Basketball is back. It may not be the usual games we’ve been accustomed to, but it’ll have to do.

The NBA and its partners have created a unique bubble plan, setting up shop at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Fla.,where 22 teams will be participating in an AAU-type environment. The bubble plan has daily COVID-19 testing and strict policies about entering and reentering the Orlando bubble. When players arrived in the sprawling campus at ESPN’s Wide World of Sports Complex, they quickly found out nothing will be normal about this restart.

Yahoo Sports writer Chris Haynes gave an insider’s perspective on life in the NBA bubble. Teams have designated hotels and food is brought to players’ rooms. There is a “snitch line” that makes sure everyone is following COVID-19 protocol. Even Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s leading expert on infectious diseases, was impressed with the $170 million program. It is the most comprehensive plan from all the major sports leagues dealing with the coronavirus pandemic. If this bubble plan bursts, we might as well cancel the rest of sports for 2020. If it works, you’ll see other leagues implement a similar program. It’s a copycat league.

There was some unfair chatter of a possible asterisk next to the team that wins the 2020 NBA championship. Yeah, there will be an asterisk. But it’ll say this: * Won championship despite going through the most difficult road of any NBA team in history. No home court advantage. No crowds. Giant video monitors serving as backdrops. Practices held inside a ballroom. Plenty of social distancing. And oh by the way, if a player is infected with the coronavirus, they’ll need to be quarantined.

The coronavirus pandemic halted the NBA season for five months. That’s equivalent to an entire offseason. There will be rust. There will be fitness issues (remember Shawn Kemp after the 1999 strike). There will be upsets. There will be missteps. This is a season unlike any other. Buckle up, folks. It’s going to be crazier than Mr. Toad’s wild ride.

The favorites: L.A. Lakers, L.A. Clippers, Milwaukee Bucks

The Lakers, Clippers and Bucks were head and shoulders above the rest of the competition when the sports world shut down on March 11. Fast forward to July following a four-month layoff due to the coronavirus pandemic and the three teams favored to win the NBA title are … drum roll, please … Lakers, Clippers and Bucks. So, basically nothing changed.

The Lakers were probably the team that was most affected by the COVID-19 shutdown as they were coming off huge wins against the Clippers and Bucks days before commissioner Adam Silver hit pause on the 2020 season. The lethal combination of LeBron James and Anthony Davis make the Lakers a difficult matchup for anyone. Offensively, the Lakers have the NBA’s most efficient offense. LeBron has been the Lakers catalyst even at the advanced basketball age of 35. But LeBron is no ordinary baller. In year 17 as a pro, LeBron averages 25 points per game and leads the league in assists (10.6). His offensive game was rounding into playoff form in March. The Lakers did take a hit defensively with the loss of lockdown perimeter defender Avery Bradley, who decided not to participate in the bubble plan. The loss of Bradley leaves a huge void in the backcourt as head coach Frank Vogel will be forced to shuffle his backcourt rotation and may have to give minutes to Dion Waiters and J.R. Smith. Waiters was cast aside by the Miami Heat while J.R. hasn’t played in a meaningful NBA game since 2018.

The team most equipped to handle the Lakers in a playoff series is the Clippers. Reigning Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard wants nothing more than to ruin the Lakers party, become the undisputed king of L.A. and validate his position as the best player in the world. The Clippers have the deepest roster among the 22 teams in the restart. The only question mark(s) is on-court chemistry. Paul George is still rounding into shape coming off surgery to both shoulders while Kawhi remains under load management protocol. PG and Kawhi don’t have lot of court time together, but when both were in action the Clippers were 24-8. The Clippers owned the third-best offensive rating and fifth-best defensive rating. They also have the best bench in the league (51.5 points per game), led by super subs Lou Williams and Montrezl Harrell, who could start for many clubs. L.A. also added guard Reggie Jackson and forward Marcus Morris, giving coach Doc Rivers a plethora of options. LouWill and Trez will miss the opening week of the restart, but both are expected to rejoin their teammates when the seeding portion of the schedule concludes. The Clippers are a confident bunch and they’re not worried where they end up in the standings.

The Bucks likely benefitted from the long layoff as they were in a bit of a funk (6-4 in their last 10 games) after the All-Star break. All-Star forward Giannis Antetokounmpo sustained a left leg injury during the loss against the Lakers in March and appeared a little fatigued. Milwaukee’s title hopes rest on the broad shoulders of Giannis, who is having an MVP season (29.5 points per game, 13.9 rebounds, shooting 55 percent from the field). He’ll need to be at his absolute best because his supporting cast isn’t good enough to carry him. Good news is The Greek Freak appears to be healthy again. Giannis needs to be special if the Bucks are going to advance to the NBA Finals for the first time since 1974 when Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was the face of the franchise.

