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Derrick Rose Can't Rescue Bulls in Game 4 Loss to Heat

Heading into Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals, Chicago Bulls star point guard and league MVP Derrick Rose said he needed to be more aggressive in order to overcome the Miami Heat's suffocating defense. 

Rose definitely did his damndest to live up to that idea. By halftime, he had taken 14 shots, and ended up with a game-high 27. The last time he took that many shots was in Game 3 of the conference semifinals against the Atlanta Hawks, an effort that resulted in a career-high 44 points and a Bulls win.

Despite all his shots in game 4 on Tuesday night, Rose was not nearly as productive. He made just eight field goals and scored just 23 points.

All of that could have been forgiven if the Bulls had won. But they lost 101-93, giving them their first three-game losing streak of the season. They are now one loss away from having their season come to a close.

But wait, it gets worse. In case you missed it, the loss was kinda Rose's fault.

MUST READ: The Greatest Playoff Run in the History of Each NBA Franchise

Make no mistake, Rose and the Bulls definitely had their chances to win Game 4, but Rose just couldn't come through.

Rose had a chance to give the Bulls the lead with two free throws with the Heat leading 86-85 with 1:09 to go, and he missed one of them.

With 28 seconds to go, Rose again had a shot to give the Bulls the lead, but missed a mid-range jumper.

After a huge offensive foul by LeBron James with eight seconds to go, Rose got the final shot. He air balled it.

In the overtime period, Rose did not score a single point, and the Heat outscored the Bulls 16-8 to put themselves within a win of the Finals.

There's no point in sugarcoating it, Derrick Rose choked.

The good news: Game 5 is in Chicago on Thursday night, and the fat lady isn't signing quite yet. Now that he's choked once, the only thing left for Rose to do is lead the Bulls on an impossible comeback.

I don't know about you, but I don't doubt his ability to do so.

Toronto Raptors Could Target Jan Vesely with No. 5 Pick in 2011 NBA Draft

ESPN NBA Draft honcho Chad Ford unveiled his latest mock draft on Tuesday. For the most part, there was nothing out of the ordinary, but Ford did drop a pretty juicy hint about the Toronto Raptors' draft plans.

Ford mocked Jan Vesely, a 6-11 power forward from the Czech Republic, to the Raptors at No. 5, and he said it wasn't entirely random.

Writes Ford:

Now that [general manager] Bryan Colangelo has his extension, he can afford to take more risks. The question is … who does he gamble on? Last week we had [Jonas] Valanciunas here. He's still in the mix, but I've been told that Vesely is even higher on his list.

It makes sense that Colangelo would be interested in Vesely. He is a very good athlete that can run the floor, play on the perimeter, and finish at the rim. If you're thinking he sounds like a good fit for the hole left by Chris Bosh's departure, you would be right.

MUST READ: The 50 Best 2011 NBA Draft Prospects

Valanciunas, a 6-10 forward from Lithuania, would also be a good pick, but he doesn't seem to be quite as NBA-ready as Vesely is. Seeing as how the Raptors won just 22 games this season, they need help now.

In addition to Vesely and Valanciunas, Ford mentions UConn point guard Kemba Walker and Kentucky point guard Brandon Knight as options for the Raptors. If the Raptors choose to go that route, they may have to consider moving Jose Calderon. He's a good player, so the Raptors could probably find a buyer.

Of course, that depends on the lockout more than anything else. The longer it lasts, the harder it is for teams to make trades. Because of that, taking Vesely or Valanciunas is probably safer.

We'll find out on June 23.

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Ricky Rubio Hesitant to Commit to T-Wolves with Lockout Looming

It's been nearly two years since the Minnesota Timberwolves used the No. 5 pick in the draft on Spanish sensation Ricky Rubio. And as we all know, Rubio has yet to play a single game for them.

Instead, Rubio has remained overseas, and the Timberwolves have remained terrible. In a perfect world, Rubio would join their ranks for the 2011-2012 season, allowing both parties to put the last two years in the rear-view mirror.

There's just one problem: the lockout.

