Biggest Intangible of Heat-Thunder NBA Finals Favors Miami

Going into the NBA Finals, several advantages would appear to favor the Oklahoma City Thunder in their matchup against the Miami Heat.

The Thunder will have a home-court advantage.

They come in with a fully healthy squad, while Miami continues to monitor the minutes of Chris Bosh coming off his abdominal strain, as well as Mike Miller. 

They have a set rotation, whereas LeBron James recently noted his frustration with the ever-changing starting lineups employed by Erik Spoelstra.

Kevin Durant is regarded by many critics as the most clutch player in the NBA, while LeBron James... isn't.

Many would argue that the Thunder have played tougher competition on their road to the Finals and, particularly after their showdown against San Antonio, have come away a better team as a result.

In their only two regular season meetings, the series may have been tied 1-1, but the Thunder convincingly beat Miami in their first matchup in Oklahoma City 103-87, while the second matchup in Miami proved to be a tightly contested loss by a final score of 98-93.

Cleveland Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert will hire every voodoo priestess East of the Atlantic Ocean (there have to be roughly 98 in Johannesburg, right?).

Finally, whether it is due to the long-running speculation concerning his health or not, Dwyane Wade was virtually absent in the first half of every game in the Eastern Conference Finals. 

So, in a nutshell, signs don't appear to point to another parade down Biscayne Boulevard, as a drunk, word-slurring Stephen A. Smith obnoxiously heckles Skip Bayless for approximately 8.5 hours with LeBron jokes. 

However, amidst all the obstacles standing squarely in their pursuit of a championship, there is one potentially series-altering intangible the Miami Heat does hold in their favor.

They won't be the favorites coming into the NBA Finals.

In fact, let's put that statement in a much clearer perspective.

There will be more people in North America who predict Oklahoma City wins the NBA Finals (by as few as five games even) than there are people who want Oklahoma City to win the NBA Finals.

It's true.

Wait until ESPN shows the poll results of which team their analysts believe will win the NBA Finals.

The percentages will be so disproportionate, terrorists across the world will hire a tighter security detail.

And if you're the Miami Heat, you couldn't be happier.

Remember the last time people wrote this team off?

45 points. 15 rebounds. Five assists.

A career night by LeBron James and a historic night for the NBA, as the last player to produce such numbers in a playoff game was Wilt Chamberlin 48 years ago.

Now, to be sure, there will be some pressure on LeBron James.

He is, after all, the most naturally gifted player ever to step foot in the NBA, and a consecutive Finals disappointment will all but smear his legacy for the rest of his foreseeable career. 

But, come on, who is anyone kidding?

People love to hate LeBron too much to just let that reservoir of joy simply dry up.

So, really, LeBron James has nothing to lose.

And if Miami does fail, so what?

Oklahoma City's team is arguably more stacked than Miami's is, considering it has just as many superstars and a Defensive Player of the Year candidate in Serge Ibaka.

Not to mention Kevin Garnett's young understudy, Kendrick Perkins, will be patrolling the middle and just waiting for a reason to body slam someone on the court.

Therefore, all in all, it can be argued that the single most compelling storyline going into this series is how Miami's sudden demotion as being the underdog will influence their prospects.

But that's the key word here, isn't it—storyline.

Because this Finals matchup will feature more of them than any in recent NBA history.

Forget Celtics-Lakers.

That was a rivalry that occurred near the end of its prime.

This series will feature players at their height of it or coming into it. 

Goodbye, Father Time and the Boston Celtics.

Hello, Mother Nature and the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Here's hoping that the first chapter of what looks to be the newest big rivalry in this era of basketball will end with a twist.