Contenders: Denver Nuggets, Utah Jazz, Houston Rockets, Philadelphia 76ers, Boston Celtics

There is a major logjam of teams in the discussion. Even though these teams are all capable of making a deep playoff run, they have some weaknesses that could be exposed and eventually derail their championship hopes.

Houston is going all-in on small ball, putting Robert Covington (6-8) and P.J. Tucker (6-5) in the frontcourt with guards Eric Gordon, Russell Westbrook and James Harden in the backcourt. Coach Mike D’Antoni could either look like a genius or he could lose his job. He will lean on his two superstars, Harden and Westbrook, to generate most of the offense. That’s a heavy burden even for a dynamic duo averaging a combined 61 points a game (No. 1 in the league). If one of them has an off night it could be lights out for the Rockets. As an added distraction, you have the Westbrook COVID-19 positive test. Houston, that’s a problem.

Speaking of COVID-19, Nuggets All-Star center Nikola Jokic is also coming off a positive virus test. The good news is Jokic has recovered and looks in fantastic shape, stunningly slim. The Serbian big man was listed at 280 pounds at the start of the season and he appears to have shed at least 25 pounds. Jokic is the linchpin to everything the Nuggets do. The Nuggets will go only as far as Jokic can carry them.

Did anyone say COVID-19? If there’s such a tag as Team COVID, it’s the Utah Jazz. Center Rudy Gobert was one of the first faces of the coronavirus pandemic as his positive test triggered the league-wide shutdown. Guard Donovan Mitchell also tested positive for the virus, and there was a period during isolation when Gobert and Mitchell were at odds. Mitchell reportedly was upset about Gobert’s careless behavior about the coronavirus. Both appear to have squashed their reported beef. But one issue Gobert and Mitchell won’t be able to fix is the absence of Bojan Bogdanovic. The veteran sharpshooter had wrist surgery and won’t be playing in the bubble. Bogdanovic was averaging 20.2 points per game and 41 percent from 3-point range before shutting it down.

If there was team that needed a reset it would be Philly. The Sixers greatly underachieved during the season and almost seemed disinterested. All-Star center Joel Embiid appeared out of shape prior to the pandemic and fellow All-Star Ben Simmons kept teasing us with his new jump shot but kept disappointing us, too. When they are both clicking, Embiid and Simmons pose a lethal 1-2 punch talented enough to save coach Brett Brown’s job. The reboot could turn out to be a blessing in disguise.

The Celtics have a budding star in Jayson Tatum, and he could finally have his breakout moment. The one negative for the Celtics is their lack of size. Tatum is the Celtics’ tallest starter at 6-8 and all their rotational players with the exception of Enes Kanter are 6-8 or shorter. Celtics are severely undersized against their two biggest obstacles: Philly and Milwaukee.

Sleepers: Dallas Mavericks, Toronto Raptors, Miami Heat, Oklahoma City Thunder

What do the Mavericks, Raptors and Heat have in common? They all have coaches with championship pedigree. The restart will be a sprint, and teams with steady leaders should thrive.

Rick Carlisle, who led the Mavericks to an NBA title in 2011, is one of the game’s best in-game strategists and he has a wonderful chess piece to play with in rising superstar Luka Doncic. The Mavs offense revolves around Doncic. The 2019 Rookie of the Year now has a full two years of NBA experience to process in his super high basketball IQ, and his arrow is pointing way up. In his second year in the Association, Doncic nearly averaged a triple-double (28-9-8). Looks like Luka is ready to make the jump into elite status.

It’s a bit odd to call a defending NBA champ a playoff sleeper, but Nick Nurse and the Raptors have gotten almost zero respect following their stunning win in the 2019 NBA Finals over the Golden State Warriors. When Kawhi left for L.A., almost all the basketball pundits left the Raptors for dead. Guess what? The Raptors are still ticking. Paschal Siakam has emerged as a bonafide No. 1 option. Kyle Lowry and Marc Gasol have logged a lot of miles, but they are crafty veterans who know how to turn it on in the postseason. Don’t sleep on the team from The North.

Erik Spoelstra hasn’t had much to work with since LeBron left town and Dwyane Wade’s skills started to fade. This year, Spo has a boatload of talent. With Jimmy Butler leading the way, third-year player Bam Adebayo emerging as the secondary star, role players Kendrick Nunn, Duncan Robinson and rookie Tyler Herro all gaining confidence by the day, Miami has a young, hungry squad looking to put some serious heat inside the Orlando bubble.

