Bleacher Report - Miami Heat

Miami Heat vs. San Antonio Spurs: Ray Allen Will Be Difference-Maker in Game 6

David Bessin — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 19:12:49 -0400

The normally reserved Ray Allen’s reaction to Danny Green breaking his NBA Finals record of made three-pointers is a subtle sign that the sharpshooting guard has had enough of someone stealing his thunder.

When the Miami Heat and San Antonio Spurs take to the court in Game 6, expect the future Hall of Famer to make some noise.

Not that it ever wasn’t there. Allen has quietly seen his minutes increase during these finals and with it, his production.

Against the Spurs, Allen is sinking a blistering 65 percent of his shots, including 52 percent from three-point land, off the bench. While the Heat’s shooting efficiency has fluctuated over the last five games, Allen is one of the few that is consistently shooting well.

If the Heat want to match Green’s production, Allen has the best shot at doing it. While he may not be known as a defender, Miami needs consistent scoring over defense now that the series returns to South Beach and they have the home crowd backing them up.

Additionally, the Heat need to find a new way to win. San Antonio has proven they can adjust under head coach Gregg Popovich after each of their losses, and now it’s Miami’s turn. Not only do they have to bounce back, they must win two games in a row, something that hasn’t happened since mid-May.

Due to LeBron James and Dwyane Wade’s streaky shooting, head coach Erik Spoelstra could surprise the Spurs and give a few more shots to non-Big Three players. Again, Allen would thrive in this situation, as he is by far the best scoring option after LeBron, Wade and Bosh.

Teammates such as Mario Chalmers and Udonis Haslem have failed to step up over the course of the finals. If anyone gets more touches, it’s Ray.

Don’t be surprised if Allen is a big reason the Heat win their second game while facing elimination in these playoffs.

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Where LeBron James Ranks All-Time with and Without 2nd NBA Title

John Friel — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 18:13:21 -0400

Within the next 24 hours, we're going to find out what type of narratives are going to come into play over the next season for LeBron James.

If the Miami Heat lose: Is the 'Big Three' a complete and utter failure? Is LeBron going back to Cleveland? Is the career of Dwyane Wade over? Is Chris Bosh getting traded? Was the first championship just a fluke? LeBron James is not the world-defying, capable-of-jumping-over-buildings-in-a-single-bound champion.

But if he wins, what a resounding success the 'Big Three' is. The San Antonio Spurs are old, finished and have no chance for Game 7. LeBron James is the perennial champion we all expected him to become.

Tonight, the path that is the ongoing, historic and often-criticized legacy of LeBron begins to fork as the NBA world waits with bated breath to find out what type of player he reveals himself to be, again. Bearing just as much significance as the shots he took under pressure in last year's NBA Finals, and the one before that, this Game 6 tonight is going to redefine the career of James.

Is it really going to matter to anyone that the San Antonio Spurs had a once-in-a-lifetime series from the likes of Danny Green and Gary Neal if the Heat end up losing this? Will Dwyane Wade's poor performances in the first three games, as well as his defense on Green, take some of the attention? How about the team's overall lackadaisical and borderline imprudent play on both sides of the ball?

None of that is going to matter and the Spurs will get zero credit for stopping LeBron, because obviously it's LeBron's fault.

Even if Tim Duncan takes home his fifth NBA title, the stories for the summer are going to revolve around LeBron's legacy, not Duncan's as it should for a 37-year-old leading his team to a fifth NBA title since 1999.

Instead we'll be subject to stories about a 28-year-old, who turns 29 in late December, and how he can't get it done. How the spotlight is too bright for him, even though he's been to this stage four times in a career that's only ten years in. How he can't win with this stacked Heat team, even though he's been forced to carry his All-Star teammates and supporting cast for a majority of the postseason.

We also won't be able to realize that we'll be saying the same thing about LeBron year after year after year. He's going to be having legacy-defining games and postseasons until he can no longer be deemed as a capable primary option.

LeBron is going to be at this stage a number of times over the next few seasons, so get used to the world either constantly berating or defending him. 29-year-olds tend to have a few more years of quality basketball left in them, especially the ones that have already won four league MVP's.

It's all going to be on LeBron's shoulder no matter what, and for two reasons. One is because he's LeBron James and there's a far better narrative surrounding a moneymaker and ratings-drawer like LeBron, rather than the Heat as a whole.

Two, and most importantly, is that we are all extremely well aware that LeBron is capable of lifting entire teams on his back and carrying them to the finish line. He did it when he dropped 48 on the Detroit Pistons in 2007, as well as when he attempted to beat an entire Orlando Magic team by himself averaging nearly 40 points to along with 14 rebounds per.

But nothing rings closer to home than his Game 6 against the Boston Celtics in last year's Eastern Conference Finals. It was the most pressure-filled game of LeBron's career, considering his team was facing a closeout game in an environment they usually struggled in, and he responded with flying colors.

45 points. 15 rebounds. 5 assists. That's why people want to say this Game 6 tonight lies squarely on LeBron's shoulders. Because they know that he can put up preposterous numbers at any point, including in the games where his team needs him most. He is averaging over 31 points per game in possible closeouts over his career.

James already responded to one possible monumental defeat with a monstrous offensive and defensive performance in an easy Game 7 victory over the Indiana Pacers. Not only did James drop a cool 32 points, getting to the line 16 times, grab eight rebounds and dish out four assists, but he also held youthful phenom Paul George to a mere seven points on 2-of-9 shooting.

George would foul out after playing only 33 minutes. That's the influence of the terrifying LeBron we have all come to either love or loathe.

But we're still waiting for LeBron's Game 6. We're all waiting for those statlines that induce tears from the eyes and cause bile to well up in the throat of every critic that has told us that LeBron James has no clutch gene, or whatever those ESPN folks call it.

We're all just patiently waiting for the next 45-15-5 because we haven't seen it yet. While he's had such performances as that Game 7 against Indiana, the hair-raising eight minutes of basketball in Game 5 against Indiana and even most recently dropping 33 points on the Spurs in a Game 4 victory, but he still doesn't have that postseason-defining performance for this year.

LeBron had appeared to figure out something in that Game 4 vs San Antonio, but the other four games against San Antonio have been relatively poor. He was held to his three lowest scoring outputs of the postseason in the first three games of the Finals and was recently held to 36 percent shooting in the Game 5 loss, which was the fourth lowest shooting-percentage of his postseason.

This entire postseason hasn't gone as smoothly as so many anticipated. With a healthy Chris Bosh in tow, LeBron brimming with confidence and so many Heat shooters having shot well in the regular season, it was a legitimate argument to have Miami possibly displaying postseason dominance to the equivalent of the 2001 Los Angeles Lakers team that went 15-1.

Those plans fizzled when Miami lost a home-opener to an injury-depleted Chicago Bulls team. The Heat proceeded to struggle with that Bulls team in two of the next four games, all Heat wins, before setting their sights on an Indiana Pacers team they had defeated in six games the previous postseason without Bosh.

It took seven games for the Heat to defeat the Pacers, nearly dropping their first two at home if not for a game-winner at the buzzer by LeBron. And, no, that game-winner by LeBron in a Game 1 at home is not the stamp you put on the letter to convince the NBA community that James has had an incredible postseason run.

Because, at the moment at least, James has yet to have the defining moment of the postseason that's going to have us in 2023 saying, "Guys, remember when LeBron did such and such in that championship run where he and Miami beat San Antonio?"

Then again, as seen before with those examples of what people won't remember if LeBron loses, it's also the same scenario if Miami wins. If LeBron gets the ample help he needs from Bosh and Wade, the Heat play defense and Danny Green wakes up from this two-week long dream, then nobody will care how he wins.

All they want to see is the hardware at the end of the season and who has it. And unless Wade ends up having back-to-back 30-point games, the Finals MVP if the Heat win is going to end up in the hands of LeBron James.

Suddenly LeBron will have just as many Finals MVP awards as Kobe Bryant and as many championships as Wilt Chamberlain, arguably the greatest player in NBA history. By the end of the week, or possibly even a few hours from now, we will find out just where LeBron could possibly rank among the league's greatest to ever play, despite only playing a decade's worth of basketball.

He has two opportunities to prove that. Two home games. Isn't it something that the Heat are two home games away from a championship, yet we've already banished Miami and LeBron's entire career's work to the land of wind and ghosts? The knee-jerk is strong with this generation.

LeBron is going to need all the help he can get, in order to hold said hardware. Tom Haberstroh of ESPN recently put out an article openly questioning why LeBron's NBA Finals performances were so much lesser than his performances in other rounds. What we got from it was the idea of fatigue playing a factor:

"People forget because he won the title, but James' body shut down in last year's Finals."

"At the end of Game 4 against the Okalahoma City Thunder, James laid on the ground unable to get up under his own power. Midway through the fourth quarter, James had to be carried off the court because of a leg cramp, which seems minor. But it forced James to remove himself from crunch-time of an NBA Finals game."

"Many attributed James' 2011 collapse to something more psychological than physical, but here we are in the 2013 Finals and James still doesn't look like his normal, dominant self. He is missing shots in the lane that he normally hits. He is taking more jumpers than usual. His fast breaks are no longer automatic points. James is not pressuring the Spurs' defense as much as we expected, especially late in Game 5, and there are times when he's not sprinting back on defense when everyone else is."

Legitimate argument? Or an excuse? LeBron is forced to carry his teammates, playing on a constant carousel on defense as he defends everything from point guards to center and is usually the one who ends up having to facilitate on a consistent basis, in order for his team to look championship-caliber.

Haberstroh brings up an excellent point about LeBron collapsing in Game 4 of the 2012 NBA Finals, and needing the heroics of Mario Chalmers and Dwyane Wade to finish it off. That series also came in a shortened series where the Heat ended up playing 16 less regular season games than usual.

It also may be evident here that James is fatigued. Why else can he not work himself around the doughy Boris Diaw? Or doesn't have the lift to throw down slams on fastbreaks over guys like Danny Green? Or is having trouble against Tony Parker, even though he was a stalwart against the faster and more athletic Derrick Rose in 2011?

It's an interesting thought that will most likely be left on the cutting-room floor because, "Blah, blah, blah, narratives, LeBron can't take the pressure. It's all in his head. Should the Spurs rest their starters in a closeout game in the NBA Finals?"

This game, and the next one if it happens, are just two more legacy games to add to LeBron's always building and renovating resume. We expect nothing but perfection and out-of-this-world play in every game and when we don't get it, we're immediately left to name-calling and attempting to play scientist observing LeBron's DNA from a distance.

The problem with that, however, is this will be LeBron's third loss in four attempts, if Miami comes up short tonight, and that's going to somehow resonate during his Hall-of-Fame speech. Not the fact that he's been to the NBA Finals four times in ten years, but because he lost three of those, including one where he was on a poor Cleveland team.

We'll pick and prod his career until there's nothing left but the bones of what should be recognized as a lavish and exemplary ten-year journey being left to critics who will ask, "Why didn't this or that happen?" or state "He'll never be as good as Jordan or whomever else that had consistency from his teammates."

It's tough to rank him amongst the league's greatest because we're going to end up being in the same situation as next year. He'll either have one or two titles, there will be a career-defining game and you'll read the same redundant article with key words such as 'Legacy', 'Clutch' or 'Defining'.

I'm guilty of it. We're all guilty of it. We're all playing our own part in this wild ride of LeBron's career, whether we're outright criticizing him for not coming through and winning three consecutive championships already or we're defending him as a four-time MVP who just caught a lot of bad breaks in the Finals.

We'll find out which side we're on in a few hours.

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2013 NBA Finals: Why Game 6 Won't Define LeBron James' Legacy

Brett Gering — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 16:52:18 -0400

Every June, LeBron James and the word "legacy" are bonded tighter than someone licking an Alaskan pole after flunking the cinnamon challenge.

Nearly three years ago, The Decision baited middle-aged men into a TV trance—hands locked, jaws dropped and eyes superglued to flat screens like giddy cheerleaders watching The Bachelor finale.

Ten minutes before the announcement, James was an athletic demigod moonlighting as a franchise savior. After he uttered, "I'm going to take my talents to South Beach," he was demoted to a fraudulent, subhuman two-timer.

The sequel to his vilification came in the form of the Big Three's introduction: a pyrotechnic ambush that purveyed a hint less color than a raving Teletubby.

The triad basked in the multicolored glow, channeling the aura of a band reuniting for one last surprise performance before accepting a lifetime achievement award.

