NBA Playoff Bracket 2012: Kevin Durant and LeBron James Will Collide in Finals

The Miami Heat and Oklahoma City Thunder couldn't have gotten off to more different starts in the first games of their respective series against the New York Knicks and Dallas Mavericks.

Miami embarrassed New York by 33 points, while Oklahoma City struggled to win a tight contest by just one point on Kevin Durant's last-second heroics. 

Despite the incongruent opening acts, these two clubs could quite plausibly move through the brackets on a collision course for the NBA Finals. These two clubs may not be first seeds, but they might as well be.

Here's a breakdown of how their brackets would have to play out to set up a star-studded Finals classic.

Miami Heat vs. New York Knicks—First Round

Unless Jeremy Lin can return and engineer an unthinkable turnaround, this series is as good as over. The only question is whether the Knicks can make Miami actually work for it. At the present rate, though, the Heat will have a chance to rest after three more "contests" against New York. 

Eastern Conference Semifinals

Miami would have to face either the Indiana Pacers or Orlando Magic in the second round. The Heat should make short work of their opponent in either scenario. Indiana might have an outside shot at upsetting Miami, but the early trouble Frank Vogel's team has had with Orlando in the first round isn't a very promising sign.

Eastern Conference Finals

Assuming the Heat make it this far, they will face a battle-hardened team in no mood to go home. That team could be either the Chicago Bulls, Philadelphia 76ers, Boston Celtics or Atlanta Hawks. Boston might be the favorite out of that bunch, but these teams are otherwise pretty evenly matched.

The Celtics may also be the only team in the East with a solid chance of derailing the Heat. They did so in the regular season and have the veteran experience to do so when it matters.

Still, Miami would enter the series as favorites and stand an excellent chance of reaching the NBA Finals for a second consecutive season.

Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Dallas Mavericks—First Round

Dallas proved it should be taken seriously in this series, but will have a tough time winning four games against the Thunder. Accordingly, if the Thunder do indeed win this series, it will demonstrate just how good this squad is. 

Western Conference Semifinals

Oklahoma City would face off against either the Los Angeles Lakers or Denver Nuggets in the next round, and we can all guess which club is more likely to be there. The Thunder would have their hands full against Los Angeles, but Kobe Bryant's Lakers are by no means unbeatable.

Scott Brooks has enough interior size to keep the Lakers' bigs at least somewhat in check while it's hard to imagine how Mike Brown will stop Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and James Harden over the course of a long series.

Western Conference Finals

If the Thunder can make it past the Nuggets and Lakers, an even greater test may lie ahead. Chances are that test will be the San Antonio Spurs, but there's a chance the Memphis Grizzlies or Los Angeles Clippers could upset their way to the Conference Finals.

However it shakes out, Oklahoma City has the firepower to go all the way. They may not be favorites against the Spurs, but they have as good a chance at offing San Antonio as anyone.