Billy Donovan may not have a NBA championship ring, but he does own two college basketball championship plaques when he led the Florida Gators to back-to-back NCAA tournament titles in 2006-07. With the departures of Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and Paul George, Donovan can freely coach the Thunder without having to worry about hurting a superstar’s ego. And he has a veteran leader in point guard Chris Paul to help him guide a young and energetic squad that will be a tough out.

Shaquille O’Neal officially announced his retirement on June 1, 2011, and it took the Los Angeles Lakers just two years to honor The Diesel by raising his No. 34 jersey in the rafters at Staples Center on April 2, 2013. In classic Shaq fashion, he gave Lakers fans one thundering messaged: “Can you dig it!”

In a video post on Tout.com in 2011, Shaq said: “We did it. 19 years baby. I want to thank you very much. That’s why I’m telling you first. I’m about to retire. Love you. Talk to you soon.”

Shaquille Rashaun O’Neal was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Mass, in 2016. The Diesel headlined the 10-member class that included Philadelphia 76ers great Allen Iverson, Chinese superstar Yao Ming, WNBA star Sheryl Swoopes, longtime Michigan State coach Tom Izzo and NBA executive Jerry Reinsdorf.

O’Neal, a four-time NBA champion and three-time Finals MVP, was one of the NBA’s most popular stars for what he did both on and off the court. Shaq was the most dominant big man of his era, and arguably one of the 10 best centers of all time. To honor the man with more nicknames than Apollo Creed, and arguably one of the five greatest centers in basketball, here are his 19 greatest moments for each of his 19 seasons. His glorious and colorful career brought many great highlights in Orlando, Los Angeles, Miami, Phoenix, Cleveland, and Boston. He won four NBA championships, three NBA Finals MVPs, one regular season MVP and countless outlandish one-liners. A look at his most memorable moments:

19) One of Shaq’s best attributes was his quick wit. He got a kick out of giving everyone nicknames, from teammates to opponents. He gave Paul Pierce the nickname “The Truth”; he was responsible for Dwyane Wade’s “Flash” moniker; and he tagged Tim Duncan “The Big Fundamental.” He also gave Kobe Bryant a nickname, but unfortunately we can’t publish it.

18) As a rookie in 1992-93, O’Neal brought the house down – literally – in Phoenix when he pulled down the entire basket stanchion on a follow-up dunk against Charles Barkley and the Phoenix Suns. It was Shaq’s coming-out-party since the game was on national TV and the NBA was dying to showcase a young bright star in case Michael Jordan retires and decides to play baseball. In the same season, the legend of Shaq grew even bigger when he shattered a backboard in New Jersey with the force of his dunk, and the shot clock clipped him on the head.

17) Shaq won the NBA Rookie of the Year in the 1992-93 season, helping turn the Magic into one of the biggest draws in the league. With Shaq front and center, Orlando went from a 21-win team to a 41-win team.

16) Who could forget Neon Boudeaux? OK, his performance in “Blue Chips” probably wasn’t Oscar-worthy but it pretty much summarized Shaq’s basketball career. It lacked substance at times, there were some bright moments, but overall it was extremely entertaining. “Kazaam!” and “Steel” on the other hand, were simply atrocious. Sorry, Shaq.

15) The Magic won the lottery again in 1994, trading the pick for guard Penny Hardaway. Shaq and Penny formed one of the best tandems in the league and, even though their union was short-lived, it brought the Magic to new heights, winning 50 games in 1993-94 and reaching the NBA Finals in 1995.

14) The best part about those Lakers championships during the Shaq-Kobe era was the postseason celebration. Nobody can get a crowd going better than The Big Entertainer. His rendition of “It Takes Two” in 2001 before 250,000 Laker fans gathered in front of Staples Center was easily the best championship parade in the history of parades. To cap things off, Lakers forward Mark Madsen did his little dance routine (or whatever he was doing) that left everyone in a frenzy.

13) Much has been written and said on how Hakeem Olajuwon “destroyed” Shaq in the ’95 Finals. Statistically speaking, The Diesel averaged 28 points, 12 rebounds, 6 assists and 2.5 blocks, while Olajuwon averaged 32 points, 11 rebounds and 2 blocks in the Rockets’ four-game sweep. Sounds like a stalemate in terms of the one-on-one matchup. Just to show there were no hard feelings between the two big men, Shaq and Hakeem shot a Taco Bell commercial in the offseason. Watching the two of them ride a tandem bike was hilarious.

