NBA Finals Player Power Rankings

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NBA Finals, baby! And we got a good one. As much as I wanted the Celtics to beat the Heat, I must admit that the Finals are better with the Heat vs. Thunder (by the way, will The Weather Channel be broadcasting these games?). We've got two noteworthy teams. We've got the two best players in basketball with the throne on the line. And we've got a team to definitively root for. What more could you ask for? Leggo...

1. Kevin Durant, Oklahoma City Thunder.

The most historically successful strategy for a star player to win in the NBA goes like this: Get all of your teammates involved for three quarters, seize control whenever your team goes through a lull, and then take over come the 4th quarter. Michael Jordan did this better than anybody. Kobe Bryant struggled with this idea internally, but found his greatest successes following this formula. It took Dirk Nowitzki to the mountain top last season. Slim Thugga followed this blueprint to a tee in the Western Conference Finals. It was impressive to watch. I give Durant the advantage over Lebron simply because he has become more trustworthy in the 4th quarter. For an 82 game season? Give me Lebron. For Game 7 of the NBA Finals? Give me Durant. In a 7 game series for the right to be called the best basketball player in the world? Well, we're about to find that out.

2. Lebron James, Miami Heat.

Lebron James is a lot like Tim Tebow. No, seriously. And here's why. Both their biggest fans and their biggest critics are exactly right. Yes, Lebron James is the best basketball player in the world (contrary to my rankings, there's a difference between being the best and being the most successful). And yes, he has clearly struggled down the stretch of important games before. Now, take Tim Tebow. Yes, he's a terrible quote, unquote quarterback. But yes, something in his DNA breeds winning football games. (The ironic part is that the two players' successes are directly inversive to one another). Not many athletes can prove their biggest fans and their biggest critics right on a nightly basis. My suggestion for enjoying the spectacle of it all? Sit firmly on the fence. Because hopping down on either side of the fence doesn't allow you to enjoy all of the many aspects offered to us by Lebron James. Marvel at him with the ball in the open court. Criticize him for shooting too many jump shots. Appreciate his hunger to dominate every single time he steps on an NBA court. Question his hot potato instincts that kick in with the game on the line. You're doing yourself an injustice by blindly following one side or the other (ahem, Nick Wright). Embrace both sides of the most compelling athlete of our time. Trust me.

3. Russell Westbrook, OKCT (like TMNT).

Westbrook is downright scary. For both his team's fans, and his opponent's team's fans. Because of his style of play, Russell "Stringer" Westbrook can singlehandedly win or lose a game for his team. If he's hitting his shot from the elbow, he's damn near unstoppable. When he loses control, and starts wildly driving to the basket, he becomes something of a liability. Westbrook, and the Thunder, are at their best when he's taking the same amount of shots as Kevin Durant, something to keep your eye on throughout the Finals. P.S. I had totally forgotten that Westbrook signed a 5 year extension this past offseason, all but guaranteeing the immediate future for this Thunder team. That could be a damn shrewd move, especially if they were to win it all this offseason, erasing any doubts that Westbrook might want to go be "the man" elsewhere.

4. Dyanwe Wdae, Maimi Haet.

My most hated player in the NBA. I don't like people with a strong sense of entitlement. I don't like people that feel the need to advertise what type of person they are (look how tough I am guys! I keep getting up after all my self-inflicted flops to the ground!). I don't like people who mock my namesake and then get their asses kicked. I don't like players who get handed NBA Titles for little to no reason. I don't like players who won't face the media after a loss. I don't like players who get off scott free, while their teammate, who is better, faces the scrutiny of the world. And I don't like you, Dwyane. The only good part about watching Wade take part in another series is that I get to continue my Hye Dnwyae series.

5. Chris Bosh, Miami Heat.

It'll be interesting to see what role Bosh plays in these Finals. I think I liked him better coming off the bench for this Heat team. He seemed to play with more energy and showed no rust whatsoever on his jumpshots. Is that purely because he's coming off the bench? No, probably not. But if you got something that's working for him, why change? Also, I've never understood the logic behind starting your best 5 players. Anybody notice that the Sixth Man Award has recently rotated between Manu Ginobili (Spurs), Jason Terry (Mavericks), Lamar Odom (Lakers), and now James Harden (Thunder)? Those are the most successful teams in the NBA. There's an irrefutable pattern there. P.S. I fully expect Spoelstra to move Bosh into the starting lineup and watch him flounder.

