Thunder vs. Heat: It's a nightmare matchup for headline writers, too.

As in, singular or plural verb?

"A plural verb with a singular team name will look odd, or at least British, to American readers," blogged former Baltimore Sun copy chief John McIntyre. " 'Heat outlasts Thunder' is going to look more natural. Since a case can be made for either usage, and style rules are inherently arbitrary anyhow, I think you should pick the choice with which you are most comfortable and follow it consistently."

"Settled," wrote Tom Scocca of Deadspin.com. "We'll call Miami 'LeBron James' and Oklahoma City 'the Sonics.' "

Upon further review

While they're at it, can we get the WBO to review the final play of the 1972 gold-medal basketball game, too?

D, as in David

The most tenacious defense on display in this year's NBA Finals has been:

a) Shane Battier, with a pesky hand in the face of Kevin Durant.

b) David Stern, when Jim Rome asked if the NBA lottery was fixed.

100% chance of rain

From the Do As I Say, Not As I Did file comes word that Adam "Pacman" Jones will be among the speakers at this month's NFL's rookie symposium.

Coincidence? Participants' gift bags this year include an Xbox, an iPod and lots of $1 bills.

Headlines

• A Fark.com: "Floyd Mayweather Jr. wants early jail release because he's losing weight and muscle mass. Also, it's not fun."

• At TheOnion.com: "Team USA devastated after Home Depot refuses to let athletes take time off for Olympics."

News flash

"This just in," reported comedy writer Tim Hunter. "I'll Have Another is changing his name to Bring Me Another Filly."

Talking the talk

• Comedy writer Alex Kaseberg, on why the Oklahoma City Thunder is suddenly America's team: "People hate the Heat for the same reason they hate the Yankees: too much money for the best players, and they've all dated Kardashians."

• Brad Dickson of the Omaha (Neb.) World-Herald, after the Patriots released receiver Chad Ochocinco: "Giselle Bundchen said this was one of the most difficult decisions she's ever had to make."

• Times reader Bill Littlejohn, after Annie the Psychic Anteater at a New Jersey zoo favored Miami in the NBA Finals: "Of course, she also predicted a College World Series title for UC Irvine."

• NBC's Jimmy Fallon, after the Heat's LeBron James revealed he'd just finished reading "The Hunger Games" trilogy: "The bad news is he did it during the fourth quarter (of Game 1)."

Lots of slow rollers

The pro-marijuana activists team — the One-Hitters — smoked their White House counterparts in a softball game this month, 25-3.

To no one's surprise, the winners left 'em loaded every inning.

Dwight Perry: 206-464-8250 or dperry@seattletimes.com