Chris Bosh let out a Jurassic "Are you not entertained?"-like shriek. Dwyane Wade looked like someone who was keenly aware of the surrounding corniness but was contractually obligated to pay off a bet. James posed like he was just awarded silver in Olympic vaulting.

The shooting star's crash landing in South Beach buried Twitter's servers under cemented vitriol, and the lion's share of it was well deserved.

But none of it should define James' legacy—a word whose meaning has become watered down in the past decade.

Heat of the Moment

Before his first finals appearance in a Miami Heat uniform, it was clear that James' initial uphill climb wouldn't end at the mountaintop; it would end at the surface of the grave he had dug.

And it began.

Leading up to the 2011 NBA Finals, hordes of critics doubled as part-time psychics and capped James' legacy.

That trend only intensified throughout the 2012 playoffs—one year removed from the Heat's celebrated finals demise.

Ten days later:

Following his successful title run—in which he averaged 28.6 points, 7.4 assists, 10.2 rebounds and drained 82.6 percent of his free throws during the finals—James was greeted with two distinctly different sentiments.

A fragment of the sporting world took the feat for what it was: one championship. It wasn't a coronation, but it verified his greatness.

However, a larger faction of contentious critics rallied their troops, emboldened the letters on their picket signs and nostalgically protested down memory lane.

Mark Potash of the Chicago Sun-Times wrote:

Magic Johnson, Larry Bird and [Michael] Jordan all had help, but their championship teams weren’t store-bought. Jordan helped make Scottie Pippen an all-star. He nurtured his supporting cast. LeBron created his — at least the key elements of it.

Valid point. But if the Big Three's final destination would have rerouted to Cleveland instead of Miami, would that have added an extra coating of credibility to James and his championship?

Due to their organizations' quasi-monopolies on talent and disproportionate spending ceilings, should no New York Yankees or Boston Red Sox have a place in the pantheon of baseball? Should an asterisk overshadow Mariano Rivera's saves record?

Absurd, right?

On the hardwood, Jordan still hails as the greatest player of all time—the king of contrarians wouldn't dispute that. However, he wasn't as immortal as his glory years would suggest.

Before Pippen arrived, Jordan tallied a 1-9 postseason record throughout his first trio of seasons with the Chicago Bulls. At one point, the franchise was even tempted to trade the icon to the Los Angeles Clippers following his fourth year in the league. Meanwhile, James propelled a spectacularly average Cavaliers squad—whose second-leading scorer was Larry Hughes—to the NBA Finals in his fourth tour.

During Jordan's rookie campaign (age 21), the Bulls notched 11 more victories than the previous season; the win total for James' (age 19) Cleveland Cavaliers ballooned by 18.

But unlike Magic Johnson, Larry Bird and Michael Jordan, James had no help in Cleveland—a small market that, in the eyes of free agents, is dwarfed by the appeal of Los Angeles, Boston and Chicago.

Instead, the four-time regular-season MVP was a victim of his own success. Over the course of his stay, Cleveland consistently drafted in the latter half of the first round, if not the second. The Cavaliers were never in position to snatch a Pippen-like talent at No. 5 overall.

Ultimately, there were two choices: break hearts and join a title contender or remain stubbornly loyal and risk becoming basketball's Dan Marino—a legend whose only championship rings come in the form of echoed criticism for not winning any.

In the poorly constructed teeter-totter that was The Decision, legacy eventually outweighed its competition.

Broken Records

In an effort to satisfy their own vindictive narrative, the majority of James' antagonists still view his career through a narrow kaleidoscope. Choice media figures rope-a-dope their audience into judging No. 6's legacy through a narrow prism and buying into smoke and mirrors.

In 2013, yesterday's obscure shock jocks have graduated to today's voices of reason (at least, for the large number of willing listeners). Ratings depend on headlines, and headlines' primary source of circulation aren't newspapers, but social media.

With a 24-hour news cycle, standing out from the competition is like finding Waldo at Busch Stadium.

Controversy sells, so bold statements get retweeted.

And judging by Twitter, James' legacy fluctuates like Metta World Peace's mood rings.

Over time, sports—alongside politics and religion—have become the third member of a molotov cocktail for public venues.

They used to simply be games melded with statistics. To a casual fan, the name of Ty Cobb is synonymous with one of the greatest hitters in baseball history, not with a racist who allegedly pounded on a handicapped heckler.

But today, in the court of public opinion, a player's character determines their value nearly as much as their talent. Tim Tebow's legion of fans—or at this point, groupies—can't ascertain why he's not a starting quarterback, despite the fact that he scans defenses like a Rubik's Cube and catapults passes that look like drunken frisbees.

Whether you base James' legacy on numbers or character, nobody with a shred of objectivity can relegate him to second-tier stature and justify it.

Rounded off, he currently averages 28 points, nine rebounds, seven assists and two steals per game throughout his postseason career.

Amongst his scrapbook of achievements, James became the first player in league history to post at least 40 points in their road playoff debut; the only player to tally 2,000 points, 500 rebounds, 500 assists and 100 steals in four consecutive seasons, and he holds the postseason record for most consecutive points (25) scored by a player for one team.

James captured the regular-season MVP, finals MVP, NBA championship and an Olympic gold medal last year.

If numbers are the argument for denigrating James' historical status, they don't add up.

People were right to lambaste his lapse of judgment throughout the 2010 offseason. But if bulletproof decision-making is a prerequisite for all-time greatness, Hall of Fames would house more tumbleweeds than busts.

If rings dictated legacies, sons would be begging their parents for Air Horrys.

The truth is that most of James' denouncers don't hate him. Conversely, they were on the verge of loving him in 2010, but he rejected their proposal and doused salt in open wounds.

But resentments shouldn't distort reality, and the reality is that the polarizing playmaker is a transcendent talent that comes along once every generation.

"Legacy games" aren't predicted; they're assessed.

Game 6 is just as likely to be forgotten by July as it is to sprout a defining moment in one player's career.

Legacies normally aren't written until the author's laid to rest.

In LeBron James' case, the only people writing him off are the ones that have already decided his fate.

Statistics provided by Basketball-Reference.com.

Brett's Twitter: Follow @BrettGering

Brett's Email: gering.brett@gmail.com

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LeBron James' Legacy: Can It Recover From Another NBA Finals Defeat?

Dan Favale — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 13:28:07 -0400

LeBron James' legacy can only withstand so many blows.

Seven years with the Cleveland Cavaliers left him ring-less, one nationally broadcast decision in 2010 left him hated and a second NBA Finals loss in 2011 to the Dallas Mavericks pushed him to the brink of failure.

Beating the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2012 to secure his first-ever championship with the Miami Heat shielded him from further criticism, but only for the time being.

One title in four tries wouldn't be enough to put him on the same championship level as Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson or Kobe Bryant. A player like LeBron needs to have more, to win more—something he is already aware of.

Public perception has changed since he left Cleveland to join forces with Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade in the South. No longer is he hated for being a coward or entitled diva.

People love him (again) for what he can do on the basketball court. Those that still loathe him do so for the same reason: because of what he is capable of on the hardwood.

Because he can win.

Winning his first championship did indeed change things—just not permanently.

Not a playoff game goes by that his legacy isn't picked apart. Lost on no one is what's at stake for him and the Heat whenever they reach the NBA Finals.

Individual performances are blown out of proportion. Insufficient efforts are used as a means to raze his future, while single-game heroics are romanticized and used as proof that another championship is imminent.

When LeBron went 15-of-25 from the field in Game 4 against the San Antonio Spurs, he was a savior. The Heat wouldn't lose again; he wouldn't let them. Then came Game 5, which saw him drop 25 points on 8-of-22 shooting. The world was over; the Heat were done.

Overreactions are part of LeBron's territory. Win or lose, the repercussions will always be skewed in one direction. Whether it's right or wrong doesn't matter; that's just how it is.

Ingrained in every exaggerated storyline is a shred of accuracy, though. A second straight championship won't give LeBron and the Heat their dynasty, but they'll be awfully close. Losing won't ruin LeBron's career either, though it will tarnish his legacy beyond repair...in Miami.

That first championship should have freed LeBron from his prison. It did. Had he not dreamed of something bigger and still been in Cleveland, there wouldn't have been another isolated cell waiting for him on the other end. But in Miami, there was.

LeBron never would have been held to his current standard in Cleveland. Lofty expectations would have still been the norm, but assuming that he would win championships year in and year out given the supporting cast he played with wouldn't be considered realistic.

Joining the Heat in search of something better stripped LeBron of his ability to be both imperfect and revered. Superstars don't attach themselves at the hip to contend; they play together to win.

Voicing the potential of a LeBron-led Heat back in 2010 wasn't necessary, nor is it now. The mere cosmetic makeup of this team suggested multiple championships were inevitable. Anything less wouldn't be acceptable.

Success, then, can't be obtained in South Beach if LeBron loses in the NBA Finals yet again, even if he goes on to win next year. This version of the Heat will be measured against their ability to build a dynasty.

To become an absolute power, the Heat need to beat the Spurs. Lose, and the Heat and LeBron will have failed to do what it is they set out to accomplish, making this their last chance.

Miami's Big Three isn't immune to the natural regression that comes with time. Wade isn't going to play forever and is already showing signs of slowing, and Bosh's standing as a superstar is predicated on the Heat's ability to win. He doesn't appear as super if the Heat can't come out on top with him as their third option.

Then there's the summer of 2014 to consider, when each member of the Big Three is eligible to enter free agency. Assuming Miami is willing to foot an exorbitant luxury-tax bill, the Heat can remain intact, but that doesn't mean they'll still be built to win.

No one knows how Bosh and Wade will be playing one year from now or how the Heat will begin to assemble a viable supporting cast around them.

No one knows where LeBron's head will be either. He'll once again have his pick of where to play. He's changed uniforms once; he could do it again.

Should he and the Heat fall to the Spurs, he may have to.

As long as he's in Miami, he can't escape the pressure his potential creates. The Heat will still be victims of their own ambition, fighting toward what will become an unattainable goal. LeBron himself will be 1-3 on the NBA Finals stage, including a 1-2 record on a team supposed to supersede what the Spurs have been able to achieve over the last decade or so.

That's failure, collectively and singularly. For most it would be considered the pinnacle: One championship and a trio of successive finals appearances is enough for anyone.

But LeBron isn't just anyone; he never has been.

Moving to Miami in the manner he did tainted his reputation as a player. So long as he is in South Beach, the only way to recover from and justify his decision is to win multiple championships en route to forming a dynasty.

That out goes away if he fails this year. Realistically, there won't be enough time for him to win enough to redeem himself. Not in Miami. And so, he must win both now and later or eventually seek a more forgiving atmosphere that allows him to recover from what has the potential to be a crushing blow.

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Breaking Down What LeBron James, Miami Heat Must Do to Force Decisive Game 7

Dan Favale — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 10:36:07 -0400

LeBron James and the Miami Heat can no longer do just enough to get by. They have to do more.

Trailing the San Antonio Spurs 3-2, the Heat have no room for error. Two victories still separate them and a second straight championship, wins that would have once seemed all but certain.

Having not won back-to-back games in nearly month, Miami is attempting to break a startling trend few could have foreseen at the most crucial point of the season. The Heat were never supposed to be in an NBA Finals hole or trading victories with their opponents. Wins were supposed to flock their way.

Against the San Antonio Spurs they haven't, forcing the Heat to put their end goals on hold as they begin to fight to save their season one game at a time.

Such warfare begins in Game 6. Before they can shift their focus back to hoisting the Larry O'Brien Trophy above their heads once again, they need to put themselves in a position to do so by pushing this series to a Game 7.

That third victory over the San Antonio Spurs isn't going to come if the Heat don't make changes, though. Their previous efforts have put them here, on the brink of a elimination.

To stave off an empty-handed exit, they're going to have to make some immediate changes.

Guard Against the Three Ball

Initially, this was going to read "actually defend Danny Green," but that was too pointed. The way the Heat have defended the three in the finals, they need to zero in on all of San Antonio's shooters, not merely one.

For the series, the Spurs are connecting on 44.2 percent of their treys, an astronomical number when you consider the Heat held their previous three postseason opponents—Milwaukee Bucks, Chicago Bulls and Indiana Pacers—to 32.5 percent shooting from deep.

San Antonio has put in at least nine deep balls through three of the first five games of the series and has only been limited to a below 40-percent clip once.

