At times the 2011/2012 NBA season seemed doomed for failure. Amid the threat of lockout, vetoed trades, and near turmoil, the season began (to the delight of NBA fans across the world) on Christmas Day and steamrolled on through to late June in an exhilarating NBA Finals match up that everyone seemingly wanted to see. The up and comers from Oklahoma City came into the finals with momentum riding high after defeating a veteran San Antonio Spurs team with grizzled veterans and a twenty-plus game win streak to hang their hat on. On the Eastern Conference front, LeBron James led the Miami Heat after one of the greatest individual playoff games in post-season history in game 6 at the Boston Garden to drag the Heat back to shore as they were on the brink of drowning down 3 games to 2 against the Eastern Conference veteran standard represented by the Celtics. As the up-and-comer-team one year removed, the Miami Heat took the final series in five pretty exhilarating basketball games claiming the ring and the first NBA title in what would appear to be the making of both an intense rivalry with the Thunder as well as potential dynasty. The trio of Lebron, Dwayne Wade, and Chris Bosh had proved to the world with this title that “The Decision” two years ago was not a mistake and with key contributions off the bench from role players like Mike Miller, Mario Chalmers, and Shane Battier; the Heat made head coach Erik Spoelstra and Pat Riley look like geniuses. And with that being said they made the Thunder crumple like Bill Buckner on a slow rolling ground ball in 1986. Lebron James asserted his will on Kevin Durant, James Harden, Thabo Sefolosha, or who ever else tried to guard him throughout the series by averaging 28-10-7 per game including a game 6 triple double to complete the crushing souls process of not only the Thunder but the rest of the league. When the final buzzer sounded, in part because the game was so lopsided and uncontested at that point, you could feel the collective air let out of the balloon that is the rest of the NBA realizing that, “these Heat guys aren’t fooling around anymore, uh oh…” With two years removed from the apex of the drama “The Decision” caused, and the most strenuous amount of pressure relived (by winning their first of …not 6, not 7, not 8… championships); I think you could see this Heat team make a legitimate run at the Bulls 72 win regular season next year. Their main competition in the East will be a rejuvenated Bulls team, which will hope to bask in an injury free season and see it through that Derrick Rose plays more than 39 games in 2012-13. The Thunder will most likely be back as well as an LA Clipper team that was hastily put together late this season amid the lockout and will improve with a season and an offseason to become acclimated to each other (ie: Miami this year). Also, teams will look to improve with the draft which is only 4 days away at the time of this column. My early prediction for next season is going to be Bulls over Clippers in 7 games. My all NBA pick are below and in no particular order:
PG: Chris Paul LAC, Deron Williams NJN, Rajon Rondo BOS
SG: Kobe Bryant LAL, Dwayne Wade MIA, Monta Ellis MIL
SF: Kevin Durant OKC, Lebron James MIA, Paul Pierce BOS
PF: Kevin Love MIN, LaMarcus Aldridge POR, Dirk Nowitzki DAL
C: Dwight Howard ORL, Andrew Bynum LAL, Al Jefferson UTAH
Related articles
- Paul Forrester: Most intriguing games of the 2012-13 season (sportsillustrated.cnn.com)
- You: NBA’s Five Best Players of the 2011-2012 Season (bleacherreport.com)
- NBA Playoffs 2012: Which Team Has the Better “Big Three” (bleacherreport.com)
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