It’s disappointing that some of the world’s best players such as Nikola Jokic, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Kevin Durant, LeBron James, and Steph Curry won’t be participating in basketball’s biggest international tournament. But their absence shouldn’t take away from the excitement and immense anticipation of the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup.

Jokic, the face of Serbia’s national team, decided to skip this year’s event as he recovers from a grueling season that culminated in his first NBA championship with the Denver Nuggets. Antetokounmpo had surgery on his left knee earlier this summer and is simply not ready to compete for Greece.

“Since the conclusion of my NBA season I have been pushing my body to the limits to be the player I need to be to help our team achieve the goals we set,” Antetokounmpo wrote on social media.

“But after months of work and multiple meetings with medical staff, it is clear that I am not ready to compete in the level that I need to be to participate in the World Cup,” he added. “This was not a choice, but my only option in ensuring I get back to the level of basketball I have worked so hard to achieve so far in my career. I am extremely disappointed in this outcome but this was a decision made with the medical staff.”

LeBron, Durant and Curry no longer have the appetite to play against international competition having already served their country at previous World Cups. This opens the door for fresh faces to proudly wear the USA colors.

Defending champion Spain enters the FIBA World Cup as the No. 1 ranked team in the world, with the United States at No. 2. Australia, Argentina, and France round out the top five.

OneManFastBreak.net predicts the eight winners of each group and the eight wild-card entries qualifying for the second round.

GROUP A: Angola, Dominican Republic, Philippines, Italy
Prediction – Italy and Philippines advancing

The inclusion of Utah Jazz guard and former NBA Sixth Man of the Year Jordan Clarkson gave host nation Philippines a much-needed shot in the arm. Filipino fans are hungry for the country’s first real opportunity to compete for a medal since local legend Caloy Loyzaga powered the basketball-crazed Southeast Asian nation to a bronze medal finish in 1954. It remains the best World Cup finish for the Philippines in six appearances.

Minnesota Timberwolves star Karl Anthony-Towns will be donning the colors for the Dominican Republican for the first time in a decade, setting up a very intriguing matchup with Gilas Pilipinas on opening night on Aug. 25.

The 31-year-old Clarkson — who is Filipino-American — proudly represents his mother and grandmother’s native country. The Philippines’ game against Dominican Republic at the Philippine Arena in Bulacan could draw close to 50,000 fans. The winner will most likely earn a ticket to the knockout round. The Dominicans have the speed and athleticism advantage, but homecourt advantage and Clarkson’s 3-point shooting may be enough for the Filipinos to pull off the major upset.

“A lot of our efforts are really poured into preparing for the Dominican Republic and Angola. Those are the two games we really have to get,” Philippines national coach Chot Reyes told Philippine Daily Inquirer.

The game between the Philippines and Angola on Aug. 27 will be held at the famed Araneta Coliseum, which has hosted some of the biggest events in the world including Muhammad Ali’s “Thrilla in Manila.”

Kai Sotto may be the second-most important player for coach Reyes. We all know what Clarkson brings to the table. There’s a bit of a mystery surrounding 21-year-old Sotto. The 7-2 center was recently medically cleared to play at the World Cup after he suffered back spasms while playing for the Orlando Magic’s summer league squad in Las Vegas. Sotto is a skilled big man who can be an effective pick-and-roll partner with Clarkson.

Flying under the radar are the Italians, led by Utah Jazz forward Simone Fontecchio and New Orleans Pelicans forward Nico Melli. Italy is one of the hottest teams entering the World Cup as it swept the exhibition games in Athens, with impressive wins over Serbia and Greece. Expect the Italians to finish first in the group, and the Filipinos to take second.

GROUP B: China, Puerto Rico, Serbia, South Sudan
Prediction – Serbia and South Sudan advancing

Serbia’s gold medal chances took a massive hit when 2023 NBA Finals MVP Nikola Jokic decided to skip this year’s tournament. Despite no Joker in the lineup, the Serbians still have enough firepower to win arguably the easiest of the eight groups. The silver medalists from the 2014 World Cup have one of the best offenses in the tournament, beginning with Atlanta Hawks shooting guard Bogdan Bogdanovic. Bogdanovic, who averaged 22 points at the previous World Cup, will wear the captain’s arm band for Serbia and head coach Svetislav Pesic will call his number a lot.

Minnesota Timberwolves forward Kyle Anderson obtained his Chinese citizenship through naturalization in July and will represent China at the World Cup. The FIBA Basketball World Cup Twitter accounted posted this message on its feed: “Li Kai’er is coming.” Li Kai’er is Anderson’s Chinese name. Anderson’s versatility and veteran leadership should help China, but not enough to advance.

Keep an eye on South Sudan to pull off a stunner and finish second behind group winner Serbia. South Sudan is making its World Cup debut, and the young African nation is hungry to prove to the world that it is an emerging basketball nation. South Sudan is coached by former NBA player and current Houston Rockets assistant coach Royal Ivey. Ivey’s squad is led by former Baylor Bears forward Nuni Omot and recently added NBA veteran forward Wenyen Gabriel — who played with the L.A. Lakers during the 2022-23 season — to the roster.

GROUP C: Greece, Jordan, New Zealand, United States
Prediction – U.S. and Greece advancing

The road to the knockout stage got much easier for the Americans after Milwaukee Bucks star and two-time NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo (aka the Greek Freak) opted out as he continues to rehab his knee. Team USA roster reloaded with an all-new lineup. It enters the tournament on a hot streak, having won all its exhibition games including wins over Spain and Slovenia. Under new head coach Steve Kerr, the young American squad has bought into Kerr’s philosophies and looked very much in sync despite only coming together in early August.

Jalen Brunson (New York Knicks), Anthony Edwards (Minnesota Timberwolves), Mikal Bridges (Brooklyn Nets), Brandon Ingram (New Orleans Pelicans), and Jaren Jackson Jr. (Memphis Grizzlies) have been Kerr’s preferred starters in the showcase games and nothing indicates that’ll change. Per usual, the U.S. has an embarrassment of riches on its 12-man roster. Tyrese Haliburton (Indiana Pacers) backs up Brunson — who has emerged as the team leader — at point while Austin Reaves (L.A. Lakers), Josh Hart (Knicks), Cam Johnson (Nets) are part of a solid rotation on the wings. Reaves has been a revelation at camp. Kerr calls him the team’s “connector” with his ability to seamless play any perimeter position. Bobby Portis (Milwaukee Bucks), Paolo Banchero (Orlando Magic), and Walker Kessler (Utah Jazz) are the backup bigs.

The 2023 FIBA World Cup will be extra special for U.S. assistant coach Erik Spoelstra. The 52-year-old Miami Heat head coach has deep ties to the Philippines being a Filipino-American. Spoelstra was born in the U.S. and raised in the Portland area, but his mother is a native of Laguna and he has family members living in the Philippines.

Spoelstra told FIBA.com that it has been a “dream” to be part of USA Basketball, and being able to experience the World Cup in Manila is “very surreal.”

“I have great pride in being an American, and I have great pride in my heritage, being Filipino as well,” Spoelstra said. “I’m just really excited that the entire program will be able to see the enthusiasm, the spirit and fan base for the game in Manila.”

Thanasis Antetokounmpo is the only Antetokounmpo playing at the World Cup after his brothers, Giannis and Kostas, bowed out. The absence of Giannis will severely hamper Greece on the offensive end. You can’t easily replace a player who averages 30 points per game. Coach Dimitris Itoudis will employ a heavy dose of high pick-and-rolls and staggered screens to get some open looks. Olympiacos point guard Thomas Walkup, who played his college ball at Stephen F. Austin, will be tasked with running the offense. One of Walkup’s primary targets is 7-3 center Georgios Papagiannis (Fenerbahce).