Perhaps the most alarming aspect of the Spurs' success rate from downtown is the lack of adjustments the Heat have made. Simple things like going over screens instead of under or not losing track of the shooters moving off the ball would work wonders.

Now is when I'll draw your attention toward Mr. Deep Ball himself, Danny Green.

Already having set the record for most three-pointers in finals history (Ray Allen wasn't too happy), you would have thought the Heat might pay special attention to the man who's been killing them all series.

Late in Game 5, they weren't:

Notice all the space Dwyane Wade is giving Green. It's far too much. A swift yet deadly shooter like himself could get off two shot attempts in the time it would take Wade to close him out.

Leaving that much room opens too many realms of possibility for the Spurs. Green could look for the quick catch-and-shoot or San Antonio can use a screener as a wall Wade can't get buy in time to contest the shot, like it did in that particular play:

Almost needless to say, he drained the shot, like he has all series long.

Green is shooting 65.8 percent from beyond the arc during the finals and he's the first player in postseason history (minimum 10 games) to be converting on 50 percent of his triples with at least 100 attempts. Miami can't lose sight of him.

The same goes for Gary Neal. And Kawhi Leonard. And every other Spurs player capable of drilling threes.

Make the Most of Point-Blank Opportunities

All series, I've implored the Heat to continue attacking the basket, never thinking they would fail to convert on "easy" looks. In Game 5, the easy looks didn't go down as frequently as Miami needed them to.

Somewhat surprisingly, the Heat weren't incapable of getting shots off around the basket in Game 5. Nearly 48 percent of their field-goal attempts came near the rim (41). That's a number Erik Spoelstra can live with.

Miami's clip in those instances, however, was unacceptable in Game 5 and could prove season crippling in Game 6.

The Heat shot just 46.3 percent around the basket, which is more than 10 points below the league average. Worse yet, LeBron and Wade fared even worse.

Per Joseph Goodman of the Miami Herald, the two combined to go 9-of-25 around the basket (36 percent), including a 2-of-12 showing in the second half (16.7 percent).

“I think between the two of us, we probably missed 12 layups [Sunday night]—transition layups that we usually convert,” LeBron said after Game 5. “I missed a lob. I missed two layups, transition on the same possession. I know D-Wade had a few layups that we’re accustomed to making."

Those shots LeBron makes reference to need to go down for the Heat to win. Point-blank misses could have been the difference in Game 5, where Miami was outscored by 10 in the paint.

Layups can't be missed, transition opportunities cannot be squandered and seemingly easy baskets cannot turn into offensive mishaps.

It's difficult enough for the Heat to create opportunities around the rim against a jump-shot inviting Spurs defense. Failing to make the most of the ones they get could pave the way for a Game 6 letdown.

A LeBron James Takeover

Too often taking over a game is associated with a refusal to defer and a one-on-five mindset, when really it's not.

If Chris Bosh and Wade fail to show up in Game 6, LeBron may find himself battling the Spurs on his own. He'll have no choice if he doesn't receive help. But that's not the point.

No matter what type of performance the other two-thirds of the Big Three have, LeBron James needs to dominate—not butcher the Heat's once free-flowing offense or kill any and all ball movement, but take over.

Think Game 6 of the 2012 Eastern Conference Finals against the Boston Celtics.

Down 3-2 then as well, the Heat needed a win to save their season, on Boston's home court no less. LeBron went off to the tune of 45 points, 15 rebounds and five assists in what was easily one of the greatest postseason outings of his career.

That's the LeBron Miami needs. He can take 25 or 30 shots if he sees fit. Though he's shooting just 43.6 percent during the finals, this is the same LeBron who shot a career-high 56.5 percent from the field during the regular season. And it's the same LeBron who hit on 60 percent of his shot attempts (15-of-25) in Game 4.

Attempts to discount LeBron's importance in Game 6 are baseless. Miami looks to him to set the tone, to win basketball games. The Heat continue to rely on him to shoulder their championship burdens. Leading into the most important game of the Heat's season, that's not going to change.

Game 6 is then no time for a Magic Johnson-esque, pass-first showcase. It's time for the LeBron we saw in Game 6 against the Celtics, time for the one who showed up for Game 4 of this series.

Time for LeBron to take over like only he can.

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Miami Heat May Change Starting 5 Again for Game 6 of 2013 NBA Finals

Dan Favale — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 09:19:03 -0400

In an effort to force a Game 7 in the 2013 NBA Finals, Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra may tinker with his starting lineup yet again.

According to Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today, Spoelstra may consider benching Mike Miller and inserting Udonis Haslem back into the starting five.

"We'll see," Spo said when asked if he would start Haslem over Miller in Game 6 against the San Antonio Spurs.

Some version of that has essentially been Spoelstra's party line throughout the entire postseason. He's fiddled with his rotation on numerous occasions already.

Chris "The Birdman" Andersen had previously been seeing significant minutes earlier in the playoffs, and Haslem wasn't used as sparingly as he is now. Miller himself broke 10 minutes of action in the same contest just once until Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals.

The initial swap of Miller and Haslem had everything to do with spacing. Running with Miller would stretch San Antonio's defense and open up driving lanes for LeBron James and Dwyane Wade to exploit. It would also create additional post-up opportunities for James.

In Game 4, that methodology appeared to work. Miller attempted just one shot and missed it, but the Heat trounced the Spurs by a score of 109-93. Going small gave Miami a more dynamic offensive attack, and it paid off.

Then came Game 5.

Miller started once again, played 25 minutes and missed his only shot. The Heat fell, 114-104, in that contest.

Though Miller's shot totals aren't necessarily a barometer for the Heat's success, the hope had been that he could inject some offense into the equation. He had connected on 10-of-11 from deep heading into Game 4, a fiery stretch coach Spo had hoped would carry over into the starting lineup.

Starting Haslem might also force the Spurs into restructuring their starting five, which included Manu Ginobili going for 24 points and 10 assists in Game 5.

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Who is the NFL's Version of LeBron James?

Ty Schalter — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 22:36:08 -0400

LeBron James is the best basketball player on the planet, and at age 28 has been able to lay claim to that title for quite a while. He's already one of the greatest players of his generation, and by the time he's done, he'll be one of the best of all time.

In his 10th NBA season, James has led the Miami Heat to their third straight NBA Finals, after five consecutive years of single-handedly dragging the moribund Cleveland Cavaliers to at least the Eastern Conference Semifinals.

Though the Heat trail the San Antonio Spurs in the series, 3-2, LBJ could earn back-to-back championship rings—a legendary accomplishment.

Yet, all the talk about James is not what he's done, but what he's failed to do.

Even if James lacks the "killer instinct" of Michael Jordan, as Bleacher Report NBA lead writer Jimmy Spencer wrote, and the Heat can't close this series, James' record in the NBA Finals will be the same as Jordan's at the same age: two losses and one championship.

Despite some spectacular playoff performances, James couldn't quite win a championship for the City of Cleveland all by himself. James joined Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh in Miami to win at least eight titles, according to James's introductory speech, but he and they will need at least six more after this series is over.

Does the NFL have such a player? A player who is head and shoulders above his peers, a fantastic talent who made good on his potential? Does the NFL have a natural leader with a humble outlook and marketable persona?

Does the NFL have a man whose jaw-dropping ability, elite production and piles of wins make him a lock for the Hall of Fame with years left before retirement—yet is remembered more quickly for failing to win more than one ring?

Yes, it does. The NFL's version of LeBron James is Peyton Manning.

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Dwyane Wade Borrows Fashion Tips From Lady Friend Gabrielle Union

Jesse Dorsey — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 19:12:38 -0400

Dwyane Wade's fashion sense has been a much-debated topic on the in-between days of the NBA Finals over the past three seasons, so it should come as no surprise that he's sharing jackets with Gabrielle Union.

Well, at least they're both trying their best to compete in the next issue of Us Weekly's "Who Wore it Best?" column.

Update at 9:45 on June 17

Bleacher Report has learned that the photo of Gabrielle Union wearing Wade's snazzy outfit is just a cunning Photoshop job.

Can you believe that? Somebody would go onto the Internet and spread false pictures of women wearing the same clothes as Dwyane Wade?

I'm thankful every day for the amount of free time people have to make hilarious pictures to share with everybody.

~End of update~

For the record, fake or not, I would actually say that Wade wore it better, although the black shoes with gold studs look a bit eerie on Wade's feet.

However, it's undeniable that Union's purse matches better with the outfit than Wade's red man-bag.

There are two main realizations that come from seeing Union wearing the same outfit as Wade.

First, after seeing him in capri pants and scoop-necked shirts over the past few months, I think we can conclude that some of his outfits are unisex, at the very least.

Second, seeing Wade and Union sharing the same outfit got me thinking; what other outfits that he's been rocking over the postseason could he possibly be sharing with actresses and models?

I'm going to say with confidence that Adriana Lima could get away with wearing the capris and double-breasted jacket that Wade wore in the semifinals, and Claudia Schiffer might do fine with his flowered jacket that got everybody talking.

However, if there's one slam dunk out there, it's that—other than Wade—only Fabio could don the scoop-necked t-shirt quite as well.

All I can do from here is urge Wade to continue wearing weird stuff; perhaps a kilt and a leather jacket would be a fine choice for Game 6.

Hat tip to nikkolassmith.tumblr.com for the beautiful ~~discovery~~ Photoshop job.

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Is Small Ball A Secret or Pipe Dream for Continued Miami Heat Success?

Sean Grimm — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 17:20:02 -0400

When the Miami Heat defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder in the NBA Finals a year ago, it looked as though the league might be in for a drastic change as far as playing styles go.

“Small ball” hadn’t really been seen as a formidable style of play as far as winning titles goes, until Erik Spoelstra constructed his own version of “positionless basketball” around the Heat’s LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh.

In the Big 3’s first year together, the organization attempted to go the traditional route and win with a big man. However, with a limited budget due to James, Wade and Bosh’s contracts, Erick Dampier and Zydrunas Ilgauskas were the best options the Heat were left with.

You know the rest of the story, as the Heat would go onto lose the NBA Finals to the Dallas Mavericks in six games.

Spoelstra will tell you first that the rocky and stressful disappointment of the season was what led to the organization’s decision to go small. Not only does it aid the chemistry of the Big 3, but it also appears to fit James’ game perfectly with his move to the post.

But just a year removed from winning the title, the concreteness of Miami’s small ball solution continues to weaken.

The Chicago Bulls, though going down relatively easily in five games, bullied Miami with their bigs and undeniably made the Heat uncomfortable. Then there’s Roy Hibbert and the Indiana Pacers, who managed to push Miami to the brink before the Heat pulled it out in Game 7.

And now, the San Antonio Spurs are beating the Heat at their own game. As the series has gone on, Tony Parker and San Antonio have had more success in the paint than defensive-minded Miami would like.

Much more.

It’s fair to place some of the blame on Spoelstra, as he insisted on leaving Chris Andersen, who once appeared to be the catalyst to this juggernaut, on the bench for all of the past 96 minutes of the series.

Parker thrived in the open paint in Game 5, scoring a personal series-high of 26 points.

Now, with the Heat again on the brink of elimination, we’re left wondering if small ball is really the answer for this team’s continued success.

The Spurs may lose one or two members of their Big 3 to retirement, but the Bulls and Pacers aren’t going anywhere. Both clubs will almost assuredly get better in the offseason.

Derrick Rose will be back in Chicago’s lineup next year and the Bulls can be expected to be active this summer.

Paul George and Roy Hibbert emerged as stars for Indiana, a young team with a considerable amount of experience and pain to fuel their fire down the road.

And don’t forget about Dwight Howard, who could very well be playing with either Chris Paul or James Harden next year.

Eventually, living in the lower echelon when it comes to rebounding will catch up to any team, regardless of the talent they have on the floor. And if young centers like Hibbert continue to develop, teams like the Pacers just might be able to do more than scare the Heat in the near future.

In other words, the road back to the Finals isn't getting any easier (or smaller) for Miami.

Spoelstra may be small ball's biggest advocate, but remember who sits above Spoelstra as the Heat's general manager. Pat Riley has always been a big believer in having quality big men on his roster, and if the Heat manage to let this championship pass them by, it wouldn't come as a shock to anyone to see Riley shake up Miami's formula for success.

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Why LeBron James' NBA Finals Legacy Is Officially on the Line

Dan Favale — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 17:05:43 -0400

LeBron James is currently playing for more than a second NBA championship.

Beyond the Miami Heat's season-defining Game 6 against the San Antonio Spurs and a possible title-deciding Game 7, there is LeBron's Finals legacy.

