[BasterdInABasketParticipant]

For you personally, This is your most anticipated NBA Finals since ________

Last year? LA-Boston in 08? Jordan’s Bulls? LA-Boston in the 80s for any old-timers?

For me I’ve been following the NBA closely since the early to mid 2000s and this is as excited as I have ever been for a Finals matchup. Cannot wait to see the top 2 players in the world squaring off as well as all the young and veteran talent surrounding them!

[Sewok15Participant]

Since my Sixers were in the finals in 2001. I loved AI and that whole team of nobodies that surrounded him. I knew they wouldn’t win but I was 14 and had grown up watching them come together.  The first game where Iverson stepped over Lue and lit up the Lakers for 48 points in LA in the win will always be my favorite basketball memory.

[HaleParticipant]

Imo looking back it’s the most exciting finals matchup since either the first Kobe-Shaq one, or Jordan’s Bulls. 

[So raspyParticipant]

 since Kobe and Shaq

[akhan786Participant]

I think this is going to be highly anticipated because it’s been a long time since two dominant players in the league have met in the Finals.

We’ve been wishing for Kobe vs. the Lebron-led Cavs for a while but never got it. This would be a similar matchup in that it is the top 2 players in the league battling out for what may determine who is remembered as the better player.

I’m hoping there is a great deal of epicness on both sides and if the Gods are happy with us we might see a game winning buzzer beater.

Oh my how that would be amazing.

[SubZeroParticipant]

I really enjoyed all of LA’s Finals series in their 3-peat, and I also loved their series against the Magic a few years ago. When Courtney Lee lost the whole series…

[FUNKYBUNCHParticipant]

Does anyone remember there was a lockout this year? This series is very greatly anticipated and deservingly so, it makes up for the unfortunate off season and the shortened season… could be the new version of the 80s LAKERS/CELTICS rivalry- has the makings of it repeating a few times… with the 2 best players on the planet. If you love basketball- you gotta love this matchup!

[NYK2010Participant]

^ Well Said.

Should be a close and long series.

Also last year’s series was pretty good outside of Game 1.

Most anticiapated since maybe the Bulls/Jazz Finals in the late 90’s those had multiple HOF players ending their careers.

[sammybuckeye13Participant]

Probably since Bulls/Jazz in ’97, the first time they played. Bulls were 69-13, Jazz were 64-18. Bulls had Jordan and Pippen, Jazz had MVP Malone and Stockton. Incredible matchup of surefire HOF-ers (some would say 4 of the top 20) who came in the league all within two years, and you had Malone and Stockton chasing rings in their 13th/14th seasons. Man…

[pohani komaracParticipant]

to me this is worst posible finals. 2 teams playing boring individual basketball.

[MkadozaParticipant]

 To me, that was the worst possible comment. Harden, James, and Wade are three of the best passing non point gaurds in the league. The Heat have undergone a transformation during the Celtics series. With Lebron playing off the ball, as well as posting at the high post or foul line extended, they have found ideal spacing with Wade rotating across the perimeter and Bosh playing baseline. Combined with the increasing confidence of role players like Miller, Battier and Chalmers, this is a team that just lack a true post pressence, outside their best player.

You look at the Thunder, and while players like Durant and Westbrook aren’t on the level of passing that the Heat stars are, you see a well constructed and excellent execution team. Harden is as good a two guard that this league has. Kobe, Wade, and Harden are in a class of their own, and yes, I put Harden in the same tier of 2-guards as Kobe and Wade. Westbrook is still one of the most pressuring guards in the league with his explosiveness and attack mode. And how will Lebron play in the post with Ibaka and Perkins clogging up the lane?

Again, how are these teams of individuals? These are the most well balanced teams, the most battle tested, the most talented. Why, oh why, would you not be amped for what could be, one of the greatest Finals match ups ever?

Again look at the players, theres 3 first ballot hall of famers in their prime with 2 young all stars who can still get better, despite being in the top 3 (Harden) and top 5 (Westbrook) at their postion. You have two young teams that are looking to claim their first championship as pressently consistuted, as well as be the favorite for next year, and for the forseeable future.

In essence, this Finals will shape the perception of the league, and one 3-time MVP for a long long time..

[mcbaileyParticipant]

 To be honest, any finals matchup will seem exciting if you knew that the Spurs could have been there instead.

[JoeWolf1]

 I was pretty pumped to see the first Big 3 in the Boston Celtics renew their 1980’s Finals rivalry with Kobe Bryant and Phil Jackson’s revamped LA Lakers.  I’d say it’s the most anticipated since 2008.

[khaled_a_dParticipant]

Last year,after all I am a Mavs fan

[IndianaBasketballParticipant]

It’s a sexy matchup due to the fact it’s LeBron vs Durant, arguably the two best players in the league that play the same position. There are a lot of story lines here.

However, both teams play the exact same way. No real ball movement. Just isolation and high screen and roll. Get out in transition.

I’m excited for this years Finals, but I’d have been excited if it was the Spurs vs Heat too. I thought the way the Spurs played ball was exciting to watch.

[aamir543Participant]

^Spurs Heat was my dream matchup as well, but the Thunder have more of a semblance of a real offense than the Heat, the Thunder havve some really nice sets for Durant, and although it may be predictable, it doesn’t matter when you have Durant, Harden, and Westbrook. Everytime Durant starts to drive he knows the defense will collapse and that either the Perk dump off will be there, or Ibaka will float out to the elbow and hit the 15 foot jumper. And those down screens for Durant are amazing, he does somthing different every time he come off of it, and Harden can take his man off the dribble at ay given time, Westbrook is lethal in transition, and Sefelosha will be able to make Wade uncomfortable, although I doubt he’d be able to do the same to Lebron. 

The matchups will be really interesting, because I don’t think they’d want Durant on Lebron the whole time, but he probably will be on him for a bulk of the time. With Durant’s length, it’ll be tough for him to even be able get that turnaround off, if I were OKC I’d pack the paint with help and make Mario Chalmers and Battier beat me.

[PulseGlazerParticipant]

Only since Lakers-Celtics.  Come on, if you’re a NBA fan how were you not insanely stoked for Lakers-Celtics?

[MkadozaParticipant]

 Because I’m a Knicks fan.

It’s like asking why wouldnt anyone love a Cardinals-Yankees World Series to someone who lives in Boston, or LA. Or Chicago. Or Cleveland… Or Pittsburgh… You get it..

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