Yes, the NBA's collective bargaining agreement is due to expire at the end of the season. Because of that, the word from the Pioneer Press is that Rubio is unsure about committing to joining the Timberwolves for next season.

Apparently, Rubio wants to wait until the CBA situation is resolved before he makes up his mind, but Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor said his team needs to know before the draft (June 23).

Said Taylor of Rubio:

He's asking how that [lockout] might affect him, if we don't play or if we will play. And our answer is, 'We won't know the answer to that question. You're going to have to make your decision before that.'

We [NBA owners] are negotiating with the players right now. We're hopeful we'll play. But I don't want to guarantee him that because there's no way that I know that.

MUST READ: The 50 Best 2011 NBA Draft Prospects

At this point, it would cost over $1 million for Rubio to buy out his contract, and NBA rules won't allow any team to spend more than $500,000 on a contract buyout. Whether Rubio wants to pay the other half of the $1 million is up to him.

"He has given us indications that he's very interested. But until he signs, I'm really hesitant to say anything," said Taylor.

As well he should be. It's not exactly guaranteed that Rubio is going to find fortune and glory if he comes to the NBA, so it's not at all surprising that he is still on the fence about giving up the sweet life he has in Spain.

In fact, if Rubio is still that hesitant to come over, the lockout situation is pretty darned convenient. For the first time, the problem is not with the Timberwolves, but with the NBA as a whole. As such, it will be hard to argue with him if he chooses to stay in Spain next season.

Of course, this situation is probably going to get even more interesting after a new CBA is reached. Salaries are due for a decrease, which means that Rubio would be asked to take less money to come to a still-crappy situation.

In other words, Rubio is probably not walking through that door any time soon.

Latest NBA Trade Rumor Concerns Minnesota's No. 20 Pick

The Minnesota Timberwolves weren't fortunate enough to land the No. 1 overall pick in the 2011 NBA Draft at last week's lottery. They had a 25 percent chance to get it, but instead walked away with the No. 2 pick.

Because the general consensus is that this year's draft class is pretty weak, many have speculated about whether or not the Timberwolves are better off trading the No. 2 pick. Team owner Glen Taylor has acknowledged that this is a possibility.

However, at least one person thinks there's a better chance of the Timberwolves trading the No. 20 pick.

This is the word from SI.com's Sam Amick, who has it on good authority that Minnesota's second pick in the first round can definitely be had.

Writes Amick:

While it's widely known that Minnesota is open to discussing trades involving it's No. 2 pick, a source said the Timberwolves' No. 20 pick is even more available.

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I want to say this makes sense, but it does and it doesn't. There's not that much talent within the lottery, and there's even less talent outside the lottery. As such, that No. 20 pick may not be worth very much.

Then again, the possibility exists that a team in the lower third of the first will identify a player they think is a steal, and they might conclude that trading up to No. 20 pick will be worth their trouble.

For example, you can look at a player like Providence shooting guard Marshon Brooks. He's not really regarded as a lottery pick, but he is definitely starting to get noticed. Teams could very well start jockeying for position for a chance to draft him, and Minnesota's No. 20 pick could be their ticket.

Of course, the Timberwolves could just as easily take Brooks in that scenario.

Either way, they have a month to figure it out. Draft day is on June 23.

Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images

Miami Heat Will Eject Abusive Fans

As we speak, the Miami Heat and Chicago Bulls are playing Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals, the second game of the series to take place at Miami's AmericanAirlines Arena.

Game 3 in Miami was on Sunday, and it saw the Heat take a 2-1 series lead. However, the game itself was almost a footnote compared to the story that started to develop in the first quarter when Bulls center Joakim Noah was caught on camera directing a gay slur at a fan behind the Chicago bench.

Noah apologized immediately after the game and admitted that he was in the wrong, but the NBA ultimately fined him $50,000.

However, that doesn't mean this particular case is closed. According to the South Florida Sun Sentinel, the Miami Heat have made it clear that fans who dare to make offensive remarks could be ejected.

"In general, they'll get one warning and then they'll get thrown out," said Heat President of Business Operation Eric Woolworth before Tuesday's game.