After posting a disappointing seventh-place finish at the 2019 World Cup, don’t expect the Americans to take anyone lightly. The U.S. has a favorable schedule playing before a friendly crowd at Mall of Asia Arena in Manila. The Americans will be given the rock star treatment and should win every game in Group C by double digits.

GROUP D: Egypt, Mexico, Montenegro, Lithuania
Prediction – Lithuania and Montenegro advancing

Lithuania had dreams of rolling out a monster frontcourt, pairing 6-11 power forward Domantas Sabonis with 7-0 center Jonas Valanciunas.

Sabonis and Valanciunas are double-double machines in the NBA, and arguably two of the best rebounders in the world. However, those plans were derailed. According to Lithuania national team coach Kazys Maksvytis, Sabonis had surgery on his right thumb. The Sacramento Kings, however, disputed that claim and told the Sacramento Bee that the 27-year-old Sabonis — who is the son of Lithuanian legend Arvydas Sabonis — did not have surgery. Regardless if he had surgery or not, Sabonis won’t be playing for Lithuania at the World Cup. That leaves the 30-year-old Valanciunas, who averaged 14.1 points and 10.2 rebounds for the New Orleans Pelicans last season, to shoulder much of the offensive load for Maksvytis.

Chicago Bulls center Nikola Vucevic will be leading his home country of Montenegro, which is competing in its second World Cup appearance after qualifying for the event for the first time in 2019. The 6-11 Vucevic anchors a big Montenegro frontcourt that fields seven players 6-8 or taller. The size advantage for Lithuania and Montenegro will be too much to overcome for smaller Mexico and Egypt. Expect Lithuania to win the group, with Montenegro finishing second.

GROUP E: Australia, Finland, Germany, Japan
Prediction – Australia and Germany advancing

Most basketball observers felt Group C and Group H were the toughest after the initial draws were announced. But OMFB thinks Group E deserves the “group of death” title. The games will be held at Okinawa, giving host nation Japan homecourt edge. Japan has lost its last eight games in major international competition (five at the World Cup, three at the Olympics). Just how important this year’s event to Japanese flag bearer Yuta Watanabe? “No one, neither the players nor the spectators, wants to see us lose. If we end up with a string of defeats this time as well, I’m ready to take off the national team’s uniform. That’s how much I am committed to this World Cup,” the 28-year-old Phoenix Suns forward said.

Finland is ranked outside the top 20, but it has Lauri Markkannen (Utah Jazz). The reigning NBA’s Most Improved Player can single-handedly take over a game.

Australia (ranked No. 3) and Germany (No. 11) are on the short list of teams expected to give the U.S. and Spain a run for their money. Coached by veteran Brian Goorjian, whose father Ed was a legendary high school in California, Australia has a roster loaded with NBA players.

The Boomers have a mixture of young NBA studs in Josh Giddey (Oklahoma City Thunder), Josh Green (Dallas Mavericks) and Matisse Thybulle (Portland Trail Blazers), Dyson Daniels (New Orleans Pelicans) to go with proven NBA veterans such as Joe Ingles (Orlando Magic), Patty Mills (Atlanta Hawks) and Jock Landale (Houston Rockets). Ingles, Mills, and Landale were part of the Aussie squad that won bronze at the Tokyo Olympics. The Aussies have too much talent not to win this group.

Germany, led by team captain Dennis Schroder, returns 75% of the squad that captured bronze at the 2022 FIBA EuroBasket. Schroder, who recently signed with the Toronto Raptors, is the engine that powers the Germans’ offensive attack. He has plenty of help from brothers Franz Wagner (Orlando Magic) and Mo Wagner (Magic). Former Boston Celtics center Daniel Theis provides the Germans with some much needed muscle in the paint, doing all the dirty work and holding down the fort defensively. Germany gave Team USA its toughest game during the showcase series, leading by as much as 16 points before Anthony Edwards got hot and exploded for 34 points to help the U.S. escape with a 99-91 win.

Each game in Group E will be hotly contested, but two teams will leave Okinawa disappointed. It won’t be Australia or Germany. Both countries should advance out of the group phase and compete for a medal.

GROUP F: Cape Verde, Georgia, Slovenia, Venezuela
Prediction – Slovenia and Georgia advancing

Slovenia arrives in Japan with several question marks. Do they have enough rebounders? Can they defend the perimeter to keep teams out of the paint? These are major issues enough to sink any team. But Slovenian coach Aleksander Sekulic has an answer to all the team’s problems: Luka Doncic.

The brilliance of the Dallas Mavericks superstar covers up all of Slovenia’s warts. He is the sole reason why a nation of only 2.1 million people is a medal contender at the World Cup. Doncic leads Slovenia in points per game (25.0), assists (7.3), 3-point field goals (3.2), and second in rebounds (8.8). Doncic is feeling extra motivated these days. He’s motivated by the Mavericks’ failure to make the playoffs this past NBA season, and he’s motivated to avoid of a repeat of what happened at the Olympics in Tokyo when Slovenia finished fourth and missed the medal podium.

“When we are focused and doing what we need to do, we can be a very dangerous team,” Doncic told Sports Illustrated.

The Slovenians caught a break by landing in a group with two World Cup first-timers in Cape Verde and Georgia, and Venezuela is more of a baseball power. Virtus Bologna forward Tornike Shengelia — a second-round pick in the 2012 NBA draft — has an opportunity to reintroduce himself to basketball fans if he can lead his native country Georgia past the group stage.

Doncic shouldn’t have to extend himself during pool play. His B-plus game should be good enough to push the Slovenians into the next round where they will need his A-plus game.

GROUP G: Brazil, Cote d’Ivoire, Iran, Spain
Prediction – Spain and Brazil advancing

Defending World Cup champion and EuroBasket world champion Spain was dealt a significant blow when veteran point guard Ricky Rubio announced that he was taking a break from basketball to focus on his mental health.

The 32-year-old Rubio was the MVP of the 2019 World Cup in China, leading the Spaniards to an 8-0 record. He’s been one of the main cogs of Spanish basketball for nearly two decades. After leading Spain to a gold medal four years ago, Rubio has had a rough last few years. He has been traded three times and missed the majority of the past two seasons while recovering from a torn left ACL. He served as backup for 33 games last season for the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Without Rubio, Spanish head coach Sergio Scariolo has had to make several adjustments. He has shifted point guard duties to 29-year-old Alberto Diaz and 19-year-old Juan Nunez. Both guards saw action in a 98-88 loss to the U.S. in a showcase game in Malaga, Spain on Aug. 13. Scariolo, widely regarded as one of the best coaches in the world, treated the much-anticipated game against the U.S. as a feel-out game. He’ll likely have a different game plan if the two basketball powerhouses meet in Manila.

Spain’s superb sibling lineage continues with Willy Hernangomez (FC Barcelona) and Juancho Hernangomez (Panathinaikos) taking the baton from Pau and Marc Gasol. The Hernangomez brothers, along with Memphis Grizzlies forward Santi Aldama and Oklahoma City Thunder forward Usman Garuba, arm Scariolo with four highly skilled big men capable of playing any style.

Aldama, 22, and Garuba, 21, represent the new wave of talent on the Spanish national team, while Rudy Fernandez represents the old guard. Fernandez, now 38, is past his prime but still regarded as one of the best 3-point shooters in FIBA.

Scariolo won’t be coaching his best squad in terms of NBA talent, but the Spaniards remain dangerous and can beat any team, including the U.S.