One more championship won't designate LeBron a success. A dynasty was supposed to be built in South Beach upon his arrival—anything less than that isn't enough to impel instant success. One more loss, however, is more than enough to desecrate his reputation as a potential winner.

Winning championships hasn't come easily for LeBron. It's hardly come at all. His teams are already 1-2 when they reach the Finals and another series loss gives him a 25-percent success rate.

When pitted against all-time greats LeBron himself would like to mimic, cashing in on 1-of-4 isn't enough to spark an organic conversation.

Michael Jordan was 6-0 in the NBA Finals, Magic Jonson was 5-4 (2-2 through his first four appearances) and Kobe Bryant is 5-2 (3-1 in his first four). Hell, Dwyane Wade himself will still be 2-2 in the championship round if the Heat lose to the Spurs.

Then there would be LeBron, sitting at 1-3, staring blankly at the dregs of a vision that would no longer be possible in Miami.

Fair or not, players are mostly judged by their hardware. Winners become exempt from various types of scrutiny. Their methods and ideals are not so easily dismissed and their abilities cannot be impugned.

Winning is divine.

Kobe would not be so effortlessly perceived as one of the greatest players to ever play the game if he didn't have his five championships. Volume-shooting theatrics such as his are despised in various circles. Sans that handful of rings, he'd be a slimmer version of Carmelo Anthony in purple and gold.

But he's not. Five championship banners have made sure of it; a winning record when a title is on the line won't allow it.

Championship accolades define players. Tribulations are immortalized just as much as triumphs. Win and you're a winner. Lose and you don't measure up.

At least that's the case with LeBron.

Failure to force a Game 7 and subsequently win it won't put LeBron in the same boat or even ocean as, say, Chris Paul or any other superstar yet to bring home a title. He has a ring, he's been to the Finals and he knows what it takes to win—just not as much as he should.

That's what people will say. The greatest player on the planet, perhaps the most gifted to ever play the game, can't be 1-3 in the NBA Finals...because he just can't. Otherworldly talents and winners in general don't lose in excess.

Blessed with so much God-given talent and clad with a work ethic that steamrolls that of the competition, LeBron can't have just one ring in four tries. It's illogical.

Not when three of those attempts will have come alongside two other superstars in Wade and Chris Bosh. Not when this mutual coexistence he helped orchestrate promised more.

That it happened under his watch, when he put forth a Game 3 and Game 5 to forget, makes it even worse.

Underwhelming performances were supposed to be a thing of his past, an intrinsically based flaw buried in 2011. Stars step up, thrive on the league's biggest stage. Losing now only reminds us LeBron hasn't.

Look at his per-game-production totals in the NBA Finals to date:

Opponents	FGM	FGA	FG%	3P%	PTS	REBS	ASTS	STLS	BLKS
Spurs (2007)	8.0	22.5	35.6	20.0	22.0	7.0	6.8	1.0	0.5
Mavericks (2011)	7.2	15.0	47.8	32.1	17.8	7.2	6.8	1.7	0.5
Thunder (2012)	10.2	21.6	47.2	18.8	28.6	10.2	7.4	1.6	0.4
Spurs (2013)	8.8	20.2	43.6	31.6	21.6	10.8	6.8	2.2	1.0
Overall	8.5	19.5	43.7	26.5	22.3	8.8	7.0	1.7	0.6

Posting 22.3 points, 8.8 rebounds and seven assists per Finals contest for his career hardly implies a failure to show up, but his 43.7-percent clip is not flattering next to the 49 percent he's shooting for his career or the 56.5 percent he shot this past season.

More was expected—especially now.

We're already wondering how he, Wade, Bosh and the Heat let it get this far. San Antonio is a worthy opponent, an adversary deserving of winning another championship, but Miami is supposed to be better. LeBron is supposed to be better.

Worse still is where it's happened. This wouldn't be the LeBron James solo act coming up short. It's Olympus crumbling beneath its own potential.

Once again, the Spurs aren't the inferior opponents. Overthrowing the reigning NBA champs won't be as unexpected a feat as it may be made out to be. It would be an upset only because the Heat are the Heat and LeBron is LeBron.

For Miami's part, it will have failed. These Heat weren't created to submit to the better opponent. There wasn't supposed to be a better opponent, only them playing at a level that was the envy of everyone else.

Not merely the Eastern Conference and a fistful of teams in the Western Conference, but everyone.

Losing now negates those ambitions, leaving LeBron immersed in the same emptiness he wallowed in with Cleveland. He remembers that feeling of inadequacy vividly and so do we. It's why he fled Cleveland and now calls South Beach home.

Only his fortress isn't as impenetrable as intended. Memories of failures past are beginning to surface once again—the ones he thought he had left behind.

But it hasn't been that easy, nor is it ever. LeBron is still attempting to distance himself from the almost-winner that he was and establish himself as the profound victor he's supposed to be.

"I guess it's a gift and a curse," LeBron told Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today of his ability to remember everything.

Just once, I'm sure LeBron would like to forget. To forget that his Heat are down 3-2 to the Spurs, that every tepid performance becomes something bigger, that his legacy is on the line with each and every season he plays. That he will be defined by either championships he's won or the ones he hasn't.

Just once, I'm sure he'd like to forget all that.

Only he can't because the rest of the world won't, leaving him to scrap and claw his way toward a second title—the absence of which would inflict far more harm than its attainment would bring good.

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2013 NBA Finals: San Antonio Spurs vs. Miami Heat, Game 6 Picks

Jeff Grant — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 13:27:18 -0400

The Miami Heat are 6-0 following a loss during the playoffs, which is important to consider when making your NBA picks Tuesday, as the best-of-seven series between Miami and the San Antonio Spurs continues at AmericanAirlines Arena.

Sports bettors will find that the Heat are seven-point home favorites in the pro basketball odds (courtesy of SBR Forum), while the total sits at 191 in the betting market.

Let's take a closer look at Game 6 of the 2013 NBA Finals from a betting perspective, while offering up an against-the-spread pick along the way.

Begin Slideshow

Critical Keys for Miami Heat to Save Their Season in Game 6

Ethan Skolnick — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 12:57:45 -0400

Twenty-seven-game win streak.

Top-seeded team in the NBA.

Expectations of an easy romp to a second straight championship.

All that is forgotten now.

It's about Game 6 for the Miami Heat, down 3-2 to the San Antonio Spurs. It's about keeping the season alive.

It's about doing what their core could not do in 2011, after returning to Miami with a 3-2 deficit against the Dallas Mavericks: finding their game in time to extend the series.

How does Dwyane Wade see the situation?

"We're going to see if we're a better ballclub and if we're better prepared for this moment," he said. "Everything happens for a reason. And this is not a bad reason at all, to go home for Game 6 on your home floor."

Yet there are reasons for concern. Miami hasn't often resembled the regular-season juggernaut that had people talking about a historic run. Some of that's been due to the better competition, and the Spurs have certainly proven a worthy challenge.

Some of that's squarely on the Heat.

So what needs to happen now to get the series to seven?

(All quotes for this piece were collected through the course of the author's coverage of the Miami Heat for the Palm Beach Post.)

Begin Slideshow

Will LeBron James Be a Hero or a Choke Artist with the Heat Facing Elimination?

Dan Favale — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 12:14:08 -0400

LeBron James can still be a hero.

Inconsistencies have plagued him throughout the NBA Finals, leaving the Miami Heat down 3-2 and at the mercy of the San Antonio Spurs. But it's not over.

Facing elimination, the Heat can still win. LeBron can still be the savior he was supposed to be in Games 3 and 5 but wasn't. Two consecutive championships are not completely out of reach. One win, and the Heat will have forced a Game 7. A win there and they'll have procured a second straight title.

Before the Heat can even begin planning for that Game 7, they must prepare for and subsequently win Game 6.

"The most important game is Game 6," LeBron pointed out after Game 5. "We can't worry about Game 7."

Nothing rings truer than LeBron's astute observation.

Looking at the big picture is no longer a viable course of action for the Heat. Tunnel vision must be employed. For them, there is only Game 6, one last opportunity to keep their dynasty ambitions alive.

Winning Game 6 and extending the opportunity to make good on those lofty goals established three years prior begins and ends with LeBron. There will be no celebration, no Game 7 without an ennobling performance from the King.

Even decent displays from Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh won't be enough. They haven't been enough. Wade went for 25 points and 10 assists in Game 5 and Bosh pitched in 16 points on 7-of-11 shooting (63.6 percent), and the Heat still lost. And they lost badly.

Miami gave up 22-7 and 19-1 runs and inevitably trailed by 20 points early in the fourth quarter. Cutting it to eight inside two minutes to play meant next to nothing. The Heat weren't going to win with the most important piece of their puzzle not playing like himself.

LeBron scored 25 points, topping the 20-point plateau for the second straight game, something he failed to do through the first three. Each of those 25 points felt hollow, as did every one of his six rebounds, eight assists and four steals.

Forget that he joined Michael Jordan, Larry Bird and Magic Johnson as the only four NBA players since 1986 to post at least 25 points, six rebounds, eight assists and four steals in a Finals game. Had he not shot 8-of-22 from the floor, that would have been impressive. Had he not disappeared during San Antonio's two monstrous runs, this would have been something to discuss.

Had the Heat won, LeBron would have been paid credence. But the Heat lost, so there are no gratuitous offerings forthcoming. There are only questions.

LeBron is averaging 21.6 points, 10.8 rebounds, 6.8 assists and 2.2 steals on 43.6-percent shooting during the Finals. Game 5 was then a befitting showcase by the NBA's best player—unbalanced.

Despite averaging over 20 points a night, he's surpassed the 20-point plateau only twice. And he's only converted on at least 43 percent of his field-goal attempts twice as well. His equilibrium is off, and all one needs to do is look at his stat lines through the first five games to see it.

Game	FGM	FGA	FG%	3P%	PTS	REBS	ASTS	STLS	BLKS	Plus/Minus	Result
1	7	16	43.8	20	18	18	10	0	0	-3	L
2	7	17	41.2	33.3	17	8	7	3	3	+29	W
3	7	21	33.3	20	15	11	5	2	0	-32	L
4	15	25	60	50	33	11	4	2	2	+8	W
5	8	22	36.4	50	25	6	8	4	0	-9	L

The Heatles haven't lost back-to-back games since early January. At the heart of such a movement is LeBron. They also haven't won back-to-back contests since beating the Chicago Bulls in Game 5 of Round 2 and Indiana Pacers in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals, a span that stretches nearly a month. LeBron is at the forefront of that harrowing reality as well.

Consistency simply hasn't been LeBron's strong suit in the Finals (or over the last month), and the Heat's efforts have been turbulent—to put it kindly—as a result.

Miami was always going to go as far as LeBron could carry it. Drawing any other conclusion was impossible after watching how his supporting cast—namely Bosh and Wade—aimlessly glided their way through most of the postseason. He brought them to the Finals and to Game 5, and the Heat's ability to force a Game 7 and ultimately win another title hinges on his competence in Game 6.

Back up against the wall yet again, the Heat need LeBron to step up, even more than he did in Game 7 versus the Pacers.

Slashing his way toward 32 points on 17 shots and 15 made free throws could be enough. That could spark a blowout or a win in general. Or it could not.

To ensure the Heat can prolong their season and dynasty hopes, LeBron needs to be great. Kind of like his most recent Game 7, only more so. Like Game-6-against-the-Boston-Celtics-in-2012 dominant.

One year ago, LeBron was almost in this exact same position. Trailing 3-2 to the Celtics in the Eastern Conference Finals, the Heat needed a win to stay alive, and LeBron willed them to that win.

"We've been here before," LeBron said, according to Michael Wallace of ESPN.com. "We've been on both sides of the fences. It doesn't matter if you're up [3-2] and you need one more win, or you need one more win [otherwise] you're out."

On the brink is on the brink, and the Heat are on the brink.

A loss would have ended their season back in 2012, and LeBron would have remained ring-less. Speculation would have run frat-boy wild, and the media would have had the Heat pegged for a dismantling before the offseason was out.

Something happened in Game 6, though. LeBron happened.

Behind 45 points, 15 rebounds and five assists on 19-of-26 shooting, LeBron led the Heat to victory. Playing all but three minutes of what was never really a close game, he put the Heat on his back and sprinted, never slowing.

The result spoke for itself.

Miami went on to win Game 7 and eventually beat the Oklahoma City Thunder in five games to secure the first title of the Big Three era. That's the LeBron the Heat need, the one who made all that possible.

