The Winner...and New Champion...

The SEVEN 13 June 2012 I. To Rip Van Winkle and Co. If you happen to have done a modified Rip Van Winkle and slept the last two months - as opposed to the two decades ol' Rip was to have snored through - here's some of what you missed on the hard wood of the NBA: - Derrick Rose's injury essentially eliminated da Bulls. - The Knicks won their first playoff game in the post 9/11 era - against the Heat, no less. - The excitement has returned to the Wells Fargo Center in Philly. - The San Antonio Spurs are surely not dead. - Metta World Peace's 7-game suspension almost eliminated the Lakers. - If you liked these Lakers, savor the memories. Kobe threw the whole squad under the bus in a playoff interview, with the exception of Metta. - As always, the worst thing about the Finals is not having the TNT Inside The NBA crew doing the pre-game/halftime/post-game. II. On The Rise The Indiana Pacers are on the move and with the right moves could visit the Finals for the first time since 2000 in the near future. Meanwhile, out west, the Denver Nuggets - much better since the Carmelo trade - are on the move and with the right moves could visit the Finals for the first time ever…which would end their 36-year and counting run as the only former ABA franchise to never play in the NBA Finals. What I love about these two franchises is the fact that in each case, without a mega-star or a "Big 3," they have assembled a team that goes 10-11 deep in good players, any of which can be impact performers on any given night. I think that ultimately this model will prove successful in a championship run. III. Hold On The Funeral Plans Please raise your hands if you thought that in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals, the Boston Celtics would enter the fourth quarter with a lead and a real chance to win the series. Matter of fact, please raise your hands if you had any idea that the Celtics would have made the conference finals. Chances are, outside of the Celtic family, there would not be too many raised hands. And yet the word from the beginning of the season and on throughout was that GM Danny Ainge was preparing to drop the wrecking ball on this particular incarnation of the Celtics. I suggested in this very space that Ainge must have been having flashback nightmares of Andrew Toney - the legendary Boston Strangler that forced the Celtics to import a guard in three consecutive years because none of the previous ones could guard Toney - by virtue of his rumored desire to trade Rajon Rondo. Yes, the same Rondo that has established himself as the best point guard in the league. The fact is that Rondo's greatness enables the aging Big 3 to perform beyond their lessening physical capabilities. With Jeff Green returning, along with the emergence of Brandon Bass, the Celtics have additions to bolster their periphery. A couple more like that and they would be in a position to try a couple more years of the Big 3 era. IV. Like A Heat Wave To many people, seeing the Heat in the Finals is no surprise, given that they have - arguably - the best one-two combination in the world in LeBron James and Dwyane Wade. Yet my sense is that Erik Spoelstra's job is on the line here in these finals…and my sense is that they would do better if Pat Riley - or even Paul Westhead, for that matter - were coaching. Why they are not trying to make every game a track meet is beyond me. I believe that if they do not win, Coach Riley will walk back downstairs for at least a year. V. Storm Season Like Thunder, like lightning, when Durant gets down, it's frightening (Apologies to the men of Kappa Alpha Psi). Once again, I can state that to many people, seeing the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Finals is no surprise; in fact, I have long been expecting the championship trophy to reside in OKC for at least a year, given that they have - arguably - the best one-two combination in the world in Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook (who reminds me so much of young Kobe). I can't say, however, that I expected it to happen this year - but given that the Thunder's "Big 3" of Durant, Westbrook, and James Harden are all 23 and younger and getting better by the minute, the big surprise would be if they do not win. VI. Prediction or Do The Math To get to this point OKC went through the champion Dallas Mavericks, the recent champion Los Angeles Lakers, and the 20-consecutive win and recent champion San Antonio Spurs. In the east, the Miami Heat lost one game to the talented but disjointed New York Knicks, two games to the talented and deep Indiana Pacers, and three games to the veteran and crafty Boston Celtics. With all of this in mind, and doing the math, my prediction is that they will lose four games to the Oklahoma City Thunder. VII. Just Wondering If I shoot and kill an unarmed Caucasian person in this neighborhood, do you think I will be able to raise six figures for my defense on the Internet?