulls are the toughest competition for the Heat, but without Rose next season be a cake walk. Pacers are young and improving but do they have enough star power to overtake the Heat? I honestly don't think that Dwight Howard ending up on the Nets will make a difference, and neither will an upgrade at pg for the Knicks (unless of course its for a star like Deron Williams).

 

Discuss.

[Legacy]

I was going to say Miami easily, but I'm not sure. The West doesn't look all that great. Unless the Lakers make a move, I don't think they can take OKC. The Spurs will be getting older, again. Dallas doesn't look like they will go anywhere either. I'm not sold on the Clippers either. I think it's an equal chance for both teams and we can easily see a rematch.

Edited June 22, 2012 by Legacy

[Real Deal]

Easily Miami.

 

Boston was lucky enough to make it to the ECF's, and would have lost that series in five if Bosh was fully healthy.

 

Chicago won't have Rose for a while, and I can't really speculate and say they'll be on top of their game (or he will be) once he returns...whenever.

 

The Pacers, Knicks, Magic, Hawks, Sixers...they won't knock off the Heat.

 

Brooklyn could make life difficult if they do indeed get Howard and Deron to join forces, but it kind of depends on who else they can rake in as their role players. Howard and Williams fill the two positions the Heat have trouble with, and if the Nets can find defenders (and shooters) to fill the rest of the team out, who knows...

[YugoRocketsFan]

Honestly as soon as I saw this finals matchup I pretty much knew that in the next 4 or so years these teams will meet up in the finals at least twice.

[ChosenOne]

Heat easily. IMO the East has a bunch of decent teams like the Pacers, Hawks, and 76ers. Against a healthy Heat squad none of them could even get close. Only hope the East has is the Knicks if the magically start working some how (doubt it) or like RD mentioned the Nets with the combo of DWill and Dwight.

 

OKC on the other hand have teams like Dallas who will be strong if not get strong this offseason, Clippers, Lakers, Memphis, and Spurs who i think have one final run left in them.

[Flash]

Depends on who we add. Ray Allen is likely headed here (according to Broussard). I hope Wade skips out on the Olympics and has the same knee procedure that Kobe had.

 

We need to add more size though. The ultimate catch would be KG but I doubt he takes the minimum to play here.

[ChosenOne]

Depends on who we add. Ray Allen is likely headed here (according to Broussard). I hope Wade skips out on the Olympics and has the same knee procedure that Kobe had.

 

We need to add more size though. The ultimate catch would be KG but I doubt he takes the minimum to play here.

 

I personally don't see a Celtic turning around and joining the Heat. Allen I have a feeling is going to end up in Dallas. KG will stay in Boston.

[Flash]

I personally don't see a Celtic turning around and joining the Heat. Allen I have a feeling is going to end up in Dallas. KG will stay in Boston.

 

There's a ton of respect between both teams. Ray Allen has apparently said he'd love to backup Wade and Dallas already has Terry coming off the bench. Not to mention we just won a ring so that has to make Miami the most attractive destination in the league for veterans.

 

If we can get a healthy Wade/Haslem/Miller...that's scary. Wade has been playing at around 80% this year.

[JYD]

Thunder have a nice core, but the Heat are way better, as long as LBJ and Wade are in their prime.

[DunkinDerozan]

I don't think its so easily the Heat as you guys are saying. All the best teams in the West are getting old (ie. Mavericks, Lakers, Spurs). Their biggest competition will be the same as it was this year, which was the Spurs who are just going to be another year older. The Thunder will also be older, but Durant, Westbrook, Harden and Ibaka will all be improved players.

 

Although when you look at the East, they really don't have much competition. I think Wade entering into the decline of his career, so he won't be quite as big of an impact. Mike Miller might retire, not sure about Battier.

 

Pretty much, I think Oklahoma City will be much closer to being able to beat the Heat. I voted OKC, but as I'm typing this i'm realizing the Heat probably will have the easier road to finals.

[SRV]

I would say we have the best chance..who in the East can beat us? Indiana gave us a great run, so I think they can beat us, Nets might be getting much better next year, and Boston still has Rondo, Pierce, and Avery. Chicago won't have Rose for much of next year, and they might make some changes on that team.

 

There are maybe 3-4 teams that can cause us trouble, but if we keep a lot of this team together, we should be fine. Not even worried about Wade, he might have bad games, but he shows up when it matters.

[Real Deal]

The Lakers are going to make moves, regardless of what is coming from the media. If we had kept CP3, we could have been in the Finals. There's nothing out there that makes me think we're going to stick with what we have NOW, given all that was done in December, and the season's result in May.