San Antonio can't shoot 60 percent in Game 6. Defensive rotations have to be better, quicker. And LeBron can't have an off shooting night like he did in Game 5.

The Heat themselves have to find a way to get in the paint and then score in the paint. They were just 15-of-29 in the restricted area in Game 5. Point-blank opportunities can't roll off the rim the way they did.

“I think that’s where it starts for us, honestly," LeBron said afterward, according to Kurt Helin of NBC Sports' ProBasketballTalk. “Getting into the paint."

Really, it begins with LeBron. It begins with him taking shots—a lot of shots. It begins with him making those shots, with him taking over. It ends with him never succumbing to fatigue, to the defense, to his natural instinct to defer to a fault.

"I have to come up big, for sure in Game 6," LeBron said, per Roderick Boone of Newsday. "But I believe we all have to play at a high level in order to keep the series going. So me being one of the leaders of this team, I do put a lot of pressure on myself to force a Game 7, and I look forward to the challenge."

LeBron said something to that effect before Game 4. He came up huge and the Heat won. Now it's time for an encore, a response to a loss that he is perfectly capable of giving.

Then, we can talk about Game 7, about the potential for another ring. For now, it's all about Game 6, and all about what LeBron is going to do to win it.

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Tracy McGrady: LeBron James Plays Against Boys, Michael Jordan Played vs. Men

Dan Favale — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 10:54:41 -0400

The hits just keep on coming for LeBron James.

Dennis Rodman recently said The Chosen One would be an average player in another era, something the San Antonio Spurs' Tracy McGrady disagreed with.

“That’s definitely overboard because he’s probably one of the most gifted athletes that we’ve ever seen in our game, any era," McGrady told Harvey Araton of the New York Times.

James shouldn't be blushing just yet, because T-Mac wasn't done.

After discrediting Rodman's outrageous allegation, McGrady then went on to defend his era, at the expense of James.

“When I first came in, I mean, you still had M. J. and them guys in the game,” he said. "“You had men. You played with men. Now it’s a bunch of boys.”

For real right now?

We get it, McGrady was 18 when he entered the league. And yes, he had to play against Michael Jordan, James never did. That shouldn't matter.

James is the greatest player in the NBA and no amount of criticism is going to change that. Being a man among teenagers in 2003 is impressive, whether His Airness was still in the league or not. Succeeding like he has after making the jump from prep-to-pros is difficult, no matter which era you're talking about.

Holding the timing behind his NBA debut against James isn't fair. He cannot change when he was born, and he would be one of the first to admit he would have loved to have played against Jordan. That test is something he would have relished in.

He was still 18 when he made his debut, preordained a star in ways McGrady never was. Not to mention he wasn't afforded a safety net upon joining the Cleveland Cavaliers. James was on his own.

When McGrady entered the league he played next to Chauncey Billups (for a short time) and Marcus Camby with the Toronto Raptors. Soon after, Vince Carter joined the party. McGrady never had to carry the burdens James did, a man's albatross. He never single-handedly carried a team of "Who the hell are theys?" to a championship in 2007.

“He has a great I.Q. for the game and a great eye for picking apart defenses, attacking at the right moments," McGrady said. That’s pretty much what LeBron does and what I was accustomed to doing.”

James has always done it better and is worthy of the comparisons he draws to the league's greatest legends, Jordan included. Nothing McGrady or anyone else says will ever change that.

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Birdman Wins NBA Fashion Contest by Showing Up to Game 5 in Camo and Blue Jeans

Dan Carson — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 09:25:07 -0400

There’s clothing, and then there’s fashion.

Then there’s what Chris Andersen wore on Sunday night.

As usual, the focal point of attention stayed on the Big 3 prior to Game 5 of the NBA Finals. The cameras followed the superstars as they arrived at the AT&T Center looking dapper, polished and dressed to impress (via TheBigLead).

Then Andersen showed up and blew it all to pieces, rocking a look that said, “Yes, I do enjoy pretzel dogs.”

The Birdman’s attire was a study in calculated nonchalance. His shirt didn’t match his headphones, a la LeBron James. He didn’t have a matching red lunch box for his Beats By Dre headphones. He also didn’t go Jehovah’s Witness chic like Chris Bosh.

From the camouflage shirt to the regular-fit blue jeans and basketball kicks, he looked like he showed up after an all-day hunting excursion in the boondocks outside San Antonio. And for that, he wins all the candy corn.

Why does he win? Because Andersen beat the fashionistas at their own game by wearing stuff that says, “I don’t care about your fashion conventions. I’m doing me.”

Chris Andersen doesn’t need to be a part of your tightwad country club—not when he has a shirt that’s a tree and tattoos that turn as many heads as any Versace bomber jacket.

Another noticeable Andersen note from Game 5 was that Birdman didn’t see a single second of playing time against the Spurs. I’m no conspiracy theorist, but the choice of pregame attire might have been a bit of foreshadowing of his night to come.

Did he know he wasn’t going to play much and therefore go with the “Screw it, I’m wearing a ficus” look? Or does Erik Spoelstra have something against men donning foliage prior to gearing up?

Either way, Birdman bagged a big win in fashion on Sunday, and it was the only W the Heat would enjoy that night.

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LeBron James Channels Gregg Popovich in NBA Finals Press Conference

Jesse Dorsey — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 02:12:50 -0400

LeBron James was particularly grumpy following the Miami Heat's 114-104 Game 5 loss to the San Antonio Spurs, doing his best to show off how upset he was at the postgame press conference.

With he and Dwyane Wade sharing the podium for the first time in a while, LeBron mostly kept mum on the questions, letting Wade take the lead.

When he was addressed directly, LeBron tended to give short, gruff answers with subtle hints of hostility toward the questions that he did have to answer.

In other words, he spent most of the presser doing his best mini-Gregg Popovich impression.

LeBron James didn't have an answer when asked why Miami hasn't won two games in a row: "If I knew, we would have won two games in a row."
— Alex Kennedy (@AlexKennedyNBA) June 17, 2013

James offered up another ho-hum answer when asked about Ray Allen's potential Game 6 impact following a 7-of-10, 21-point performance in Game 5.

"Ray's a big part of our team," said LeBron. "When he's on the floor he's a threat, so we try to find him."

It was really an impressive showing. Not only was LeBron able to pull off the upset interview without seeming like a complete jerk, he was able to do it with poise and the right amount of dry humor sprinkled in.

Popovich has perfected the craft over the past 15 years, and LeBron went out and showed that he was able to do nearly as well as the master in one of his first attempts.

There's just something about the NBA Finals that brings out the condescending interview in players and coaches. It's a thing of beauty.

Now all we need is for LeBron to whittle down the number of words he uses when talking to the media.

Fewer than 100 is impressive, but getting down to 25 like Popovich did a few games ago is downright legendary.

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Comedian Spoofs LeBron James' Flopping Problem

Jesse Dorsey — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 01:52:17 -0400

LeBron James has worked on his game quite a bit over the past few years, but the guy who has advanced one of the key aspects of his game has finally been uncovered. Meet Frank Calhoun, James' flopping coach.

There once was a time when James was so big and strong that knocking him down took a force of nature. Something on the level of hurricane-force winds would knock him off balance, and it would take a flying Fiat to knock him down.

Well, it seems that Mr. Calhoun has changed that.

Calhoun is a relative unknown among basketball coaches who work on specific parts of players' games, but apparently he has worked with the likes of Manu Ginobili and Paul Pierce.

This may come as a bit of a surprise after Miami's series against the Chicago Bulls. LeBron came out after being accused by Tom Thibodeau of flopping by saying that he didn't even know how to flop.

Obviously, something's going on here.

It seems to me that this Calhoun gentleman is so good at his job that James wants to keep him a secret so he doesn't go around teaching the rest of the NBA the trade.

If his expertise gets out around the league, surely there will be rampant flopping, and the top floppers in the game will lose their edge.

Seriously, though, this video is about as close to brilliant as you can get in a sports-related spoof. It's got everything: above-average Photoshopping, plenty going on in the background and a magnificent topic.

Hat tip to the folks over at Waitingfornextyear.com for uncovering this bad boy. It's definitely a day-brightener.

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Will LeBron James' Inconsistency Cost Miami Heat NBA Finals Repeat?

Jimmy Spencer — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 00:34:58 -0400

LeBron James does not have the killer instinct of Michael Jordan or Kobe Bryant.

Put that line on shuffle—it gains further momentum on any given night of these NBA Finals as James grows more vulnerable to disappearance.

His inconsistency is undeniable, as the league’s greatest talent has vanished for prolonged stretches in his quest for a second ring.

LeBron's sudden absence in big moments is again fueling criticism. He fell far short of incredible in the second half of the Miami Heat’s 114-104 loss to the San Antonio Spurs in Game 5 Sunday night.

James' stat line—25 points, eight assists, six rebounds and four steals—hides what was truly a letdown game. He went just 8-of-22 (36.4 percent) in the loss, including 2-of-11 shooting in the second half.

The Spurs led 61-52 at halftime but pushed ahead to a 96-76 game-high lead with 9:13 remaining in the fourth quarter. During that period, LeBron disappeared. Rather than rallying the Heat back, the league's Most Valuable Player, who shot 56.5 percent in the regular season, shot 1-of-9 (11 percent).

More is demanded from legends.

James will never be compared to just the great; he will forever be compared to the greatest. Maybe it’s Jordan nostalgia or even selective memories of Kobe's career, but it never felt like either of those contemporary greats lost their edge in big moments.

It’s not just up-and-down production; James’ fire has been inconsistent as well. He needs to force the issue, but he rejects the notion that taking over is necessary.

There are stretches in this series when James needs to play with urgency, like when the Heat trailed coming out of halftime, but instead, he pulls back. Seldom-used Boris Diaw shouldn’t be able to slow down one of the game’s all-time greats.

To James' credit, he attacked the basket more Sunday night than he did in Games 3 and 4. He also reached the free-throw line for nine attempts—five times more than he did combined in the previous two games.

Of course, it’s not all on James.

The Heat's team defense that allowed the Spurs to shoot 60 percent was a greater downfall than James’ cold stretch. And perhaps Miami wins if Mike Miller, who started and played 25 minutes, scored at least one point or if Mario Chalmers didn't go 2-of-10 from the field.

Here’s the thing, though—if the Heat were to win this series because Miller and Chalmers hit more shots, it would still be remembered as James’ title. So when the team loses, of course it’s natural to look toward the team’s best player.

It’s the legacy of James that’s on the line; how Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh perform is secondary. The greatest player is playing on the grandest stage, and as it stands, his inconsistency is costing the Heat a chance to win a title.

Winning is ultimately what legends are remembered for. James isn’t perfect, and Jordan, despite popular belief, wasn’t perfect either. But Jordan will always be remembered for propelling his teams to victory.

Right now, James is on a different path. Next season, the only memory that will endure is whether or not James is able to win a championship. If he loses, the narrative transitions back to him being a choke-artist in the biggest moments.

With one more Heat loss, LeBron James will have lost three of his four NBA Finals appearances. The Heat have yet to win two consecutive games since Game 5 of the conference semifinals versus the Chicago Bulls and Game 1 against the Indiana Pacers in the conference finals.

Miami’s inconsistency falls on its leader, and it could be the reason the teams falls short in its hopes to claim a second consecutive title.

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5 Reasons Why the Miami Heat Are a Dynasty

John Friel — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 00:29:52 -0400

This might not be the most appropriate time to be writing such an article, but I'm one to take on a challenge.

Plus, we've been here before. The Miami Heat have been down in several series in the past few years.

They were down 1-0 in the 2011 Eastern Conference Finals against Chicago, 2-1 against Indiana in the 2012 semifinals, 3-2 against Boston in the Eastern Conference Finals, 1-0 against Oklahoma City in the NBA Finals and 1-0 against Chicago, again, in the 2013 semifinals.

To declare the Heat down and out after their Game 5 loss to a San Antonio Spurs team that has been unconscious from a shooting standpoint over the past four games would be clear evidence that you have not paid much attention to this team over the past three years. In fact, they've been in this position just as many times as they've been in favorable situations when they controlled a series wire-to-wire.

But that's what makes the Heat a dynasty. In the three years the "Big Three" have been together, they have rewritten the history books and even changed the way the game is played.