Brazil, which enters the tournament ranked 13th in FIBA, will rely on power forward Bruno Caboclo and the three-guard rotation of Raul Neto, Marcelinho Huertas, and Yago Santos. Caboclo was a former first-round draft pick by the Toronto Raptors in 2014. Neto and Huertas have played on several NBA teams, while Santos has experience playing in the Adriatic League and EuroLeague.

Brazil is the only real threat to Spain in a weak group. Spain should win every game in Jakarta. And don’t be surprised if Spain is one of the last four teams standing.

GROUP H: Canada, Latvia, Lebanon, France
Prediction – France and Canada advancing

The path to the knockout round got a little easier for France and Canada after Latvia’s Kristaps Porzingis (Boston Celtics) opted out of the tournament.

Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert anchors a deep and talented French squad that boasts several current and former NBA players, including the core group that brought home silver at the Olympics in Tokyo two years ago and lost to Spain at the EuroBasket final last year. French coach Vincent Collet thought he’d have the services of 2023 NBA No. 1 overall draft pick Victor Wembanyama, but Wemby decided to skip the World Cup to focus on preparing for his first season with the San Antonio Spurs.

Collet will once again rely on 7-1 Gobert to be the catalyst on defense. The three-time NBA defensive player of the year provides a towering presence in the paint, which allows perimeter defenders such as Nic Batum (L.A. Clippers) to play more aggressively. This is likely Batum’s last World Cup appearance as he is planning to retire after the 2024 Olympics in Paris.

France’s backcourt is about as steady as they come. Former San Antonio Spurs point guard Nando De Colo, 36, and current New York Knicks shooting guard Evan Fournier, 30, have a boatload of international experience.

The Canadians are sending their best team to the World Cup, despite news that Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray is skipping the competition. Spearheaded by rising NBA superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and New York Knicks starting wing RJ Barrett, Team Canada has a legitimate shot to reach the podium.

Gilgeous-Alexander continues his accent into elite status in the basketball world after impressive performances in tune-up games. The Hamilton (Ontario) native had 26 points and six steals against New Zealand. He put on a show with 25 points, eight rebounds, and six assists in a 113-112 overtime win over Germany. SGA shined again in Canada’s 85-80 overtime win over Spain, finishing with 22 points, eight rebounds and three assists.

“He’s showing leadership and you can lead in so many different ways and him in his own way. He’s bringing this group together,” Canada head coach Jordi Hernandez said about Shai.

The Canadians are also armed with two outstanding wing defenders in Luguentz Dort (OKC Thunder) and Dillon Brooks (Houston Rockets). If there’s a weakness it may be up front as Kelly Olynyk (Utah Jazz) and Dwight Powell (Dallas Mavericks) have trouble against physical big men.

We shall find out fast which nation will win Group H as France and Canada face off in the opener on Aug. 25 in Jakarta. Les Bleus has too much international experience for the talented but untested Canadians. France wins the group, with Canada close behind at second.

Jamal Murray had an opportunity to tie the score as time expired in Game 2 of the 2023 NBA Finals, but his step-back 3-pointer against Jimmy Butler bounced off the rim.

It was a shot Murray has made on multiple occasions. When he missed, he was more surprised than than disappointed. It shows the level of confidence Murray has in his ability to close games. He felt good about the shot. He didn’t feel good about his lack of intensity throughout the game. “I didn’t play terrible,” he said. “I felt like I could have done a lot more.”

Denver Nuggets coach Michael Malone was around Murray for the next two days leading up to the pivotal Game 3 in Miami. He could tell his 26-year-old point guard was itching to redeem himself and was ready for a big bounce-back game.

“I could tell, speaking to him and being around him the last 48 hours, that he was putting a lot of Game 2 on him,” Malone said. “It wasn’t just him. It was me and everyone of our players. It was collective. But that’s what champions do. That’s what warriors do. They battled back. I just felt his presence all game long [in Game 3]. Forget the stats for a second. I felt Jamal Murray’s presence, his energy. He was here. He was in the moment.”

In a game the Nuggets sorely needed to regain home-court advantage in the NBA Finals, Murray and Nikola Jokic authored what Malone called their “greatest performance” as a duo in their seven years together. Jokic and Murray became the first teammates to pull off a 30-10-10 triple-double game in NBA history. Jokic finished with 32 points, 21 rebounds, 10 assists. Not to be outdone, Murray had 34 points, 10 rebounds, 10 assists.

“The whole playoffs he was playing phenomenal. He’s a really good leader out there. We’re just following him,” Jokic said of Murray, who might be the best player in the 2023 postseason if not for the 6-11, 280-pound monster he shares a locker room with.

Murray and Jokic have been spectacular. Both are at the peak of their powers and looking more and more like the best 1-2 punch in basketball. The rest of the NBA should be worried because the Murray-Jokic partnership could have a long, dominant run as long as they can stay healthy.

“It’s a great duo. Their games complement each other,” Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. “Both those guys are elite-level talent.”

Jokic is Denver’s undisputed best player. He’s arguably the best basketball player in the world. If Jokic is the engine of Denver’s Formula 1-type racing machine, then Murray is the fuel that ignites the Denver machine.

“Murray is an electric playoff performer,” Spoelstra said. “Murray will draw second and third defenders. You have to pick him up beyond the 3-point line. And he’s ignitable.”

Murray set the tone early for Game 3 as he took on the Butler defensive challenge and brought the intensity from the tip. He scored 20 of his game-high 34 points in the first half. He shot 12-for-22 from the field, he was 3-for-6 from 3-point range, and 7-for-8 from the line.

The type of energy and aggression Murray brought to the table against the Heat represented what he’d been consistently doing the entire postseason. He was sensational during the Nuggets sweep of the L.A. Lakers in the Western Conference finals.

Jokic was the consistent jab that kept the Lakers at bay. Murray was the right-hand cross that knocked LeBron James and Co. out of the playoffs. Murray’s performances in games 2 and 3 against L.A. were his signature moments. He scored 23 of his game-high 37 points in the fourth quarter of Game 2 to give the Nuggets a 2-0 lead in the series. In Game 3, he dropped another 37-point outing on the road to give the Nuggets a commanding 3-0 series lead.

Murray is one of the game’s fourth-quarter performers. His ability to come through in clutch situations was one of the primary reasons why the Nuggets reached the NBA Finals for the first time in franchise history.

About the only time Murray’s confidence wavered slightly was during the beginning of his rehabilitation after tearing his ACL in April of 2021. Murray had some doubts about regaining the form he flashed in the bubble season of 2020.

“I remember being in the bus with him, going to the airport after he did the injury [against] Golden State the next day and he had tears in his eyes, and that was the message. ‘Hey man, you’re gonna come back from this. And not only are you going to come back, you’re going to be better,'” said Malone. “In that moment, it’s really hard to believe that. His first thought was, ‘Are you guys gonna trade me? I’m damaged goods, you guys are gonna trade me now.’ “

Malone responded with, “I hugged him and said, ‘Hell no, you’re ours. We love you, we’re going to help you get back, and you’re going to be a better player for it.”

Malone was right. Murray not only fully recovered but he became a better player since the ACL injury. The 2023 playoffs is a reminder of the player the Nuggets selected with the seventh overall pick in the 2016 draft out of Kentucky. The kid from Kitchener, Ontario (Canada), has continued to find ways to improve and show out on the biggest stage in the world.

Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr made some waves when he suggested that Murray is the focal point of the Nuggets’ attack. Seems silly to think that a guard — who has never been named to a single All-Star game or make All-NBA — be the focal point of a team that employs two-time MVP and All-NBA center Nikola Jokic.

