Is there any team that can prevent a Heat-Thunder rematch?

By Mike McGraw

When the typical NBA season ends, there are plenty of intriguing storylines to carry fans through the summer.

This year, besides a dull draft and few impact free agents, there’s a certain lack of competitive anticipation.

What team could possibly rise up and prevent a Miami-Oklahoma City rematch in next year’s NBA Finals?

The Bulls were supposed to be the Heat’s chief rival. But Derrick Rose’s knee injury not only spoiled their playoff run, it threw next season into disarray.

The two losers in the conference finals were a creaky Boston team and an aging San Antonio squad. Both were thought to be on their last legs, especially with Kevin Garnett and Tim Duncan already 36.

Maybe it’s possible those teams will retool and make another run, but it doesn’t seem likely.

Likewise, Kobe Bryant’s Lakers seem to have hit a wall, losing badly in the second round the past two years.

So with the Bulls, Celtics, Spurs and Lakers seemingly incapable of stepping forward next season, will any team challenge the reigning finalists?

The Clippers probably have the best shot in the West, with their nucleus of Blake Griffin and Chris Paul. The team chemistry remains a work in progress, and they may have to shuffle some pieces.

Dallas is trying to gear up for another run, but since Dwight Howard pulled himself off the free-agent shelf, the Mavs seem to have most of their eggs in Deron Williams’ basket.

The former Illini point guard is expected to decide between heading back to his hometown of Dallas and becoming the face of the new Brooklyn Nets.

Memphis, Houston, Portland and Utah have good teams but are a long way from rising to a championship level. New Orleans actually might have the best chance for rapid growth by adding a healthy Eric Gordon and top draft pick Anthony Davis.

With the Bulls in a state of flux, the Eastern Conference is even more barren.

Indiana managed to take a brief 2-1 lead in their second-round series with Miami. But by losing badly in the next three games, the Pacers sent notice that they may have already peaked.

Besides Paul George, which Pacers player still has room for improvement? It’s a deep team with no star, a formula destined to fail in the playoffs.

Indiana needs to make a decision soon on how much to pay center Roy Hibbert. It’s a tough spot to be in, because the Pacers would like to keep him, but his lack of mobility might overwhelm whatever low-post offense he brings. Pay too much and they’ll almost surely regret it.

It was funny listening to people describe Philadelphia as a surprise team. The Sixers were simply in the right place when Rose got hurt.

There’s some promise there with young players such as Jrue Holiday and Evan Turner, but the fact that the Sixers managed to beat a Bulls team missing Rose and Joakim Noah by 1 point at home is evidence there’s a long way to go.

Orlando and Atlanta are barely worth a mention. The Magic has control of Howard for another year but probably will try to end the Dwightmare as soon as possible.

So is there any reason to tune in to another NBA game before next June? Well, the Heat and the Thunder do have some issues.

Oklahoma City figures to keep its roster intact next season. After that, James Harden and Serge Ibaka will be due for new contracts and the Thunder will have to make some tough decisions.

Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook already are highly paid, while Kendrick Perkins has three years left for more money than he’s worth ($25 million) — based on the Finals, anyway.

Miami, meanwhile, has little room to maneuver. The supporting cast came through in the Finals but has been shaky overall.

Can the Heat climb the mountain again without a true center and inconsistent outside shooters? And how long will everyone stay healthy? Dwyane Wade turns 31 in January.

The Bulls will do their best to remain the biggest threat to a Miami dynasty. As mentioned before, they’ve thought about trying to trade Deng or possibly Noah to create some payroll flexibility. They remain open to trading for Howard but need him to commit long term.

If none of those options pan out, the Bulls might just tweak the bench, hope to at least snag the No. 8 seed and make some noise in the playoffs.

Here’s the good news for the NBA. With this season’s late start, the London Olympics and no more labor issues — the downtime will be brief this summer.

mmcgraw@dailyherald.com