Heat await their destiny as Oklahoma City hopes to start the greatest comeback in NBA history. (Getty Images)

With Game 5 of the NBA Finals looming Thursday night, as the Thunder try and survive to make it back to OKC with a fighting chance and the Heat try and cement the fulfillment of the promise made two years ago, we decided to roundtable on the issues both teams heading into the final game in Miami this season.

1. Well, here we are. Royce wrote over at DT about Scott Brooks being blamed and how that's unfair. So I'm not big on the blame game, but what do we point to if we are trying to pinpoint why the Thunder find themselves here?

Royce Young: Two things: 1) James Harden's complete no-show and 2) the Heat are really, really good. With Harden, you're talking about a legit star player that has essentially failed to do anything in three of the four games. The last two combined: 4-20, 17 points. We're talking the league's Sixth Man of the Year, the Thunder's third, and often second, best player. We're talking a guy that routinely scores 17 points on seven shots. And he just hasn't shown up.

But with that, the Heat deserve credit because I think many of us -- myself included -- just assumed the Thunder were the superior team. Failing to remember and factor in what a healthy Chris Bosh does for the Heat. It seems that they're back to full strength and now that they are, they're asserting that same old defensive dominance they have on so many teams. 

Ben Golliver: Put away the kid gloves. This is the NBA Finals. The Thunder have lost multiple games, gotten off to horrific starts multiple times, blown big leads, dealt with foul trouble, sat star players for long stretches and failed to keep their composure in late-game situations. Some of that has to trickle up the accountability level to Brooks. There's a happy medium between "Brooks is the scapegoat" and "Brooks gets a pass." It's not his fault but he hasn't emerged with many solutions either.

Matt Moore: The Heat are better. You want to blame something, blame the fact that the Oklahoma City Thunder just aren't better. Maybe they can win this series, still. But judging from everything we've seen, the Heat are just better. You want to win the title in the NBA, you have to be great on both sides of the ball. The Thunder have been a fantastic offensive team, the entire year. But defensively, they've had holes. They defended just well enough to get past an equally questionable San Antonio defense. Now they're up against a defensive juggernaut and it shows. 

The scheme, the personnel? The problem is both. They've got issues and unless they resolve those, their season is over. 

2. Can James go 48 again? Is he running out of energy? THIS CAN'T POSSIBLY KEEP UP, RIGHT?

Royce Young: I don't know if he can, but he'll likely try. Thing is with LeBron is that he's essentially a robot built to play basketball. He doesn't get hurt and when he does, he shakes it off and drains 3-pointers. He has to be exhausted both mentally and physically, but this is what it's about. He wants this, and he wants to earn it. He knows if he can just get one more that he'll have all summer to rest oh wait, he has to play in the Olympics. So nevermind. But I'm sure he's worn out, low on energy, almost empty. That's what happens when you're trying to win a title. 

Ben Golliver:  I think a better question here is: Does he have to? With Chris Bosh back, both Mario Chalmers and, especially, Shane Battier stepping up during The Finals in ways they didn't earlier in the playoffs, and with Dwyane Wade playing better basketball too, the Heat don't look nearly as hopeless when James is off the court. Indeed, their performance when he left with cramps during the fourth quarter of Game 4 was downright steely. There should be opportunities for him to get blows on Thursday night and I think they'll actually treat him somewhat cautiously given the cramps. The only way I see him playing 48 minutes is in the unlikely event this series somehow sees a Game 7.

Matt Moore: I don't think he can. I think that even though the cramps aren't a major health concern, it's a sign of the wear and tear he's put on himself with these minutes the past six games. I still think he'll be brilliant, but I think he'll have to get contributions from the rest of the team if he's going to get that ring. 

