SECAUCUS, NEW JERSEY. If Karma is a b****, as Lebron likes to tweet on twitter, it certainly did not turn its b****iness at the Cleveland Cavaliers during this important evening.
Grant, Nick, and Dan Gilbert were only part of the contingent that represented Cleveland at the 2011 NBA Draft Lottery; the Cleveland Cavaliers secured the #1 and #4 Overall Picks in the 2011 NBA Draft.
In tonight's NBA Draft Lottery, the Cavs were the unquestioned, big winners, translating a total 22.7% chance into the 1st Overall selection in June's NBA Draft.
The winning lottery pick was acquired from the Los Angeles Clippers in the trade that sent Mo Williams to the Los Angeles Clippers in exchange for Baron Davis and the first round pick. The Clippers finished the season with a 32 - 50 record, the 8th worst record in the league this season-- good enough for only a 2.8% chance of winning the NBA's annual Draft Lottery.
Together with their own pick, the Cavaliers will have the #1 and #4 Overall Selections in the NBA Draft scheduled for June 23rd.
The Cleveland contingent pulled out all the stops for some good luck, but the man of the hour was 14 year old Nick Gilbert, son of Cleveland Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert, who represented the team on stage.
Also joining the Cleveland contingent were current Cleveland Browns Josh Cribbs and Joe Haden, as well as, former Cleveland Brown Bernie Kosar.
Following the poorly conceived and disrespectful "Decision" special on ESPN where Lebron announced his "taking his talents" to Miami, Dan Gilbert responded with an open letter to Cavalier fans promising to win a championship before Lebron's new team. Acquiring two of the top four picks in June's NBA Draft will help to accelerate the Cavs efforts to rebuild.
Some players (along with some footage on them) that the Cavs will be considering with the #1 and #4 Overall Picks:
KYRIE IRVING (Point Guard, 6'3")
DERRICK WILLIAMS (Small Forward, 6'8")
ENES KANTER (Center, 6'10")
BRANDON KNIGHT (Point Guard, 6'3")
KAWHI LEONARD (Small Forward, 6'7")
For more information on the Children's Tumor Foundation and how to give to this worthy cause, please CLICK HERE...
CHICAGO, IL. WARNING! The geniuses at ESPN who were responsible for Lebron's infamous, hour-long "Decision" television special escaped from their cages over the weekend. The "Heat" rabies that infected them has been spreading like wildfire in the ESPN newsroom. as analyst after analyst is calling the Eastern Conference Finals in favor of the Miami Heat.
Apparently, the Miami Heat had somehow improved as a team when they defeated a tired, geriatric Boston Celtics team that everyone knew had sacrificed their main advantage over the Heat by trading Kendrick Perkins at the trade deadline.
Or maybe they figured that the ease of their 4 - 1 series victory over the same Celtics means that the Heat are now clicking on all cylinders, neglecting the obvious fact that Rajon Rondo, whom Doc Rivers has called the Celtics most important player, was injured and playing with one arm, as a result of a dirty play by Miami Heat guard, Dwayne Wade.
Anyway, ESPN, like the geniuses they are, called this Miami Heat team the favorite to win the Eastern Conference Finals.
In Chicago, they have a vastly different description for the Miami Heat and the Miami Superfriends, and they did not hesitate to share it with the world that was watching.
"Overrated!"
Luol Deng and the Chicago Bulls defense allowed only 11 points for Wade and Lebron combined in the second half; Wade scored just 18 points and Lebron scored only 15 for the game.
NBA basketball fans have been unimpressed with the underachieving Miami Heat all year, as has most everyone outside of the Miami-Dade County area (save for a couple of self-proclaimed Lebron dick-riders), but as of the final day of the season, when the Chicago Bulls secured the best record in NBA this season, NBA fans were thoroughly impressed at how the Bulls have come together so quickly.
And the fact that the Chicago Bulls are the product of hard work, team effort, great coaching, and lead by a talented, yet humble homegrown superstar, just makes them a team everyone can root for. They are the anti-Heat.
Despite being the top seeded team in the playoffs, with homecourt advantage throughout, the Bulls have not acted entitled in the way that the Heat and Lebron have from the day they threw their party in South Beach talking about winning "not 5, not 6, not 7,...."
And after a Game 1 beatdown of the Heat, the Chicago Bulls certainly proved that Miami should be worried about them. Miami should be downright scared of the Chicago Bulls.
Anyone fantasizing about a 2006 NBA Finals rematch between Miami and Dallas has been out in the South Beach sun too long and is demonstrating symptoms of "heat" stroke.
Miami, with their "championship" celebration after eliminating the Celtics, are overlooking the real threat to their title aspirations. And not just this year. The Bulls are a much younger team, running the schemes that befuddled Wade and Lebron for the last two years and made the Boston Celtics the NBA Champions in 2008.
The Miami Heat have been dumbfounded for answers when it comes to getting a win against the Chicago Bulls.
Including Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals, the Chicago Bulls have beat the Miami Heat four straight times, and in the most important of those games, the Bulls won by a margin of 21 points.
And after the game, the Miami Heat admitted that they were demoralized by the 19 offensive rebounds that the Bulls' frontline pulled in to help propel the Bulls to their Game 1 victory.
In the four games between Miami and Chicago, the Bulls have grabbed 44 more rebounds for an 11 rebound/game edge. That kind of dominance is not accidental; the Chicago Bulls were built to beat the Boston Celtics and the Miami Heat, specifically.