But here was Kerr, without hesitation, circling Murray as the top target on the white board.

“I can see [the Heat] in their coaching meeting saying, ‘Murray is the head of the snake, not Jokic,'” Kerr said during Draymond Green’s podcast.

The Nuggets are not just a one-man show. They are a complete team with a scary two-headed monster leading the attack.

Eventually, some team is going to break the streak.

In the history of the NBA, when teams take a 3-0 lead in a best-of-seven playoff series, the likelihood of having a shot at winning the series is about as improbable as correctly choosing all six numbers in the lottery. It’s a 1 in 13,983,816 chance of winning.

The 2023 Boston Celtics looked at those odds and said, “So, you’re saying there’s a chance.”

Boston won the equivalent of nailing five of the six numbers in the Mega Millions jackpot and came within 48 minutes of pulling off a playoff comeback for the ages. The Celtics became the first NBA team since 2003 to dig out of an 0-3 hole and force a Game 7. It wasn’t just any series. It was the Eastern Conference finals.

However, like the previous 150 teams that tried to break the cycle, Boston came up short as it got destroyed by the Miami Heat 103-84 in Game 7 at TD Garden Arena.

It was a roller-coaster ride for the Celtics. In a matter of seven days, they went from being massive underachievers to a team on the brink of returning to the NBA Finals only to have it snatched away in one swoop after a shockingly poor performance in front of their loyal fans.

“We failed. I failed. We let the whole city down,” Celtics All-NBA forward Jaylen Brown said during his postgame media availability.

When the Heat took a 3-0 series lead in the conference finals, basketball fans and media pundits were tossing all sorts of narratives around the Celtics and none of them were good.
Talking heads were destroying first-year Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla for being too green and not meeting the moment. Brown’s name was being tossed around in trade scenarios, and the old ghosts that haunted superstar forward Jayson Tatum during last year’s NBA Finals seem to have popped up again.

Seven days later, Mazzulla’s job was no longer in danger. Brown could be in line for a lucrative contract extension and Tatum rediscovered his MVP form.

Once the Celtics decided to step on the gas, it became a series. It shouldn’t come as a surprise the Celtics beat the Heat in seven games. The Celtics finished with the second-best record in the regular season and were one of the betting favorites to reach the NBA Finals. The big surprise was how Boston found itself down 3-0 to an eighth-seeded Miami squad that barely made it out of the play-in tournament.

It’s unfortunate that the Miami Heat, a proud franchise with championship pedigree, found itself on the edge of a historic collapse. A loss to the Celtics are being up 3-0 in the series would have been a permanent stain on the franchise. It would have been a stain on Erik Spoelstra’s impressive coaching résumé, and it would have been a huge stain on the résumés of Miami two superstars — Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo.

The Heat wouldn’t even be in the conference finals without Butler and Adebayo. They are the heart and soul of a Miami squad that entered the postseason as massive underdogs. The Heat earned the eighth and final spot in the East playoffs by beating the Chicago Bulls in the play-in tournament. The Heat then pulled off an improbable upset in the first round after knocking off the top-seeded Milwaukee Bucks in five games. That upset now feels like an eternity.

Butler and Adebayo faded on the back end of the Boston series, as both looked fatigued.

Butler was in prime Playoff Jimmy form in the first two games of the series, scoring 35 and 27 points and playing lockdown defense on Tatum and Brown. But since then, Butler has struggled to find his shooting stroke. He scored 16 points in Miami’s Game 3 win at home, and things got progressively worse as the series extended. He was 9-for-21 from the field in a Game 4 loss. He took only 10 shots and finished with 14 points in a Game 5 loss. He was 5-for-21 in a Game 6 loss.

Adebayo also got off to great start in the first two games in Boston, taking full advantage of single coverage and doing plenty of damage in the paint (42 points and 25 rebounds). But since then, he has gone ice cold from field (13, 10, 16, 11 points) and hasn’t been as dominant on the glass. In Game 6, Bam was 4-for-16 from the field and couldn’t secure the pivotal rebound that led to Derrick White’s game-winning tip-in as time expired for a stunning 104-103 win.

The shooting struggles for Bam and Butler spilled over into Game 7, but both summoned enough strength and energy to impact the game on both ends and lead the Heat to a win. Miami became just the sixth team in 28 tries to win at the Garden in a Game 7. It was pure heart and determination, which embodies the Heat culture.

There were three key reasons why Miami knocked off Boston and advanced to the franchise’s seventh NBA Finals: Spoeltra’s coaching maneuvers, Heat role players stepping up, and Tatum injuring his left ankle in Game 7.

Spoelstra made all the proper adjustments throughout the series and thoroughly outcoached the rookie Mazzulla. Each time Mazzulla made a move, Spo had a counter. Mazzulla — who at 34 is the NBA’s youngest coach — and his staff couldn’t solve the Heat’s puzzling zone defense. Instead of attack the seams of the zone, Boston settled for contested 3-point shots. Over their final two games of the series, the Celtics shot a combined 16-for-77 from 3, including an abysmal 9-for-42 in Game 7.

Mazzulla’s big adjustment in the series was inserting White into the starting lineup to give the Celtics another shooter and ball handler. Spo countered that move by dropping 34-year-old Kevin Love out of the rotation and sliding super-sub Caleb Martin into the starting lineup. Spo wasn’t only beating Mazzulla with X’s and O’s, but he also was winning the motivational game. Moments after the Heat’s crushing defeat in Game 6, Spoelstra went on the podium and declared: “We wish we could tip this thing off right now. Right now! We want to tip this thing off and let’s play another 48 minutes. But we’ll wait another 48 hours and do this thing in Boston.”

Miami certainly did its thing in Boston in Game 7, and it was the Heat role players who got it started. Gabe Vincent, Max Strus, and Duncan Robinson played outstanding basketball in Game 7, but Martin absolutely played out of his mind. Martin, who came within one vote of winning the conference finals MVP trophy, was sensational in Game 7, scoring 26 points in 45 minutes and making 11 of his 16 shots from the field, including 4-for-6 from 3-point range.

“If you’re a real competitor, it’s in your soul, and that’s what Caleb is. He’s a competitor,” Spoelstra said about Martin, who averaged 19.3 points while shooting 60% from the field and 49% from 3-point range in the conference finals. Martin has never topped 9.6 points per game prior to this postseason and is a career 36% 3-point shooter.

The final big nail on the Boston coffin was Tatum’s ankle injury. He twisted his left ankle 26 seconds into Game 7 and was never the same. He injured it on the first play of the game when he collided with Vincent near the basket and landed awkwardly on Vincent’s foot. Tatum tried to play through the sprain, but his mobility was compromised and the limp got progressively worse as the game wore on. Tatum finished with 14 points on 5-for-13 shooting from the field, easily his worst game of the series and possibly the worst game of his young playoff career.

“It swelled up and it was just frustrating that I was kind of like a shell of myself,” said Tatum, who had a noticeable limp as he addressed the media. “It was tough to move. Just frustrating. Especially it happening on the first play.”

Tatum had averaged a series-high 27.2 points through the first six games.

Overcoming a 3-0 deficit in the postseason is extremely rare in major professional team sports. It has been done four times in the NHL (1942 Toronto Maple Leafs, 1975 New York Islanders, 2010 Philadelphia Flyers, and 2014 Los Angeles Kings), and it’s only been done once in MLB (2004 Boston Red Sox).

The NBA remains the only major sports league not to experience it, but it’s getting close.