12) The highlight of the 2009 All-Star game in Phoenix was The Big Cactus taking the stage and performing a dance routine with “America’s Best Dance Crew” Jabbawockeez during the pre-game festivities.

11) As a member of Team USA’s dominant 1995 World Championship team in Toronto (also known as Dream Team II), O’Neal was named MVP of the tournament despite not playing heavy minutes. He also starred on the United States Olympic basketball team that won the gold medal in the 1996 Summer Games in Atlanta.

10) On March 6, 2000, Shaq celebrated his birthday with a bang! Prior to the game against the Clippers, Shaq was upset the Clippers (the home team for that night at Staples) didn’t provide him with enough tickets. He unleashed his anger on the Clippers by dropping 61 points.

9) Before LeBron James’ much-publicized “Decision” in 2010, there was “Shaq Goes to Hollywood” free-agent saga in the summer of ’96. Thanks to the bright mind of L.A. Lakers general manager Jerry West, the balance of power in the league shifted from the East Coast to the West Coast when O’Neal signed a record-setting $120-million contract to move to L.A., and then the Lakers traded for 18-year-old high school phenom Kobe Bryant on draft night. It was the beginning of the Shaq-Kobe dynasty.

8) Game 7 in Sacramento in 2002 will go down in history as one of the best playoff games in NBA history. The Lakers and Kings played an epic overtime game at Arco Arena, with the Laker prevailing and advancing to the NBA Finals. But after the game, Shaq topped his on-court performance with an off-the-court, impromptu rap dedicated to Vladic Divac. Watch and listen:

7) After being traded to the Miami Heat in summer of 2004, Shaq promised Miami fans that he’ll bring a championship to South Beach. Two years later, that promised was fulfilled as O’Neal and D-Wade led the Heat, coached by the great Pat Riley, past Dirk Nowitzki and the Dallas Mavericks in the 2006 NBA Finals.

6) Shaq was named one of the NBA’s 50 greatest players of all time in 1997 despite having played in only five seasons. The recognition was debated by some basketball experts, but basketball writer Peter Vecsey defended the selection, arguing that O’Neal belongs in the conversation and was already well on his way to becoming one of the dominant players the league has ever seen. As usual, Vecsey was right.

5) The Diesel was extra motivated to play the 76ers in the 2001 NBA Finals because he was going up against Defensive Player of the Year Dikembe Mutombo, who likes to throw his signature finger-wag each time he stuffs his opponent. Shaq never dunked the ball harder in his life during the 2001 Finals, and dropped a few devastating elbows toward Mt. Mutombo’s chest and face. There was one play in which Shaq lifted Mutombo off his feet and exploded for a one-hand slam, showing his awesome power and agility. The Lakers rolled to their second consecutive NBA title, losing only one game in the playoffs. O’Neal captured his second Finals MVP trophy. He averaged 33 points, 16 rebounds and 3.4 blocks against a Sixer squad led by 2001 MVP Allen Iverson.

4) A young 260-pound Shaq exploded onto the basketball scene when he rocked the 1989 McDonald’s High School All-American game with one ferocious coast-to-coast slam dunk. It certainly got a huge rise out of ESPN’s Dick Vitale, who said during the telecast: “Oh! Oh! Oh! I can’t believe! I can’t believe it! That’s a 7-footer!” That play launched a two-decade basketball career is certainly worthy of a spot in the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Mass. O’Neal went on to star at LSU for three years before being drafted No. 1 overall by the Orlando Magic in 1992. He finished his NBA career with 28,596 points and shot 58% from the field, both marks are in the top five.

3) Shaq loved the whole Superman persona, and he finally fulfilled his kryptonian side when he pieced together one of the most dominant seasons in NBA history in 1999-2000 when he was named regular season MVP (near unanimous choice), All-Star Game MVP and NBA Finals MVP in leading the Lakers to their first NBA title since 1988. In the Lakers’ six-game series win over the Pacers in The Finals, O’Neal posted some jaw-dropping numbers: 45 minutes per game, 38 points, 16.7 rebounds and 2.7 blocks. During his acceptance speech for winning the regular season MVP, Shaq told the media that he would like to be referred to as The Big Aristotle.

2) The Lakers needed a fantastic finish to cap their stunning comeback in Game 7 of 2000 Western Conference finals against the Portland Trail Blazers and Kobe and Shaq provided that moment. Kobe dribbled to the top of the arc, crossed over Scottie Pippen, and drove to the hoop. Kobe floated a perfect lob pass that only O’Neal and his massive 7-foot-1 frame can reach. The alley-oop dunk punctuated the Lakers’ furious rally and ignited a run of three consecutive NBA championships.