As far as things like racial remarks and anti-gay slurs like the one Noah used, Woolworth said there is no guarantee that a fan will get the luxury of a warning.

"They most likely would be asked to leave right away," said Woolworth.

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If you're wondering whether or not the NBA has a policy on fans who make homophobic or racial remarks, NBA Executive Vice President Stu Jackson said that there is nothing in place like the zero-tolerance stance on players and coaches who would say such things.

When Jackson was asked if hurtful racial and homophobic comments could lead to an ejection, he said: "Could be, yes."

Personally, I think the NBA needs to hammer something out, and there's no time like the present for them to do so. While it's true that there's no way that arenas are going to be able to police every single abusive fan, cracking down on a few here and there can only help.

Of course, the responsibility of weeding these people out belongs primarily to other fans. Instead of tuning a deaf ear to fans like the one that so enraged Noah, it's better for everyone if security is alerted.

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LeBron James Says He Thinks the Thunder Could Have Done a Lot Better

Last night, the Dallas Mavericks took a 3-1 lead over the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference Finals on the strength of an epic comeback win in the final minutes.

Tonight, LeBron James and the Miami Heat are also gunning for a 3-1 lead, as they have a chance to move within a game of the NBA Finals with a win over the Chicago Bulls in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals.

While it stands to reason that King James' attention is focused primarily on the Bulls, what is going on out west is not lost on him. He has been monitoring the series between the Mavericks and the Thunder, and he apparently hasn't been impressed by how the Thunder have performed thus far.

According to Joseph Goodman of the Miami Herald, here is what LeBron had to say about the Thunder:

I don’t want to sit here and be the coach of OKC but I seen a lot of things that could have been done better.

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True of us all, Mr. James. Outside of their win in Game 2 and the first 43 minutes of Game 4, the Thunder just haven't looked very good against the Mavericks. That's why they're down 3-1.

However, LeBron's remark about not wanting to be the coach of the Thunder is pretty interesting. While people are quick to blame OKC's youth and inexperience in big games as the two biggest reasons for their struggles, there is a growing contingency of folks out there that think Thunder head coach Scott Brooks hasn't been doing a very good job either. Is this LeBron's not-so-subtle way of throwing him under the bus?

Maybe. But personally, I don't think subtlety is among LeBron's many qualities.

After all, we're talking about a guy that can't even get away with mumbling things under his breath.

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Buss Says LA Lakers Are 'Very Close' to Finding a New Head Coach

It's been a little over two weeks since the Los Angeles Lakers were swept from the NBA playoffs by the Dallas Mavericks, but you could say they've already had a busy offseason.

First and foremost, the team's head coaching position was left wide open when Phil Jackson, he of the 11 championships, finally decided to call it quits. Since then, the Lakers have interviewed seemingly every coaching candidate under the sun.

However, it sounds as if the search could come to an end very soon.

In a Tuesday interview with with Playboy Radio's Michael Eaves and Bonnie Jill Laflin on Sirius/XM Radio, Lakers owner Jerry Buss said his team is "very close" to finding a new head coach, according to the LA Times

MUST READ: The Greatest Playoff Run in the History of Each NBA Franchise

To date, the Lakers have been reported to have interviewed former Houston Rockets coach Rick Adelman, former LA Clippers coach Mike Dunleavy, former Cleveland Cavaliers coach Mike Brown, and in-house options Brian Shaw and Chuck Person.

Several Lakers players, including Kobe Bryant and Derek Fisher, have voiced their support for Shaw, but Buss made it clear that the decision will be his and general manager Mitch Kupchak's.

"Obviously, we have to select somebody who has a reputation that players would be happy with," said Buss, a Basketball Hall of Famer. "But to ask a direct player to select a particular coach, that’s general manager territory. That’s out of the player domain."

Well said. But when can we expect an announcement to be made?

"I don’t know exactly when but a week is a long time," said Buss. "I should say that."

That would seem to indicate that the Lakers could announce their next head coach within the next couple of days, possibly before we get to the weekend.

That would make sense. After all, the Lakers don't want to steal thunder away from the NBA Finals by drawing attention to themselves, right?

Actually, I for one wouldn't rule it out.

