While the fight for the NBA Championship may look an even contest on paper, Ed Wyatt scratches a little deeper in trying to predict who will win Game One to set themselves up to take the title.

Here we go.

After a work stoppage, a shortened season, and the same interminable playoffs, we've reached the end of the line. The NBA Finals are here and it's a matchup full of great storylines.

LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh are back for the second straight year, hoping to get their Miami Heat over the hump. They'll be up against the best young team in the league, the Oklahoma City Thunder, with the 1-2 punch of Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook.

I don't mean to go all 'I told you so' on you but I did like both of these teams at the start of the season. I've favoured the Heat all throughout the playoffs - even when they were down to Indiana and Boston - but Oklahoma City is going to test my resolve.

On paper, this is a pretty even contest, but I'm not sure who in Miami matches up with Westbrook. Boston's Rajon Rondo gave the Heat headaches, but Westbrook is a better athlete and a better shooter. He doesn't distribute like Rondo, but he doesn't need to.

James was fantastic against Boston and will need to play at the same level again. Wade was inconsistent but made some huge plays when he needed to. The Heat bench really struggled, Mike Miller in particular, so they'll need to pick it up.

Durant is rapidly turning into the most dangerous and unguardable player in the NBA. Westbrook still makes poor decisions on both ends of the floor but is a superb talent.

The Thunder bench has been great. Of course when you have the NBA's best sixth man, James Harden, coming in and filling it up every night, that makes sense. Harden is another very difficult match-up for Miami, and like Westbrook could be the key to the series.

So, where does that leave us?

At the moment, the Heat are better value to win the NBA Championship @ Betfair odds of (2.56). It's going to be a grind, but I still think they can do it.

However, as far as Game One is concerned, I think with the crazy home crowd behind them, the Thunder will be too strong.

There's not much value backing the Thunder @ Betfair odds of (1.46), but I'm wary of picking the Heat to win the series opener.