LeBron James knocked off Jimmy Butler and the Heat in the 2020 NBA Finals. (Getty Images)

NBA Hall of Famer and current NBA TV analyst Isiah Thomas offered the simplest and candid commentary on the 2020 NBA Finals matchup between the Los Angeles Lakers and Miami Heat.

The NBA playoffs are all about adjustments. Teams that can make the proper corrections during the course of a series usually comes out on top. But there’s only so much a coaching staff can do in terms of schematic tweaks. Even if the effort is there and the execution is nearly flawless, the team with the best talent eventually comes out on top.

The Finals inside the coronavirus-free bubble at the Walt Disney World in Orlando offered a fascinating chess match, pitting the Los Angeles Lakers’ two battle-tested playmakers in LeBron James and Rajon Rondo — who have appeared in more than 300 playoff games combined and have seen any imaginable defense during their storied careers — against the defensive-minded and mentally tough Miami Heat squad led by two-way players Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo. Styles create great matchups. In this matchup, the bigger and stronger Lakers presented the undersized Heat a huge challenge. Not only do the Lakers possess great size, but they were faster, more athletic and more experienced. It’s like competing against Thor in the Olympic hammer throw.

It was a daunting task for the underdog Heat, and it became nearly impossible after veteran guard Goran Dragic (foot) and Adebayo (neck) both suffered significant injuries that limited their impact in the series and disrupted the Heat’s regular rotation.

The championship series played out just as most of us expected. The Lakers jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead in the series thanks to the dominance of Anthony Davis and LeBron James. The Heat avoided getting swept thanks to a couple of historic triple-double games from Butler. But once the magic dust from Mickey’s wand disappeared, the Lakers’ size, length, depth and superior talent wore down the undermanned and overmatched Heat. The Lakers won each round in five games, knocking off All-Stars Damian Lillard, James Harden, Russell Westbrook, Jamal Murray and Nikola Jokic in the West before taking down two-time championship coach Erik Spoelstra in The Finals.

Spoelstra threw everything at the top-seeded Lakers, including the kitchen sink. But it wasn’t enough to derail LeBron from winning his fourth NBA title, Davis’ first and the 17th overall championship for the Lakers franchise, matching the Boston Celtics’ all-time record.

Here are a couple of observations from the NBA Finals.

Sizing up the Heat zone

L.A. has the best frontcourt in the league. They entered every postseason series with a significant size advantage and they used that edge to near perfection, using their great length to create mismatches on both ends of the floor. In an era when teams prefer to go small rather than go big, the Lakers are an anomaly. They are insanely long with a plethora of big men to deploy and a pair of big guards in Danny Green (6-6) and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (6-5) who can smother the opposing team’s primary ball handlers. Dwight Howard (6-11) and JaVale McGee (6-0) rotate at center, but when head coach Frank Vogel decides to go “small” he inserts 6-8 Markief Morris at power forward, slides Davis to center, and plays LeBron at small forward. Vogel’s finishing lineup almost always includes their best defenders: Rondo, Caldwell-Pope, Alex Caruso, LeBron and Davis. Vogel also has the option of throwing in Green and Kyle Kuzma, depending on the matchups.

Spoelstra and his coaching staff were able to confound the Celtics with an inverted 2-3 zone defense in the Eastern Conference finals. The uniqueness about the Heat zone was Spo flipped it. The forwards were at the top and the guards were on the baseline with Adebayo patrolling the middle. It was highly effected against a center-less Celtics squad, but it was sliced up by the Lakers like a Papa John’s pizza. LeBron or Davis took turns flashing to the middle above the free throw line, which is what you should do against a zone. With LeBron or Davis collapsing the heart of the zone, it opened up the baseline for dunks and layups and freed up shooters on the wings and corners. When Howard was paired with Davis, he would roam the baseline for easy lobs.

Spoelstra threw a new wrinkle after the second game with a hybrid 1-2-2 zone and a little bit of a box-and-one whenever Davis was on the court. The clever plan worked for at least one game as the Heat were able to steal a game and make the executives at ABC very happy because it prevented an embarrassing sweep. But Spo and Heat could only fool the Lakers once. After LeBron and the Lakers coaching staff watched the film, they knew what to fix and cleaned up the sloppy mistakes.

Vogel utilized a smaller lineup in the next game, pairing Morris with Davis and LeBron up front. The Lakers also made more 3-point shots, which will force any team out of a zone defense. Caldwell-Pope, Green and Kuzma made seven of the team’s 14 3-pointers in Game 4, propelling the Lakers to a commanding 3-1 series lead.

Putting it all on the line

Let’s flash back to the 2006 NBA Finals. The Heat were down 2-0 and on the brink of getting wiped off the floor by the Dallas Mavericks. Enter Dwyane Wade. The then young superstar took over the series by forcefully attacking the basket and forcing the referees to make tough calls (some were not so tough). Wade lived at the free throw line throughout the series and the Heat eventually won in six games and Wade was named Finals MVP.

Flash forward to 2020. Jimmy Butler put his Wade cape on and lived at the free throw line in games 2 and 3. The Heat as a team made 31 of 34 free throws in Game 2, with Jimmy Buckets leading the way by converting 11 of 12 from the line. Butler revved it up in Game 3 as he went 12-for-14 from the line, seeking and searching for contact each time he drove to the basket.

You can paint it however you like. Whether you believe in conspiracy theories or not, you cannot deny the simple fact that referees play a big part in deciding games especially in the playoffs. It has been that way for ages. Butler and the Heat benefitted from several 50-50 calls that allowed the games to be close.

Best performance by a duo

There were two big reasons why the Lakers were able to dismantle the Heat: LeBron James and Anthony Davis. The Finals showed us what happens when two second-team All-NBA caliber players like Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo take on two first-team All-NBAers in LeBron and AD. As good as Butler was in the series, LeBron was better. And Bam may be an up-and-coming superstar, he is still not in Davis’ league. It boils down to this. The Heat have very good players, but the Lakers have two all-time great players. That’s the difference.

We haven’t seen a Lakers duo dominate The Finals like this since Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant. Davis’ 34-point output in Game 1 was the third-best opening act in The Finals since Shaq’s 43-point outburst against the Indiana Pacers in the 2000 Finals. Then, in the pivotal Game 4, Davis showcased why he was a first-team All-NBA defensive player. He was credited with four blocks, but altered at least a dozen shots. AD also took on the challenge of guarding Butler one-on-one, making it extremely difficult for the Heat forward to get to his favorite spots.

“The guy can do everything defensively,” LeBron said. “That’s why he’s the defensive player of the year.”

With AD taking the Butler assignment on defense, LeBron was able to save his legs on offense. After experiencing a hiccup against Butler in Game 3, getting thoroughly outplayed for the first time in his illustrious career and hearing about it from the media pundits for 24 hours in between games, LeBron rebounded nicely the rest of the series and summoned enough energy in his 35-year-old body to piece together another masterful MVP performance in The Finals.

In a league full of dynamic duos, the L.A. Lakers’ 1-2 punch of King James and The Brow delivered a memorable knockout performance to cap off the most difficult postseason run amid the coronavirus pandemic.

LeBron James came up short in his quest for a three-peat. (GETTY IMAGES)

Before Cleveland begins throwing a victory parade in honor of his royal highness, King James, there is still that 5-10 percent chance he could change his mind.

But if Chris Sheridan of SheridanHoops.com is 100 percent right on his 90 percent reporting that LeBron James will be returning to Cleveland to play for the Cavaliers, then the Cavaliers just won the lottery for a fourth time (LeBron in 2003, once with Kyrie Irving in 2011, and this year with Andrew Wiggins and LeBron again).

