Miami Heat: 3 Teams That Are Legitimate Challengers To The Throne
LeBron James is enjoying yet another stellar season and will be looking to lead the Miami Heat to a second straight NBA title. Photo Credit: Mark Runyon, Basketball Schedule
The NBA playoffs are just around the corner, starting on April 20, and the Miami Heat are getting ready to defend their NBA throne.
LeBron James and Co. have already claimed the top spot with the best record in the NBA, meaning they have home-court advantage throughout the postseason and are well on their way to their second consecutive NBA title.
However that will be easier said than done, especially considering there are several teams that could give the Heat more than they can handle.
Here are three that could realistically dethrone Miami:
Oklahoma City Thunder
OKC had to watch Miami celebrate in Game 5 of last year’s Finals as the seconds trickled down in South Beach. A memory which I’m sure is implanted deep in the thoughts of Kevin Durant and Co.
This year, they’ll be determined to avoid the same fate and erase the memory of yesteryear’s heart break by going a step further and lifting the Larry O’Brien Trophy, a scenario that’s very plausible.
Kevin Durant is ready for another deep playoff run. (Photo Credit: Keith Allison, Flickr.com)
Yes James Harden was a huge loss, especially considering his production and rise to superstardom this season, but they got Kevin Martin in return and he ain’t no slouch.
Martin has given the Thunder 14 points per game and he’s been an efficient as ever, shooting 42 percent from the 3, 89 percent from the foul line and 45 percent overall.
In fact, Harden’s trade may have been a good thing for the Thunder because several players have improved internally. Serge Ibaka improved his offensive production this year, bumping up his scoring average to a career high 13.4 ppg and he’s even hitting 3s.
Reggie Jackson has also proven himself to be a pretty decent backcourt backup, sharing minutes with Derek Fisher off the bench.
Despite people bashing Russell Westbrook for being a “selfish player,” I actually think it’s good for OKC.
Westbrook is as confident as any player and he isn’t afraid of the moment. He believes himself to be just as good as his Kevin Durant and can take over if his superstar teammate is struggling. It’s yet to happen, but at least coach Scott Brooks knows he has a backup just in case.
Besides, Westbrook is seventh in the league with 7.5 assists a game. Talk about selfish.
The worrying thing (for the rest of the league) is that, Kevin Durant is still getting better and I don’t think he’s even anywhere near hitting his ceiling.
That’s pretty scary considering he’s already won three scoring titles, is always among the top rebounding small forwards and has become a pretty good defender.
This year, he’s taken another step forward as a distributor, averaging a career high 4.6 apg.
I’ll go out on a limb and say Oklahoma City Thunder is better than last year.
New York Knicks
After Miami, the Eastern Conference is a series of questions. But New York has emerged as the best among the rubble, claiming the second seed in the East.
They’re currently 11 games behind the NBA champions but don’t let that fool you though.
The Knicks have shown this season they can compete with and beat Miami. The Knicks convincingly won the first two games of the season series by 20 points each time until the Heat had their revenge during their 27-game winning streak.
So far, the Knickerbockers have the last word, winning the season head to head 3-1. The reason behind the wins, in simple terms, 3 point shooting. In their three wins against Miami, they’ve shot the ball at 47 percent from 107 attempts.
Long story short, if the Knicks’ 3-pointers are falling, they’re damned near impossible to stop. Just look at their 18-5 start to the season and 13-game winning streak recently, on their way to an NBA record in 3s made.
Amare Stoudemire will also be back for the playoffs. Even if he probably won’t be 100 percent, he’ll still be troublesome, crashing the boards and banging inside the paint for points.
Stoudemire will probably be coming off the bench as he did earlier this season, making deadly Knicks second unit already with J.R. Smith, even tougher to stop.
Oh, and they also have the NBA’s top scorer, Carmelo Anthony healthy and firing. Good luck.
San Antonio Spurs
Tim Duncan of the Spurs may be the greatest power forward of all time. (Photo: Flickr user Killbucky).
Last year, Oklahoma City came storming back to beat the Spurs 4-2 after losing the first two games of the Western Conference Finals. The Spurs also squandered an 18-point lead at Oklahoma City in Game 3 of the series.
You know coach Gregg Popovich and the Big Three will have learned from their mistakes and seek revenge in their probable rematch. Manu Ginobili should be back from a hamstring injury and hopefully at 100 percent by then. A full-strength San Antonio can beat anyone.
Tony Parker has been struggling with his form and injuries lately but he’s been playing MVP-level basketball for most of this season. Averaging 7.6 apg and doing his usual tricks in the paint for 20.4 points a contest, both the second highest of his career.
Also, at 36 years old and in his 16th NBA season, Tim Duncan is still producing at a high level, racking up nearly 18 points and 10 rebounds and he’s still dunking on folks; just ask Serge Ibaka.
Not only is The Big Fundamental producing on offense, he’s also contributing big time on defense, swatting away 2.7 shots a game. That’s good enough for third among the NBA’s best shot blockers this year.
The difference makers for the Spurs are the role players such as Kawhi Leonard, Tiago Splitter and Danny Green. They don’t particularly stand out as stars, but they do a solid job at everything that’s asked of them.
San Antonio may be limping to the finish line, going 5-5 in the last 10 games, but this isn’t coach Pop’s first rodeo. He always finds a way to get things done.
Worth a shout:
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