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")
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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.
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. 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.