The four-time NBA MVP hinted he wanted to to stay with the Heat, but returning to the Cavaliers has always been on his mind since he left in 2010. The much maligned Decision 2010 is a part of his legacy that he’d like to correct, and going back to the Cavaliers will definitely wipe the slate clean.

This is not the summer of 2010. LeBron is at a different place now in his life. He’s married. He’s got kids. He’s got two championship rings. Life is good for King James.

”I just want to win. That’s all that matters to me,” James said after emerging from the final Miami Heat team meeting.

”I feel more at ease this time,” James said, adding that ”2010, it was out of control. It was the craziest summer I’ve ever been a part of. … I’m definitely in a better place right now even though in 2010 I got put out in the postseason earlier than I expected or didn’t accomplish what I wanted to, and I have kind of the same feeling now.”

Ohio is home to LeBron, and it sounds like, feels like, looks like he is ready to come home.

Sheridan’s story was posted on July 9 and it got more than 10,000 retweets and more than 2,300 favorites. The post read: LeBron James is returning to the Cleveland Cavaliers, a source tells Sheridanhoops.com. @kingjames #LeBronToClev

Immediately, Cleveland media and fans went bonkers.

What added fuel to fire was the move made by the Cavaliers. They traded point guard Jarrett Jack and got nearly nothing in return, clearing serious cap space.

Outside of The Decision in 2010, James has made sound decisions when it comes to his career on and off the court. He inked huge commercial deals with Samsung, Beats, Nike, McDonald’s and Coca-Cola. He ranks No. 2 on Forbes’ list of highest-earning athletes-entertainers behind only Beyonce. Money won’t be the driving force behind this latest decision for LeBron.

The only thing that matters to LeBron is winning, and the road to the NBA Finals is much easier in the Eastern Conference than the Western Conference. If there is a team that can pull LeBron away from Miami, it’s Cleveland.

Since signing with the Heat, LeBron’s seasons have ended in the NBA Finals. Only Bill Russell’s Celtics, Magic Johnson’s Lakers and Larry Bird’s Celtics have made four straight trips to The Finals. Michael Jordan never did that.

This season, the Spurs were the better team. The Heat simply reached its maximum level and couldn’t shift to fifth gear when Erik Spoelstra stepped on the gas pedal.

No team and no player have logged more minutes in the past four seasons than LeBron and Co. But no team and no player have enjoyed more success than LeBron and Co. in the last four seasons.

But a declining Wade and an aging roster has made LeBron rethink his Miami status. He can no longer count on Wade as his Robin. Wade has become more like Alfred The Butler. Bosh is still in his prime but would like to return to his old position at power forward. He has a massive offer on the table from Houston, and once James bolts for Cleveland Bosh will be penning his signature on the Houston deal.

When Spoelstra was asked why James, Wade and Bosh should all stay the course in Miami, he pointed to the Heat’s solid foundation.

”We have a great track record,” Spoelstra said. “And we have a championship, first-class organization. That is our best selling pitch.”

James said he didn’t need to hear what Miami has to offer. He already knows.

”I understand what this team and this franchise brings to the table,” James said. ”That’s what Riles is so great at and obviously Spo’s going to get into it and see guys who can help us get better.

“Every team in the NBA continues to get better every year and we need to get better as well. We have some holes that need to be filled.”

That doesn’t sound like a guy who is ready to take his talents elsewhere. But he has every right to change his mind.

Erik Spoelstra led the Miami Heat to 66 wins and the franchise’s third NBA title in 2012-13. (GETTY IMAGES)

Erik Spoelstra sat in the stands inside Cox Pavilion on the campus of the University of Nevada Las Vegas looking very relaxed. He happily signed a few autographs, scribbling “Coach Spo” on one program.

Life is good for Coach Spo. He’s coming off a second championship season and one day before the start of training camp the Heat reportedly is working on a lucrative contract extension that would keep the 42-year-old head coach in Miami for a long time.

Spoelstra is 260-134 in his first five seasons with Miami, going to the NBA Finals the last three seasons. Only 12 other coaches in NBA history have multiple championships and only seven others have collected rings in back-to-back years. And last season may have been Spoelstra’s best coaching job.

The Heat rolled through the regular season, winning 27 straight games at one point on the way to a 66-16 record. Then in the playoffs, Miami had to rally from a 1-0 second-round deficit against Chicago and ultimately had to grind out seven-game victories over Indiana in the Eastern Conference finals and San Antonio in the NBA Finals.

”What’s overlooked for him is the management of the team,” Wade told AP last season. ”It’s not the coaching part of it. It’s, ‘Can you manage these egos, these personalities, without having one your damn self?’ He’s done it.”

Every team in the league are gunning for Spoelstra and the Heat this season. But they were all gunning for them last year as well, and we all know how that turned out.

OneManFastBreak.net examines teams in the Eastern Conference’s Southeast Division and where they’ll finish:

1-MIAMI HEAT

LeBron James is at the height of his powers and no one is no longer doubting his ability to win, especially in crunch. He delivered a virtuoso performance in the 2013 playoffs, including a dagger mid-range jumper from the right elbow to seal Game 7 of the Finals against the San Antonio Spurs. If there are chinks on the Heat’s armor it’s injuries and fatigue. Dwyane Wade’s knees are beginning to fail him and his health has been a concern for three years. Wade turns 32 in January and he has 100 percent relinquished the team’s “Batman” title to his buddy LeBron. The Heat are about to embark on a historic journey. Since the NBA-ABA merger, only two teams have gone to four consecutive NBA Finals: Magic Johnson’s L.A. Lakers teams from 1982-85 and Larry Bird’s Boston Celtics teams from 1984-87. The Heat have played well over 100 games the last three seasons, so fatigue will definitely be an issue.

2-WASHINGTON WIZARDS

Owner Ted Leonsis, team president Ernie Grunfeld and coach Randy Wittman are going all in on point guard John Wall, as the Wizards inked the No. 1 overall pick in 2010 with a five-year, $80-million contract. The team is shaping entire game plan around Wall, a player who is blessed with many physical gifts but is still learning how to run an offense. Wall made great strides last year after missing the first 33 games with a bum knee. He averaged 18 points per game, but more importantly nearly eight assists. Instead of going end-to-end looking for his own shot, Wall started sharing the ball and finding open teammates. Wall’s evolution as a point man helped Washington play .500 ball over the final 50 games. Bradley Beal got off to a slow start but finished strong, earning third place in the rookie of the year voting.

3-ATLANTA HAWKS

Larry Drew did a commendable job in 2012-13 despite having a depleted roster and losing All-Star Joe Johnson to free agency. Instead of getting a hearty handshake, Drew was shown the door and was let go. Enter new coach Mike Budenholzer, an assistant coach under Gregg Popovich. Budenholzer was hired by general manager Danny Ferry, another former Spurs employee. Ferry believed that the Hawks were “locked into an identity that was hard to change and was going to be harder to maintain.” Change is coming in Atlanta. Aside from losing Drew, the Hawks won’t have Josh Smith. Jeff Teague and Al Horford are now the focal point of Budenholzer’s new attack, and free agent pickup Paul Millsap replaces Smith in the starting lineup. Lou Williams, who is coming off an ACL tear, should bolster scoring off the bench.

4-ORLANDO MAGIC

The Magic organization is now two years removed from the Dwight Howard drama and, frankly, Orlando seems to be doing just fine; the rebuilding process is well under way. Second-year head coach Jacque Vaughn was given a bad hand to start his coaching career, but he should have more pieces to work with this year beginning with prized rookie Victor Oladipo. The second overall pick in the 2013 draft shined during the summer league, averaging 19 points, four rebounds, five assists, and two steals while primarily playing point guard. Oladipo comes into the NBA with reputation as a defensive standout who loves to slash to the basket. But he impressed the Magic coaching staff with his ballhandling and outside shooting. The former Indiana University star will be a strong candidate for rookie of the year in 2014.