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Tuesday's 2011 NBA Playoff Schedule Features Game 4 of Eastern Conference Finals

The Chicago Bulls got off to an excellent start against the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference Finals, winning Game 1 in blowout fashion.

The last two games haven't gone nearly as well. Thanks to some killer defense on NBA MVP Derrick Rose, the Heat have stifled Chicago's offense and taken a 2-1 lead in the series. As far as their own offense is concerned, the Heat got a big lift from Chris Bosh and his 34-point effort in Game 3.

Game 4 will be played in Miami later tonight. Opening tip is scheduled for 8:30 p.m. ET, and the game will be televised by TNT.

So will the Bulls pull even and head back to Chicago with a chance to take a 3-2 lead? Or will the Heat put the Bulls in a 3-1 hole?

MUST READ: The Greatest Playoff Run in the History of Each NBA Franchise

Obviously, the Bulls are going to have to establish some kind of offensive rhythm in order to avoid the latter fate. This will of course start with Derrick Rose, who said on Tuesday that he will be looking to be more aggressive. Seeing as how he shot just 15-of-42 from the field to score 41 points combined in Games 2 and 3, it goes without saying that Rose definitely needs to step it up.

As for the Heat, the best idea for them is to just keep doing what they're doing. They have indeed played very good defense in the last two games, particularly on Rose. They seem hell-bent on not letting Rose beat them, even if it does mean a big night for Carlos Boozer.

For the first time maybe all season, the Heat also need to make it a priority to get Bosh the rock. He clearly has the advantage when he's matched up against Boozer, and the Heat would do well to keep exploiting it. If the Bulls start to double-team Bosh, LeBron James and Dwyane Wade need to be ready to knock down shots.

At the outset of this series, I liked the Heat to win it in six. To that I hold, and I think the Heat will win Game 4 too.

Ronald Martinez/Getty Images

Wednesday's 2011 NBA Playoff Schedule Features Game 5 of Western Conference Finals

If you're in or around the greater Oklahoma City area, chances are you haven't quite gotten over the events of Monday night.

In case the rest of you missed it, the Thunder let a big lead slip away in Game 4 of their Western Conference Finals series against the Dallas Mavericks. Dirk Nowitzki led the charge for the visiting Mavs, who erased a 15-point deficit and then dominated the overtime period to come away with a 112-105 win.

As a result of their epic collapse, the Thunder now find themselves with a practically insurmountable 3-1 deficit. They need a win in Game 5 in Dallas on Wednesday night (9:00 ET, ESPN) to keep their season alive.

Will they get it? Or will the Mavericks finish them off and head to the NBA Finals?

MUST READ: The Greatest Playoff Run in the History of Each NBA Franchise

Well, I've already given my two cents on Oklahoma City's dire situation. They looked utterly defeated in the closing moments of Game 4, and the look on Kevin Durant's face during his postgame press conference didn't do much to inspire confidence in a potential comeback.

As far as the Dallas side of things is concerned, it suffices to say that they're in a pretty good spot right now. Game 5 will be played in their backyard at the American Airlines Center, where they have lost just one game so far this postseason. If the series does go to a Game 7, they will once again have the home-court advantage.

Of course, this is not to say that Game 5 is an automatic loss for the Thunder. They won in Dallas in Game 2, and any team with Durant and Russell Westbrook is not going to be silenced so easily.

Then again, neither is a team with Dirk Nowitzki. And given the way he's played so far in this series, I'm going to go ahead and give this one to the Mavericks.

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James Jones Could See Limited Playing Time Throughout Rest of 2011 NBA Playoffs

The Miami Heat are doing pretty well for themselves so far in the 2011 NBA playoffs, and it's mostly thanks to the Big 3 of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh. Thanks to their efforts, the Heat are just two wins away from the NBA Finals.

However, the Heat have also been getting solid contributions here and there from certain role players. Udonis Haslem came up with 13 big points in the Heat's win over the Bulls in Game 2, and let's not forget James Jones' huge 25-point effort back in Game 1 in the conference semis against the Boston Celtics.

