Articles

 

By Brian Windhorst | ESPN.com

MIAMI -- LeBron James thinks Michael Jordan's scouting report on him is wrong. And James keeps proving it.

As part of an extended interview with ESPN the Magazine in February, Jordan said he'd studied James' game and offered his strategy on how he would guard him.

"So if I have to guard him," Jordan told ESPN's Wright Thompson, "I'm gonna push him left so nine times out of 10, he's gonna shoot a jump shot. If he goes right, he's going to the hole and I can't stop him. So I ain't letting him go right... read more

PHOTO BY ISSAC BALDIZON/NBAE VIA GETTY IMAGES

Do the Pacers have a shot to unseat the Heat? It won't be easy, that's for sure.

By Zach Lowe on May 21, 2013

It's fitting that the 2012-13 Heat, the best of the LeBron James–era Heat teams, must go through the Indiana Pacers to earn a chance at a repeat title. It was in last season's conference semifinal against the Pacers, after Chris Bosh's injury in Game 1 and some Dexter Pittman–size trial and error, that the Heat almost accidentally discovered their true destiny as a small-ball, 3-point-shooting machine... read more

.A. Adande, who lives in L.A., and Israel Gutierrez, who lives in Miami, are teaming up this season for a look at the NBA from two perspectives.

 

GUTIERREZ

We're approaching crunch time in the regular season -- and that doesn't just apply to the Lakers and their desperate push for a playoff spot.

It just so happens that crunch time in individual games has been quite entertaining of late. We had Kobe Bryant going all, well, Kobe on the Mavericks in Dallas, making Vince Carter look like a confused grasshopper with well-timed pump fakes followed by cold-blooded jumpers... read more

Control the game; control the trophy. (Getty Images)

Each night, Eye on Basketball brings you what you need to know about the games of the NBA. From great performances to terrible clock management the report card evaluates and eviscerates the good, the bad, and the ugly from the night that was.

NBA All-Star Game People really like to find a lot of things wrong with the NBA All-Star Game, and I get that. But this one felt really fun to me. Maybe it's just because I was at the game so I could feel the excitement on a lot of these dunks and plays, but the game really did seem quite enjoyable to me... read more

(Photo: Debby Wong-US PRESSWIRE US PRESSWIRE)

 

2:01PM EDT November 2. 2012 - NEW YORK – Miami Heat guard Dwyane Wade loves basketball, and he loves playing Madison Square Garden. He just doesn't want to play basketball in Madison Square Garden tonight.

Wade said tonight's Heat-Knicks game at Madison Square Garden in storm-ravaged New York City should have been postponed, and he told USA TODAY Sports he will donate his salary from the game to charity.

When it comes to road venues, "It's my favorite place to play," Wade told USA TODAY Sports of the Garden... read more

From left, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh and LeBron James of the Miami Heat look at their 2012 NBA championship rings following a ring giving ceremony prior to the game against the Boston Celtics at American Airlines Arena on Tuesday in Miami, Florida. (AFP)

Thursday 1 November 2012

MIAMI: LeBron James received his long-awaited NBA championship ring on Tuesday, then he and the Miami Heat launched their bid for another with a season-opening 120-107 victory over the Boston Celtics.While the Heat were busy signalling their intentions of maintaining their supremacy, the revamped Los Angeles Lakers failed to fire in a 99-91 loss to the injury-depleted Dallas Mavericks... read more

Posted Nov 1, 2012 9:31 AM

MIAMI (AP) -- Dwyane Wade doesn't typically get off to super-fast starts, and one game is hardly enough to say that his 10th NBA campaign will be any different.

Still, opening night seemed to be a good sign.

Wade scored 29 points against Boston on Tuesday night, giving him the highest-scoring effort in the first game of any of his Miami Heat seasons less than four months after he had surgery to repair a long-troublesome left knee. And with LeBron James missing much of the second half with leg cramps, the Heat needed to Wade to deliver, which he did as the reigning champions opened with a 120-107 win... read more

By Dan Shaughnessy

MIAMI — It was less than five months ago.

We were Celtic-centric. We were still stinging from another Super Bowl stunner, surprised that the defending Stanley Cup champion Bruins were eliminated from the playoffs, and somewhat concerned with the increasingly goofy behavior of Bobby Valentine.

But we had the Celtics. They were everybody’s favorite team in New England, enjoying a feel-good run through the NBA playoffs. They had defied the critics in taking a 3-2 series lead against the supposedly indomitable Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference finals... read more

By Brian Windhorst

MIAMI -- The defending champion Miami Heat were stunned by the rival Oklahoma City Thunder's decision to trade James Harden. But they don't believe it changes the dynamic in the race for the title when the season starts this week.