Taj Gibson had the biggest plays in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals for the Bulls, including this monsterous dunk on Dwayne Wade.
The Chicago Bulls had the "opportunity" to trade Omer Asik or Taj Gibson for a more offensive shooting guard, but they held on to their advantage. And after Game 1, no doubt Taj Gibson's trade value has gone up.
But with the Bulls retaining their great young frontcourt depth, Chicago held on to the advantage that will get them passed the Miami Heat and into the NBA Finals. And "not 1, not 2, not 3, not 4,..." because combined with their 22-year old NBA Most Valuable Player, the Chicago Bulls will potentially be dominant for as long as the Miami Heat window is open.
Don't believe me? Just watch.
HIGHLIGHTS of THE CHICAGO BULLS vs. MIAMI HEAT, 2011 NBA PLAYOFFS, EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALS, GAME 1:
With the Chicago Bulls up 1 - 0 in the best-of-seven series, what do you think will be the series outcome?
BOSTON, MA. Dwayne Wade used to be one of my favorite players. It was because he was a basketball hero.
What he did in the 2006 NBA Finals was incredible. He demonstrated the will to win that only a handful of players with his talent and skill ever demonstrate. And when he won the NBA title, I had a lot of respect for him.
Until tonight that is.
It really started the other night in Game 1 of the Miami Heat/ Boston Celtics series when he ran through Paul Pierce's legal screen, and somehow, Paul Pierce got ejected from the game. I forgave Dwayne Wade because it was truly on the referee to call it properly as an offensive foul and tech on Wade for being the aggressor.
But tonight, Wade pulled a clearly dirty play designed to draw the foul by dragging Rajon Rondo on top of him, but instead, it may have accomplished a whole lot more to gaining an advantage for the Miami Heat. On the play, Rondo tried to brace his fall and ended up dislocating his left elbow.
Rondo dislocated his left elbow on this dirty play by Dwayne Wade, but he would return to give his team a lift in a must-win game for Boston.
It was a gruesome looking play and injury, and Rondo was taken off the floor with assistance for x-rays and treatment. After having the dislocation reset, Rondo chose to return to the game, a must-win for Boston.
The Boston faithful were probably as encouraged as they were skeptical at Rondo's return. With his left arm dangling lifelessly and uselessly at his side, Rondo was playing in a must-win playoff game. What could he possibly do with one arm when the Heat had built a 2 - 0 lead against a fully functional Rondo?
Well, Rondo answered with his presence and gutsy effort, including a big steal and dunk.
Along with a 28 point and 18 rebound effort from Kevin Garnett, Boston is sitting in a safer spot at 2 - 1 in the series. However, the Celtics will need Rondo to have use of both of his arms if they hope to even up the series and beat the heat at home, which they will need to do eventually.
Kevin Garnett dominated Chris Bosh and put up 28 points and 18 rebounds in Boston's Game 3 Victory over the Miami Heat.
In addition, the league needs to put a stop to such plays designed to "draw" foul calls by locking arms and legs with other players. In recent years, the practice has become more prevalent, and it must stop now. It does not add to the enjoyment of the game of basketball, and as we've seen tonight, it can lead to players being injured. And that makes the game less enjoyable for fans who want to see the games decided by the players on the court, not by the sneaky plays that result in injuries that keep players off the court.
Furthermore, the Heat should be penalized for Dwayne Wade's dirty play. How did that play not even garner Wade a personal foul? Wade should be suspended for a minimum of one game and possibly more if Rondo must miss games with his injury.
Even if the NBA fails to do the right thing, what Boston does have going in their favor is the devilish pact that resulted in Lebron and Bosh going to the Miami Heat and Pat Riley winning Executive of the Year.
The devil never keeps his promises, so although the Heat may be up for now with a 2 - 1 lead and Rondo injured, look for the Miami Heat to suffer the karmic repercussions of their deal with the devil.
HIGHLIGHTS OF BOSTON CELTICS vs MIAMI HEAT, 2011 NBA PLAYOFFS, GAME 3:
Boston needs Rondo to play big in order to beat the Heat. Can Rondo recover in time to put his mark on this series?
MIAMI, FL. By virtue of taking his "talents" to South Beach and joining a greater talent in Dwayne Wade, Lebron has his best chance ever to win against the team that ended his career in Cleveland. However, even a series win will not be enough to erase the legacy of his past playoff failures.
The Boston Celtics continued to dominate Lebron (along with his new team, the Heat) during the regular season; will the playoffs be any different?
It was around this time last year that the Boston Celtics played and dominated Lebron's Cleveland Cavaliers to another disappointing early dismissal from the playoffs.
As he left the court following an overall unimpressive performance in the series, he ripped his Cavaliers jersey off with visible disdain before he reached the locker room; it was a moment that will replay in the minds of Cleveland fans as it began to fuel speculation that Lebron had quit in the Boston series.
The early end of the season for Lebron and the Cavs equated to an early start to a summer of speculation about where Lebron would go in free agency. The "Summer of Lebron" saw several franchises, who had gutted their lineups to create financial flexibility in the form of capspace, vy for the attention of the most talented free agent class in a generation, particularly the "No-Ring King", himself.
Lebron basked in the constant attention leading up to the July 1st threshold for the first day of signing. Lebron wanted more time in the limelight, so he extended his personal deadline for making up his mind to July 7th. Then that day came and went with only the statement that Lebron would make his announcement July 9th. Then ESPN began promoting "The Decision" show that would take place in primetime...
Many a Cleveland home was warmed in the winter of 2010 using a Lebron jersey heating system.
