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

Remember The Journey Mavs Fans

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"We're one win away from my dream, what I've worked on for half of my life." -Dirk Nowitzki

One. More. Win.

I want to give Mavs fans my most genuine piece of advice in what could be my last post before they cut down the nets (the NBA does that right?) and bring home the franchise's first NBA Championship.

It's not the destination, it's the journey.

I really began to embrace this philosophy once concluding some of the most triumphant accomplishments of my life (not enough room to list them all out here). The most beautiful part about reaching the mountain top is looking back down to see just what got you there. All the bumps in the road become euphorically clear. "That's why this happened, this is why that happened." It all makes sense.

But there's also a small feeling of let down that sets in. A sort of "what now?" thought races through your mind. I didn't like it, and I wish that it hadn't, but it did. You've reached the top, accomplishing exactly what you've set out to accomplish, and yet, you're still the same person. I've actually hit rock bottom a few times after some of my greatest achievements. This is what turned me on to this belief as a young lad, and it has quickly evolved into a life philosophy that I abide by.

And yes, I do believe this sort of philosophy applies to being a fan of a sports team. I LONG for the day when I see the Chiefs win a Super Bowl. As great as this Mavericks run has been, it'll be dwarfed 100 times over by that day. But I know to enjoy the journey, embrace the hardships, and find the beauty in the pain of coming up short. Sunday could be a special, special day for the diehard Maverick fans out there. They've been through a lot with this team, and their dedication just might pay off after Game 6. Or it might not. You never know, and that's why sports are so beautifully representative of life itself.

So lets take a quick look, a short synopsis if you will, at the journey of Dirk and the Dallas Mavericks.

Pre-2011 - I don't have to tell you what has been said about this Dallas Mavericks team, or Dirk Nowitzki, in the past, but I will. They're soft. They can't get it done when it matters. They're soft. They're choke artists. Oh, and they're soft. They lost to this Miami Heat team in the NBA Finals, and frankly, it wasn't very fair. The Mavs were by no means innocent in what transpired, but if the NBA hadn't intervened then the Mavs would already have one title to their credit. Well, those who remained patient are one game away from being rewarded via karma. And as great as that title would have been, it wouldn't have come close to matching what this title will mean to Dirk, the Mavs, or you, the fans.

Portland series - All of the experts needed an upset to pick in the 1st round. None of them had the gall to pick Memphis over San Antonio (except for this one guy). A quick look at the teams with home court advantage revealed one team that came up short time and time again. So yeah, go ahead and pick against them. Then there was the Game 4 collapse, which prompted me to text my brother, "The Mavs are done." But what was I supposed to think? I have closely observed this team since the early 2000's, and I knew how fragile their psyche was. But isn't that what this team is all about - proving me and everybody else wrong?

Lakers series - The Mavs played about as well as a team could play in an NBA playoff series, crescendoing with their Game 4 close out win, the best team performance I've ever seen in the NBA Playoffs. They led by 24 at half. They hit 20 3-pointers as a team, including a combined 15-16 from Jason Terry and Stojanky Nutz. This was the series that forced the country to take this team seriously. They not only beat the defending NBA Champions, they bludgeoned them, and resorted them to taking multiple cheap shots out of utter embarrassment. This series was as good as it gets for a Dirk fan/Laker hater.

Must Read - Lakers Suck, Dirk Rules

Thunder series - Dirk's grand opus. Put together what may have been the most efficient game in NBA Playoffs history in Game 1, and it wasn't even his best game of the series. This is the series that officially cemented the Mavs as The Comeback Cripples (once was a fluke, twice was a coincidence, thrice is a trend) with 2 monstrous 4th quarter comebacks. This series also certified the newfound mental toughness of these Mavs, a team made up of a collections of misfits unified by their one and only goal, evidenced by Dirk Nowitzki wanting no part of the celebration that followed this series, the coolest thing I have ever seen in sports.