5-CHARLOTTE BOBCATS

Charlotte fans are absolutely giddy, and it’s not because they picked up Al Jefferson in free agency or drafted Indiana University stud Cody Zeller. The reason for the big buzz in the city is the return of the “Hornets,” as in the Charlotte Hornets. The NBA Board of Governors recently approved the name change after New Orleans changed its name to the Pelicans. Charlotte just needs to tough it out for one more season as the Bobcats before switching to the Charlotte Hornets at the start of the 2014-15 season. The change can’t come soon enough for team owner Michael Jordan because since taking over majority ownership in 2010 the Bobcats have become comatose, winning just 28 games in two years. But help is on the way. First-year head coach Steve Clifford has armed himself with great assistants in Patrick Ewing and Mark Price. Too bad Ewing and Price can’t put on uniforms.

Joel Huerto is editor and publisher of OneManFastBreak.net. Follow him on Twitter @onemanfastbreak.

Erik Spoelstra deserves credit for Miami’s success. (GETTY IMAGES)

Gregg Popovich is old enough to be Erik Spoelstra’s dad. If the 2013 NBA Finals came down to experience and guile, Popovich would win hands down if you put a wager on basketball. You can bet US fans will pick Pop in a heartbeat.

Popovich, 64, is the Garry Kasparov of coaches. He may be old but has never lost a championship match. He has coached in more than 1,300 games won more than 900. Meanwhile, the 42-year-old Spoelstra — who has 260 wins in his NBA coaching career — is the young master who, even though he has a title under his belt, still feels like he has to prove himself on the big stage.

So, having said that, when Spoelstra threw the first haymaker of The Finals, Popovich surprisingly flinched.

After watching his team get demolished by 36 points in Game 3, Spo felt he needed a game-changer to re-ignite his team and cool down the red-hot Spurs. He started sharpshooter Mike Miller in Game 4 instead of defensive-minded forward Udonis Haslem, and benched center Chris “Birdman” Andersen in favor of forward Shane Battier.

The adjustments were made out of necessity, Spoelstra said. The Heat had been struggling to unlock the Spurs zone defense, so by having Miller in the starting lineup the floor is spread and allows LeBron James and Dwyane Wade more room to operate in the paint. And having Battier in the mix makes the Heat quicker and more sound on their defensive rotations, which is crucial in stopping the Spurs’ ball movement.

The Heat have been playing “small ball” all season, so the move was not completely out of character for them. However, it forced the Spurs to make a decision: stay big or go small? We got the answer 47 seconds into Game 4.

Tim Duncan was matched up with Chris Bosh, Kawhi Leonard was on James, Tony Parker on Mario Chalmers, and Danny Green on Miller. That left 6-10 center Tiago Splitter on Wade. ABC TV analyst Jeff Van Gundy immediately pointed out this mismatch and said Wade should feel disrespected by having Splitter on him. “He should be thinking ‘I’m gonna score 40,’ ” Van Gundy said.

On Miami’s first possession, Wade threw Splitter off balance with a hard pump fake and drew a two-shot foul. Pop had seen enough. He summoned Gary Neal off the bench and in for Splitter at the 11:13 mark of the first quarter. Miller didn’t score a point in Game 4, but his mere presence to start the game shook up the series and got the Heat into their comfort zone.

“We just think it’s important for us right now. That’s why I did it,” said Spoelstra, who doesn’t get enough recognition for being one of the best coaches in the game.

“The score didn’t indicate on how we want to play. We were down 10, but the most important thing was getting to our game, and this matchup was the best decision for it. It allows us to get to a game where we’re familiar with and confident with.”

Spo doesn’t like to call his recent adjustment as part of a chess match between himself and Grandmaster Pop. Instead, he referred to it as a trigger to “competitive skirmishes.”

“It’s part of playoff basketball,” Spoelstra said. “The most important thing is to understand you’re not playing chess. It’s a basketball game. Can you win the competitive skirmishes in the game? That’s the most important thing for us. But you do have to make adjustments. Playing against the same team and playing the same way won’t always work.”

Spo’s bold move fueled an unusually shaky reaction from the normally unflappable Popovich. He went away from the Spurs big lineup the rest of the game and even inserted out-of-shape and little-used forward Boris Diaw in the starting lineup in the second half of Game 4. And to make matters worse, Pop had Diaw guard Wade. No wonder Wade scored 32 points and shot 14-for-25 from the field.

When Popovich was asked what adjustments he’ll make for the next game he told Palm Beach Post writer Ethan Skolnick, “I hate to be trite, anything is possible. But your question demands my triteness.”

The chess match continues.

Joel Huerto is the editor and publisher of OneManFastBreak.net. Follow him on Twitter @onemanfastbreak.

Mario Chalmers paced the Heat with 19 points in Game 2 to even the series at 1-1. (GETTY IMAGES)

The Heat game plan for Game 2 was simple: wear down Tony Parker.

Mario Chalmers heard the message loud and clear, as the fifth-year pro kept Parker busy on defense by being more aggressive because the best way to slow down a great scorer is to make him play defense. Chalmers drove to the basket every chance he got and ran Parker through a myriad of screens.

It worked.

Parker got knocked down a few times and one time grabbed his side after taking a hard screen from LeBron James. The hard screens began to take its toll in the second half. After a scintillating 21-point Game 1 with no turnovers, Parker was limited to 13 points on 5-of-14 from the field and committed five turnovers in Game 2, and even tossed up an air ball.

“We tried to give him different looks and not have him get comfortable,” said Chalmers, who along with Norris Cole forced Parker into tougher shots all game and never allowed him to get rolling like he did in Game 1.

“My main focus is to stop Tony Parker,” Chalmers said. “That’s my job. That’s the key to the game. If the offense keeps going for me, then I’m going to take it when it comes.”

Chalmers, who has a career average of 8.6 points per game, led the Heat with 19 points and was 6-for-12 from the field Sunday night — a night when the Heat role players stepped up big time to even the NBA Finals at 1-1.

“He’s got guts, c’mon. He’s had that all the way in college,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said of Chalmers, a player who often finds himself on the receiving end of a tongue lashing from LeBron, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh when things are not going according to plan.

“He’s got incredible confidence in his game,” Spoelstra said. You have to have guts to play with our guys. If you don’t you get swallowed up.”

Chalmers never gets rattled and seems to play his best (11.5 points in 13 NBA Finals games) when it matters most.

“I think Rio, more than anybody, kept us aggressive. Him getting into the paint, him getting those and-ones, and him getting a couple of threes allowed me to kinda sit back and take my time,” LeBron said of the Heat guard who was the catalyst of Miami’s second-half explosion that turned a nip-and-tuck affair into a 103-84 blowout for the Heat.

After the Spurs took a 62-61 lead with 3:50 left in the third quarter, Chalmers’ basket and free throw put the Heat up 64-62, then set up Ray Allen’s 3-pointer from the wing with a nice kick-out pass that ABC announcer Jeff Van Gundy called an “unselfish play.”

Moments later, Chalmers used a LeBron James screen to get around Parker and when Kawhi Leonard helped out, he slipped a pocket pass between the two Spurs and right to James for a layup that gave the Heat a 69-62 lead. Chalmers capped off a 14-3 run when he blew past Parker and scored on a short jumper plus a foul for another 3-point play.

