Oklahoma City
Picking who is going to win the Eastern Conference is worthless. Everyone and their mother know the Miami Heat are going to be in the NBA Finals for the third consecutive year.
But the Western Conference is much more interesting. There are three contenders; the Oklahoma City Thunder, San Antonio Spurs and Los Angeles Clippers.
I think for the second year in a row it will be the Thunder in the finals taking on the Heat.
The Spurs are a great story, and I would be thrilled if they made it to the finals and won it all. Tim Duncan is one of the all-time greats, and Greg Popovich is the best coach in the game.
But the Spurs make my grandma look young. I just don’t think they have what it takes to compete in a seven game series against the younger, quicker, more athletic Thunder.
Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook are two of the young stars in the game and when they are playing at their best, Oklahoma City may be the best team in the NBA.
But my fear for them is if Westbrook tries to take over games and forgets about Durant. It could be bad news. It’s happened before. It could happen again.
I still think the Thunder are the best in the West and will be in the finals once again.
-Alex Ross
While the Eastern Conference and the NBA Finals trophy have already been given to the Miami Heat, there is only one question remaining in the NBA postseason. Who will win the Western Conference?
The Oklahoma City Thunder are probably the popular pick, but it will be the San Antonio Spurs who will lose to the Heat in the Finals. Coach Gregg Popovich has rested his stars all season long and it’s going to pay dividends in the postseason.
Tony Parker is recovering from injuries, but he couldn’t be stopped from driving into the paint against the Los Angeles Lakers. Manu Ginobili looks like a better player after missing multiple games at the end of the season due to injury. He’s well-rested and is a leader on the court. And don’t forget future Hall of Famer Tim Duncan, who has told father time he isn’t ready to lose his skills yet.
With so many weapons, the Spurs should be a lock to the Western Conference Finals, where they will face the Thunder. Oklahoma City has some of the best players in the league. However, the Thunder’s offensive plays are stale and too basic to beat the Spurs.
With Popovich at the helm, and a team where every player knows his role, the Spurs will be the ones in the Finals.
-Bobby Nightengale