MIAMI – If you are Chris Bosh, there’s got to be part of you hoping the Miami Heat goes down in flames in your absence. There’s gotta be. I’m not saying it’s a large part. Maybe it’s just a tiny part. It’s human. It’s OK to be human. It’s OK to want to be missed. So I’m guessing if you’re Chris Bosh, and you’re sidelined for the remainder of this second-round playoff series against Indiana because of a strained abdominal muscle, there’s
Through the first four games of this season’s playoffs, every series had one team that held at least a 3-1 lead. So not many expected any of the series to go to a full seven games, but two of them did, and they turned out to be quite the battles until the very end. The winners of those games turned out to be both Los Angeles teams, who are moving through to the Western Conference semifinals together for the first time ever. Since
Congratulations to LeBron James on winning his third MVP award. Now go win a title. Seriously. Neither of us is getting any younger. As avid readers of this site are aware, I cast my MVP vote for Chris Paul of the Los Angeles Clippers, for reasons stated in this column. Five other voters agreed with me from a cast of 121 voters — sportswriters and broadcasters throughout the United States and Canada, as well as an NBA.com MVP fan vote. James collected 85 first-place votes. Kevin
On Sunday, the Miami Heat and the Indiana Pacers are set to square off in the second round of the Eastern Conference playoffs. Before the season began, most people would have expected the Heat to be playing in the second round, but few would have thought that the Pacers would be here. After winning their respective first-round series in five games each, LeBron James and Danny Granger will lead their respective teams in a battle for the right to head
Everyone wanted another glorious chapter in the Knicks-Heat rivalry. Everyone wanted the surging Knicks to catch the overconfident Heat by surprise. Everyone wanted a motivated Carmelo Anthony to outplay a befuddled LeBron James. Everyone wanted Amar’e Stoudemire and Tyson Chandler to overwhelm Miami’s questionable frontcourt. Everyone wanted an ultimate game, the way these teams settled matters every year from 1997 to 2000. You know what? That was almost a generation ago. It doesn’t matter anymore. What matters is the Heat have James, and Wade,
KNICKS/HEAT There will be no more professional basketball in New York City, at least until next season as the Knicks fall to the Miami Heat in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference first round series on Wednesday night in Miami, 106-94. LeBr0n James had 29 points, eight rebounds and seven assists, Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade both scored 19 points. Carmelo Anthony scored 35 points for the Knicks. Anthony has played 54 postseason games, being part of wins only 17 times. Amare Stoudemire scored 14 points, Landry Fields and J.R. Smith both added 12,Mike
Even after a five-game first-round playoff series win over New York, questions remain as to whether this Heat team is title material.
What looked to be a fast ending to the first round of the playoffs took a turn for the competitive good on Tuesday night when three of the four teams that faced elimination – the Hawks, Bulls and Nuggets – all survived to play a Game 6. The New York Knicks and Memphis Grizzlies are in the same boat – down 3-1 in their respective series – and they will try to avoid elimination on Wednesday night rather than go fishing,