USA - NBA title at stake for Olympic hopefuls

OKLAHOMA CITY (NBA/Olympics) - Nothing that's happened in this season's NBA play-offs has done anything to suggest the tag of gold-medal favorites should be removed from Team USA before the Olympics.

Oklahoma City's American trio of Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and James Harden, the NBA's Best Sixth Man, have shown sublime skill, toughness, resilience and self-belief in abundance in helping their team get to the Finals.

Durant was the MVP of the 2010 FIBA World Championship and he's been playing like one in the post-season, too, although his Thunder teammates have provided plenty of assistance.

Oklahoma City swept the Dallas Mavericks in the first round, 4-0, beat the Los Angeles Lakers 4-1 and then came from 2-0 down to see off San Antonio, 4-2, in the Western Conference Finals.

The Miami Heat, marshaled on by this season's league MVP LeBron James, also have their share of USA players.

Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh are Heat stars who like James played for the United States when they captured gold in Beijing.

While the Thunder have perhaps looked more convincing in recent games, Miami have overcome plenty of adversity and that bodes well for their chances.

The Boston Celtics pushed the Heat to the brink in the Eastern Conference Finals but led by James, Miami won Game 6 (98-79) and Game 7 (101-88) to advance.

All six players are among the finalists for the USA Olympic squad.

If the superstars are healthy, it's hard to imagine USA Basketball chairman Jerry Colangelo and coach Mike Krzyzewski passing over any of them.

When it comes to fitness concerns, there are some when it comes to Wade and Bosh.

Wade played in 49 of his team's 66 regular season games because of various knocks, although in the play-offs he's appeared in all 18.

Bosh appeared in 57 regular season games for the Heat but has played in just nine play-off games.

He suffered an abdominal strain in the Eastern Conference play-offs but did come off the bench in the Heat's last three games against the Celtics.

Spain and France also have Olympic-bound players in the NBA Finals.

Serge Ibaka of the Thunder made his Spain debut at last year's EuroBasket 2011 and celebrated a gold medal win.

There really is no player in the league like him when it comes to blocking shots.

He is swatting 3.3 per game in the post-season.

Ibaka has no equals in the international game, too, when it comes to rejections.

Remember last summer in Kaunas, Lithuania, when Ibaka had five swats in the first half to set the tone defensively for Spain as they defeated France and won a second straight gold medal?

Ronny Turiaf of France has blocked a lot of shots in his day, too, and his presence will be important for Miami.

His fortunes have changed dramatically this season.

Injured and unable to play at the EuroBasket, Turiaf was on the books of the Washington Wizards when he got hurt after the delayed start of the NBA Lockout shortened season.

The Washington Wizards traded him and he ended up on the best team in the Eastern Conference.

Ibaka and Turiaf are near certainties to play for their national teams at the London Games.

FIBA