// MIAMI — Did the basketball gods just play a cruel joke on us? Tuesday night’s Game 4 of the NBA Finals has come and gone, and although the game was competitive and entertaining, I feel cheated. I wanted LeBron James and Russell Westbrook to go at each other over the final two minutes of the game, continuing their epic showdown. Instead, neither walked proudly off the court as the game ended. In the game’s final minute, the Miami Heat should have needed James—the
Game 4 of the NBA Finals is just a couple of hours away, and the main story heading into the game seems to be centered around what Serge Ibaka said about LeBron James and how he responded. Find out what has been said below and see if you agree with James’ reaction to it all. Also, be sure to check out the latest on Phil Jackson’s state of mind. The story of the day is Serge Ibaka’s lame attempt at discrediting
Last week, we showed you a snippet of Phil Jackson’s interview with HBO Real Sports, where he claimed he would never have accepted the coaching job of the New York Knicks due to their clumsiness. Since then, plenty more of the Zen Master’s thoughts on some of the most relevant matters have popped up, from why he ultimately left the Los Angeles Lakers and what he really wanted from Kobe Bryant. Jim Buss and Phil Jackson had a philosophical difference: Asked if Jim
MIAMI — How in the world does a team win when it makes just 20 percent of its outside shots? The Miami Heat were 8-of-40 on jumpers during Game 3 of the NBA Finals … and they won. The prime reason the Heat were able to sneak away with the victory was because they attacked the paint, attacked the paint and attacked the paint some more. With one of the best driving forces of all time on their side in LeBron James, along
Game 3 of the NBA Finals is in the books, and the Thunder looked like a “young team” perhaps for the first time in the postseason. There was plenty to be discussed on why they fell short, from Kevin Durant’s foul trouble, Harden’s poor play and Westbrook’s limited minutes. David Aldridge on Kevin Durant and Westbrook’s growth since last season: “We don’t know what the Thunder will ultimately do with this group. But whatever they’re going to become, it’s happening now,
// MIAMI — You realize the Thunder had us spoiled, right? All playoffs long, they’ve been a comeback team. In Game 1 and Game 2, they were a comeback team. For nearly 2 months, they’ve looked wise beyond their years. After the Oklahoma City Thunder lost Game 3 of the NBA Finals on Sunday night, I wrote that squandering an opportunity to take a 2-1 lead after holding the Heat to 37.8 percent shooting and forcing nine fourth-quarter turnovers was a sign
Every year, Jimmy Kimmel on ABC provides entertaining segments on his show (Jimmy Kimmel Live!) with coverage of the NBA Finals, and this year has been no different. Check out Guillermo hysterically butcher the name of every player, call Derek Fisher a 65-year-old and most importantly, his notable interview with LeBron James. For Metta World Peace calling out James Harden, click here. For Jeremy Lin and Roy Hibbert on Jimmy Kimmel, click here. For all blog items, click here. Follow @NBATupark //
// Do the Miami Heat have the momentum after their second straight NBA Finals win over the Oklahoma City Thunder? Not necessarily. I am not a big believer in momentum, because I believe each game in a series is an opportunity for each team to create its own positive forward energy. In Game 3, the Heat did make a concerted effort to get the ball inside. They held the edge in second-chance points and fast-break points, indicating an advantage in effort. And