6. Serge Ibaka, Okc Thunder.

Iblocka. Chewbaka. I block you. Interested to see what role Ibaka plays as well. While Ibaka is a terrific shot blocker (most shot blocks per game since Theo Ratliff's expiring contract in 2000-01), I'm not sure if he's a great on the ball defender (my best evidence is Dirk roasting him in last year's WCF). So, while I think Ibaka will start out on Bosh, I think he'll eventually be the Thunder's only big man in a smaller lineup, and will feel free to roam the lane off of Udonis Haslem.

7. James Harden, Thunder.

Amazing that a rising star in the league could be the 7th best player in these NBA Finals. And he's hot right now. Harden shot 61% from 3-point range against the Spurs. He also had the balls to hit the biggest shot of that series, a Paul Pierce-esque three with 30 seconds left in Game 5. He is also foul call dependent, benefitting from a tightly called game as much as anybody. Harden is the ultimate X-factor because he is the 4th option that the Heat don't have.

8. Mario Chalmers, Heat.

Or do they? Chalmers has blossomed into a legitimate NBA point guard. I know this because I've been rooting against him for two straight years, so all homerism has been removed from the equation. He's gotten downright crafty at finishing around the rim lately, polishing off a nice floater that Jeff Van Gundy will rant and rave about ("every guard in the NBA needs that shot"). My favorite running joke of these NBA playoffs so far? Remember the days when Dwyane Wade was better than Mario Chalmers.

9. Thabo Specialosha, 'Der.

My favorite of all the role players in this series. This will be the man assigned to stop Lebron James. Is he up for the task? I dunno, but he HAS to be a better choice than Brandon Bass (Seriously, Doc? Brandon Bass? BRANDON BASS?!?). He's got the quickness and height to hang with him. And I'm not sure if Lebron's post up game is polished enough yet to take advantage of the size difference. I think he'll do a solid job.

10. Shane Battier, Heatles.

He was great in Game 7 against Boston. The Heat don't win without his 3-point shooting in that game. He'll always make the smart play. Can never be trusted because of his wrinkly head.

11. Nick Collison, oKC.

One of my favorite players to watch in the NBA. He'll never get the respect he deserves because of his dorky style of play, but I love it. Great hands, great feet, tough, efficient scorer, rebounder, and defender. Immensely underrated. I think he plays a bigger role in this series than...

12. Kendrick Perkins, Dun 'Der Cheap.

Not the series for The Big Scowl. Kendrick brings one big strength to the table - post defense. But the Heat don't have any players that score in the post. With his strength all but negated, Perkins becomes somewhat of a liability against a smaller, quicker lineup. I think Perkins keeps his spot in the starting lineup but plays less than 20 minutes a game the latter half of the series.

13. Udonis Haslem, Heatorade.

I have absolutely nothing to say about Haslem.

14. Derek Fisher, Laker 4 Life.

Hits big shots. Seriously bad defender.

15. James Jones, Souff Beach.

Don't understand why this sharpshooter doesn't see more time on the pine. He's deadly from outside.

16. Mike Miller, Welcome to Miami, Bienvenido a Miami.

Ever wondered what a punk rocker with a broken back would look like in an NBA Finals game?

17. Joel Anthony, Heat.

I love when he goes to the free throw line and everybody sitting at home simultaneously thinks, "Huh, I didn't know he was left handed."

18. Cole Aldrich, Thunder.

Has really refined his bench game. We may be seeing the next Mark Madsen blossoming right before our eyes.

19. Juwan Howard, Michigan Wolverines.

Two minutes.........DOS!

26. Lazar Hayward, Okc.

#ThunderTits. If you don't know yet, you will soon.

Go Thunder,

His Dirkness

NBA Finals - Game 3 is THE Game

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The Dallas Mavericks are the better team. Despite the arrogance seeping from the majority of the media believing the Heat can lollygag their way to this NBA Championship, and that their Game 2 meltdown was nothing but a blip on the radar, I have yet to waver from my belief. I might be the only one out there, but I'm sticking to it.

However, Game 3 is big enough that it could change my mind.

The Mavs have played so frustratingly bad in these NBA Finals that my usual routine of superficially berating my friends and hitting my dog hasn't even gotten the job done (Milhaus 3000 has a German alter-ego that I turn against when Dirk plays bad). Through 7 1/2 quarters of basketball they had yet to calm down and truly play their brand of Mavsketball. If the epicness of Thursday night's comeback/collapse combined with the return home isn't enough to settle their nerves, then I will concede the fact that it actually is the Heat's defense forcing the Mavs into careless turnovers, brick nasties, and whatever it is that Peja Stojakovic is out there doing on the court. Until then, I will continue to believe it's a bigger case of the Mavs playing timid.

