Sheridan’s NBA Finals Prediction: Heat in 7

I have been a firsthand witness to a pair of threepeats: The Chicago Bulls in 1998 and the Los Angeles Lakers in 2002. I am about the become a witness to a third. And you know why I’m saying that on the eve of the 2014 NBA Finals?

Because the best player on the planet is playing for the Miami Heat, and no matter how good of a team he is facing — and the San Antonio Spurs are indeed a good one — you DO NOT pick against a player of James’ caliber when he has a chance to make dynastic history.

Make no mistake, this Miami Heat team will cement its status as a dynasty if they win this year’s NBA championship, joining the Kobe-Shaq Lakers, the Jordan-Pippen Bulls, the Bill Russell-Bob Cousy Celtics and the George Mikan-led Minneapolis Lakers as teams that can rightfully carry that moniker.

I do not expect it to be easy. In fact, I expect the Heat to be on the losing end of two blowouts over the course of the seven games. But there are two x-factor guys for the Heat who will be major difference makers, Dwyane Wade and Chris Andersen.

Wade because he is Wade, and he is capable of averaging 20 points in the series as a second banana behind James. Andersen because he can be the tattooed and bearded version of Serge Ibaka, who was such a difference-maker for the Thunder against San Antonio in the Western Conference finals.

The Spurs have a couple of x-factor players, too, and they are discussed in this CineSport video with myself and host Noah Coslov.