With so much talent and so many roles that could possibly conflict, the Heat have employed a small lineup that is taking the NBA by storm. These rotations have reduced the roles of big men everywhere and have made the 7-footer seemingly a thing of the past, with the exception of those that have an offensive repertoire.

Even then, Miami is killing teams with lineups that have sometimes featured LeBron James as a center.

The revolutionary rotations and lineups the Heat have been running over the past two seasons, along with the MVPs, All-Star nominations and incredible postseason and regular-season performances, have all made this Heat team has become a dynasty.

Begin Slideshow

Heat Players Arrive at Game 5 In Style

Tristan Thornburgh — Sun, 16 Jun 2013 19:01:41 -0400

The Heat arrived to Game 5 dressed to impress, and for a change, Dwyane Wade, dressed in a Yves Saint Laurent sweater, and LeBron James, decked in Air Yeezys and headphones color-coordinated with his shirt, didn't make the biggest statements with their outfits.

They left that to Chris Bosh and Birdman, whose plaid pants and camo shirt are sure to be the envy of...someone?

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Heat vs. Spurs: LeBron James Must Be Aggressive from Tip for Miami to Win Game 5

Pete Schauer — Sun, 16 Jun 2013 18:50:25 -0400

As we saw in Game 4, as the Big Three go, the Miami Heat go.

Miami is tied 2-2 with the San Antonio Spurs in the NBA Finals as a crucial Game 5 takes place Sunday night in San Antonio—the last home game of the season for the Spurs.

The Heat are at their best when LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh are contributing in all facets of the game, but the biggest key for the Heat is when James comes out active and aggressive.

James was passive in the first three games of the Finals—no performance worse than Game 3—but that all changed in Game 4, as ESPN Stats and Info shows.

James went for 33 points in Miami's 109-93 win in Game 4, shooting 15-for-25 from the field to go with 11 rebounds, four assists, two steals and two blocks.

More importantly for the Heat, James was assertive early, establishing himself in the post and taking the ball to the rim. As the flow of the game went on, James gained more confidence from his play inside and used it to his advantage on the outside, where he was knocking down mid-range and outside jumpers.

I mentioned James' dismal Game 3 output earlier, but his scoring totals were way down throughout the first three games of the Finals. Take a look:

As you can see, James only eclipsed the 20-point mark once in four Finals games in 2013, which is something we're not accustomed to seeing. In last year's Finals, the least amount of points James scored was 26, as he averaged 28.8 points per game en route to an NBA Finals MVP award.

James isn't the only key for Miami, though. To me, Wade is the ultimate key for the Heat.

If he continues to play the way he did in Game 4 (32 points, six rebounds, four assists and six steals), Miami is going to win back-to-back titles.

But it all starts with James.

James must come out aggressive, attacking the basket and drawing fouls to get to the free-throw line. If he does that, the game will come to him, and he'll get more open looks from the outside, which is what we saw in Game 4.

If James is aggressive throughout and Wade stays active and productive, the Heat will be hanging another banner inside AmericanAirlines Arena.

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Can Miami Heat Big 3 Prove Unbeatable Again In Game 5 of 2013 NBA Finals?

Dan Favale — Sun, 16 Jun 2013 11:06:43 -0400

Inconsistently dominant is not a phrase often associated with the Miami Heat.

To be honest, it's not a term frequently expressed at all. Inconsistently dominant, however, is exactly what the Heat have been.

Miami hasn't lost back-to-back games during the NBA playoffs (it's actually been since January). But the Heat also haven't won two games in a row since snagging sequential victories in Game 5 of the second round against the Chicago Bulls and Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Indiana Pacers.

Going nearly a month without two straight wins isn't the Heat. Postseason included, they're supposed to win with ease.

Behind subpar playoff campaigns from Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh, and a LeBron James who has, at times, struggled to establish his in-game identity next to his slumping counterparts, the Heat appear mortal.

It took seven games for Miami to eliminate what was considered an inferior, albeit scrappy, Pacers team. Four contests into the NBA Finals, and the Heat are also at a 2-2 deadlock with the San Antonio Spurs.

Nothing at this stage of the season will come easy, even for the Heatles. Vulnerability isn't supposed to surface either. More is expected of Miami. More than what was seen during the Eastern Conference Finals and much more than what has been given during the finals.

And more is exactly what the Heat gave in Game 4.

Wade had a breakout performance, the kind that makes you believe he's back to his old self.

When he puts forth a poor display, like he has for most of the postseason, excuses are made, sometimes even by Wade himself. Then there are exploits like that of Game 4. Posting 32 points, six rebounds, four assists, six steals and one block is one heck of a performance.

He became the fourth NBA player since 1986 to notch such numbers, all on a bum knee no less. LeBron's Game 4 was quite impressive as well.

One game after going 7-of-21 from the floor for just 15 points, passively directing his team to a 36-point blowout, he erupted for 33 points, 11 rebounds, four assists, two steals and two blocks on 15-of-25 shooting.

The third member of the Big Three, Chris Bosh ensured James and Wade weren't acting alone in Game 4. He pitched in 20 points, 13 rebounds, two steals and two blocks of his own. San Antonio will have trouble competing with the Heat when all three go off like that.

They accounted for 85 of the Heat's 109 points. Add in Ray Allen's 14, and four players scored all but 10 of the team's points (99) in Game 4. That can happen again. Game 5 can be taken over by LeBron and Wade and Bosh and even Allen.

If it is, the Spurs are in serious trouble. Serious, inescapable, guaranteed-to-lose distress.

The Heat aren't built to fight San Antonio's depth with depth. They're equipped to annihilate any and all opponents on the backs of their star power.

They don't need six or seven guys to score in double figures to win; they have three (arguably four) players who can score enough for seven or eight or nine or 10 together. Their Big Three is in place to resemble unbeatable, to be invincible on any given night, whether they've been struggling or not and whether they're playing big or small.

Far from perfect, but able to dismantle adversaries like the Spurs—that's Miami. That's who the Heat were in Game 4. That's who they have the potential to be again in Game 5.

Follow @danfavale

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Comparing LeBron James' NBA Finals Resume to Michael Jordan's and Kobe Bryant's

Brendan Bowers — Sun, 16 Jun 2013 08:55:06 -0400

Michael Jordan is the modern standard by which all NBA finalists are measured.

In six trips to the finals during his career with the Chicago Bulls, Jordan won each time. Kobe Bryant, as a member of the Los Angeles Lakers, has made seven trips to the NBA Finals, winning five championships.

LeBron James, now in his 10th professional season, made his fourth trip to the finals in 2013.

He had previously appeared once with the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2007 before doing so again in 2011 and 2012 with the Miami Heat. Last season, he was crowned an NBA champion for the first time.

So even if James helps his Miami Heat defeat the San Antonio Spurs this year, earning his second ring, he still has a long way to go in order to truly compare with Jordan and Bryant in terms of championship legacy.

In an attempt to highlight individual finals production specifically, however, the following is a statistical comparison in terms of scoring, assists and rebounds.

With Game 5 of the 2013 finals looming, this comparison also measures the fourth NBA Finals appearance that Jordan and Bryant made to James' production thus far against the Spurs.

Michael Jordan Statistically Dominated the NBA Finals

Michael Jordan didn't win any of his NBA championships by default. Playing in 35 NBA Finals games during his 15-year career, Jordan simply dominated the time he spent on the NBA's biggest stage.

Kobe Bryant, after completing his 17th season in 2013, has appeared in 37 NBA Finals games. Heading into the Miami Heat's 2013 series with the San Antonio Spurs, meanwhile, LeBron James had participated in 15.

The 22.5 points that James had averaged in the NBA Finals along the way are solid, but pale in comparison to Jordan's output.

As highlighted by the chart above, Jordan's NBA Finals scoring average of 33.6 is 11.1 points higher than James averaged for his career after winning his first championship in 2012.

Four games into the 2013 finals, James is averaging only 20.8 points. Unless he improves his scoring output dramatically to close out the series, James won't be making up any ground on Jordan in the NBA Finals' scoring department this year.

He also won't be moving any closer to matching Bryant's scoring output, either. Kobe is currently averaging 8.3 points fewer than Jordan for his career in the NBA Finals at 25.3.

James, However, Is Averaging More Assists and Rebounds in the Finals

In researching the NBA Finals statistics for both Jordan and Bryant, I was surprised to see they each averaged as many as six and 5.1 assists respectively.

The 209 assists that Jordan dished out, while also scoring as prolifically as he did in the NBA Finals, is something I'm not sure many people always remember.

I'm also not sure that Bryant is credited with being as capable a playmaker as he's been in the finals.

Regardless, LeBron James compares favorably to both Jordan and Bryant in terms of assists and rebounds. James closed out 2012 while dishing out seven assists and collecting 8.1 rebounds for his career in the NBA Finals.

In 2013, James is currently averaging 6.5 assists and a staggering 12 rebounds against the Spurs through four games.

Comparing the Fourth NBA Finals Appearance Specifically for Jordan, Bryant and James

Michael Jordan had won three NBA championships before making his fourth trip to the NBA Finals. Kobe Bryant had won three as well, but inevitably lost in 2004 to the Detroit Pistons.

In Jordan's fourth NBA Finals appearance—playing against the Seattle SuperSonics in 1996—he averaged 27.3 points, 5.3 rebounds and 4.2 assists. He also shot 41.5 percent from the field and 31.6 percent from the three as his Chicago Bulls won the series in six games.

Against the Pistons in '04, Bryant averaged 22.6 points, 2.8 rebounds and 4.4 assists for the Los Angeles Lakers. He also shot 38.1 percent from the floor overall while only making 17.4 percent of the 23 three-pointers he attempted.

Though James has struggled mightily shooting the basketball from the outside, his 26.7 percent mark from three-point range is still better than Bryant in '04. His 45.6 percent shooting from the floor overall is also better than Jordan's mark in '96.

Ultimately, however, James can ill-afford a third NBA Finals loss if he is to be compared on the championship stage to Jordan and Bryant moving forward.

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LeBron James Says 'Enough Is Enough,' Time to Win 2 Games in a Row

Grant Hughes — Sun, 16 Jun 2013 01:23:59 -0400

The only thing that has been consistent about the Miami Heat over their past 11 playoff games has been their inconsistency. And LeBron James, for one, is fed up with his team's up-and-down efforts.

According to Brett Pollakoff of ProBasketballTalk, James sounded off on the Heat's seesaw string after practice on Saturday:

I think it’s time. I think we’re well overdue where it’s time for us to win consecutive games. I think we’re at 11 or 12 straight consecutive win‑loss, win‑loss, win‑loss. I think it’s time. Enough is enough for our team. I’m not saying it’s going to result in us having a win, but we need to play with the same sense of urgency as if we were down 2‑1 or whatever the case may be tomorrow night. And we can’t wait around.

If recognizing that a problem exists is the first step toward solving it, it appears as though James and the Heat are at least on the right track. But rectifying the team’s curious inability to get up for every game isn’t going to be easy.

Part of what's so bothersome about Miami's on-again-off-again approach is that we've seen what they can do when focused. In the latest example, the Big Three combined for 85 points in an impressive 16-point win in Game 4.

Of course, that victory came on the heels of a 36-point drubbing, so it was hardly a surprise.

The Heat spent the 2012-13 campaign coasting for long stretches and flipping the proverbial switch only when necessary. During the grind of the regular season, the Heat basically said to their opponents: “We’re just going to nap for about three—maybe three-and-a-half—quarters. Wake us up if anything interesting happens.”

Almost invariably, the Heat would shift into a high gear to salt away games that they’d basically played in a daze. It was a fine strategy for the generally low-intensity regular season, but against a steady diet of worthy opponents like the Indiana Pacers and San Antonio Spurs, Miami hasn’t been able to snooze through games so easily.

In a confounding trend, the Heat have simply failed to summon the motivation necessary to string together back-to-back games of maximum effort. Sure, when they suffer a loss, they dig a little deeper to pull out a win in their next game, but alternating wins and losses is no way to win a title.

In a literal sense, the Heat cannot afford to keep that pattern up.

If the Spurs take Game 5, Miami will be forced to win both Games 6 and 7. And by that point, it will have been nearly a month since the Heat notched back-to-back victories.

For what it's worth, James' own performances haven't really been subject to the same kind of fluctuation as his team's have. He led the Heat in scoring in all seven games against the Pacers and although his overall numbers have been down against the Spurs so far, his effort has been consistent.

To be fair, he did suffer through a poor Game 3, but that had more to do with the defensive wrinkle the Spurs threw at him (daring him to take mid-range jumpers) than any lapse in focus.