Must Read - The Key to the Dallas Mavericks' Success

NBA Finals - In what could be the greatest NBA Finals the game has ever seen (so good I think they should extend the series to 9 games), the Mavs' toughness and resolve have reached a whole new level. Despite injuries to Brendan Haywood, Shawn Marion, Dirk's finger, and Dirk's esophagus, the Mavs have slowly swung the power of the series in their favor. But it ain't over yet, not yet by a long shot. Mavs fans should want this more than anything. Getting revenge for 2006. Proving all the skeptics wrong. Dirk getting rewarded for what he so rightly deserves. This is your moment.

But don't forget the journey that came along with it.

One more win.

His Dirkness

The Key to the Dallas Mavericks' Success

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The Dallas Mavericks have been the best team in the NBA Playoffs up to this point. The Miami Heat have received infinitely more publicity for their run, but it's been the Mavs who have disposed of the Champions of yesterday (Lakers) as well as the Champions of tomorrow (Thunder). I can't understand how eeking out victories against a Rondo-less Celtics team and an overmatched Bulls team is wowing everybody so much. And yet, most people's sentiments are that the Miami Heat are on cruise control right now and an NBA Title is a foregone conclusion. I don't want to get ahead of myself too much, so I'll save most of this rant until after the Mavs bury the Thunder.

But just how are these Dallas Mavericks doing it? I tiptoed around their team dynamic about two weeks ago, having this to say in the middle of the Lakers series....

Beyond that, they have just been slowly acquiring other people's garbage and molding it into something of a masterpiece. And I believe this collection of misfits have grown very tired of the world speaking out against them with the unified belief that this team is soft and can't get it done. That can be a gigantic motivator.

"A Collection of Misfits"

Well, mis-fits that is. As in, these players didn't seem to fit in with whatever team they played on before (some of them with the Mavs). They have now come together , unified and singularly focused, with one goal, and one goal only, in mind - to do what none of them have been able to do before - win a ring. It's unbelievable, really, when you examine all of their backgrounds to see how many of them have been dragged down, counted out, cast off, or been so close to a Championship they could smell it. I believe this has been a major bonding factor as far as team chemistry goes, as well as a root for how tough the team is in persevering through adversity.

Lets take a look at what each player has encountered throughout his career and why he fits in so very well with this current Dallas Mavericks squadron...

Dirk Nowitzki - It's truly amazing how much scrutiny one of the NBA's all time greats has faced throughout his career. Even now, immersed in the greatest run of his career, most of the discussion of him remains on the negative side (speaking out against Rick Carlisle's Top 10 of all time claim, and scoffing at Larry Bird comparisons - ironic given how quickly the league is to anoint the next Jordan). Needless to say, he took the majority of blame from the Finals meltdown against the Heat (time for revenge?) and Golden State upset (didn't hear much aimed at Duncan or Ginobili this year). I challenge you to come up with another all time great, in any sport, that has faced more disrespect throughout his career. And I don't think anybody wants to win a Championship more than him right now. He's on a mission.

Jason Kidd - Qualifies under the so close he could smell it category. He took a mediocre New Jersey Nets team through the weak Eastern Conference twice to reach the NBA Finals, but was ultimately bested (rather easily) by the Lakers and Spurs in back to back years. Has since been dismissed due to fossilization, but has reinvented his game by improving his jump shot. He's a big reason the Mavs are doing what they are doing.

Tyson Chandler - Fought through the adversity of being labeled a bust after being drafted #2 overall by the Chicago Bulls. The high school draftee from straight outta Compton never flourished with the Bulls in 5 years, and was shipped off to the Hornets where he enjoyed his most success. Has since been traded by the Hornets and Bobcats, winding up in Dallas, where he has been the biggest single difference maker from the Mavs teams of the past to this current team.

Shawn Marion - A former all star at the tail end of his career (the running theme of this Mavs team) who thrived playing with the run-n-gun Suns, a team who's downfall coincided with the decision to get rid of The Keanu Reeves. After 2 forgettable seasons in Miami and Toronto (didn't know they happened), he too has reinvented his game as less of a scorer and more of a defender for the Mavs, evidenced by swatting Kevin Durant's sausage to end regulation in Game 4.