1) Shaquille O’Neal showcased his talent as an entertainer and proved that he’s more than just a basketball talent when he appeared in a music video with the rap group Fu-Schnickens in the early 1990s. It was not only the birth of Shaq Fu, but it was also the beginning of a successful career that went above and beyond the game of basketball. It was a glimpse of what was to come for the next two decades. He was the first professional athlete to cross over to the rap game and be accepted as a true hip-hop artist and not just a novelty act. Shaq appeared with Fu-Schnickens on “The Arsenio Hall Show” in 1992, and from that point on he never stopped being an entertainer. O’Neal released four albums, including “Shaq Diesel” which went platinum. Shaquille’s popularity extends outside of sports. He is a successful entrepreneur, music and film star, and his larger-than-life personality that can lift up an entire planet. He is a true global icon.

Click here to read the best quotes from Shaquille O’Neal

Joel Huerto is the editor and publisher of OneManFastBreak.net. Follow him on Twitter at: twitter.com/onemanfastbreak.

We’re a couple of weeks into the NBA season, and some fascinating storylines are already developing. Here are my picks for the top-10 developments and observations on the 2014-15 season so far.

1. The Rookies need time

Andrew Wiggins. Jabari Parker. Julius Randle. Marcus Smart. This was supposed to be the rookie class that made an instant impact and asserted itself as one of the best groups of all time. It’s still very early, but so far they look like, well, rookies. Randle unfortunately suffered a broken leg in his very first game, but the rest of the rookie class has been a little underwhelming. Parker still looks to be the favorite to round into form and win Rookie of the Year, but no one is a surefire future all-star just yet. Give them time.

2. Miami underrated

Don’t look now, but the Heat are pretty good without LeBron James. Endurance could be an issue, as two of their key players, Dwyane Wade and Luol Deng, are both injury prone and getting older. However, Miami has looked like a top-four seed in the East so far. Bosh has been spectacular, and Wade looks so rejuvenated that the Miami Herald even suggested that he’s all-around happier this season. We’ll see if it continues, but for now the Heat are overlooked and underrated.

3. Kobe Bryant leading league in scoring

Yes, he just set the all-time NBA mark for missed field goals, but there are some great players on that list. Great players shoot a lot. Meanwhile, a Kobe Bryant that many had written off as overpaid, selfish, injured, old, broken, etc. is playing like the Black Mamba of old. And through a few weeks, he’s leading the league in points per game.

4. Anthony Davis a top-3 player

The Anthony Davis hype train was at full steam all summer, and Davis is backing it up. Per ESPN statistics, Davis may actually be the best player in the league thus far this season. John Hollinger’s PER rankings — viewed by some as the best composite ranking of a player’s value and accomplishment — show Davis leading the NBA with a 35.79 PER. For reference, LeBron has never finished a season with a PER over 33.

5. Rajon Rondo giving Celtics options

Rajon Rondo’s comeback has been somewhat quiet, probably because his Boston Celtics just aren’t competitive. However, he is leading the league in assists, and his strong form is giving Celtics GM Danny Ainge options. Had Rondo come back and not been himself, the Celtics would have lost their most valuable trade asset and best player. Now, Ainge gets to make the decision everyone’s been waiting for: build around Rondo or trade him for a pile of assets.

6. We can’t predict the West

Here’s the thing about the West: the teams are so loaded with talent that the smallest changes can allow teams to seize opportunity—and big changes can shift the landscape dramatically. Because of the Spurs’ slow start, the Thunder’s injuries, and the Clippers’ inexplicable sluggishness, teams like the Kings and Suns appear to be playoff contenders, and the Grizzlies are leading the way as the most reliable team in the conference. Go figure.

7. Cleveland needs time

This is something we all knew deep down but wanted to overlook. It just seemed logical to crown the Cavaliers favorites. The Betfair preseason assessment did as much, giving Cleveland the top odds over the defending champion Spurs to win the Finals. But in doing so, they expressed caution. Analyst Nick Shiambouros noted that it would take time for the Cavs to get on the same page, and that more experienced teams might offer better value. Maybe we should have listened, because while Cleveland has shown dominant stretches of offense, they’re far from a polished product.

8. Philadelphia has more assets than we thought

Nerlens Noel has looked promising for Philly, but Tony Wroten has been a revelation. Wroten has always been a strong player, but these first few weeks starting for the Sixers while Michael Carter-Williams recovers from injury represent his biggest showcase yet. And he’s aced it. Wroten can and should be a starting point guard in the NBA, even earning a glowing write-up from Grantland that called him a “frenzied bundle of chaos” (in a good way) and a “raging dynamo.” He may also be turning Carter-Williams into a trade chip.