Meanwhile, the Heat are pissed off right now (the Heat is pissed off? The Heats be pissed off?). Every man in that locker room (sorry Bosh) is telling one another just how big a fluke the Mavs comeback was. I don't care what they're telling the media, they know they let off the gas on Thursday night. And they aim to prove that fact in Game 3. In other words...

The Heat are gonna bring it on Sunday night.

Which makes Game 3 an absolute monstrosity of a game. If the Mavs win, the first seed of doubt, since the Playoffs started, begins to creep into the minds of the Miami Heat. They might begin to question each other. They might begin to question themselves. Judging by their season's ups and downs, and because of their style they play, I don't think any team in the NBA is more affected by self-confidence than Mami's Heat. Once stories began, earlier this season, about how they couldn't close out games, they bought into it, and it manifested itself throughout the season. Now in the Playoffs, stories have spread about how they own the 4th quarter, and voila, they've bought into that as well. This is a vulnerable team. They buy into their own hype. The truth is, we have yet to see a team challenge them in the Playoffs. I believe the Heat are frontrunners and that if the momentum of this series does officially swing, they won't be able to recapture it. They are not as mentally tough as the Dallas Mavericks. Not even close. I'm not sure they have it in them to battle their way through a long series. However, if they are able to pull out Game 3, this whole paragraph is a moot point. So again, I state....

Game 3 is huge.

So huge, in fact, that my prediction for this series rests on it. While everybody from Delonte West to Lebron's momma picked the Heat to win, I originally predicted the Mavs to win in 5. If pressed, I'd probably come down off that prediction, but I don't think it's as laughable as you, the reader, do right now. Contrary to what the media says, I believe the Heat are exactly the type of team that could lose 4 straight games.

Believe it or not, this entire write up was conceptualized before ever hearing this stat...

Since the NBA Finals have gone to the 2-3-2 format (1985), the series has stood pat at 1-1 11 times before. The team that has won Game 3 has gone on to win the series. Every. Single. Time. Do I love that stat? Not necessarily. The better team is going to win a majority of the games, as well as the series. However, the fact that there are no exceptions intrigues me. But nothing about that statistic tells me that it's impossible for the Game 3 loser to come back and win the series, almost seeming more like a coincidence. This might actually be a more telling statistic though...

Of the 11 series tied 1-1, the team with home court advantage has come back to win Game 3 on the road 8 of the 11 times. That's the Miami Heat.

However, I believe the Mavs will win Game 3, and I wouldn't be surprised if they did so decisively. I think the seeds of doubt will be planted in the minds of all 8 of the Miami Heat's faithful (Dan LeBatard included). I think the Mavs are riding too high right now, and will come out shooting lights out. I think Dirk plays his best when he is comfortable, which he finally is after 7 1/2 intimidated quarters of basketball. I think this is the Mavs' series. {Warning: This paragraph has been brought to you by an extremely biased Mavericks fan}

Mostly, I just really hope that it's the Heat's arrogance that costs them these NBA Finals.

Something about this series all seems too familiar though. Dominant team through 2 games of the series. Series swinging 4th quarter comeback. Vulnerable team. Shattered confidence. Questioned legacy. All that's missing is the winning team's star going to the free throw line 85 times per game over the next few. Which might happen. I feel like there's a word to describe this. Ah, yes!

Poetic justice.

His dirkness

How Dirk and the Mavs Did It

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Complete and utter frustration. That's the only way I could describe what it was like watching the first 41 minutes of Thursday night's Game 2 of the NBA Finals. While I sat in despair as the Mavs' potential title chances fell by the wayside, I couldn't help but think, "I've seen this before." Once again, the moment was too big for Dirk Nowitzki and the Dallas Mavericks. No matter how badly the announcers wanted me to believe it was the Miami Heat's suffocating defense and unmatchable star power, I couldn't shake the feeling that the Mavs were somewhat...intimidated. Committing elementary turnovers (Kidd and Dirk with 5 apiece) and bricking shot after shot that they had lived on through the entirety of these NBA Playoffs, the Mavs, led by The Dirkster, were once again coming up short on the sport's biggest stage. And then something interesting happened...

Dirk and the Mavs hit rock bottom.

Dwyane Wade had just sunk a 3 and slowly meandered through the Dallas Mavericks huddle, who had just called a timeout, in a move that was as bitchy as D-Wade gets when he drives to the basket. After 7 1/2 miserable quarters of basketball, the Mavs found themselves down 15 points, with 7 minutes to play in the game, in their season, and in some ways, Dirk's career. The Heat were well on their way to a title, without a worthy challenger in sight. Meanwhile, I sat with both hands covering my face, watching the game in between my fingers.

