Now to let the Young Guns shoot it out. … If you’re going to hear that a lot the next week or two, some of these guns are a lot younger than others. By 2007, when LeBron James and Dwyane Wade had both been in NBA Finals, Kevin Durant had yet to be drafted; Russell Westbrook was an unheralded UCLA freshman who had played nine minutes a game; and James Harden was even less heralded as a high school sophomore. Durant, Westbrook and
At the beginning of the season, Chris Sheridan polled our writers and asked for their predictions on a number of things, including the NBA Finals matchup and eventual winner. Chris Perkins, Chris Silva, and I picked the Thunder and the Heat to represent their respective conferences, and all three of us picked the Heat to win the whole thing. See for yourself. In the interest of full disclosure, though, I’ll point out that along the way, I changed my East pick to
So it’s Heat vs. Thunder in the Finals. The big question now is what happens to the Big Three in Boston, with Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen unrestricted free agents and Paul Pierce a potential trade candidate. We’ve got that, and all the latest news from around the NBA. From Alex Kennedy at HoopsWorld, Doc Rivers doesn’t want this to be the end of the Big Three. “I don’t know,” Rivers said. “I think we’re going to wait and see what
It is Chris Bosh’s lot in life to be the third member of the “Big Three.” In the Heat heirarchy, he always is placed behind LeBron James and Dwyane Wade, whose games are more captivating and awe-inspiring. He was mocked last season for crying after a string of tough losses. In this postseason, his nine-game absence due to an abdominal strain was somewhat minimized when James and Wade snapped out of their doldrums and put together an awesome two-pronged attack that obliterated
MIAMI – Crown him again. LeBron James, the most scrutinized athlete on the planet, is, indeed, The King. King of the Miami Heat, that is. He proved it again Saturday while leading his Miami Heat (yes, His Miami Heat) to a 101-88 Game 7 victory against Boston in the Eastern Conference finals. Step aside, Dwyane Wade. This is now LeBron’s team, and that’s not a bad thing. “He’s the best basketball player in the world,” Heat forward Chris Bosh said. James finished Game 7 with 31
So be it. Heat advance, and begin immediate preparation for the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Celtics looked sluggish in the second half, and it was truly a disappointing loss, especially considering their cloudy future. The Heat are the better team, and it showed tonight, especially with Chris Bosh in the lineup. The storyline is this; LeBron James vs. Kevin Durant. Yes, both teams are great, and players like Russell Westbrook, Dwayne Wade, James Harden, and Chris Bosh are all
Remember when Dwyane Wade had an absolutely spectacular block on a Brandon Bass’ dunk attempt back in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals? Click here to refresh your memory. Bass was more prepared for Wade in Game 7. After stealing a telegraphed pass from Wade, Bass went down the length of the floor for the monster jam against the shooting guard. (via @Jose3030) Bass had a terrific first half with 14 points and four steals, holding down the fort while Kevin Garnett
All eyes are on the huge Game 7 between the Heat and the Celtics Saturday night, but the rest of the league isn’t quiet either. Here’s a roundup of the latest news from the NBA: Stan Van Gundy defended Erik Spoelstra pretty vehemently on the Dan LeBatard Show in Miami yesterday. In response to Chris Broussard of ESPN saying Spoelstra is in over his head, Van Gundy said “My first thought is that Chris Broussard has no knowledge of coaching and