9. Klay Thompson might be NBA’s best shooting guard

James Harden is the popular choice for best shooting guard, which is a weak position in the league these days. Kobe Bryant’s resurgence is noteworthy, as is Wade’s, but Thompson is young, rapidly improving, and (unlike Harden) a great defender. He looks like he’s taking over the position.

10. Big men are back

Big men are making a bit of a comeback. Nikola Vucevic in Orlando suddenly looks like one of the best young players in the league; Jonas Valanciunas continues to improve in Toronto; Derrick Favors is finally living up to potential in Utah; Anthony Davis might be the MVP. And that’s just a few. It’s the year of the bigs, so far.

It’s not hard to figure out who the NBA is pulling for in the 2014 playoffs. All you need is take one look at the TV schedule and you’ll find the answer.

ABC showcased the Clippers-Warriors opening game on Saturday, and Game 1 of the Heat-Bobcats matchup on Sunday. It’s a clear indication the league considers the Clippers and Heat as the two sexiest teams in the postseason, and potential showdown in the NBA Finals could generate major buzz.

Who wouldn’t want to see the Heat and the Clippers? The Heat are the two-time NBA champs and they have the best player in the world in LeBron James. And If Dwyane Wade’s knees are right, Miami has two of the most dynamic players in the league.

The Clippers don’t have history on their side but, between Chris Paul’s State Farm commercials and Blake Griffin’s Kia Optima and GameFly ads, they lead the league in most air times off the court.

And that whole Lob City thing isn’t too bad to watch either.

The league won’t admit it but it would be a major blow to Commissioner Adam Silver’s gut if the Heat don’t make The Finals.

No disrespect to the Indiana Pacers, who are a good team but not box office, the Eastern Conference playoffs are far more interesting with the Heat in it. Let’s not even waste time talking about the early rounds of the East playoffs because Miami is booked for the conference finals.

It would be a shame if Miami and Indiana didn’t play each other in the conference finals, but LeBron and Co. could care less who they play. The goal is to reach The Finals for the fourth consecutive year. Ratings would take a nosedive if the Heat are not playing in June.

Silver would prefer not to explain the NHL-type ratings should The Finals include the Pacers and the Spurs, or Pacers and Clippers, or Pacers and Thunder.

Unfortunately for the new commish, the Spurs will have a major say in the whole playoff picture. San Antonio should get by Dallas in the first round and should beat the upstart Blazers in the semifinals. Tim Duncan and Co. will most likely avoid their playoff nemesis in Oklahoma City because the Clippers — assuming they take care of business against the Warriors, which won’t be easy — will knock off the Thunder, setting up a Spurs-Clippers Western Conference finals.

The playoffs are all about matchups and the Clippers do not match up well with the Spurs, who have owned the Clips going all the way back to their San Diego roots.

The Clippers under Doc Rivers are a far better team than they were last year, but they’re still not in the Spurs’ class in terms of defense and discipline.

The Spurs have proven during the course of the regular season that they’ve rebounded from last year’s stunning loss in The Finals and are ready to retake the throne from King James.

There is little doubt that Kevin Durant and LeBron James are the two best players on the planet. So, heading into Wednesday night’s showdown in Miami, much of the buzz surrounding the Heat-Thunder matchup was the showdown between the reigning MVP against this year’s leading MVP candidate.

When the smoke cleared from Durant’s smoldering fingertips, it was the Thunder that came out on top, 112-95, in what could be a preview of the NBA Finals.

“It could be my last game every time I step on the floor, so I gotta give it my all,” said Durant, who extended his 30-plus scoring streak to 12 games as he scorched the Heat for 33 points, 23 of them coming against arguably the best one-on-one defender in the league in LeBron.

James had 34 for the game, but was only 2-for-6 from the field when guarded by Durant.

”It would have been fun to clear the court and watch them go 1-on-1,” Thunder coach Scott Brooks told The Associated Press.

During a stretch in the third quarter, Durant and James looked like they were playing one-on-one on the blacktop.

After James scored on a powerful drive, Durant came back with a 3-pointer. James scored on a pull-up jumper, Durant came back with another 3-pointer.

It was seemingly a game of “Can you top this?” And both were thoroughly enjoying it.

”Rucker Park, that’s what was going through my head,” Durant said, referring to the legendary New York City basketball playground where he scored 66 points in a game during the summer of 2011. ”It was fun. … I’m sure the fans got what they wanted to see with that one.”

