NBA FINALS: OBSERVATIONS FROM GAME 3

There is nothing like home sweet home. After gaining a split in Oklahoma City, the Miami Heat took advantage of an energized American Airlines Arena crowd to win Game 3 of the NBA Finals. The Heat rallied from a third-quarter deficit and pulled out a 91-85 victory Sunday night to take a 2-1 series lead … [Read more…]

SPOELSTRA HANDLED ALL THE ‘NOISE’

Erik Spoelstra arguably has the second-toughest job in America, and the only person who has more pressure on him to perform and please everyone is Barack Obama. Much like the president of the United States, the 41-year-old head coach of the Miami Heat is constantly second-guessed and the expectations are above and beyond anyone could … [Read more…]

DREAM TEAM’S UNTOLD STORIES

Twenty years ago, when NBA players were allowed to participate in the Summer Olympics it changed the entire landscape of the sport of basketball. The global impact of the 1992 U.S. men’s basketball team — also known as the Dream Team — was enormous. They opened the door for international players such as Pau Gasol, … [Read more…]

NBA FINALS: OBSERVATIONS FROM GAME 2

The Miami Heat avoided a 0-2 hole after holding off the hard-charging Oklahoma City Thunder, 100-96, Thursday night in Game 2 of the 2012 NBA Finals. The series now heads to South Beach for games 3, 4, and 5. Here are a few observations from Game 2: HEAT USES THE FORCE Erik Spoelstra talked about … [Read more…]

TV RATINGS FOR NBA FINALS SOAR

During the NBA lockout there were several — and you know who you are — basketball writers and so-called experts who said the NBA was headed for a dark spring because no one is going to watch a bunch of spoiled athletes paid by a bunch of greedy owners. Well, guess who’s watching? The hype … [Read more…]

NBA FINALS: OBSERVATIONS FROM GAME 1

The Oklahoma City Thunder drew first blood in the 2012 NBA Finals after defeating the Miami Heat, 105-94, in Game 1 Tuesday night. Kevin Durant led the Thunder with 36 points in his first Finals game, and he got plenty of help from Russell Westbrook, who nearly had a triple-double. The Thunder point guard had … [Read more…]

NBA FINALS: DURANT VS. LEBRON

This is the dream matchup for the NBA. You have arguably the best team from the West playing against arguably the best team in the East. And each side boasts arguably the two best players in the game. The NBA Finals has not had this kind of salacious showdown since Magic Johnson’s Lakers faced Michael … [Read more…]

LEBRON JAMES IS ON A MISSION

With all due respect to Oklahoma City’s Kevin Durant, LeBron James is the real MVP of the 2012 postseason. James proved it with 45 points and 15 rebounds in Game 6 of the epic Miami-Boston series to force a deciding Game 7. Surprisingly, he made 19 of 26 field goals and a lot of them … [Read more…]

DOC RIVERS SAYS CELTICS ‘HAD NOTHING LEFT’

  With 28 seconds left in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference finals, the Miami Heat had a double-digit lead and the Boston Celtics were running on fumes. Celtics coach Doc Rivers knew it was time to wave the white flag and pull his starters off the court. ‘We had nothing left,” Rivers said. ”That’s … [Read more…]

CHRIS BOSH IS HEAT’S UNSUNG HERO

Anyone who thinks the Miami Heat can win a championship without Chris Bosh needs to have their heads examined. Bosh may be the Joker, or the wild card, in Miami’s Batman and Robin dynamic but his presence was the biggest reason why the Heat are advancing to the NBA Finals. Bosh scored 19 points in … [Read more…]