 

“

It was shocking but they made the move they felt was right for them. It shakes up the West a little bit. I think both team got fair value. I'm not a GM or anything but both teams came out pretty good.

”-- Dwyane Wade, on James Harden trade

 

The move, in which the Thunder sent Harden to the Houston Rockets for a package of players and draft picks featuring Kevin Martin, was a major topic of conversation within the team when the Heat gathered for practice Sunday... read more

 

With a title in hand, the next step for King James is to secure his legacy

By Bill Simmons on October 26, 2012

At the relatively tender age of 28, he stands alone on the mountaintop, unquestionably the most famous athlete on the planet and one of its most famous citizens of any kind. We've heard it so often that it's now a cliche, though nonetheless accurate: He transcends sports."— Sports Illustrated

You thought that was about LeBron, didn't you? Nope. Jack McCallum wrote that about Michael Jordan nearly 21 years ago, in December of 1991, as the lead paragraph of the magazine's "Sportsman of the Year" feature... read more

Top 5 Contenders: Miami Heat: Even: The Heat are the odds on favorite to win the NBA title. The odds seem a little off as the Lakers are the most talented team in the NBA. But what Miami does having going for it is Lebron James. If James has entered the ‘unstoppable Michael Jordan phase’ of his career then the next few championships will belong to Miami. But if James is still hesitant in the 4th quarter and gun shy during those final possessions of a game, they cannot beat a team like the Lakers. Los Angeles Lakers: +125: Los Angeles has better odds to win the NBA title than the OKC Thunder, as it probably should be... read more

NEW YORK (AP) -- Tired of its games starting late while players go through elaborate handshakes, chest bumps, hugs and other routines, the NBA is putting players on the clock.

LeBron James can still do his chalk toss and Kevin Garnett can still skip over to the baseline and pound his chest to pump up the Boston crowd, but they'd better do it on time.

Ninety seconds will be put on the clock once pregame introductions are completed, and referees will let teams know in their huddles when it hits 30.

If they aren't ready for the jump ball when time expires, their team will get a delay of game warning... read more

MIAMI (AP) -- LeBron James was awake at 3:45 a.m. Dwyane Wade's dogs were unhappily roused from slumber at 4 a.m. by their bleary eyed owner. Udonis Haslem was responding to text messages at 5 a.m., which classifies as a rarity.

To a man, the Miami Heat raved about their trip to China.

Recovering from their trip to China, well, that's apparently another matter entirely.

After flying roughly 17,000 miles, playing three games in eight days starting with the preseason opener in Atlanta, holding practices and participating in more events than could be squeezed onto a double-sided itinerary, the Heat -- with many players acknowledging sleep deprivation -- went back to work on Tuesday, trying to get back into some semblance of a normal routine... read more

By  Eric Ball  (Featured Columnist) Nominees:

1. David Freese- St. Louis Cardinals

Freese was on fire for the entire postseason.

He was named the NLCS Most Valuable Player and had a 13-game postseason win streak at one point. It matched the all-time National League record.

But he saved his best for the World Series.

In Game 6, with his team down three games to two against the Texas Rangers, Freese stepped to the plate with two outs in the ninth representing the Cardinals final hope.

On a two-strike count he roped a two-run triple to send the game into extras where he would eventually hit the walk-off homer to send the series to a Game 7... read more

USA Basketball announces final roster for 2012 Olympics

By Official Release, USA Basketball

LAS VEGAS -- Following two USA Basketball Men's National Team training sessions, USA Basketball chairman Jerry Colangelo today announced the official nominees for the12-man U.S. Olympic Team men's basketball roster. The U.S. hoops roster is pending final approval by the U.S. Olympic Committee.

"We projected we would have difficulty getting down to a roster of 12, regardless of the number of injuries that have taken place, because they are such an outstanding group of people and athletes," Colangelo said... read more

CBSSports.com Official Partner

(CBS/AP) NEW YORK - Once Anthony Davis slips on a Hornets hat above basketball's most celebrated eyebrow Thursday night, the NBA draft really starts.

Davis will head to New Orleans with the No. 1 pick, even if the college player of the year is reluctant to guarantee it. 

After that, nobody can be sure what will happen.

"I don't know," said Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, a fellow freshman from national champion Kentucky. "I have no clue."

CBSSports.com: Complete NBA draft coverage

Well, here's how the first round might go at the Prudential Center in Newark, N... read more

Be the first to win the NBA Jersey of any 1st round draftee Here is what you can win:

Grand Prize:One (1) winner will receive the NBA Jersey of any 1st round draftee (up to $200 value).

Second Prize:One (1) random winner will receive a $50 gift card to the NBA Store.  

 

Contest Rules - 1.  In the comment section, create a clever caption for the above photo. 2.  Use the 'share' feature to have your family and friends 'LIKE' your caption.   3.  GRAND PRIZE WINNER will be the caption with the most 'LIKES' at 9 AM CT on Monday, July 2nd... read more

the trainer informed us that the team is using the E2 Citrus and the Energy Tropical Blast before each game to gear up.  I think that is exciting, especially since the Miami Heat are doing so well this year.  I have the opportunity to go meet with the trainer tonight, and it is exciting to know that a team such as the Miami Heat sees the quality of our products and are using them to their advantage.

By: Brian Mahoney, Associated Press

MIAMI — The decision is final: LeBron James made the right call coming to Miami.

Finally an NBA champion, it’s all worth it now.

James had 26 points, 11 rebounds and 13 assists, and got the kind of help that was worth leaving home for, leading the Heat in a 121-106 rout of the Oklahoma City Thunder on Thursday night to win the NBA Finals in five games.

Best player in the game, best team in the league.

James has found it all since taking his talents to South Beach.

“It means everything,” James said moments after the win... read more

By Lang GreeneNBA Writer

The Miami HEAT are officially NBA champions, needing just five games to defeat the upstart Oklahoma City Thunder in the Finals. Regardless of your allegiance it would be hard not to respect the HEAT’s championship journey as a collective unit in finally earning the honor of hoisting the Larry O’Brien trophy.

Three-time league MVP and 2012 Finals MVP LeBron James had twice reached the Finals before, to only come up short and watch helplessly as other franchises celebrated their victories. Dwyane Wade, the 2006 Finals MVP, won a title at twenty four years old and then suffered through multiple first round playoff eliminations before tasting another title, now slightly past his prime at the age of thirty... read more

First title helped Dwyane Wade become a better leader; second one proves it

Updated: June 22, 2012, 9:42 AM ET By Israel Gutierrez | ESPN.com   Dwyane Wade On Winning NBA Title MIAMI -- Dwyane Wade celebrated this championship like no other member of the Miami Heat's Big Three could.

For him, there was some familiarity to it. He'd been there before, danced after the final horn before, soaked himself and teammates in champagne before and proudly hoisted that golden trophy before.

So as the seconds were ticking down on the clock Thursday night, with the game and the title well in hand, Wade put up two fingers on each hand and raised his eyebrows... read more

by KFC

 

Well the only question that remains now is how many does Lebron end up with? The first one is always the hardest, and thats never been more true for anybody like it was for Lebron. He won this one with literally the entire world against him. I think the only people rooting for him were his mother and that beautiful bastard Brian Windhorst. Like I think Wade and Bosh were still rooting against him. It was Lebron against the world and Lebron won. In decidedly MVP fashion too. He averaged 30, 9, and 5, triple double to clinch. There was no “Big Three” bullshit... read more

  What do the fans think?

BY BERNIE MIKLASZ, Post-Dispatch Sports Columnist |

During his brilliant NBA career, LeBron James has been hounded by holograms. No matter what LBJ does on the basketball court, he can't get away from the glowing images shimmering in the background... read more

By Marc J. Spears

By Marc J. Spears | Yahoo! Sports – 5 hours ago  

MIAMI – The greatest game of Mario Chalmers' pro career was a shock to most as he scored five of his 25 points in the final 44.6 seconds of the Miami Heat's 104-98 triumph over the Oklahoma City Thunder, a win that has the Heat one victory away from the NBA championship. But one Chalmers fan, watching Game 4 at the Saints Pub & Patio in Lawrence, Kan., about a 1,500 mile drive from Miami, was not taken aback. He had seen it all before.

"I'm not surprised at all," Kansas University coach Bill Self told Yahoo! Sports... read more

By Berry Tramel

MIAMI, Fla. — LeBron James limped to the scorer's table with 4:36 left in the game, and American Airlines Arena came alive.

So did the Miami Heat.

Its hero was returning. Its hope remained.

Before game officials could get LeBron checked in, Kevin Durant had sunk a silky jumper that gave the Thunder a two-point lead, and the NBA Finals seemed to be turning Oklahoma City's way.

But even on one leg, LeBron is a heck of a ballplayer. Step aside, Willis Reed. Another limping legend has been born in the NBA Finals.

Read more

 

LEAVE US YOUR PREDICTIONS IN THE COMMENT BOX

With Game 4 at hand, the Thunder-Heat series could take some interesting turns. Our writers weigh in with another Finals edition of 5-on-5.

1. Who has been the most outstanding player of the Finals?

Israel Gutierrez, ESPN.com: The proper answer is LeBron James, who has been the attacking, fearless player we all expect. But compared to expectations, it has to be Shane Battier. I mean, 73 percent 3-point shooting? And 40 minutes a game? And playing out of position? That's outstanding.