“He’s a tremendous competitor,” Durant said of James. “I love playing against him.”

James was more disappointed in the Heat loss than getting worked by Durant, but he welcomed the challenged. ”It’s fun competition,” James said. “It’s been a while since I was able to do something like that.”

Durant is well on his way to claiming his fourth scoring championship. But you know a bigger title is on his mind, and he may have to go through LeBron to claim it.

Wins and losses are all that matter in the NBA. However, on Christmas Day, the Los Angeles Lakers managed to give the defending champion Miami Heat a battle before ultimately losing, 101-95, at Staples Center.

“The last two games we were just getting murdered, getting killed,” Nick Young told the L.A. Times. “To come back and fight like that today is a step forward, I think, for us.”

L.A. was playing without their franchise player in Kobe Bryant, who was out with a fractured bone in his left knee. Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade each scored 23 points to lead the Heat.

“Those guys are the best the league has to offer,” Lakers coach Mike D’Antoni told The Times. “You see some plays that you just don’t normally see. LeBron’s so strong and Wade, they come at you. It’s impressive.”

With the game tied at 81, Norris Cole scored seven points during an 11-2 run to give the Heat a 92-83 lead with a little over five minutes to play.

Young led the Lakers with 20 points (7-for-20 shooting) and continued his stellar play, replacing Bryant’s scoring production. He’s averaging 18.3 points per games the last 14 games.

Jodie Meeks scored 17 points, Xavier Henry pumped in 14 points, Pau Gasol scored 13 points and grabbed 13 rebounds.

Jordan Farmar returned from an injured left hamstring to give L.A. a true point guard to run the offense after Steve Nash and Steve Blake all sustained injuries. However, Farmar wasn’t in game shape. He managed just three points and two assists in 32 minutes.

Darren Jacks is a regular contributor to OneManFastBreak.net. Follow him on Twitter @djroxalot.

You know you pulled off something amazing when Earvin “Magic” Johnson called it one of the greatest plays he has ever seen.

Miami Heat stars LeBron James and Dwyane Wade have been serving up spectacular alley-oop dunks since they joined forces in 2010, but their latest collaboration had an extra twist to it. LeBron’s off-the-glass rim shaker on Christmas Day against the L.A. Lakers had Staples Center buzzing and the sports world shaking its head.

Check out Magic’s tweet:

Even though his dominant hand is his left, LeBron prefers to throw it down with his right hand. When Wade’s pass off the glass sailed a little bit to the left, LeBron had to adjust in midair and jammed it home with his non-shooting hand. James was up so high he had to duck his head to avoid the rim. On the way back up the court, cameras caught James smiling and admiring his handy work. Even the Staples Center crowd took time off from their steady stream of selfies and Instagrams to give LeBron some oohs and aahs.

ABC commentator Jeff Gundy was just as entertained as the rest of us, saying “We should stop the game and let everyone watch the replay. I’ve never seen anything like it.”

Watch and marvel at the work of Wade and LeBron on what may be the best dunk of the season. If anything, it’s a candidate for dunk of the year:

This wasn’t how the NBA schedule-makers envisioned Christmas Day.

When they pitted the Lakers and Heat, they had visions of LeBron James going head-to-head with Kobe Bryant at Staples Center. Instead, they’ll likely get LeBron versus. . . . Wesley Johnson?

When they pitted the Bulls and the Nets, they had visions of Derrick Rose crossing over Deron Williams at Barclays Center. Instead, they’ll settle for Williams versus. . . . D.J. Augustin?

When they pitted the Spurs and the Rockets, they had visions of James Harden pulling the Euro step on Euro step king Manu Ginobili. Instead, Ginobili could be Eurostepping . . . Francisco Garcia?

And when pitted the Thunder against the Knicks, they had visions of a scoring duel between Kevin Durant and Carmelo Anthony. Instead, the crowd at Madison Square Garden could see Durant versus . . . Iman Shumpert?

Bah, hambug!

Unfortunately for the league, injuries are playing tricks on them. The injury bug bit Rose (torn meniscus, out for the season) and Kobe (knee fracture, out six weeks) hard, while Harden and Anthony are game-time decisions because of  sprained ankles. That’s two former league MVPs definitely out, and possibly the reigning scoring champion and former sixth man of the year missing from the NBA Christmas showcase.

The Knicks star left Monday night’s win against the Orlando Magic, and Mike Woodson told ESPN radio that the team will closely monitor his status.

“We got to weigh it out,” Woodson said. “He came in and got treatment today and he’ll get treatment through probably the evening and then tomorrow when he wakes up and comes in we’ll have to assess it at that time.”