Speaking of James Jones, you might be wondering what's happened to him. He has played just 26 minutes in the series against the Bulls, 24 of which were in Game 1.

Apparently, part of the reason Jones has disappeared is because he's injured.

MUST READ: The Greatest Playoff Run in the History of Each NBA Franchise

This is the word from Shandel Richardson of the South Florida Sun Sentinel, who reported via Twitter that Jones is battling foot and toe injuries.

There's more to Jones' lack of playing time than just his injuries, though, as Heat head coach Eric Spoelstra said that Jones' "limited playing time is 'situational.'"

That makes sense. The Bulls don't exactly have a Ray Allen that Jones can guard, and the fact that the Heat got blown out in the one game that Jones played in probably doesn't bode well for his playing time in the rest of the series. Spoelstra is likely to stick with rotation he's established in the last two games.

The Finals will be another matter. Both the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Dallas Mavericks feature an array of shooters that Jones can match up against, so there will be minutes for him. That he's not being used now will probably assure he's healthy enough to do so.

Well played, Mr. Spoelstra.

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Derrick Rose Says Heat Are Playing the Best Defense He's Seen All Season

Statistically, Chicago Bulls star point guard Derrick Rose is doing pretty well so far against the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference Finals. In three games, he's averaging 23 points and 6.3 assists, pretty close to his regular season averages of 25 and 7.7.

However, as we all know, numbers don't tell the full story. Rose has struggled mightily in the last two games of the series, making just 15 of his 42 shot attempts for 41 points. The Heat have won both games to take a 2-1 series lead.

When he's going good, Rose can score at will. Therefore, it stands to reason that his struggles in the last two games have a lot to do with Miami's defense.

The man himself thinks so. In fact, he was asked earlier on Tuesday if the Heat are playing the best defense he's seen all season.

"Right now, yes," Rose said, according to ESPNChicago.com. "I think that they're solid, very solid. All of them know their role, especially on the defensive end.

"They've got athletic guys where somebody's always contesting your shots, contesting the 3-point shooter's shots. They're playing very good defense right now."

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Rose has a point. The Heat held the Bulls to 75 points on 34 percent shooting in Game 2, and 85 points on 42 percent shooting in Game 3. They have been particularly tough on Rose, but he blames himself for not playing his game.

"At first, [I was] passing the ball, just trying to get things done, playing with a slower pace," said the NBA's Most Valuable Player. "But now I just got to find a way to get myself going, by pushing the ball, trying to get fast break points, driving, shooting floaters, things like that."

As Rose puts it, it's all about being aggressive, which he usually is. In Game 4, he essentially plans on getting back to being himself.

"I think I can be way more aggressive," said Rose.

If the Bulls are to stay alive in this series, he better be. As he goes, so go the Bulls. He's all but disappeared in the last two contests, and the Bulls are in a 2-1 hole as a result.

There is one thing working in Chicago's favor, and it's that the Bulls have yet to lose three games in a row this season. They were also 3-0 against the Heat during the regular season. So contrary to popular belief, this series is by no means lost quite yet.

If the Heat win Game 4, though, it will be hard to say that again while keeping a straight face.

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OKC's Run Through the 2011 NBA Playoffs Is Hanging By a Thread

With five minutes to go in Game 4 of the Western Conference Finals on Monday night, the Oklahoma City Thunder looked like they were well on their way to pulling even with the Dallas Mavericks at 2-2. All they had to do was hang on to their 99-84 lead.

Unfortunately, Dirk Nowitzki saw to it that the Thunder would not hold onto their lead. He led the Mavs on a game-tying 17-2 run to send the game to overtime, and the Mavs had a 112-105 win five minutes later.

The Thunder are now down 3-1 series. Comebacks from that kind of deficit are very rare in the history of the NBA playoffs, and only two teams have managed to pull it off without home-court advantage in Game 7.

That part is bad, but what's worse is that the Thunder probably aren't going to make it that far. Alas, they already look defeated. Just take a gander at Kevin Durant's face in that picture.

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Do the Thunder still have a chance? Well, technically speaking, the answer is an obvious yes. All they need to do is win three games in a row, which is nothing they haven't done before.