Ultimately, his embarassment at the hands of Boston's Big Three may have been the catalyst for his joining fellow Superfriends Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh in Miami.
The production of not only "The Decision" show on ESPN and the subsequent introduction of Miami's free agents at the American Airlines Arena proved to be as shameless and disrespectful of the game as the threesome's alleged conspiracy to join forces following the 2008 Olympic Games.
The attention given to such a talented player who has no team-oriented success in a team sport is astounding. However, to be fair, Lebron and his dickriders made the excuse that he did not have enough help in Cleveland. I think that we can all agree that with Wade and Bosh, Lebron has more than enough help.
After being eliminated from the 2011 NBA Playoffs by the Boston Celtics for the second year in a row, Lebron exclaims, "When I said enough help, I meant I don't have enough Kevin Durants and Dwight Howards on my team!"
And when Lebron faces Boston this time, there are no more excuses. The least he can do is exorcise the demons of last season's playoff failure.
However, it will take much more than that for Lebron to redeem himself in the basketball world. He became Wade's Sidekick to win championships. He mortgaged his legacy and status in the sport in order to claim "multiple championships" (in Lebron's own words).
Anything short of that can only be defined as failure.
Attention, Miami Heat fans. Please don't wet yourself in excitement, for as anyone in Cleveland can tell you, Lebron's promises and predictions are never as good as they sound.
PHILADELPHIA, PA. Trailing by six points with only 1:35 left from being eliminated from the first round of the NBA playoffs, the Sixers were a confident bunch. They were certain that they would be on a plane going back to Miami for another game.
The feisty Philadelphia 76ers fought back to take Game 4 with great defense and huge shots from Turner, Holiday, and Williams.
Their belief has them packing their bags for Miami and preparing for another game with the Miami Superfriends.
The Sixers' comeback was built on a 10-0 run to end the game. Evan Turner, the poised and talented rookie, scored on a runner to cut the lead to four. A long Jrue Holiday three with 0:46 left cut Miami's lead to one, and on the very next trip, Lou Williams confidently rose up at the top of the key, shot over Dwayne Wade, and hit on another huge clutch three for the Sixers to put the home team ahead by two.
With an opportunity to tie or win the game with 8.1 seconds left, the Miami Heat put the ball in the hands of the Choke-King, Lebron James. He took a few dribbles towards his defender, Andre Iguodala, drove to his right, and put up a contested runner that was blocked by Elton Brand.
Lebron "Choke-King" James adds to his legacy of playoff failure with another blocked runner in the closing seconds in Game 4 against the Sixers.
Off the deflection, Turner ended up with the ball and was fouled. The rookie sank his two free throws to seal the win for the Sixers, and he finished with 17 points and 6 rebounds off the bench for Coach Doug Collins.
This continues a Miami Heat trend of struggling to close competitive games, despite having three All-Star options.
Lebron "Choke-King" James has a long history of coming up short as a closer and has been criticized for his lack of killer instinct and closing ability. Having been called upon to take the final shot in several games for the Heat this season, Lebron has not converted a single play to tie or win the game for his team.
Most objective analysts of the game have suggested that Dwayne Wade should be the one with the ball in his hands in the final seconds, and it would be crazy to think that no one in the Miami Heat organization realizes that DWade is the superior closer to Lebron.
Why is Lebron still taking the last shot then? One must guess that Lebron, with his history of being coddled and spoiled by those around him and the sensitivity to public criticism that we have seen since his move to Miami, is demanding to be given the ball in order to disprove those who have labelled him "LeBrick", "Dwayne Wade's Sidekick", and "Choke-King".
However, with every LeBrick that he throws up in the final seconds, he proves the point that he needs Dwayne Wade, he can't get it done in the clutch, and history will recall him as a sidekick, if he is remembered at all.
To be remembered, you have to win Championships. And you have to be the best player on your Championship team...
With the rise of the Chicago Bulls and Derrick Rose, who is a bonafide closer and NBA MVP leader of a young Championship-caliber team, and other talented young challengers who hunger to be great, Lebron may never sniff the NBA Finals during the prime of his career.
It may just be Lebron's Karma.
Here are highlights of the MIAMI HEAT vs. PHILADELPHIA 76ERS NBA PLAYOFF FIRST ROUND GAME 4:
Look for the Heat to have a tough time closing out the confident and well-coached Sixers on Wednesday night. If the Sixers can steal pivotal Game 5 in Miami, look for the series to possibly go 7 games.
MIAMI, FL. Dwayne Wade was in a dapper suit as he sat out the final meeting of the season between the Milwaukee Bucks and the Miami Heat.
Once again, his faithful Sidekick got the numbers but did not step up to give his team the only stat that really matters, the Win.
The Bucks physical style was just a playoff preview. Can Sidekick and the Heat take the beatdown?
The Bucks, clinging to dwindling hopes of making the playoffs, came to play, and they took an early lead and built it to a 25 - 15 advantage at the end of the first quarter.
The Heat, with their go-to guy on the bench, had to rely on Lebron to get them back into the game. With his jumper working, the Heat got back into the contest and managed to pull to within 1 point of the Bucks at 41 -40 before the Bucks defense held them scoreless for the final 3:55 of the first half, and the teams went into halftime with the score reading Bucks 45 - Heat 41.
News of the Bucks official elimination from making the playoffs came sometime during the second half of the game, but even when Miami managed to pull into a tie entering the 4th quarter, the Bucks were not going to let their efforts be wasted. If they could not be playoff contenders, they would be spoilers.
And that they did.
Lebron re-entered the game with the score tied 69 - 69 with just under nine minutes left in the game. In the final quarter, Lebron shot 2 for 6 (0 for 3 from 3-point range). Suffice it to say, there weren't any chants of "M-V-P! M-V-P!" in his own building.
Carlos Delfino stepped up in a huge way for Milwaukee. After checking in with 3:15 left in the game, he shot 2 for 3, 2 for 2 from 3-point range, with the second 3-pointer being the nail in the coffin with 0:24 seconds left in the game.
Lebron's answer for three was no good, and Milwaukee was able to make their clutch free-throws to go home with the spoiling victory.
Here are the highlights:
With the loss, the Miami Heat fell from 2nd place in the Eastern Conference to 3rd. At this moment, they would have to play the New York Knicks, who retook 6th place with a victory tonight, in the opening round. By all accounts, the Knicks would prefer a matchup with the Heat rather than play the defensive-minded and disciplined Boston Celtics.
The loss also means that, if Miami advances to the second round, they likely would face the Boston Celtics, a team they have not beaten in three meetings this season. As the lower seeded team, the Heat would not hold home court advantage, and a potential 7th game would be played in Boston.
CLEVELAND, OH. It was sweet, sweet redemption for a city that has not only suffered the humilitation of the public announcement of Lebron's "Decision", but then had to endure the humilition of their team laying down to Lebron at home in an embarassing 118 - 90 loss to the Miami Heat on December 2nd, 2010.
Cleveland fans are still upset, but on this night, they got the better of Lebron's South Beach superfriends.
After dealing away the players that didn't have the heart to play for the city of Cleveland, the Cleveland Cavaliers came to fight tonight against the Miami Heat, who ran into a very different Cleveland reception and a very different Cleveland Cavaliers team.
It began in the parking garage as, allegedly, Lebron arrived at the game with his large entourage of homies that had had free run of the Q when Lebron was the Cavaliers star, however garage attendants turned away Lebron's "guests", setting the tone for the reception Lebron would now get in Cleveland on and off the court.
Cleveland came ready to battle, hustling for every rebound and loose ball and showing an edge that was lacking from the players on the floor in the previous home meeting with the Heat.
Baron Davis, who started his career with the Cavs and was back in Cleveland by virtue of the February 24th trade that sent Mo Williams to the Clippers, was one of the new faces on the Cavs that was not present for the embarassing home loss and now brings their swagger to the Cavs/ Heat rivalry.
It was a great pickup; Davis hit on a big three pointer before the buzzer at the half, and the Cavs went into the locker room at halftime with an 11 point lead.
Baron Davis set up Gee for a big dunk in the 4th Quarter to preserve the win for the Cavaliers.
The Cavs were able to build on the lead and push it to 23 before Miami began to make a run. But the Cavs, after relinquishing some big leads this season, were able to lean on Davis' veteran leadership and big plays by J.J. Hickson (21 pts, 12 reb), Anthony Parker (20 pts, 7 reb, 2 ast), and a great defensive effort by Ryan Hollins (13 pts, 3 reb, 2 stl, 3 blks).
Here are the highlights:
Those who diminish the value of the game and the win do not really understand the larger scope. With the losses of both Chicago and Boston yesterday, a Miami win would have allowed them to gain a full game in the race for first place and home court in the Eastern Conference.
For Miami, the loss ot Cleveland could mean falling short of getting the top seed in the East. And although Miami may not necessarily need home court the way a Chicago might, it still makes Miami's potential road through the Eastern Conference playoff much more difficult, making them have to beat Boston AND Chicago, two teams they have yet to beat this season.
It is too soon to truly tell, but the gutsy win by the Cavaliers may have potentially stopped Miami from making the NBA Finals this season.
MIAMI, FL. Oklahoma City took their 4-game winning streak into Miami's American Airlines Arena to face the Heat, who after a long drought of wins, were collecting bandwagon riders again with a 3-game winning streak.
Kevin Durant scored 29 points, dunking several times for the fans, including Dwayne Wade's Sidekick.
This was Miami's first time facing the new, tougher Oklahoma City Thunder, who had acquired Kendrick Perkins, along with Nate Robinson, from the Boston Celtics for Jeff Green and Nenad Kristic at the trade deadline. The trade gave the Thunder the tough low post defender and rebounder that they have coveted to complement Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook; it was a move looking forward to playing deep into the playoffs and facing teams like Los Angeles Lakers and San Antonio Spurs.
The Miami Heat have proven very vulnerable to the particular combination that OKC was bringing into Miami on this night, and Miami once again failed to buck the trend.
The Heat have been dominated on the glass by superior teams, and the Thunder brought toughness and rebounding up front. They were able to rotate starters Kendrick Perkins and Serge Ibaka for Nick Collison and Nazr Mohammad, and their frontline helped to contribute to the Thunder's 51 - 40 edge in rebounds (17 - 9 on the offensive boards).
Russell Westbrook was too big, too strong, and too fast for the Miami defenders trying to guard him.
Deron Williams, Baron Davis, NBA MVP leader Derrick Rose, among others have proven that a big strong scoring point guard can give the Heat fits. Oklahoma City also brought a big strong point guard in Russell Westbrook, who finished with 18 points and 5 assists. The Thunder dominated the guard position; Wade scored 21 points on an inefficient 21 shots while also allowing the usually defense-focused Thabo Sefolosha to put up 8 points and 6 rebounds.
Finally, the Thunder were able to focus on the defensive end, holding the big three to 23 points on 40 shots in the second half, and the Heat did not break the 90 mark for the game. The Heat managed a mere 85 points, 16 points below their season average. The Thunder's transition defense kept the Heat fast break in check, winning the fast break stat 18 - 15 for the game.
Dwayne Wade's Sidekick is featured on another poster, this time it's Kevin Durant's poster.
Oh, yes, and a guy named Kevin Durant led the Thunder with 29 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists, scoring in a multitude of ways on his defender, Lebron James. I suppose tonight was a bad night for Lebron to have "chill time".
MIAMI, FL. The panic meter must be pretty high for grown men to cry tears after a regular season NBA game.
Miami has not announced that the panic meter's alarm is going off, but in recent weeks, as Miami languishes in a losing streak that has reached 5 games, body language has revealed much about the fragility of the Heat player's psychological makeup.
Bosh admitted to "being on the verge of tears", but who was the Miami Heat cryer?
Finally, Heat Head Coach Erik Spoestra stated in the post-game interview after the infamous "Crying Game", the March 6th Miami loss to NBA MVP favorite Derrick Rose and the Chicago Bulls, that there were players crying in the locker room. He wouldn't name any specific players.
However, after a summer which ended with Chris Bosh and Lebron James, two All-Star players that could not win an NBA Championship with their respective teams, being vilified and called crybabies, the statement by Coach Spoestra meant to indicate that the Heat players actually care about the games they've lost in embrassing fashion, became nothing more than more fuel for the fire.
Mike and Mike had this to say about the Post-Crying Game Miami Heat:
Phil Jackson chimed in on the eve of his Los Angeles Lakers facing the Heat with his usual dry wit: "This is the NBA: No Boys Allowed. Big boys don't cry. But, if you're going to do it, do it in the toilet where no one can see."
Stan Van Gundy, Head Coach of the Orlando Magic and former Head Coach of the Miami Heat, made these comments about Miami's complaints that they are under scrutiny by the media: "I do chuckle a little bit when they sort of complain about the scrutiny they get. My suggestion would be if you don't want the scrutiny, you don't hold a championship celebration before you've even practiced together. It's hard to go out yourself and invite that kind of crowd and celebration and attention, and then when things aren't going well, sort of bemoan the fact that you're getting that attention. To me, that doesn't follow."
Anti Lebron fans also piled it on after "The Crying Game" via their favorite social media outlet, using facebook and twitter to make light of the "struggles" of these multimillion-dollar athletes whose major concern in life is winning a game that most people play for recreation and exercise.
While some families are truly struggling to pay their mortgage, their hospital bills, their credit card bills, and hoping to have enough left to feed their children, some of the Heat players were crying about losing a basketball game.
They won't admit who they are. And that is good because they should be embarassed and ashamed--embarassed that they are crying about something so trivial as a regular season basketball game, and ashamed that not only did they assemble as a team to take the easiest path to their championship but that success at something so trivial still eludes them despite their conspiracy.
They selfishly rigged the game to give themselves every advantage, and then they talk about Karma punishing those who they themselves have punished. Why don't they see that Karma has been acting now as it always does?
Because they are the very definition of a LeBiatch.
MIAMI, FL. One game after losing to the Chicago Bulls at home and after Heat Coach Erik Spoelstra came out and stated that tears were shed in the locker room over the loss, the Heat had a chance to ignite a turnaround against the visiting Portland Trailblazers. Same not-so-superteam, same not-so-super results.
Aldridge and new Blazer Gerald Wallace smothered Lebron and the Heat from beginning to end.
The visiting Portland Trailblazers, behind 26 points from LaMarcus Aldridge and 22 points, 9 boards from new Blazer Gerald Wallace, got ahead of the Heat going into the final minutes of the game.
Dwayne Wade, who finished the game with 38 points, got the Heat to within 2 points with 5:26 remaining in the game.
Clutch threes by Brandon Roy and Wes Matthews to beat the shot clock kept the Trailblazers ahead, and time ran out on the Heat.
It is unclear whether any more tears were shed by Dwayne Wade, Dwayne Wade's Sidekick, or the any other Heat players after losing their 5th straight and 6 of the last 7 games.
"The Crying Game", Sunday's home loss to the Chicago Bulls and NBA MVP leader Derrick Rose after owning a double digit lead in the first half and ultimately resulting in the Chicago Bulls sweeping the season series and taking a full game lead over the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference standings, was so traumatizing to the fragile not-so-superteam that according to Heat Head Coach Erik Spoestra, some players shed tears in the locker room after the game. He stopped short of naming players by name.
It was a clear example of not being able to win when it counts. Last week, losses to the Knicks, the Magic, and the league-leading Spurs along with Chicago wins pulled the teams even in the loss column and in a statistical tie for 2nd place in the Eastern Conference. Miami wanted to come out and make a statement against the visiting Bulls and their NBA MVP leader.
However, as much as they wanted to, their 3 Super Friends could not match the teamwork and defense of the Bulls who came from a 12 point deficit to win in the final minutes. The Bulls completed a sweep of the season series on the Heat's home court. The Heat, after wanting the win and falling short, could do nothing but cry.
Without the quick and easy success they hoped for, how soon until the Heat fracture?
How much can the Heat's failure be tied to Lebron's statement, "Karma is a b****.. Gets you every time..."? If you believe in Karma, you also have to believe that Miami and Lebron are due some serious payback for all the things that they did leading up to and following Lebron's "Decision". The selfish reasons and actions of those players were not in alignment with the positive result they were hoping for. Karma can not provide positive results for selfish and negative energy.
