NBA Finals – Game One Preview and Prediction

Tonight's the night, no more waiting. Can LeBron James shut down Kevin Durant? Can anyone stop Russell Westbrook? Will Dwyane Wade be at full health?

All those questions and more will get answered this evening. Other things to watch for...Serge Ibaka and Chris Bosh should be a very interesting matchup. We still don't know if Bosh will start, but he showed in game seven of the Eastern Conference Finals that he can be very effective.

If Bosh is out there, he can stretch Ibaka out of the lane, opening up angles for James and Wade to attack the rim. 

The Thunder have grown over the last few years into an unbelievable team, especially when you consider their big three are 23, 23, and 22-years-old. However, they haven't been in the Finals before. Maybe that does or doesn't hurt them, but I think it will come into play at least at the beginning of the game. Even at home, it can get overwhelming if they let themselves think about it.

The Heat were there last year, LeBron was in one in Cleveland, and Wade already has a ring from 2004. That experience could definitely help.

Derek Fisher has plenty of Finals experience with the Lakers, Kendrick Perkins was in the Finals with Boston, and NazrMohammed has been there as well.

It should shape up to be a long, exciting series.

I think the Heat take game one by 6.