For the sake of this argument, let's just say that the Miami Heat are going to beat the Boston Celtics in Game 5 and 6 and take their talents to the 2012 NBA Finals.
If that in deed happens, the Heat's opponent in the finals will almost be more important than whether or not they hoist the 2012 Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy.
Sure, facing off against the young and exciting Oklahoma City Thunder would provide fans with an exciting and most likely highly competitive series. But a series with the Thunder won't help the Heat solidify themselves as the truly dominant team they want to be.
The Thunder are an exciting team with one of the best trios NBA, consisting of James Harden, Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant.
But they're the "young guns" of the Western Conference. They're not the battle-tested, mature, veteran team that the San Antonio Spurs are, and facing off against the Thunder won't prove anything for the Heat other than they can beat a younger and less-experienced team.
The Spurs on the other hand are the most well-coached, most fundamentally sound and most "complete" teams in the NBA. The trio of Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker have already won two NBA titlesâ€"in 2004-05 and 2006-07â€"and that's the kind of trio the Heat need to shut down and beat in the finals.
If you've watched any of the Western Conference finals so far, you've undoubtedly heard the phrase, "the Spurs are ready to pass the torch to the new generation in the Westâ€"the Thunder."
While that's great for the Thunder, it's bad news for the Heat.
Which team do the Miami Heat need to beat in the 2012 NBA Finals?
Which team do the Miami Heat need to beat in the 2012 NBA Finals?
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Oklahoma City Thunder
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San Antonio Spurs
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It doesn't matter.
If the Heat truly want to solidify themselves as the new powerhouse, and potential dynasty, in the NBA, they need the Spurs to hold onto the torch in the Western Conference finals, and instead, pass it on to them in the NBA Finals.
LeBron and company need a statement win in the 2012 NBA Finals, and that can't happen if they face off against the upstart Oklahoma City Thunder. The only way the Heat will truly transition from the Heatles to being the new team to fear in the NBA is by facing off against the Spurs and knocking them out in less than five games.
Selfishly, I want see the Heat face off against the Thunder in the 2012 NBA Finals, because it would undoubtedly provide the kind of matchups that fans would eat up.
What's best for the Heat, though, is a series with the Spurs.
Knocking off a veteran Spurs team would solidify the Heat as the real team to beat in the NBA. Knocking off a young Thunder team will give LeBron his first ring, but it will lead to an offseason full of, "well the Heat didn't have to face off against the best of the best."
While it's looking less and less likely that the 2012 NBA Finals will showcase the Heat and the Spurs, Heat fans need to hope that the Spurs can do the impossible and come back from being down three games to two and meet the Heat in the NBA Finals.Â
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