DeShawn Stevenson - Bounced around from team to team because he's halfway crazy. This is evidenced by his Wikipedia page, which I encourage all of you to read. Here are some of the highlights - In 1993, when Stevenson was 12, his father Darryl murdered his own mother, Clara, by strangling her. He originally committed to the University of Kansas until he was red-flagged for improving his SAT score from 450 as a sophomore to 1,150 as a senior. In 2001, Stevenson finished second in the NBA Slam Dunk Contest. Later that year, Stevenson pleaded no contest to having sex with a 14 year old girl. He is the first player in NBA history to wear the number 92 on his jersey. Oddly, how I remember him (no Wiki mention) is losing to Gilbert Arenas in a 3 point shooting contest that Hibachi shot one-handed. Not much doubt where this man gets his toughness from.

Jason Terry - The other remaining Mav throughout the years, along with Dirka. This means that he, too, has faced much of the same criticism as Dirkness, but to a much lesser degree. However, every Mav remains scarred from what happened in the 2006 and 2007 Playoffs. The Mavs' emotional leader is just as motivated by the team's past and determined to prove the NBA worlds wrong as El Dirkarino.

JJ Barea - The captain of the counted out aspect of the Mavs. It's no secret why he's always been counted out, but it is a secret how tall he actually stands. The roster lists him as 6'0, but those are just lies, ALL LIES! Barea is the rare breed of player who can dominate a game with his repertoire of offensive moves, but can also cost your team the game because of his defensive shortcomings (pun intended). At least he still has his patented defensive move, keeping his face down by the opponent's elbow, waiting for them to strike at any moment, with an assured offensive foul soon to follow.

Peja Stojakovic - Stojanky Nutz was a key member of the Sacramento Kings team that fell short time and time again to the Los Lonely Lakers in the early 00's. Not only that, but he's the culprit of the worst clutch shot I have ever seen in the NBA, when he uncorked a wide open 3 from the corner against the Lakers that hit the side of the backboard! Perfect fit for the previously-perceived-as-soft Mavs.

Brendan Haywood - Always been a decent player, never experienced much playoff success, doesn't really fit the mold. Love watching him shoot free throws though.

Rick Carlisle - Last, but not least, lets not forget the coach of these Mavs. Jim Carrey with cancer won the Coach of the Year award with the Detroit Pistons in 2002 and was fired the next year (replaced by Larry Brown who won a Title and subsequently destroyed the team). Then he took the Indiana Pacers to the best record in the East before ultimately being defeated by Brown's Pistons in the playoffs. The next year, the Pacers were on their way once again until Ron Artest ran into the crowd or something, I can't really remember. It sounded bad though.

So if you're watching the Mavs, wondering how they have seemingly became tough overnight, this list might enlighten you. Every one of these players has a reason to be carrying an extra chip on their shoulder for this team in these playoffs. And sometimes, the will of a team can overmatch the talent of a team, which, in short, I believe is the reason the Mavs have proved everybody wrong throughout these NBA Playoffs.

His Dirkness

NBA Western Conference Finals Preview

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EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALS PREVIEW

Dallas Mavericks vs. Oklahoma City Thunder

I couldn't imagine a funner pairing. Two of my three favorite teams battling it out for the Western Conference Finals (reminds me a lot of the Mavs-Suns series in 2006). Dirk and Durant are two of my very favorite playas in the NBA (interestingly enough, the last time I cheered against Durant, I applauded him throughout the game - against KU in Allen Fieldhouse). However, there is little doubt in my mind that my allegiances align with the Mavs (and with The Man). I am unbelievably excited for this to begin (only the premier of Franklin & Bash could compare), and will be glued to my TV for every single minute of this series.