And then it happened.

Hitting rock bottom can work magic sometimes. You know how in movies, it usually takes the character in conflict to get as low as possible before they realize what's important and turn themselves around once and for all? It sounds silly, but this serves as a valid comparison to Dirk and the Mavs. Once the game seemed out of reach, the pressure was lifted off of the Mavs. Suddenly, they weren't playing to win the NBA Finals anymore, they were just playing basketball. In fact, it was the first time all series that they were actually playing Dallas Maverick basketball - Finally, some Mavsketball! It was all very reminiscent of the Indianapolis Colts finally getting over the hump in the NFL. Much like the Mavs, the moment always proved to be too big for the Colts. While they dominated the regular season year in and year out, they always came up short in the Playoffs. It wasn't until a 21-3 deficit in the AFC Championship against their arch nemesis, the New England Patriots, that the Colts were finally able to seize the moment, and reach their full potential of winning a Championship. They came back to win 38-34.

These following moments could be what Mavs fans always look back upon when discussing what became of this season. For these types of moments, I think it's always cool to go back and try to recapture what you were thinking at the time, so I'm gonna kick it into personal narrative mode...

Jason Terry hits a shot (making him 1-18 on the night by my count). Then, he hits a layup (I'm excited that he might get a rhythm going for Game 3). Then Lebron gets stuffed by the rim (the first sure sign that the Heat had completely removed their foot from the gas). Then a cheap foul leads to 2 Terry free throws (I love how the NBA sends a trailing team to the line so easily). Then Chris Bosh misses a shot like a Bosh. Then Shawn Marion (best Mav of this series) hits a fancy banker. The bleeding temporarily stops with 2 'Bron free throws on an iffy foul call. 90-81. Then Kidd hits a big-time, wide open 3 (the first moment I truly believed). 'Bron misses again, and Terry hits again (a sentence that seemed impossible to write at one point and time). Then Bosh dribbles the ball off his leg and out of bounds (#LikeATerry).

Dirk time. He hits a long jumper after getting wide open somehow (what happened to that swarming defense?). Haslem and Dirk trade misses (the Mavs' only missed shot of the final 6:30). The Heat finally get a stop and can now regain control with one made shot (crucial moment), but all they can muster are two inconceivable, off balanced, fadeaway 3's from 'Bron (loves to shoot deep shots with the game on the line). The team that could do no wrong down the stretch of Playoff games now find themselves relying on unanswered prayers. Dirk hits a layup in transition that plays out in slow motion because of its inevitability from midcourt. After the Heat clank another desperation 3, it's time for Dirk to work his magic. Time stops as he launches an open 3 (jersey untucked). I have 8 or 9 complete thoughts while the ball was in the air. This is it. This is his shot. This is his time. Splash down. Bang-a-rang. Squish.

Only I forgot the Heat have somebody clutch on their team as well. Somebody that I've seen hit a big shot before (you may be asking 'to beat USC right?' - but what I actually mean is the National Championship Game). I feel unfazed. I don't even react. I knew it was in the moment Chalmers shot it (Apparently, Dirk cussed out Terry in the huddle following this play). It was time for Dirk to go to work once again. Heat coach Eric Spoelstra elects to put Chris Bosh on Dirk (despite Haslem's overwhelming career success against him). Dirk gets the ball with 10 seconds on the clock and attacks with 8 (earlier than usual because the Heat have a foul to give). He dribbles right, spins left, hesitates, and then blows by Bosh (#LikeABosh) finishing with his left hand that domesticates his injured finger ('Bron elects not to help off of Terry). He has just made the biggest shot of his career and his casual strut shows it. I can't believe he drove the ball. I'm sure I'm not the only one. The Heat get a decent look to win the game but it clangs off the rim. While Wade looks at the ref for a foul (#LikeABitch), Dirk displays a look of shock on his face. I know the feeling. It's a feeling of emotional numbness, amidst all the chaos and hysteria, when you know you're the man, and you look at your fellow comrades to make sure they all know that you're the man too. There's nothing else left to accomplish (for now).

Ball. Game. Unbelievable. Incredible. Miraculous. It was the kind of game that makes me happy I'm just a blogger, and not a professional writer, so I could justifiably celebrate what had just happened. I was so overcome with emotions that there was nothing else left to do but get wasted. Chocolatey wasted. And that, my friends, is why you're reading my reaction to the most unbelievable comeback I've ever seen today instead of yesterday.

Sometimes it takes hitting rock bottom to find out what you're really made of.

His Dirkness