James’ sentiments—and to some degree, his indignation—are important, but talk isn’t going to win games. So until he and his team actually prove that they’re willing to play just as hard after wins as they are after losses, the jury is still out on whether Miami has what it takes to win this series.

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Trades the Miami Heat Should Consider This Offseason but Won't

Peter Emerick — Sat, 15 Jun 2013 23:22:45 -0400

The Miami Heat have a shot at winning back-to-back NBA titles.

While that's an impressive feat, it doesn't mean that they should keep their entire roster intact when the offseason rolls around.

The Heat's core talent, LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh, are only getting older and their window of domination isn't getting any bigger, thanks to Wade's health and Bosh's inability to play in the interior.

The good news for the Heat is that this offseason is an ideal time to shop around some of their talent to see what kind of interest teams have for them on the trade market.

Making a trade this offseason isn't paramount to the Heat's immediate future, but it is very important in terms of thinking about the long-term success of the franchise.

Ahead are a number of trades the Heat should at least consider this offseason.

Begin Slideshow

Explaining Miami Heat's Baffling Inconsistency in 2013 NBA Playoffs, Finals

Grant Hughes — Sat, 15 Jun 2013 20:39:16 -0400

For a team that won 27 games in a row during the regular season, it's difficult to fathom how the Miami Heat have suddenly turned into one of the most wildly inconsistent outfits in recent memory. Yet here they are, having alternated wins and losses over their last 11 playoff games and locked in a 2-2 tie with the San Antonio Spurs in the 2013 NBA Finals.

There are any number of exhaustive statistical approaches that might help pin down an explanation for the Heat's roller-coaster efforts recently, but most of them end up showing the same thing: When Miami gets stellar statistical performances from its Big Three and a good all-around defensive effort from the entire team, it wins.

Shocking, right?

For example, when LeBron James shoots a higher percentage from the field, gets to the line and affects the game on defense, Miami wins. When he's less effective in those areas, it loses.

Similarly, when the Heat have won in this postseason, they've held opponents to 41 percent shooting. When they've lost, opponents have hit more than 47 percent of their shots.

Oh sure, we could go deeper into the strategic elements that have helped the Heat bounce back after losses. Just recently, James confidently attacked San Antonio's sagging defense in Game 4 after looking totally confused and hesitant in Game 3.

Thanks to that tweak (and a couple of others), the Heat followed up a 36-point loss with a 16-point win.

Stepping back, the huge swings in margin of victory support the notion that the Heat just don't approach their opponents with the same urgency after a win as they do after a loss. In games immediately following a postseason win, the Heat actually have a negative average point differential (that 36-point drubbing in Game 3 didn't help).

But after they lose, the Heat win their next game by an average of 20.7 points.

It's easy to say that Miami plays better in wins than it does in losses; what's harder to figure out is the motivation (or lack thereof) that contributes to such disparate and unpredictable performances. It certainly seems like the Heat take a vastly different approach to games when coming off a loss than they do after notching a win.

After such a phenomenal regular season, shouldn't the Heat have this whole consistency thing nailed down by now? What gives?

For a better understanding of some of the mental elements behind the Heat's puzzling inconsistency, I checked in with Art Rondeau, who specializes in the psychological side of the game. He's a peak performance coach who has worked with collegiate and professional athletes. He's also a certified trainer in neuro-linguistic programming (NLP).

According to Rondeau, there are a couple of factors that could explain why the Heat respond so forcefully after losses, but don't seem to sustain that same approach after wins. In fact, a look back at what very well could have been a loss against the Indiana Pacers in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals helps illustrate that a literal defeat (and not a close call) seems to be necessary for Miami to respond in the subsequent game.

Some of it could very well be a 'whack in the back of the head' type of thing. The loss wakes them up to the reality that they're at risk in the series. What supports this idea is Game 1 against Indiana. In many ways, except for the final score, that was a Heat loss. Almost losing didn't cause them to come out and dominate in Game 2. But when they actually lost Game 2, they came out and won Game 3 by 18 points. The loss, not their level of play, was the motivator.

So perhaps the Heat simply need a very specific wake-up call in order to play their best. You wouldn't think a team as good as the Heat—who have enjoyed three straight runs to the finals—would need to get knocked down in order to stand up and fight, but if you think about it, there's some sense to that theory.

Miami spent its 66-win season coasting for long stretches. Even within their 27-game winning streak, there were a number of close calls that the Heat answered only when absolutely necessary. Miami was down huge to the Cleveland Cavaliers, but it snatched a victory with a blistering late surge.

Earlier in the year, the Heat laid off the gas and ended up in double overtime against the lowly Sacramento Kings. James went bonkers and won that game on his own, but only after Miami was on the brink of an embarrassing loss.

These examples don't line up perfectly with the win-loss-win-loss pattern that has emerged during the playoffs, but they do illustrate a crucial point: The Heat know they can flip a switch.

But they haven't shown the ability to flip that switch in the playoffs unless the preceding conditions were just right. In this case, those conditions clearly include a recent loss.

Rondeau noted: "Something seems to be different after the losses that really cranks them up...A lot of teams are stronger when their backs are against the wall."

Maybe that's it. Maybe the Heat need to feel the urgency of a loss in order to muster maximum mental focus in their next game.

Getting back to something Rondeau said about the Indiana series, it seems like there's a way for the "whack in the head" to turn into more of a "slap in the face." In one sense, it describes the Heat's abrupt realization that they need to play better after a loss. Think of it as a reminder of Miami's mortality—which is something the team probably tends to forget about.

But in another way, the slap in the face Miami gets with a loss could refer to the team's desire to avenge a defeat that made them look bad. The Heat might be viewing their losses as personal affronts.

Rondeau noted that there's a possibility that the Heat could be trying to restore their image by coming on strong after losing.

Winning by 18 immediately following a loss might not just be because of having their backs against the wall. The Heat view themselves as a dominating team. A loss means they were dominated to some degree. Part of them kicking it into overdrive the next game might be to prove that they are who they think they are. There are plenty of examples of teams and players finding an extra gear after they've made a mistake or lost a game they felt they should have won.

So, perhaps the Heat are merely a defiant bunch who only respond when their pride has been wounded. You'd think they wouldn't need personal sleights to motivate themselves at this stage, but the game tape speaks for itself: They come out fighting after a defeat.

After wins, they've been going through the motions.

It's interesting to note that Rondeau sees a way for the Spurs to take advantage of Miami's up-and-down game. Apparently, a little dash of unpredictability could get the Heat—even the supercharged post-loss version—off their game.

If the Spurs win Game 5, the Heat would face elimination in Games 6 and 7. The Heat would, rightly, be confident with their ability to win big after a loss. They'd also most likely expect that the Spurs would come out strong and do certain things that they've seen from reviewing game film. So even if the Spurs score points doing what the Heat expect, the Heat would be confident because the Spurs are doing what the Heat expect. But if the Spurs come out strong and do things that the Heat aren't expecting, it could set the Heat back on their heels, change their confidence to uncertainty ('what are they going to do next?'), and pave the way for the Spurs to win the game.

At the same time, the Spurs' fate could be strongly tied to which of Rondeau's possible motivations is really the source of Miami's peaks and valleys.

If the Heat are motivated to take it up a notch by being in pressure situations, which is highly likely, that's worse for the Spurs than if the Heat were only motivated by looking bad. Assuming that the pattern holds and the Spurs win Game 5, the Heat would have their backs to the wall in both Games 6 and 7. But if the Heat were only motivated by looking bad (very, very doubtful), then we'd expect them to be very motivated in Game 6 and not as much in Game 7. If it's a combination of both, the Spurs may actually have a better chance in Game 7 than in Game 6.

The Heat won't be able to get away with alternating wins and losses from here on out. They'll need to make a few tactical adjustments, but it's going to be just as important for them to isolate the sources of their post-loss motivation.

If they can find and use those motivators in every game that remains in the NBA Finals, the Heat should be able to break their on-and-off streak en route to a title. James, for one, is acutely aware of the Heat's troubling inconsistency. Apparently, he's fed up.

It's a little late in the game for "a ha" moments. But better late than never. Nothing's certain, though, and the Spurs have shown that they cannot be taken lightly.

The last two (or three) games of the finals are going to be an epic battle, but the more interesting—and unpredictable—fight is actually going on in the minds of the Heat players.

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Win or Lose, Miami Heat Not Nearly as Dominant as We Thought

Jesse Dorsey — Sat, 15 Jun 2013 15:30:05 -0400

Between the Indiana Pacers figuring out how to defend them, and the San Antonio Spurs giving them troubles in the NBA Finals, it seems that this Miami Heat team isn't quite as dominant as we once thought.

The Heat won those 27 consecutive games in the regular season, they swept the Milwaukee Bucks in the playoffs, dispatched the Chicago Bulls in five games and made the NBA Finals, but it seems they'll end up falling a step short of that legendary status.

During that 27-game winning streak, and even the weeks that followed, we were weighing where to put this Heat team once they tore through the rest of the NBA and claimed their NBA championship.

Of course, looking back at that winning streak, they beat just four teams that finished in the top four of their conference. Many of those wins came over lottery squads or bottom-tier playoff contenders.

It was impressive, but they weren't knocking off the Oklahoma City Thunder and New York Knicks on a nightly basis.

The Eastern Conference seemed to be a breeze, and the foes out West were so chock-full of problems that the couldn't possibly handle what the "Big Three" had grown into.

LeBron James had himself a crew of players that looked to easily be his best cast since coming into the NBA, until everything started to go awry.

Milwaukee proved to be no match, and the Bulls could slow the game down, but that couldn't make up for the fact that they just couldn't score.

Against Indiana, Miami looked like another version of the Cleveland Cavaliers near the end of LeBron James' tenure with them: a very good team, capable of winning a ton of games, but missing that little bit of extra pop to put them over the top.

Dwyane Wade's balky knee and unexpected disappearances, mixed with Chris Bosh's horrible Eastern Conference Finals did a lot to show how bad they can truly be (which is still pretty darn good).

Once they got to the Finals and faced off with Gregg Popovich and the Spurs, it showed that a solid game plan could slow down LeBron, and that their confidence can be shaken with something as simple as a record three-point shooting performance.

What really became surprising in the past two rounds of the playoffs is how quickly either LeBron or Wade could disappear, and how unconcerned the team seemed to be about it.

Wade shot just 43 percent in the Eastern Conference Finals, played defense that fluctuated between "just fine" and "utter crap," and his response wasn't to address his poor play, but rather to complain that he needed more touches.

It was a rare moment when the team noted their shortcomings publicly, although they did from time to time, most notably with LeBron telling the media that he stayed on Bosh and Wade through their struggles.

Now here they are in the NBA Finals, locked at two games apiece and trying to string together consecutive wins in the playoffs for the first time since the series against Chicago.

LeBron broke the 20-point barrier for the first time in the series during Game 4, scoring 33 in Miami's solid bounce-back win over the Spurs.

There's no surprise seeing the series tied, it's just surprising that Miami has played in a way that fails to accentuate their strengths for stretches at a time.

This all isn't to say that they're not the talented team that we thought they were. On the contrary, they've got a lot of talent near the top of their roster, and the right role players sprinkled throughout.

What has become a problem is how that talent is harnessed and focused on a nightly basis.

Whether it be Wade disappearing for stretches, sulking or complaining to referees; Bosh seemingly losing confidence; or James still trying to find the right time to be passive and the right time to take over, there seems to be a disconnect between these Heat and even the early 2000s Los Angeles Lakers.

Going beyond that and looking at Michael Jordan's Bulls, the 1986 Boston Celtics and the 1987 and 1972 Lakers seems to be short-sighted.

It's not that those teams never found themselves overmatched, but key players completely disappearing, and even becoming detrimental to the effort is something that was a rare occurrence, and certainly didn't manifest itself in the final two series' of the season.

Yes, they won 66 games in the regular season, including a 27-game winning streak, and I would even say are still the likely NBA champions, but the past three weeks of play have been a bit surprising.

It's an excellent group of players, but in comparison to the greats, they seem to be locked somewhere in the middle of the second-tier teams, and even a trifle below last season's Heat.

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Is LeBron James Somehow Still MVP of 2013 NBA Finals So Far?

Grant Hughes — Sat, 15 Jun 2013 08:00:00 -0400

LeBron James won the regular-season MVP award in nearly unanimous fashion, but his grasp on the same honor in the NBA Finals is a bit more tenuous.