For all the preseason talk of the Miami "Superteam" and a possible shattering of the 72 win record, the Heat are failing now that the schedule has put the challenge of playoff teams and title contenders in their path. These were not the drill cones that allowed Dwayne Wade's Sidekick to put up 50+ points. These are the NBA elite, and the test has proven too much.
MIAMI, FL. With another victory over the Miami Heat, in another game that they clearly treated like a must win, the Bulls took the Heat's best shot and did what they have done to the Heat twice before, came back and won behind great team defense and leadership from Derrick Rose.
A week and a half since Derrick Rose helped carry the Chicago Bulls back from 18 points down to win against the Miami Heat in Chicago, he cemented his claim to the NBA MVP award with his play and leadership in bringing the Bulls back from a 12 point deficit to another victory over the Heat.
Check out this amazing play where Derrick Rose takes it in with Jordan-like killer instinct and scores on both Dwayne Wade and Dwayne Wade's Sidekick:
Despite the Bulls clawing way back and finally taking the lead from Miami about midway through the 4th quarter, the Miami Heat stayed close mostly because of Dwayne Wade's efforts. Wade had 9 of his 20 points in the fourth to keep the Heat close.
Rose put up 8 points of his own in the final quarter, and the Bulls went into the final possession with a 1 point lead.
It was deja vu for the Heat, who had lost 3 in a row and 4 of their last 5 games. Three of their losses were decided on the final possession of the game, where they were unable to come through with a score.
Lebron got the ball at the top of the key, defended by Joakim Noah. Lebron drove and put up a contested shot that hit high off the backboard. Wade came up with the rebound and put up a short jumper but also missed.
This has been an amazing weekend for the Bulls, who won a great game against Orlando two days ago. And recently, Hollinger put out his statistical analyses that not only supported the Bulls not making a move at the trade deadline (and keeping Omer Asik and Taj Gibson) but also revealing that the Bulls have the best statistical chance of reaching the NBA Finals from the Eastern Conference.
Chicago fans are too down to earth for such things to get their hopes too high, but they are all united in the Derrick Rose for MVP sentiment.
With another victory over Sidekick and the Heat, Rose has the swagger of an MVP.
The evolution of Derrick Rose has been amazing. After a summer where he started for Team USA and helped them to win Gold at the 2010 World Championships, he stated in his usual modest tone that he wanted to be NBA Most Valuable Player.
He has now taken a team that was thought to be about the 4th or 5th best team in the Eastern Conference and has them in sole possession of the 2nd seed in the East behind Boston. And he has managed to do this with Carlos Boozer missing a month at the beginning of the season and Joakim Noah missing nearly two months for surgery, as well.
For all these reasons, most true fans of the game of basketball acknowledge that Derrick Rose is the most deserving of the NBA MVP, and at this point, he has another statistic in his favor against his closest competitor: a three game sweep of the regular season series over the Heat and coming through when his team needed him the most.
SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS. The league's best team proved it once again as they also proved that good team basketball trumps a Big Three every time.
A night after the Orlando Magic erased a 24 point deficit to beat the Heat, the Spurs had eight players in double figures and pummeled the Heat on their way to a decisive 30 point victory, adding to their league-leading record.
Tony Parker returned in just a week from a calf injury that Spurs trainers had expected to keep Parker out of the lineup for at least a month. Parker was extremely efficient, putting up 15 points, 2 rebounds, and 8 assists. Tony Parker was a plus/minus of +31 for the game.
Tony Parker returned early from injury to help lead the Spurs to a 30 point win over Lebron.
The Spurs started hot from downtown, hitting eight 3-pointers, and built a 24 point lead in the first quarter. Ginobili lead the charge with 11 of his 20 points in the first quarter. The Spurs built on their lead in the second quarter and cruised to the easy victory.
The Spurs connected on a franchise best 17 three pointers, lead by Matt Bonner, who went 4 for 4, and Manu Ginobili, who went 3 for 4.
The 30 point loss was the biggest of the season for the Heat. The previous biggest loss of the season was a 28-point loss to the Denver Nuggets, before the huge midseason trade that sent Carmelo Anthony to the New York Knicks.
It was a crushing embarrassment after giving up a 24 point lead to lose to Orlando the night before. The Heat have now lost 3 in a row and 4 of the last 5 games.
The Heat are now 1 W - 8 L vs the Spurs, Celtics, Mavs, Bulls, and Lakers.
It continues a disturbing trend of failure against the NBA's best teams. The Heat are now 1 win and 8 losses against the 5 top teams in the league: San Antonio, Boston, Dallas, Chicago, and Los Angeles.
It seems that teams have figured out how to beat the one-dimensional Heat. The teams that have had success against the Heat boast strong point guard play, great rebounding, and are committed to defending in transition, where the Heat try to score most of their points. The Spurs executed that formula to perfection tonight.
Things don't get easier for the embattled Heat who face the NBA MVP leader, Derrick Rose, and the charging Chicago Bulls on Sunday.
MIAMI, FL. Another potential Eastern Conference playoff test, and another fail for DWade, Lebron, and the newly christened, Bosh Spice.
The "STAT" is incredible (pun intended!): The Miami Heat's record is just 1 win and 7 losses against the top 6 teams in the league, and they have not yet faced the NBA leading San Antonio Spurs. Heat fans and staff that believe that this will magically change in the brighter lights of the playoffs is fooling themselves.