[Flash]

I don't want to be cocky but this series just showed why LBJ is just on another planet compared to anyone in the league right now. Durant is pretty much the consensus number 2 in the league right? Durant is a hell of a shooter, but that's where it stops with him and LBJ. LeBron is just so much better at every facet of the game its remarkable to see the difference. Durant will never be on his level IMO.

 

Durant will never be a good defender, and I don't think he's tough enough or strong enough to become a good rebounder either. His frame is maxed out so yeah while there's room for him to improve, how much better is he really going to get?

 

If Wade has that knee procedure and comes back strong I think we're the overwhelming favorites heading into next season. I think Mike Miller is going to retire which will be big in terms of getting that money to sign another solid wing or a big guy.

Edited June 22, 2012 by Flash

[Real Deal]

Durant will never be a good defender

Five seasons in, we said the same thing about LeBron James.

 

and I don't think he's tough enough or strong enough to become a good rebounder either

LOL, he's already as good of a rebounder (if not better) than LeBron.

 

His frame is maxed out so yeah while there's room for him to improve, how much better is he really going to get?

Are you saying Durant can't get any stronger?

 

I think Mike Miller is going to retire which will be big in terms of getting that money to sign another solid wing or a big guy.

Even if Miller retires, the Heat will be well over the cap and already dipping into the luxury tax penalty.

[SRV]

I think it was pretty clear that Lebron is miles ahead of Durant in most parts of the game. Even if you despise Lebron and love Durant, you have to admit Lebron showed him who was boss in this series. Durant did not take the task of defending Lebron, if you want to be great, or want to improve your defense, you should take the responsibility of guarding the other team's best player. Lebron defended every position on the floor, and basically played every position, Durant stuck to guarding the easiest guy he could find and really just stuck to shooting jumpers with the occasional post up and dunk.

 

Not talking down on Durant, but he could have done so much more in this series to improve his game, but he stepped away from all the tasks he will need to take to get the team a title. I hope he learned from this experience and takes to learning how to play proper defense in the off season, because everytime he was on Lebron, he was taken off the dribble and caught reaching....that is how I saw it. I look forward to seeing him improve because he can be very scary when he develops more of his game.

[Throw Away to Worthy]

Barring any injury I expect to see both of these teams achieve multiple finals appearances in the next 4 or 5 years. The Thunder are younger and should have a longer window, but the LeBron is in his prime and clearly the best player in the League right now...His game has improved from even last season.

 

I think the Heat have an easier path to the finals in the East, but who knows what deals will happen in the coming years. The Clips may become a force if Blake can develop a more complete game. The Bulls may make it to the ECF, but they don't match up very well with the Heat as they are currently built.

[The Next Knick]

I think both teams have a great chance at returning, and not only this year, but multiple times in the near future. KD will be more hungry then ever, and I almost think it's better he got a taste of the finals and lost, it'll make him want to return that much more. (unless they're like the '09 Magic, which is highly unlikely) They also have every started along with Harden under 30, I believe, which is just crazy! I love both of these teams, not to play against, but to watch. I think they'll face off once more in the finals, which would be a nice re-match in which I think would go to 6 or 7 games.

 

As for next year, I feel as if the Heat will definitely return. The Bulls have a shot, but I don't see them taking Miami out. Boston's only chance was this year, and they got as close as they could've. I think the Spurs can still compete in the West, along with both LA teams, but I still see OKC returning.

[Flash]

"This buys us our freedom," Pat Riley says with a smile. "The things that locked them up? They evaporated tonight. Now we grow. Now we evolve. Now comes the fun. This finally allows these players to be free."

 

Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/06/21/2862609/burden-finally-lifted-for-lebron.html#storylink=cpy

[Lkr]

There's a ton of respect between both teams. Ray Allen has apparently said he'd love to backup Wade and Dallas already has Terry coming off the bench. Not to mention we just won a ring so that has to make Miami the most attractive destination in the league for veterans.

 

If we can get a healthy Wade/Haslem/Miller...that's scary. Wade has been playing at around 80% this year.

Ray Allen? Maybe. Kevin Garnett? [expletive] no. I'd say Garnett has a better chance of going to the Lakers before going to the Heat. If he doesn't retire, I don't think he will consider anywhere other than Boston though. He is still a great player, and if he went somewhere like the Lakers, he could coast 50% through the regular season assuming the Lakers retain Gasol, and have some energy for the playoffs. Of course, that is just a pipe dream and he will never go to LA or Miami. KG is like the honey badger, he gives no [expletive]s, and does what he wants. If Minnesota didn't have so many bigs, I wouldn't be surprised if he played a year or two there before hanging it up

 

Back on topic, I'll say the Heat, but it is very close. No one looks like they will really contend with either team in either conference to be quite honest.