The Lakers may have the worst luck when it comes to injuries. Aside from Kobe’s broken bone in his kneecap, Steve Nash has only appeared in a handful of games due to nerve damage to his neck. His two backups, Steve Blake and Jordan Farmar, are also out. Blake is dealing with a torn ligament in his elbow, while Farmar has a bad hamstring.

Mike D’Antoni is so fed up with the injuries he told Lakers Nation to follow another ballclub. He later apologized for that temporary lapse in judgment.

The sprained ankle monster nearly swallowed LeBron. But league honchos David Stern and Adam Silver can rest easy because The King isn’t expected to miss the Heat’s game in L.A. If LeBron were to miss the Christmas Day game, the NBA might was well cancel the rest of the schedule.

On a much, much, much smaller scope, J.J. Redick will miss the Clippers-Warriors matchup. Had to throw that in there to keep the theme going. Good news is, the Splash Brothers, Chris and Cliff Paul, Blake Griffin and the Griffin Force are all healthy so the nightcap could live up to the hype.

Joel Huerto is the editor and publisher of OneManFastBreak.net. Follow him on Twitter @onemanfastbreak.

It’s not unusual for a superstar to yell at a teammate on the sidelines. However, it’s extremely rare to see a superstar admit he was wrong for yelling at a teammate.

LeBron James admitted he lost his cool when he aggressively went after Mario Chalmers during a timeout. James was caught by ESPN cameras rushing at Chalmers and both players had to be separated. The argument was triggered by a blown defensive assignment on Paul George during the third quarter of the Heat-Pacers game. James rode Chalmers hard during a break in the action, which is nothing new because Chalmers is the Heat’s unofficial whipping boy — mostly hearing it from James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh the last four seasons.

But Chalmers fired back at James during their war of words, and that’s when The King snapped and uncharacteristically lost his cool. Once things settled down, LeBron seemed apologetic about the whole situation. If you read his lips, he said, “Rio. I was wrong. My bad.”

Immediately after the Heat defeated the Pacers, 97-94, LeBron took to Twitter to issue a public apology to Chalmers.

It takes a big man to say he was wrong, and LeBron earned a lot of respect for what he did. Too many athletes today like to dish blame but don’t like it when they’re getting criticized. The James-Chalmers sideline spat could have escalated to something much worse, but LeBron immediately squashed it by admitting his mistake. A sign of a true leader.

You could sense the Heat-Pacers game Wednesday had a playoff-like intensity. It was no ordinary game. In fact, if it were an ordinary game LeBron would definitely sit out and rest his bum ankle.

But this was Heat vs. Pacers, round 2. A rematch of the 2013 Eastern Conference finals that went seven games and a preview of the 2014 Eastern Conference finals. The way the East is unfolding (or folding), the Heat and the Pacers have a free pass until May when they’ll likely see each other with an NBA Finals berth on the line.

James wasn’t about to miss one of the most important regular-season games for the Heat. Indiana won the first meeting, now Miami returned the favor by winning the second game behind a huge second-half surge that erased a 15-point Pacers lead. Round 3 is in March in Indiana. To borrow a quote from former Jets linebacker Bart Scott, “Can’t wait!”

Joel Huerto is editor and publisher of OneManFastBreak.net. Follow him on Twitter @onemanfastbreak.

Living in Miami for a decade can soften anyone up, and Dwyane Wade is no exception.

Before he became the honorary mayor of Miami-Dade County — or Wade County — D-Wade was a hardnosed player who wore his Midwest hardhat to every game. Each time he got knocked down he got right back up. He played with a chip on his shoulder and seem to relish every contact.

Now, Wade plays with a very casual attitude and if he were allowed to play in sandals he would. He has lost that Chicago fire, and has become as carefree as those Miami Heat fans who come late to the game.

Wade’s casual approach cost the Heat a game Saturday night when he bounced a free throw off the backboard with 0.6 seconds left and didn’t hit rim, which is a violation. Wade has played enough basketball in his lifetime to know that you have to hit rim for any free throw attempt to count. Heck, 9-year-olds know that.

Wade’s gaffe gave the Boston Celtics another possession and Jeff Green made the most of it when he buried a 3-pointer from the corner to give the Celtics an unlikely 111-110 victory in Miami.

All Wade had to do was made two free throws and the game would have been over. If he made just one free throw the game and just hit rim on this second attempt the game would have been over. ”I was trying to hit the rim, down a little bit,” said Wade, who admitted deliberately missing the shot was his call. ”It didn’t go where it was supposed to go.”

This was not one of Wade’s finest moments. Watch: