For Whom Should Heat Fans Cheer: Orlando or Cleveland?

It seems hard to believe that the 2008-2009 NBA season is almost over. For Dwyane Wade and the Heat, it has ended for the past two weeks. But the same can not be said to King James and his men. 

LeBron is in pursuit of that elusive first NBA championship. He knows that the only way to have his name in the same sentence as Michael Jordan or Magic Johnson is by winning a championship. 

The question that rises now is "For whom should Miami Heat fans cheer?" LeBron and the Cavaliers? Or Dwight Howard and the Orlando Magic?

When talking to some fans about this, home-state pride was a big factor as to why they are cheering for the Magic. Others, like myself, want to see Stan Van Gundy win the eastern conference and go to the finals, a place he almost took with the Heat in 2005, and prove that he deserves to be a coach in this league.

But, there’s that small few that have a ridiculous reason as to why they are cheering for the Magic. They hope that, in the summer of 2010, LeBron will come to Miami. As a Heat fan myself, I do not see this happening, even if he loses tonight. If there’s one place James will be heading, it's New York. But all of that relies on him leaving Cleveland, which I also don’t see happening.

Miami doesn’t need a player of James’ caliber. I agree that LeBron is a monster, but Pat Riley would much rather get Chris Bosh than LeBron. Bosh is a power forward and James is a small forward, a position reserved for Michael Beasley.

So, with that being said, here are my reasons as to why Miami Heat fans should cheer for the Magic

• State prides should be a big reason.
• Another huge reason should be the fact that Heat fans are tired of seeing and hearing the Lebron James Media love-fest. Yes, you all know what I’m talking about: LeBron the MVP? That’s ridiculous! Dwyane Wade clearly had the best season compared to LeBron. Wade took a team that only won 15 games the previous season to a fifth seed playoff team the next. The media didn’t give the MVP to the right person this season. And, for that, I am cheering to see the “MVP” and “Coach of the Year” out.
• Stan Van Gundy is another person that was robbed of an award. The Coach of the Year award clearly should be in Van Gundy’s house right now, not Mike Brown’s. I understand that the Cavaliers had the best record in the league, but that doesn’t mean he automatically should win Coach of the Year. In just he second season, Stan Van Gundy is one win away from taking the Orlando Magic to the Finals (the first time since they were swept by the Rockets).

Those three reasons should be enough for any Heat fan to cheer against the Cavaliers. Let’s see the king and his men be dethroned tonight in Orlando.