*Dirk's Last Run? With Dirk's body wearing down more and more (although, he seemingly reinvents his game a little bit every year as the process proceeds) you have to wonder if this is his last chance at a ring. The Mavs are the type of team that can only truly make runs in transition years in the NBA (their last run coming before the Laker years). The Spurs were around before that, but they do the same thing, just better (however, even they are done now). The NBA is easier to forecast than the other professional sports, and we are entering a time that will be dominated by the Heat, Thunder, Bulls, and maybe Knicks. Once the Thunder evolve into what they are destined to be, the Mavs will have a much tougher time upstaging them. So even though I only project one dominant team in the Western Conference over the next handful of years, I expect them to be so superior to the Mavs, and that this will indeed be Dirka Dirka's last run at an NBA Championship.

*Rusty Mavs - My biggest concern (or atleast 1 of 2) is the time off in between games for the Mavs. They last played two Sundays ago. That's 8 days in between. The time off may be good for the legs of fogies like J-Kidd and Peja and Marion and Terry and Dirk (damn, this team is old), but you never encounter anything like that throughout the entire season. Basketball is a rhythm sport (and they were coming off the best rhythm I may have ever seen), and it's impossible to tell whether they still have the touch or not. This has me very worried about Game 1 for the Mavs, where it'll take atleast a quarter for them to get back into rhythm with each other. In fact, I fully expect the Thunder to come in and steal home court advantage tonight because of the Mavs' reliance on jumpshots.

*Mavs as favorites? I was all excited about how the Mavs were sitting pretty following their clubbing of the Lake show, because of how little they were being talked about nationally. Their performance in Game 4 was the best game a team has played in these NBA Playoffs (not as big a case of the Lakers quitting as everybody, including me, wanted to think). The barrage of 3 pointers was really like nothing I had seen before (Jason Terry and Peja StojankyNuts combining to go 15-16. Seriously. 15 of 16.). The Lakers may have been well on their way to quitting, but we'll never really know because the Mavs buried them alive. Not to mention, how everybody had foolishly fallen head over heels for the Heat after squeaking out victories against a team who's 2nd best player had 1 elbow. The Mavs were flying perfectly under the radar, just how they like it, or so I had thought...

But the past two days I've been watching ESPN and I literally haven't heard a single expert pick the oKC Thunder. Not a single one. I think I saw a fan poll on the series winner that came out to about 50-50, but I was in some kind of haze at the time. Needless to say, the Mavs do not thrive in the role as favorites (although this team has been turning many of their perceptions into misconceptions). I think if it were up to them, they'd fly under the radar the whole way, not necessarily as the underdogs, but just not talked about. They don't want the spotlight shone on them (hence the meltdown in the Finals, where the lights are the brightest). However, if they are able to handle the spotlight, and their new roles as favorites, I believe it's finally time to put everything we once thought about the Mavs to bed.

*Series Breakdown/The Wire - My biggest worry is who will guard Russell Westbrook (Stringer Bell), who scares the bejesus outta me. He seemed to have finally found the correct balance in Game 7 as a scoring point guard and a distributor to Kevin Durant (Avon Barksdale). Kidd is definitely not fast enough. DeShawn probably isn't either. Terry is, but he gives up a lot in size to RWB (I will say that I like Marion covering Durant though). I think we might see a lot of Corey Brewer in this series, the most athletic perimeter player the Mavs have (and somebody I believe in). It might take a few games to figure that out though (however, coaching advantage goes to the Mavs). I'm also very excited for the rebounding wars (corner wars) between Kendrick Perkins (Slim Charles) and Tyson Chandler (Chris Partlow). Meanwhile, Jason Whitlock (Prop Joe) thinks Serge Iblocka (hopefully not Kenard) could provide the best cover on Dirk (Omar) in the NBA. All these matchups got me feeling a little bit like Clay Davis...."Sheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeit."

*PreDirktion - This series boils down to who's on a bigger mission - Dirk or Durant. While I think Durant showed great prowess in a Game 7 victory, I think he knows he's got many years ahead of him. Meanwhile, I think Dirk has been meditating somewhere in the Himalayas for the past 8 days, and is ready to fully seize the opportunity in front of him. He can't say "there's always next year" as easily as The Durantula can. So, even though I began writing this preview with the belief that I was picking the Thunder, I have settled back on to the Mavs, because I truly believe that Dirk is on a mission.

Mavs over Thunder in 7

his dirkness