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1/29/13 NBA Recap
Jalen Rose says Trade Dwight Howard for Al Hoford
Will a Championship End the LeBron Hate?
LeBron James and the Miami Heat lead the NBA Finals 2-1 over Kevin Durant and the Oklahoma City Thunder. Through those three games James is averaging 30 points per game, 10 rebounds, four assists and almost two steals per game on 46% shooting. James has been great defensively and shut down Durant in the fourth quarter of game three. The demons that haunted James in last year’s finals against Dirk Nowitzki and the Dallas Mavericks seem to have been exercised. James persistence to get to the basket has also put Durant in foul trouble the past two games and Dwyane Wade seems to have found his stride again. However, despite James’ performance in clutch situations throughout the 2012 NBA playoffs, the haters continue to hate. This begs the question; will the LeBron haters continue their attack on the King if he finally wins a championship this season?
The LeBron haters have even found flaws in his performance throughout the first three games of these finals series. The loudest argument came after game two when he came in contact with Durant on his last second shot attempt. The LeBron haters blamed the referees for the Thunder loss instead of the Thunder’s seven missed free throws and bad interior defense. In the mind of a LeBron hater, when the Thunder won game one it was because of the stellar play. However, when the Heat won games two and three it because of the preferential treatment they received from the officials.
But the LeBron hate goes way beyond this finals series. For some reason adults have a hard time understanding why someone would leave Cleveland for Miami. The geographical factors are reason alone. James played his heart out for the Cleveland Cavaliers every night for seven seasons and even took them to the NBA finals while leading a team full of Tito Jacksons. The large mistake James made during his move to South Beach was having an hour-long ESPN special to make the announcement. Even though the event’s proceeds went to charity, it was an arrogant, self centered and self-serving move that disappointed NBA fans around the world. However, I have always wondered if New Yorkers would feel different about the special if James would have chosen to be a Knick, or if Cleveland fans would have felt different if he had announced he was staying with the Cavs.
It seems as if LeBron Haters might be as selfish as they accuse James of being. Unlike a lot of our favorite athletes and celebrities, James has kept his name of the tabloids and off of TMZ. James has been charitable, a seemingly model family man and has never thrown his teammates under the bus (I’m looking at you Kobe & Shaq). I could even understand LeBron hate if he was a ball hog or engaged in unsportsmanlike conduct, but neither has ever occurred. The most laughable product of LeBron hate is the way haters have painted the James vs. Durant battle as a battle between good and evil. Instead of what is really is, the two best players in the world fighting for the biggest prize in basketball.
Real NBA fans acknowledge the fact that this is a series featuring a great veteran NBA warrior who has suffered numerous playoff failures against an up and coming team with a great core on the biggest stage for the first time. My money is on the vet, but I am sure the LeBron Haters will have an excuse when he lifts the Larry O’Brien trophy (66 game season, refs, etc.).
Mavs again having hard time against young Thunder
That young up-and-coming Oklahoma City team is again making things difficult for the Dallas Mavericks in the playoffs.
This time, the Thunder might not let the defending NBA champions get past the first round.
Even though Kevin Durant has struggled shooting, and each of the first two games has gone down to the closing seconds, the Thunder have a 2-0 advantage in the best-of-7 series. The first-round series shifts to Dallas for Game 3 on Thursday night.
Last year, Dallas needed only five games to get past the Thunder’s lineup of 20-something players in the Western Conference finals. But there was an overtime loss by Oklahoma City and every game was tight.
Mavs guard Jason Terry says “Game 3 is Game 7″ for Dallas this time.
(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
Hawks awaiting word on Smith’s status for Game 3
Atlanta Hawks forward Josh Smith has a strained tendon in his left knee and is day-to-day for the playoff series against the Boston Celtics.
Smith had an MRI on Wednesday morning, and the team revealed details of the injury a few hours later. It’s not known if he’ll be able to play in Game 3, which is Friday night in Boston.
Smith was injured in Atlanta’s 87-80 loss to the Celtics, which evened the series at one win apiece. He left for good with 4:20 remaining, and the offense bogged down without his presence in the post.
The Hawks already are playing with their top two centers, Al Horford and Zaza Pachulia. Coach Larry Drew says he’s worried about Smith’s availability with the series shifting to Boston for the next two games.
(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
Knicks’ Chandler is NBA Defensive Player of Year
Tyson Chandler, the catalyst for the New York Knicks’ defensive improvement, has been voted the NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year.
Chandler beat out Oklahoma City’s Serge Ibaka and three-time champion Dwight Howard of Orlando to become the first Knicks player to win the award.
The Knicks ranked in the NBA’s top 11 teams in both opponents’ field goal percentage and points allowed. They gave up an average of 94.7 points, an improvement of 11 per game from the 105.7 they surrendered in 2010-11, when they tied for 27th in the league.
Chandler received 311 points, including 45 first-place votes, from a panel of 121 sportswriters and broadcasters throughout the US and Canada. Ibaka, the league leader with 3.65 blocked shots per game, had 41 first-place votes and 294 points.
(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
Video: Kobe Bryant HD
I came across this video on Slam Magazine’s website and thought it was magnificent. Without a doubt Kobe Bryant will go down in history as one of the five greatest players in NBA history. This video looks back at Kobe being drafted into the NBA as a skinny 17 year old and provides the commentary of many NBA greats and journalist drooling over his game. It is definitely a great watch, check it out!
Dwyane Wade writing book on fatherhood
Dwyane Wade of the Miami Heat is becoming an author.
William Morrow announced plans Wednesday to publish “A Father First: How My Life Became Bigger than Basketball,” to be released in September. The book talks in part about Wade’s struggles growing up in Chicago and how he’s incorporating some of the lessons he learned into raising his own family.
Wade tells The Associated Press that it was “therapeutic” to open up about certain elements of his life.
Wade was awarded sole custody of his two sons in March 2011 after a long court battle with his ex-wife, who remains in the boys’ lives. The 2006 NBA finals MVP and eight-time All-Star says he hopes the book shows his fans a side of him they haven’t already seen.
Morrow is an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.
(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
Dunk of the Night: Morris is everywhere!
Diaw reaches contract buyout with Bobcats
The agent for veteran forward Boris Diaw says his client has reached an agreement on a contract buyout with the Charlotte Bobcats that will allow him to sign with another team.
Doug Neustadt says his client is leaving Charlotte on good terms but that “losing was tough this year and he really wants to be able to participate on a playoff team.”
The Bobcats have won only seven games this season, worst in the NBA.
Diaw was in the final year of his contract and is owed about $2 million.
The 29-year-old Diaw had fallen out of favor with coach Paul Silas this season and barely played in the last three weeks, often listed as inactive.
He started 28 games this season and averaged 7.4 points.
(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