“Rio has to play big for us. Defensively, he’s guarding arguably the best point guard in the league. But he also has to make Tony [Parker] work on the defensive end,” James said. “He can’t be passive. He has to attack and shoot his shots when he has them.

“We ran a lot of pick-and-rolls between the two of us, and I told him keep attacking and let’s try to push this lead up and go for the kill. And we were able to do that.”

The Miami Heat need Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade to find their shooting touch to avoid playoff elimination against the Indiana Pacers. (GETTY IMAGES)

Dwyane Wade is sick and tired of talking about his balky right knee, so bringing it up won’t ease his pain.

“I’ve been talking about it for two months. I ain’t got nothing else to say,” the nine-time All-Star guard said about the bone bruise that has grounded him for much of the season.

The Miami Heat are in a dogfight with the Indiana Pacers in the 2013 Eastern Conference finals mainly because Wade hasn’t been himself. The explosion is simply not there. His jump shot has failed him time and time again; he’s seen his floaters sent back in his face, and he has very little lift on his forays to the basket.

Wade has hit the 20-point mark only once this postseason. He’s shooting 44 percent (34-for-77) from the field and averaging 14.5 points against the Pacers. That’s well below his season (21.2) and career scoring averages (24.7).

The 31-year-old two-time NBA champion, who used to be known as the Flash for his lightning-quick moves, has been reduced to a mere mortal and may be starting to see hot flashes.

“Right now he’s giving us what he’s got,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said about Wade, who re-aggravated his ailing knee when he bumped knees with Jimmy Butler during the Heat-Bulls series.

“Physically we know what he’s going through right now,” Spoelstra said, “and for him to be out there competing and giving us what he’s got I have incredible respect for him as a professional athlete, especially now that the spotlight is on him.”

But Wade is not the only Heat star in a major slump.

Chris Bosh has been missing in action, too. His much anticipated battle with Pacers center Roy Hibbert has been a complete mismatch, with Bosh getting whipped like Chael Sonnen against Jon Jones in UFC 159. In his last three games, Bosh is 4-for-21 from the field and outscored by Hibbert 137-68.

“This is the part when you have to be mentally tough. Things haven’t been going my way this series. I want to play better, and I have to play better in Game 7. It’s as simple as that,” said Bosh, who scored a career playoff low five points on 1-for-8 shooting from the field in Game 6 in Indiana.

“We missed a lot of point-blank shots. We missed three layups by ourselves. I missed 18-footers,” Bosh continued. “It’s just a part of the game. We’re gonna have to find a way. It all comes down to one game. It’s great that it’s on our home court. As much as this sucks we just have to put it behind us and move on to Game 7. We have to make shots, we have to play better. There’s not much I can say. I’m just really disappointed in myself.”

So what can Wade and Bosh do differently to help the Heat from avoiding elimination? The answer falls on the shoulders of Spoelstra and four-time NBA MVP LeBron James.

“If anything it’s on me. I gotta find ways to get those guys comfortable in areas where they can be aggressive. And that’ll be my focus in the next 48 hours,” Spoelstra said. “Obviously they are a major part of what we do and I need to find ways and get them in places where they can be really aggressive. Now in Game 7s and games when your backs are against the wall, I know those two men’s characters and this is when they come up big in these moments.”

As for James, the ball will be in his hands for Game 7 so it is up to him to make sure Wade and Bosh get their touches and find them easy shots to get them going.

“They’re two great players. When they don’t shoot well or play well it is more on them,” James said. “Not taking any credit away from Indiana’s defense, but Dwyane and Chris has seen every defense that’s been applied to them in 10 years and they’ve been able to figure it out. This one is just taking a little bit longer.”

Expect Wade to be more aggressive in Game 7, as he’s known to rise to the occasion when the stakes are high. Wade has been doubted all his career, from the moment he got drafted to his meteoric rise to stardom during the 2006 playoffs. He has been picking his spots during these playoffs and all it takes in one brilliant game to erase a forgettable series. Sometimes all it takes is one jumper to fall for Wade to find his rhythm, but he has to be more aggressive. He needs more movement and activity.

The same goes for Bosh.

The best way to bust out of a slump is to keep shooting. Bosh can’t turn down open looks. The Pacers are daring him to shoot threes because they are banking on the fact he won’t make more than two a game. If Bosh makes more than two in Game 7, the Heat could roll to a comfortable victory.

“Chris is struggling with his shot and him hurting his ankle didn’t help him a lot as well. But I think he will find it,” James said. “It’s my job as a leader to keep him motivated to let him know how important he is to our movement to our chances of returning to The Finals.”

Miami Heat star LeBron James has been nothing short of superb in the 2013 Eastern Conference finals against the Indiana Pacers. (GETTY IMAGES)

TNT analyst and two-time NBA champion Kenny Smith believes LeBron James needed to be Superman four times for the Miami Heat to beat the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference finals. LeBron has been more than Superman for the Heat. He has been Batman, Iron Man, and the Hulk rolled into one.

According to Yahoo! Sports writer Adrian Wojnarowski, the Heat are no longer all about the Big 3. They’re now solely dependent on the Great One. And that ONE is LeBron James.

His layup with 2.2 seconds left in Game 1 propelled the Heat to a 103-102 win, capping off a 30-10-10 triple-double performance. In Game 3, the four-time NBA MVP spooked the Pacers when he went to an almost exclusive post-up game and the Heat rolled to a blowout win. Then, in Game 5 with the series tied 2-2, James put on the cape once more and flew into another stratosphere.

After the Pacers took a four-point lead at halftime, James took it upon himself to alter the complexion of the game. The Heat needed a swift kick in the butt, and James provided the kicking as well as the screaming.

“I have a big voice in that locker room, I have a big voice on this team, and I sensed what was going on with our team in the first half,” James said. “Before we took the floor in the third quarter I gave them a little piece of my mind and a piece of my voice and we were able to respond.”

James may have been addressing his entire team, but his rant was mainly targeting two guys: Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. Instead of getting in the faces of his fellow All-Stars, James chose an indirect way to get his message across. Wade has been struggling with his balky knee, while Bosh was getting manhandled in the post by Roy Hibbert and David West. To scorn them publicly would have been disastrous and could scar the team for the rest of the playoffs and beyond. James voiced his displeasure to the whole group, to save Wade and Bosh from humiliation, and then took it upon himself to steady the ship.

The Pacers led 46-40 one minute into the third quarter, but that would be it for them. Over the next 11 minutes, the Heat outscored the Pacers 30-10, with James either scoring or accounting for 25 Miami points.

”That’s LeBron showing his greatness and making it look easy,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. ”What we talked about was doing whatever it takes and competing for each other without leaving anything out there. His engine in that third quarter was incredible. He was tireless, he was making plays on both ends of the court, rebounding, covering so much ground defensively and then making virtually every play for us offensively. It’s really remarkable.”

LeBron shot 7 for 10 in the third quarter; the Pacers shot 3 for 14. He had four rebounds in the quarter; the Pacers, as a team, grabbed six. He had four assists in the quarter; the Pacers had one.

“I kinda went back to my Cleveland days and just said we gotta make more plays and be more of a scoring threat as well,” James said. “We were in wait mode in the first half instead of going and get it. I took it upon myself to stop waiting and just go.”

Hall-of-Famer Reggie Miller joked during the telecast that the Heat had become the Cavaliers, with James as the centerpiece. The LeBron James one-man show in Cleveland has now moved to a new location in South Beach. Different cast of characters, but same act and same lead guy.

The Pacers have proven that they have the better team. For the Heat to win this series and advance to their third consecutive NBA Finals, LeBron James needs to dig deep and pull out another virtuoso performance.