Melo put up 29 and 9 vs. Lebron, and defended him to seal the game.
The Knicks are not in the top 6 NBA teams by record. However, the new look New York Knicks, who got a superstar facelift with the addition of Carmelo Anthony and Chauncey Billups, may be in the same league now. Without having many chances to practice together since coming together, they got to test their mettle against the presumptive most-talented team in the league in the Miami Heat, and the results helped to justify the midseason blockbuster trade.
Carmelo Anthony had 29 points and 9 rebounds and took on the challenge of guarding Lebron James on the two final chances for the Miami Heat. Dwayne Wade's Sidekick was unable to make a play either time.
Billups lived up to the name, "Mr. Big Shot", as he hit the huge 3 point shot that gave the Knicks the lead in the 4th Quarter after the Knicks trailed by as much as 15 points.
Amare' was solid. Though below his usual production, his 16 points, 10 boards, 3 assists, and 1 block do not adequately reflect the intangibles of leadership and toughness that has been his mark on the 2010-2011 New York Knicks team that has been built around him.
It was Amare' Stoudemire that announced that no one is afraid of the Miami Heat; and then his Knick team beat them in their last meeting, at Madison Square Garden. It should be Lebron and Miami that should be afraid of the Knicks:
There may be different players now, but the results were the same.
Despite falling behind by 15 points, the Knicks' resilience, Billups' big 3 pointer, great clutch free-throw shooting, and the futility of the Lebron-lead Heat offense sealed the 5 point win by the Knicks at Miami.
The Key play of the game was a drive by Dwayne Wade's Sidekick with 12.7 seconds. Carmelo stayed in front of his man, and Amare' Stoudemire came over from the weak side to swat Lebron's shot. Despite his whining and pleas for a foul, the refs stood by their correct call. WITNESS THIS:
Free-throws by Williams increased the lead to 3 points, and Lebron and the Heat would have another chance.
Sidekick got the ball at the top of the key and attempted a 3 pointer to tie, but for the second time in three games, his prayer was not even close. With another failed final shot attempt, I think that Lebron has earned his name "LeBrick".
The week only gets tougher for the Miami Heat: on Thursday, they face division foe, Orlando. And on Friday, they finally play the NBA-leading San Antonio Spurs.
MADISON SQUARE GARDEN, NYC, NY. The prodigal son returns, and he brings with him enough talent to make the New York Knicks a contender again.
After a nearly 3 year rebuilding project focused on the Free Agent Class of 2010 and a courtship of Lebron James that ended when he made his infamous "Decision" to take his talents to South Beach, the New York Knicks now have the Top 5 NBA player to headline the Madison Square Garden marquee.
Melo and Chauncey Billups are headed to play at Madison Square Garden.
The New York Knicks and Denver Nuggets finally completed the trade that took most of the season to work out. A package headlined by Carmelo Anthony and Chauncey Billups will join the Knicks in return for a package of 3 Knicks starters (Raymond Felton, Wilson Chandler, and Danilo Gallinari), a young center (24 year old Timofey Mosgov), 3 draft picks (the Knicks 2014 First Round Pick and the Golden State Warriors 2012 and 2013 Second Round Picks), and $3 million in cash.
The Minnesota Timberwolves were also involved in the deal, taking on Eddy Curry's expiring contract and Anthony Randolph in exchange for Corey Brewer going to the Knicks. This helped Denver drop their salary this season by $25 million, saving them significantly on the luxury tax.
Although the "Summer of Lebron" was disappointing to Knicks fans, the free agent acquisition on Amare' Stoudemire was not only an incredible bright spot, it may have been the first domino that has now landed Carmelo Anthony with the Knicks.
Amare' has been a beast for the Knicks this season, and he has answered any question about his knee and about his legacy apart from Steve Nash. He has been the team leader for the surprising New York Knicks, who recently knocked off the Miami Heat, and as a result, has been prominent in the MVP conversation.
Both Carmelo Anthony and Amare' Stoudemire have expressed an interest to play together, and the two former Western All Star forwards will have the chance to play together now, with the New York Knicks.
Melo returns to his hometown, where he also played one season of college ball for Syracuse University. He ruled the mecca of basketball and lead his Syracuse Orangemen to their first National Championship in 2003. Melo will now have the chance to bring an NBA Championship to his hometown New York Knicks.
Sometimes it's the guy you don't get that makes your team better. The then Seattle Supersonics missed on Greg Oden and ended up with a guy by the name of Kevin Durant.
The Knicks did not get Lebron James, but in Carmelo Anthony, they have the perfect outside scorer to complement Amare' Stoudmire inside. And we have yet to see Lebron come through with a clutch score in the closing seconds.
When it comes to clutch players, in Amare' and Melo, the Knicks now have two. Can a New York Big 3 be coming soon?
LOS ANGELES, CA. It was something that NBA Basketball fans of the world never really got to see: Micheal Jordan vs. Kobe Bryant when both were close to their primacy.
However, the 2011 NBA All Star Game was yet another chapter in Kobe vs Lebron (AKA Dwayne Wade's Sidekick, now), and despite having the support of his two superfriends teammates, DWade and Chris Bosh, Sidekick still missed out on the big prize of the night: All Star Game MVP.
Bryant, once again, was the star that burned brightest, on this occasion, in front of his home town, "Hollywood" crowd at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, CA. He put up 21 first-half points on his way to 37 points, 14 rebounds, 3 assists, and 3 steals in leading the West to victory.
