Stiles Points: NBA Fans Deserve OKC Thunder-Boston Celtics NBA Finals Bout

The NBA has dealt with plenty of negativity this season. From the ratings discourse, to former players bashing the young whippersnappers at every turn and the ridiculous narratives that fly out of the mouths of observers quicker than they can be dispelled with reality.

As the association has taken punches this season, the NBA Playoffs represent the next step in an attempt to change the talking points and vibes around the league.

Unlike in most of the league's history there is no team who should just run away with the title belt. The No. 1 seeds in each conference are afterthoughts in championship discourse and dismissed as cute stories. The old hats who have been around the block have obvious flaws. Your guess is as good as mine as to who will be crowned in June.

That leaves the door open to dream about many NBA Finals combinations, and perhaps Adam Silver is daydreaming about a classic clash between the Los Angeles Lakers and Boston Celtics. It is easy to advocate for the matchup. LeBron James and Luka Doncic on one side, Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown on the other and a deep rooted rivalry with rich franchise histories that ties the two together.

However, that would be the league thinking with its hearts and not heads. The NBA –– and its fans –– deserve seven games of the Oklahoma City Thunder and Boston Celtics going toe-to-toe.

This NBA Finals would have everything. Once you get over the trade off of LaLa Land for Bricktown, it is a possible league-altering affair.

These two teams own a perfect blend of star power, love-able impactful role players capable of swinging a series, storylines, production and a coaching matchup that would be a hoop heads dream with all the various chess matchups.

Most importantly? The clashing of styles.

Each team owns a suffocating defense at their best –– which they would be in the Finals –– and polar opposite offenses. The Celtics goal is to hoist triples while the Thunder are driven by an offensive engine in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander who dazzles in the mid-range and gets down hill that can only be compared to the early 2000s style of basketball most casual fans crave.

It would have a new-school vs. old-school feel on the court stylistically while owning a breath of fresh air in the Finals with the Thunder and a house hold name to play the hits for the crowd that gets enticed by familiarity.

These two teams would capture an audience that has abandon the sport and strength the admiration from the league's diehard fans.

Now, it is up to each squad to do its job navigating the NBA Playoffs to get there.

Song of the Day: Wouldn't it be nice by Beach Boys

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