Realistically, the answer is no. The true danger of the Thunder's matchup with the Mavs always was that their youth would show through in a bad way. That is exactly what has happened so far in this series, never more so than the final 10 minutes of Game 4. The Thunder went in a team-wide slump, and then they started making stupid mistakes (i.e. Nick Collison's foul of Nowitzki with six seconds to go and Durant's wild attempt at a game-winning three).

Meanwhile, the Mavs haven't looked fazed by anything Oklahoma City has thrown at them in this series. And because nobody ever accused Thunder head coach Scott Brooks of being a Phil Jackson-like mastermind, there's virtually no reason to believe that's going to change in Game 5 or beyond.

If the Thunder are to come back in this series, it's not going to because of X's and O's. It will be because they found a way to use their youth against the Mavs. But at the same time, it will be because they used their collapse in Game 4 as a means to grow up in a hurry.

I don't know about you, but that's a lot to accomplish in a single day off, hence my pessimism.

Then again, I've been wrong before. We'll find out either way on Wednesday night.

Rockets Eyeing Turkish center Enes Kanter?

Latest NBA Trade Rumor Concerns Houston's Draft Outlook

It's hard to believe it, but we are less than one month away from the 2011 NBA Draft. It sure does sneak up, doesn't it?

Unfortunately, there's not all that much to get excited about concerning this year's draft. By all accounts, the 2011 draft class is not exactly brimming with talent, and pickings are going to be pretty slim beyond the first five picks or so.

Because of this, top draft picks are more valuable this year than most others. Maybe that's why the Houston Rockets, who hold the No. 14 and No. 23 picks, are looking to move up.

At least, this is the word according to SI.com's Sam Amick. And as luck would have it, he identified two possible targets for the Rockets:

As was reported here [NBA's predraft combine] on Thursday, Houston (14th, 23rd picks) is interested in moving up in the draft. The source with knowledge of the Rockets' desires said they are hoping to do so to either nab [Enes] Kanter or perhaps San Diego State small forward, Kawhi Leonard.

Between the two players mentioned, you have to think that Enes Kanter is a much more intriguing possibility for the Rockets. A 19-year-old center from Turkey, Kanter stands 6-foot-11 in shoes, and he measured out at 259 pounds. He's a little raw, but he's just the kind of guy that would do as a replacement for Yao Ming.

In case you're wondering about Chuck Hayes, who averaged around eight points and eight rebounds per game this season, he's a free agent. Hayes is also just 6-foot-6, making him pretty short for a true center.

MUST READ: The 50 Best 2011 NBA Draft Prospects

As for Leonard, he also makes sense. The Rockets didn't get much out of the small forward position this season, and Leonard is easily one of the more athletic players that can be had in this year's draft.

As far as potential trade partners go, how about the Minnesota Timberwolves? They have the No. 2 pick in the draft, but team owner Glen Taylor has said that they are open to trading it.

So who knows? The Rockets just might be able to get their man. All they have to do is make a trade and then decide which man they want.

Ronald Martinez/Getty Images

NBA Finals 2011 Schedule Depends On When Conference Finals Wrap Up

The 2011 NBA Finals are going to be here before you know it. Believe it or not, the quest for the Larry O'Brien Trophy actually gets under way next week.

As of right now, the conference finals have yet to wrap up. The Dallas Mavericks lead the Oklahoma City 3-1 and the Miami Heat lead the Chicago Bulls 2-1. If both those series finish in five games, which is a definite possibility at the moment, the Finals will start next Tuesday (May 31).

If that ends up being the case, NBA.com says that the Finals schedule will look a little something like this:

Game 1 -- Tue May 31, Dallas/OKC at Chicago/Miami 9 p.m. ET, ABC
Game 2 -- Thu June 2, Dallas/OKC at Chicago/Miami 9 p.m. ET, ABC
Game 3 -- Sun June 5, Chicago/Miami at Dallas/OKC 8 p.m. ET, ABC
Game 4 -- Tue June 7, Chicago/Miami at Dallas/OKC 9 p.m. ET, ABC
Game 5* -- Thu June 9, Chicago/Miami at Dallas/OKC 9 p.m. ET, ABC
Game 6* -- Sun June 12, Dallas/OKC at Chicago/Miami 8 p.m. ET, ABC
Game 7* -- Tue June 14, Dallas/OKC at Chicago/Miami 9 p.m. ET, ABC

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If the conference finals last longer than five games, the start of the Finals will be delayed until next Thursday (June 2).

