The best player in the NBA put in a dominant performance for the deserving Miami Heat, who won their second straight NBA title with a 95-88 win over the San Antonio Spurs. What’s next? Well, Dwight Howard is on the clock. The 6-11 big man is a player who can be part of a league power shift that is almost certain to come. Especially in the Western Conference. Put Howard on the Rockets and they are a legitimate contender. Not a favorite – it’ll take time for them to come together and learn to play together, so teams like OKC would still be favored until we see how the mix would work, but they would be in the hunt. The Thunder are a talented bunch, but will have a tough time improving personnel-wise. The Spurs are almost at the finish line. Yeah, Kawhi Leonard looks like he could develop into a very good player – not a superstar people, chillax on that for now – but Manu Ginobili is fading away like a character in a time travel movie whose timeline has been altered and 37-year-old Tim Duncan may have given his last valiant effort in this series. You could see Duncan’s frustration and pretty much his recognition of that after that missed layup in the final minute. Perhaps he can hang on and contribute occasionally, but he isn’t likely to be able to carry a team anymore. Gregg Popovich can rest him throughout the regular season, but he’ll need more help than ever next year. - See more at: http://blog.chron.com/ultimaterocke...could-be-strong-finals-contender-next-season/