In order for James to add to his trophy case, a few things have to happen first. Most obviously, the Miami Heat actually have to go on to win the title. Jerry West won the very first finals MVP award in 1969, despite being on the losing team. Since then, no other player has managed to lose in the finals but still win the trophy.

Knocking off the San Antonio Spurs is a dicey proposition at best. The Heat haven't shown the ability to bring their best effort consistently, and the Spurs have proven to be a worthy opponent. In fact, if the Heat continue the streak established over their past 11 playoff games of alternating wins and losses, the Spurs will take Games 5 and 7 en route to a title.

There are plenty of variables down the road in this series that could determine whether James snags a second consecutive NBA Finals MVP award. But what's incredible is that right now, he's probably the front-runner.

It shouldn't be surprising that the best player on the planet is currently playing better than anyone else in the finals, but because James hasn't been living up to his own standards, it's been easy to overlook the fact that he's been exceeding those set for everyone else.

For example, 50 points over a three-game span in the finals would seem like a decent stretch for most players. For James, it was his worst showing in a long time.

In the scoring department, James' average of 20.8 points per game easily surpasses San Antonio's top point-producer, Danny Green, who has posted 16.5 points per game. You read that right, by the way. Danny Green leads the Spurs in scoring.

Plus, only Dwyane Wade (thanks to a Game 4 outburst of 32 points) comes close to James' average among Heat players. His 18.8 figure still falls short, though.

No player in the series can match James' 12 rebounds per game, either. Tim Duncan's 11 pulls per contest comes closest.

James hasn't quite made it a clean sweep of the the three major offensive categories, though. His 6.5 assists per game trails Tony Parker's finals-leading figure of 7.0. Even LBJ can't win 'em all, I guess.

Defense is harder to quantify in such a short four-game span, but even a casual viewer has to be impressed with the way James has been handling a number of different matchups and rarely losing his focus despite being charged with so much offensive responsibility.

Speaking of casual viewing, highlights and memorable moments tend to count for just as much in the race for the finals MVP as raw statistics do. Fortunately for James, he's got plenty of those so far, too.

In Game 1, he notched one of the more quietly stunning triple-doubles in memory when he scored 18 points, grabbed 18 rebounds and handed out 10 assists. It was a ho-hum game by James' standards, but more than that, it proved that we've all officially become desensitized to his ridiculous stat lines.

Then there was his huge block on Tiago Splitter, easily the signature moment of the series thus far.

Get. It. Out.

Most recently, James followed up one of his poorest performances—a confused, hesitant effort in Game 3—with one of his best. In the Heat's 109-93 Game 4 win, he scored 33 points on 15-of-25 shooting while pulling down 11 rebounds, registering four assists, blocking two shots and swiping a pair of steals.

If there are points available for bounce-back efforts, James earned some in Game 4.

Perhaps the best argument for James' candidacy as the "so far" MVP of the finals is the sheer volume of minutes he's been playing. LBJ is the only player averaging more than 40 minutes per game in the series.

In fact, no other player on either team has even topped the 35-minutes-per-game mark. Considering that the Heat rely on James as their leader on both ends, his ability to stay on the floor as much as he does is immensely valuable.

As good as James has been, he's still deserving of a few knocks.

For one thing, his shooting percentages have dipped appreciably as compared to the ones he posted in the regular season. After hitting nearly 57 percent of his shots during the year, James' accuracy has dipped to just under 46 percent. And after knocking down a career-high 40.6 percent from three, he's hitting only 26.7 percent in the finals.

In addition, he showed some real vulnerability in Game 3. The Spurs dared him to beat them from the mid-range area by giving him a massive cushion, but James couldn't decide what to do with the space. He hesitated, pounded the dribble and when he did shoot, he was clearly out of rhythm.

Great players shouldn't succumb to ploys like that, but the Spurs clearly flummoxed James—for a game, anyway.

What's most bothersome about James' performance in the finals is that he hasn't yet imposed his will like so many fans expect. After seeing him destroy the Boston Celtics in an epic Game 6 takeover in last year's Eastern Conference Finals, everyone wants to see him flip that switch again.

Having seen the very best of James, everything else somehow seems disappointing. That's unfair, right?

It's incredible to think that James is in the midst of one of the worst stretches he's endured in months, but he's still probably been the best player in these finals. It's official: He's spoiled us.

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Comparing 2013 NBA Playoff Run to LeBron James' 1st Two Miami Heat Postseasons

Brendan Bowers — Sat, 15 Jun 2013 07:57:29 -0400

Since joining the Miami Heat in the summer of 2010, LeBron James has made three straight trips to the NBA Finals.

In each playoff run, the expectations of championship or bust have been the same. Heading into the 2013 postseason, James is 1-1 while representing Miami on the NBA's biggest stage.

After falling to the Dallas Mavericks in the 2011 finals, James and the Heat responded by eliminating the Oklahoma City Thunder in five games last season.

With at least two games remaining against the San Antonio Spurs in the 2013 finals—despite teammates Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh each scoring a career low in the playoffs—the Heat are on pace for their best postseason winning percentage of the Big Three era.

While averaging fewer points than he did in 2012, James is shooting a slightly better percentage from the field in '13 than he did previously with the Heat. The 6.5 assists he is dishing out are also more than he averaged during each of his previous playoff runs with Miami, while the 8.3 rebounds are slightly less.

With the series tied at 2-2 heading into Game 5, James is also only two games away from winning an NBA championship for the second straight season. If the Heat accomplish as much, based on the numbers he's posted along the way, James' playoff performance will once again be the biggest reason why.

Heat Winning Percentage

Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh are each averaging career lows of 15.1 and 12.7 points, respectively, in the 2013 playoffs. Despite that, the Miami Heat could still potentially record their best postseason winning percentage of the Big Three Era in 2013.

After eliminating the Milwaukee Bucks, Chicago Bulls and Indiana Pacers, the Heat arrived in the NBA Finals with a playoff record of 12-4. They have since split four games with the Spurs for an overall mark of 14-6.

If Miami wins the next two games of this series to clinch the NBA championship and finish 16-6 in the playoffs overall, it would finish with a postseason winning percentage of .727.

In 2011, the Heat managed a playoff record of 12-3 before losing in six games to the Dallas Mavericks and finishing 14-7 (.608). In 2012, they were 12-6 before eliminating the Oklahoma City Thunder in five games to finish 16-7 (.695).

LeBron's Shooting Percentage

LeBron James scored 30 or more points 13 times during the 2012 playoffs. With at least two games remaining in 2013, James has reached the 30-point plateau only six times.

What's often overlooked, however, is that he is also shooting 50.1 percent from the field. This number is a slight improvement over the 50.0 percent he shot last year. It is also up significantly from the 46.6 percent he finished with in 2011.

The 25.1 points that James has averaged are less than the 30.3 he scored in 2012 but still more than the 23.7 he posted while making his playoff debut with the Heat.

While James did turn in a disappointing performance in Game 3 against the Spurs—finishing with 15 points on 33.3 percent from the field—it is still not the postseason career low of eight points he scored on 27.3 percent from the field against Dallas in '11.

James as a Facilitator

In light of the criticism that LeBron James received after losing Game 3 to San Antonio, it's interesting to realize that the 6.5 assists he's averaging in the 2013 playoffs are also more than his previous postseasons in Miami.

James averaged 5.9 assists in the 2011 playoffs and 5.6 assists in 2012.

He's improved his numbers as a facilitator this time around despite a downturn in scoring from Wade and Bosh. James totaled at least eight assists six times heading into Game 5 and could go for even more if his superstar teammates knock down the shots they're capable of making.

LeBron's Rebounding

LeBron James has recorded double-figure rebounds five times during the 2013 postseason. Three of those rebounding efforts for James have come during the NBA Finals, and he's topped out at 18 for the playoffs.

Despite that, though, the 8.3 boards he's averaging are still less than each of his previous playoff runs in Miami. In 2011, James averaged 8.6 rebounds, and he finished with 9.7 in 2012.

Last year, on his way to an NBA championship, James grabbed at least 10 rebounds 10 times. He also finished with a postseason high of 18 against the Indiana Pacers in the conference semifinals.

In addition to being his best work on the glass since arriving in South Beach, James' 9.7 postseason rebounds in 2012 are also a career high.

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Will Chris Bosh Ever Be a Superstar in the NBA Again?

Maxwell Ogden — Sat, 15 Jun 2013 07:00:02 -0400

Over the past three seasons, Miami Heat center Chris Bosh has entered a state of purgatory. His reputation is that of a superstar, his accolades continue to pile up and the media and coaches of the NBA appear to be paying no mind to a decline in production.

When we get past the gray areas and ignore name value, however, we can't help but ask: Will Bosh ever be a superstar in the NBA again?

Some will jump to Bosh's defense and claim that he remains one of the league's elite. His résumé certainly justifies that proclamation, as he's a former NBA champion, an eight-time All-Star and a former All-NBA selection.

The question is, have we been so caught up with name value that we've forgotten what matters most? You know, actually putting something on the floor?

Let's find out.

Was Bosh Ever a Superstar?

The term "superstar" is often overused, as it's bestowed upon players who are productive but not necessarily elite. No matter how much he may have achieved as an individual, we can't help but ask one important question.

Was Chris Bosh ever a true superstar?

The numbers certainly support his case, as Bosh was selected No. 4 overall and averaged at least 20 points and 10 rebounds in three seasons. With that being said, there's another number that may trump all of the individual feats.

Bosh led the Raptors to just two postseason appearances in seven seasons with the team.

Furthermore, the Raptors finished above .500 just once with Bosh on their roster and lost in the first round of both their postseason appearances. While Bosh is the furthest from the player worthy of the blame, we must use one argument for all.

Again, Toronto's failure was not all Bosh's fault, but would we dare label the best player on a team that routinely finished on the outside of the playoffs as a true superstar?

By comparison, Atlanta Hawks center Al Horford averaged 17.4 points and 10.2 rebounds per game in 2012-13. The Hawks made the playoffs this past season, but Horford was left off of the All-Star squad in favor of Bosh.

In terms of what Bosh is doing today, a fair question is why Brook Lopez is viewed in a lesser light.

If our logic for Bosh's time in Toronto remains intact, Horford and Lopez should receive that same praise. Unfortunately, the NBA has a bad case of tunnel vision when it comes to their "stars."

A Meteoric Collapse

Throughout the course of the 2012-13 NBA regular season, Chris Bosh underwent a transformation as he became ineffective both as a rebounder and interior scorer. According to NBA.com, he shot 36 percent in the paint and attempted 54.1 percent of his shots from mid-range and beyond.

To make matters worse, Bosh averaged career-worst totals of 6.8 rebounds per game.

This decline is due, in part, to Bosh's full-time move to center, where he's routinely mismatched down low. While his ability to shoot the ball has been undeniably valuable, Bosh has struggled against true centers.

The Eastern Conference Finals were the nail in the coffin for Bosh's star status at the 5.

Matched up against Indiana Pacers Roy Hibbert (7'2" and 280 pounds) Bosh
(6'11" and 235 pounds) was decimated. He averaged 11 points and 4.3 rebounds in 31.6 minutes per game, while Hibbert had 22.1 points and 10.4 rebounds.

Perhaps worst of all, Bosh failed to top 10 points in the final four games of the series. You can talk about reputation all you'd like, but superstars don't let that happen.

Ever.

Fortunately, Bosh has bounced back during the NBA Finals, averaging 14.3 points, 9.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 2.3 steals and 1.8 blocks. With all of his defensive efficiency, however, has come further offensive woes.

Bosh has topped 15 points just once in his past eight games.

Achieving Superstar Status

As a member of the Miami Heat, Chris Bosh has developed a new profile amongst NBA fans and has thus seen his lack of production come under fire. Even when he thrives, there are fans waiting around the corner with mountains of questions as to why he did something wrong.

The truth of the matter is, the only way for Bosh to return to superstar status—or achieve it for the first time, depending on how you view it—is to move back to power forward.

Bosh sometimes played center with the Toronto Raptors, but no one was foolish enough to view his playing style as that of a 5. He was routinely matched up with power forwards, thus being able to back his man down and crash the boards with proficiency.

Against a revitalized group of centers in 2012-13, however, Bosh has been at his worst.

There's no question that Bosh is defending at a better level than ever before, and we'd be remiss to ignore his improved jump shot. With that being said, one of the NBA's most dynamic players has suddenly become a one-trick pony offensively.

Until he moves to power forward, that will not change.

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