If so, the schedule will look like this:

Game 1 -- Thu June 2, Dallas/OKC at Chicago/Miami 9 p.m. ET, ABC
Game 2 -- Sun June 5, Dallas/OKC at Chicago/Miami 8 p.m. ET, ABC
Game 3 -- Tue June 7, Chicago/Miami at Dallas/OKC 9 p.m. ET, ABC
Game 4 -- Thu June 9, Chicago/Miami at Dallas/OKC 9 p.m. ET, ABC
Game 5* -- Sun June 12, Chicago/Miami at Dallas/OKC 8 p.m. ET, ABC
Game 6* -- Tue June 14, Dallas/OKC at Chicago/Miami 9 p.m. ET, ABC
Game 7* -- Thu June 16, Dallas/OKC at Chicago/Miami 9 p.m. ET, ABC

The asterisked games may not be necessary, of course. But I wouldn't count on a sweep if I were you. Since 1990, only three Finals have resulted in sweeps.

One way or another, the latest the matchup for the Finals will be set in stone is this coming Monday (May 30). That's when the seventh game of the Heat/Bulls series might be played. If necessary, Game 7 of the Thunder/Mavericks series will be played on Sunday.

Got all that? Good, quiz tomorrow.

Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images

Coming to Grips with LeBron James' Potential Legacy

As of right now, LeBron James is the best player in the NBA.

I know plenty of you are more than willing to argue that point. If so, go right ahead. But somehow, I get the feeling that the argument would invariably boil down to LeBron's notable lack of championship hardware.

Yes, for all of King James' myriad accomplishments -- two MVPs, seven All-Star appearances, five All-NBA First Teams, three All-Defensive First Teams, and a Rookie of the Year -- he has yet to win a championship.

In case you missed it, that's why he took his talents to South Beach. And to this point, that decision has panned out pretty well. He and the Miami Heat need just two more wins to dispatch the Chicago Bulls in the Eastern Conference Finals. That would place them in the NBA Finals, likely against the Dallas Mavericks.

It sounded overwhelmingly cocky at the time, but LeBron did promise that this was going to be the case. In fact, he promised something like eight championships. And right now, it's hard to doubt the idea.

Eight championships would be just fine, but I think we all know that the magic number here is six. After all, that's how many rings the great Michael Jordan has on his fingers. And when it comes to greatness in this day and age, it's all about living up to Jordan's legacy.

So here's a question: as absurd as it sounds right now, what if LeBron James actually ties Jordan's six championships? Better yet, what if he passes MJ?

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Well, that would definitely be the worst case scenario for the legions of Heat haters out there, most of whom reside in and around Cleveland, Ohio. But like it or not, they're going to have to come to grips with the idea that six championships would officially make LeBron one of the great players in the history of the NBA. In reality, he would have to be in the oft-had discussion of the greatest of all time.

Yup, right there with Michael Jordan and Bill Russell.

The obvious counterpoint is that neither Jordan nor Russell abandoned the ship they were on so they could chase championships in a warmer climate alongside two of the best players in the NBA (sirs Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh).

Maybe so, but six rings is six rings is six rings. Championships are not the result of luck. They are the result of skill and (there's that word again) greatness.

Right now, LeBron has plenty of the former, and he's very much on the verge of acquiring the latter. And who knows how much of it he might have a few years down the road?

In a perfect world, LeBron will tie Jordan at the age of 31. Jordan won his sixth and final championship at the age of 35. Even if you factor in the time Jordan missed chasing his baseball dreams, LeBron is still well ahead of his pace.

Come to think of it, eight is definitely a possibility. That would be quite the kick in the head.

After all, it would mean not just that LeBron is great, but what he was right.