Kobe still soars higher than Lebron whenever there is a big prize on the line.
Sidekick once again settled for a distant second prize (possible foreshadowing to come?). Lebron put up a triple-double to become only the second player to do that in an NBA All Star Game.
Michael Jordan, of course, was the first, although the feat resulted in a victory for Jordan's East team in 1997. As we've come to know, Sidekick can put up gaudy numbers, but not to carry his team to a win when it counts.
The NBA All Star Game MVP Award was Kobe's 4th of his career, tying Bob Petit for most in NBA history. When it counted, Lebron couldn't stop Kobe from extending his lead in career accomplishments, and Sidekick falls further behind in the comparisons.
Kobe has won his championships and individual awards while Lebron has been an elite player in the league, which for all intents and purposes, remove Lebron from any conversations for Greatest of All Time... Only Greatest of All Time Disappointments given his talent and physical gifts.
The pivotal moment of the game that captures the careers of Kobe and Lebron in a single illustrative snapshot was when Kobe had a fast break and saw Lebron out of the corner of his eye pursuing. Without hesitation, Kobe accelerated, knowing Lebron would try to sneak in from behind and block the shot, and threw it down.
Kobe laid to rest any talk of Lebron is better than Kobe in just one great moment.
The play captures the Killer Instinct that Michael Jordan had and that Kobe has shown throughout his career; Lebron has always been criticized for not measuring up in this respect, and for all those who keep believing that some day he might develop a Killer Instinct, he won't--he joined DWade's team because he is not that type of player.
He's the guy that can sneak up on you when you're not conscious of him, but if it's the final play of the game and you key your defense on him, he can't get it done. That's what superstars do. That's what closers do.
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS. You could not have scheduled the NBA season any better. On day 3 as the top team in the Eastern Conference, Dwayne Wade's Sidekick took his talents to Boston for a meeting between the former top team in East, the Boston Celtics.
Wade, Bosh, and Sidekick suited up for the game, and there would not be the excuse that one of the superfriends was injured. And despite being a regular season game, there was indeed something on the line in this contest: first place in the Eastern Conference and, potentially, the tiebreaker for homecourt advantage in the East.
Rondo went for a triple double and locked down Sidekick when called on.
As a Sidekick once said, "Karma is a B*tch." Just when he thought hitting the "Easy Button" and joining DWade's team was finally getting him everything he'd dreamed of the easiest way possible, there were the Boston Celtics to snap him back to reality. Again.
The game went down to the wire after the Miami Heat were able to erase a 13-point 4th quarter deficit, but with the score at Heat 81, Celtics 83, and a chance to tie Boston in his hands with two free throws, Lebron managed to miss his first crucial free throw and made only the second, leaving his team still trailing by 1 point.
The Heat sent Glen Davis to the line for Boston, and he calmly hit both to keep his team up by three.
On the closing opportunity for Miami, Lebron dribbled around and passed off to Mike Miller for a last second 3-point attempt that skidded off the rim. It was later revealed that Miller had just been cleared before the game after suffering from a concussion.
Whenever the Heat have put a game in Sidekick's hands, they've come away with an "L".
After the game, Sidekick was inundated with question about his inability to beat the Celtics, the team that sent Lebron home from the playoffs last year (the infamous "Quitness" game) to contemplate where he would go as a free agent. With an 0 Win, 3 Loss record against Boston this year, it would seem that Lebron's decision was a wrong one.
With the win, the Boston Celtics reclaimed the top spot in the Eastern Conference, and with it, Boston now holds the tie-breaker over the Heat for home court advantage in the Eastern Conference playoffs. However, without a loss to Miami this season, it doesn't seem to matter to the Celts where the games are played.
The final meeting of the season between the Miami Heat and Boston Celtics is April 10th in Miami. Expect Miami to pump themselves up to win a meaningless moral victory heading into the playoffs.
NEW YORK CITY, NY. Sidekick clanked shot after shot, and DWade cooled off in the 4th quarter as the New York Knicks pulled away and beat the Miami Heat tonight in front of a raukus crowd of pumped up Knicks fans at Madison Square Garden in NYC.
Amare Stoudemire dunks on Joel Anthony and Sidekick, who just bends over and takes it.
It was a great game for the Knicks, who not only overcame a difficult loss to Miami in their previous meeting at Madison Square Garden and the continued speculation of trading for Carmelo Anthony, but also a hot shooting Dwayne Wade who powered the Miami Heat through the first three quarters on a scorching 14 of 15 shooting from the field.
The New York Knicks' MVP candidate, Amare Stoudemire, kept the Knicks close in spite of Wade's hot shooting, and Danilo Gallinari, Landry Fields, and Raymond Felton stepped up for the Knicks in the fourth quarter to secure the win for the hometown team.
New York was finally able to contain Wade (0 for 7 in the fourth quarter), and Sidekick, as he did in last year's playoffs against the Boston Celtics, joined the "Quitness Protection Program", missing shot after shot in the final quarter when his team needed him. Sidekick finished with 24 points, but only shot 7 for 24 for the game.
This was a huge win for the Knicks, not only to beat an Eastern Conference rival, but the victory clearly shows the potential of a team that could potentially add Carmelo Anthony this summer in free agency, without losing any significant parts.
The invitation to join a team that can already beat, arguably, the most talented team in the NBA, the Miami Heat, could prove too much to resist for Melo, a native New Yorker who won a National Championship at Syracuse University.
The only thing standing in the way of New York's return to the elite of the basketball world? A poor "decision" like Lebron's.