3. Fill in the blank. This series has shown that ______ is more ungaurdable than _______. 

Royce Young: Westbrook is more unguardable than Durant. That may sound like blasphemy, but here's the thing with Durant: He can't score if he doesn't have the ball. And teams still are able to deny him the ball. Both Shane Battier and LeBron have fronted him and used their strength to push Durant out on the perimeter and the Thunder sometimes have trouble force feeding Durant. When he gets the ball? I don't think there's a more unguardable player on the planet, maybe even in the last 10 years. He's almost seven feet tall, has a feathery touch up to 30 feet away, can handle, pass and is deceptively quick. 

But Westbrook is basically a mini-LeBron with a more consistent jumper and a more aggressive mindset. As he showed in Game 4, when Westbrook has the midrange game tuned in, he's the best player on the floor. And it doesn't matter who he's sharing it with. He can get to the rim at will, stop and pop from 15, create, score over you, or go around you. The problem with Westbrook is that he's not as pure as Durant, it doesn't look as good nor is it normally near as efficient. But when he's on, Westbrook might be the most explosive offensive player in the league. 

Ben Golliver: This series has shown that James Harden is more unguardable than a barbershop chair, barely. His struggles are a shame, because he does everything the right way on and off the court and because he's accepted the Sixth Man role in a way many players would not. As fearsome as the young Thunder already are, it's a touch terrifying to consider how ruthless they will be next year when they will potentially be playing with the massive "lost in The Finals" chip of their shoulder. Harden does not seem like the type to fold up after a big stage failure. Most likely, he comes back next season as a man on a mission. That will be fun.

Matt Moore: LeBron is more ungaurdable than anything put on this Earth. When he puts his head down and goes into the paint, when he approaches the game with focus and control, when he uses all of his talents and skills to their fullest potential, not just hitting jumpers or layups but putting together all of his talents, there is no one on Earth that can stop him. That's why he's the MVP. 

4. Shane Battier, Mario Chalmers, the non-stars have showed up for Miami so far. Who shows up tonight, or do the shadows revert back to shadows?

Royce Young: It's feeling like a Mike Miller night to me. He's been quiet the whole series and the Heat have seemed to take turns having role players unexpectedly step up. Feels like it's his turn. Only thing that stops it from happening is that Miller has had his minutes cut because of health problems and he clearly is laboring on the court. So wouldn't it just be a perfect story for Miller, the hobbled vet, to knock down huge back-to-back 3s at some point? I almost think it's a guarantee at this point. 

Ben Golliver: It would be hard for either Battier or Chalmers to top their best efforts in this series. Aren't we do for a "Chris Bosh returns to form to blow people's minds once everyone forgot about him" game? That's like the one missing ingredient from the redemption pie these guys are serving up. If we're looking for someone to emerge from the shadows, that would be my pick.

Matt Moore: I think it has to be Battier and Chalmers together. I don't like James Jones for more than one or two threes, I don't think Miller has the health he needs. I think it has to be Battier and Chalmers, together putting in half the performances they did in Games 3 and 4, respectively. They don't need much, just enough, between the two. 

5. Winner? 

Royce Young: It's hard to imagine the Thunder losing four straight games, something that hasn't happened in 276 games to them. But they're reeling, they've had their confidence shattered and it seemed they sold out emotionally in Game 4 only to be beaten back down again. The Heat sense this thing is near and know a return trip to Oklahoma City could be deadly. They're going to play with as much urgency as they ever have and finish it off. 

Ben Golliver:  I don't think Miami fears going back to OKC for a Game 6 or Game 7, mainly because I believe their talk that they aren't even thinking about it.After letting up against the Knicks in the first round and missing out on a possible sweep, the Heat closed out both the Pacers and the Celtics in their first opportunity. Game 7 against the Celtics was particularly impressive: the way the ball moved during the second half and the way Miami's Big 3 stepped up in that moment could be foreshadowing for a Game 5 coronation.

Matt Moore: Oklahoma City is too good of a team, and has had too much go against them in the intangibles department for them to lose like this. I don't think they've lost because of officials or luck, but also don't think those things have gone their way in three close losses. They get those kind of breaks Thursday night and send the series back to OKC with a fighting chance at the upset.