NBA Finals 2012: Durant vs. LeBron and the 5 Most Interesting Storylines

Finally. The NBA Finals we've all been waiting for.

Kevin Durant and the Oklahoma City Thunder did it. LeBron James and the Miami Heat did it. And thanks to them, our dream Finals matchup is actually going to happen.

James and the Heat finished off the Celtics in seven games Saturday night, thanks to a 31-point effort from James, 20 points from Dwyane Wade and 19 points from Chris Bosh. Now, the Heat and Thunder are preparing for Game 1 of the Finals.

The Thunder got to the Finals thanks to clutch shots and big efforts from Durant, Russell Westbrook, Serge Ibaka, Kendrick Perkins, Derek Fisher, Thabo Sefolosha and James Harden. All seven of those players guided the Thunder past the Spurs to the Finals.

Now, we prepare to watch an NBA Finals full of great matchups and interesting storylines. In fact, here are the five most interesting storylines of the Finals. 

Thabo Sefolosha's Defense vs Dwyane Wade's Offense

Dwyane Wade got lucky in the Eastern Conference finals because Avery Bradley wasn't guarding him.

However, in the NBA Finals, Thabo Sefolosha will guard him.

While Sefolosha averages just over 20 minutes per game, he will likely guard Wade for half of the game since he is a great perimeter defender. He is great in almost every defensive category. 

Sefolosha shut down Tony Parker and disrupted San Antonio's brilliant system by deflecting passes, stopping penetration, and contesting shots. His defense will be key against Dwyane Wade.

While LeBron may be Miami's best player, Wade is also great. Stopping Wade will be key to stopping the Heat, and if Sefolosha can shut down penetration, get steals, and contest shots, he will definitely benefit the Thunder.

And OKC will be one step closer to that elusive championship.

OKC'S Big Three vs Miami's Big Three

Both teams have built a nice core of players, and thanks to those players, these two teams are in the Finals. 

LeBron James' clutch performances guided Miami to wins in Games 6 and 7. Dwyane Wade's late-game contributions and scoring helped the Heat fend off the C's in Games 2 and 7. And Chris Bosh's shooting helped give Miami the extra points they needed to win Game 7.

Durant continued to score in huge quantities, and he continued to start runs by OKC and stop runs by the Spurs. James Harden's clutch shooting propelled OKC to wins in Games 5 and 6, and Russell Westbrook's penetration and big shots helped the Thunder win the series.

Overall, both teams have a great core of players. While the Thunder's core may be more clutch and more fit late in games, the Heat feature a great all-around player, a great guard who can score and pass and a great power forward who knows how to shoot and rebound.

On paper, this category is almost dead even. However, the only way to find out who has a better "Big Three" is to watch the games.

OKC'S Role Players and Bench vs Miami's Role Players and Bench

While both teams build around their "Big Three," they also feature great role players.

Serge Ibaka, Thabo Sefolosha, Kendrick Perkins and Derek Fisher have all made huge contributions to the Thunder. Shane Battier, Udonis Haslem, Mario Chalmers and Mike Miller have done the same for the Heat.

Many people have said that the Heat can't win a championship because they don't have any good players outside of Wade, James and Bosh. However, guys have stepped up, and the Heat have received lots of contributions from their role players.

Shane Battier's clutch shooting and defense has greatly benefited the Heat. Mario Chalmers' perimeter defense and three-point shooting has helped a lot. Udonis Haslem's inside defense and rebounding has been crucial to Miami's success.

However, OKC also has some great role players.

Serge Ibaka is a great rebounder and shot-blocker. Kendrick Perkins is also a great inside stopper and a good rebounder. Derek Fisher is a good shooter, and Thabo Sefolosha is outstanding at perimeter defense.

Overall, this battle should be good. While people will doubt Miami's role players and bench, they will step up and contribute. However, the inside presence of Ibaka and Perkins may be enough to shut down Chris Bosh and give OKC the edge.

Kevin Durant vs LeBron James

What more can you ask for?

Kevin Durant, the three-time scoring champion, takes on LeBron James, the three-time MVP. Durant is only 23, yet has established himself as a great clutch player and scorer. 

LeBron has established himself as a great all-around player, although he has never won a championship. He came close last year, although the Heat lost the Finals in six games to the Mavericks.

One of these players will win their first championship, and one of them will have to wait until next year. Both of them have a lot of talent, and by the time these players hang up their jerseys, they will both have at least one ring.

However, both small forwards are hungrier than ever. Durant wants to win a championship before free agency next year so that Ibaka and Harden will both stay in Oklahoma City.

Talk of breaking up the Miami "Big Three" has occurred, so James wants to stop that talk by winning it all.

If Durant wants to win it all and keep Harden and Ibaka in OKC, he'll have to continue to make big shots, rebound and get to the charity stripe. If LeBron wants to keep the "Big Three" intact, he must defend Durant well, hit big shots and get his teammates involved.

Overall, this is a great storyline and something you must watch for while the Finals are going on. One small forward will finally have a glorious ring, while one will have to wait.

LeBron's Quest for His First Championship

Out of all of the storylines surrounding this series, this one has to be the best.

LeBron James has come close to the trophy he craves so much, but he's failed to come through. The Heat led 1-0 and 2-1 in the 2011 NBA Finals, but Dallas came out on top.

In Cleveland, LeBron never really came close. After a brilliant performance in the Eastern Conference finals against the Pistons, James failed to come through in the Finals, as the Cavs were swept by the Spurs.

However, James has another chance to win it all. When the Heat were pushed to the brink by the Celtics, he came through, scoring 45 and 31 points in Games 6 and 7, respectively, to lead the Heat past the Celtics.

This time, James really has to come through.

Durant, Westbrook, Harden and Co. are hungry to win their first championship and satisfy their wonderful fans. To beat the Thunder, it'll take at least one road win, great performances from James, and clutch play from the Heat.

It's definitely possible. But what we want to know is if it will happen.