NBA Finals:  OKC Wins Game 1

Boy, this is one of the best match ups in recent memory.  I don't even know who to root for.  I just want to watch close games.  The stakes are huge.  Miami wins and it totally validates the Big 3 and meets the basic expectations of coming together.  Losing in the finals their first year together and then buckling down and winning in their 2nd year...all things would be on schedule.  If OKC wins?  A new dynasty is born right in front of our eyes.  The pressure would weigh heavy on Miami.  Dfish has 6 rings.  The Western Conference would be worried sick.

What I noticed in Game 1?  The match ups are favoring OKC.  Why is Battier guarding Durant so much?  Miami will lose if Battier guards Durant the majority of the time.  He is too slow, too short, and can do nothing to disrupt the guy.  The only time Miami was actually winning the game was when Battier and Chalmers were hitting 3s at a 50% clip.  I don't see it continuing for a full game, much less the series.

Wade and James played well, although James didn't shoot well.  I imagine that'll change at home a little bit.  Bosh concerns me.  The guy is probably injured and wasn't getting into the tussle when Miami needed to get rebounds and loose balls.  OKC beat them at the 50/50 balls tonight.

I don't like the Westbrook-Wade match up if I'm Miami.  Wade played well tonight, but given his performances during the playoffs, Westbrook is going to be too athletic for him, I think.  Still, Wade can probably play him to a draw for at least 4 games and outplay him in 1 or 2.

How can Miami win?  James can have a monster game (1 or 2).  Wade can have a monster game (1, if lucky).  Bosh can go for 20/10 (1, if lucky).  Or the other players, Battier, Chalmers, Haslem whoever can put together a full game like they played in the 1st quarter (1, if lucky).  Don't know if it'll happen before OKC wins 4.

I'm very happy if I'm OKC.  They didn't even get much from Harden tonight and they still won handily (especially considering the 1st quarter deficit).  I was wary last year of the Westbrook-Durant combo.  They looked off sync and like Westbrook didn't get it...I've totally come around.  I think they work great together now.  Durant is a smoother, more confident outside shooter than before and this opens up lots of lanes for Westbrook to use his slashing ability and strength to get to the basket.  Plus, Westbrook improved his jumper and is making better overall decisions.

My favorite moments of the game - James takes Durant off the dribble one point, driving right past him all the way to the hoop and scores and gets fouled.  There was a shot of Durant shaking his head that was like - holy shit - that dude is a beast.  My other two favorite moments of the game were when James blocked out a guy so well, the rebound hit the ground and another time he blocked someone out from under the basket and pushed them all the way back to the free throw line.

LeBron, I think, is the best all around basketball player I've ever seen.  I suppose he doesn't have the scoring chops and hasn't yet displayed the mental fortitude of great champions, but if I'm playing 5 on 5 and I get first pick and there's LeBron, Jordan, Magic, Bird, Kobe, Shaq, Duncan, Hakeem, all the great players I've seen play...man...I think I'm taking LeBron 1st.  Is that ridiculous?

I have no predictions, but after seeing them play, it looked like OKC has the match up advantages.  If I'm Miami I consider trying something else - LeBron on Durant more, or even LeBron on Westbrook.  I don't know.  LeBron was working super hard for his points tonight and OKC has to be happy with that.  They can throw Durant on him and taunt him to make outside shot or Sefologia (sp?) if they want to buckle down.  Good options.