This also counts as an open thread, so feel free to post your thoughts during the game here.

Records: The Oklahoma City Thunder (30-16) vs. The Miami Heat (32-14)

Time: 12:00 PM Central Standard Time

Place: The New Myriad, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

TV: The American Broadcasting Company

Radio: WWLS The Sports Animal (98.1), 790 The Ticket

Enemy Blog(s): Peninsula is Mightier, Hot Hot Hoops

Previous Meeting(s): None.

LeBron James. Dwayne Wade. Chris Bosh. And the best role-players money can't buy. Those words only lived in the minds of young would-be GMs last year, making absurd trades on NBA Live and 2K. But this year, it's a reality, and they've taken the NBA by storm. While their most recent month of play has dropped their stock a bit, a near-perfect month of December has seemed to convince the NBA that the Heat are here to contend.

But it's not all peaches and cream for the Heat. They have a gigantic target on their backs, leading to most opposing arenas with passionate fans wanting to cream them the second they step on the floor. They're not a "take it or leave it" type of team like the Spurs or Magic. You pretty much either love or hate these guys. They struggle a lot in close games, and suffer from a lack of depth.

While it may seem that we're light years behind them in terms of talent and championship hopes, as it sits right now we're only two games behind them in terms of record, and they play in a weaker Eastern conference. Bosh and Wade also might be out tonight, but their status is not yet determined.

Anything else I could tell you is what you already know. The Thunder have had some very questionable play lately, but if tonight's game becomes LeBron plus nobody, you've got to throw your old gameplan and analysis out the window. But if Bosh and Wade do play, be prepared for an all-out slugfest, with lots of fouls and outrageous dunks. I'm predicting the Heat to win because they have better talent and more offensive options than we do, but I hope above all hopes that I'm wrong.