Zach Harper, Daily Dime Live: James. I would have given it to Kevin Durant if he could have delivered in the fourth quarter of Game 3 one more time, but LeBron's overall play just squeaks him ahead of KD... read more

I may be a girl  and some boys push me around because I am a girl. But that doesn't stop me because when i play sports it helps me calm down and be less upset and most of the boys they see me play better than 99.9% of the other boys playing and then they fianly gave me a chance. When they did I played my heart out and the boys on the other team are like jelous but they don't want to show it so then when i get them out in alot of sports they say well your just a girl. When that hapens boys on my team are like all of you gies on that team put together you still will not be as good as she is and you know it... read more

by Ryan Van Bibber

The Big Three took control for the Miami Heat on Sunday night. Together, Chris Bosh,LeBron James and Dwyane Wade led the Heat to a 91-85 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder to take a 2-1 lead in the 2012 NBA Finals.

Peninsula Is Mightier, SB Nation's Heat blog, explains why the Big Three were so important in Sunday night's win:

LeBron James again played at an MVP-level with 29 points and 14 rebounds and was once again very aggressive down the stretch. Dwyane Wade also had a strong game with 25 points, 7 rebounds and 7 assists and had several key baskets at the rim instead of settling for too many jumpers... read more

An NBA sweat mopper’s primary responsibility is to clean up the sweat left on the court so that no players slip and become injured. One sweat mopper, however, has assumed a slightly more ambitious duty: having sexual intercourse with one of the Kardashians. 

Dylan Lawson, a sweat mopper for the Oklahoma City Thunder, is optimistic that by the conclusion of the NBA finals he can successfully woo and bed one of the “lesser” Kardashian sisters, assuming that by proxy he possesses some of a professional athlete’s sex appeal. 

“It’s like this: I am the gatekeeper to the athletes’ safety... read more

Written by Pro Sport Talk Staff 

Hollywood couldn’t have written it any better. There’s our hero. Be it Rocky, John McClain, a random Will Smith character, whoever. They’re being beaten. Being whooped up on. But they never give up.

That’s exactly what Kevin Durant and the Thunder did tonight. Miami was killing them in the first half. Shane Battier looked like freaking Ray Allen from down town. The Heat where making the extra pass. And they didn’t turn it over. At times Miami was up 13.

But the Thunder hung in there.

And came the third quarter... read more

Associated Press

OKLAHOMA CITY –  The Oklahoma City Thunder ran away with Game 1 of the NBA Finals 105-94, controlling the second half and rallying from a 13-point deficit to protect home court against the Miami Heat. But as Heat guard Dwyane Wade said, the opener is "just a game to see" what both teams are going to do and then start making adjustments.

With Game 2 looming Thursday night, here's five questions and answers about what to look for:

___

CAN ANYBODY STOP KEVIN DURANT? LeBron James says yes, and it starts with not giving the three-time scoring champion open looks... read more

Congratulations to Henry Hornecker for winning the Dwyane Wade Jersey!  Here is what you can win:

Grand Prize:

One (1) winner will receive an autographed Dwyane Wade jersey with certificate of authenticity.

Second Prize:

One (1) winner will receive a $50 gift card to the NBA Store.  

 

 

Contest Rules - 1.  In the comment section, create a clever caption for the above photo. 2.  Use the 'share' feature to have your family and friends 'LIKE' your caption.   3.  GRAND PRIZE WINNER will be the caption with the most 'LIKES' at 3 pm ET on Friday, June 22nd... read more

BY BARRY JACKSON BJACKSON@MIAMIHERALD.COM

They called it, in LeBron James’ words, “hell week.”

James was referring to four grueling but productive days last November in James’ hometown of Akron, Ohio, where he and Kevin Durant sharpened their immense skills and prepared meticulously for the rigors of an unforgiving, lockout-shortened NBA season.

So James said “it’s only right” that the two superstars and friends meet in the NBA Finals, which begin Tuesday night in Oklahoma City.

“We pushed each other every single day,” James recalled early Sunday morning, after Miami’s Game 7 win against Boston... read more

Associated Press

MIAMI -- LeBron James finally got a Game 7 victory, on his third try.

Next up, the NBA Finals -- and his third try at that elusive first championship. A year after watching someone else celebrate on their home floor, the Miami Heat were the ones dancing at midcourt.

James had 31 points and 12 rebounds, Chris Bosh hit a career-best three 3-pointers -- the last sparking the run that put it away -- and the Heat won their second straight Eastern Conference title by beating the Boston Celtics101-88 in Game 7 on Saturday night... read more

Austin Green(Featured Columnist) on June 7, 2012

So, that LeBron James guy is pretty good.

The 2012 NBA MVP raised a proverbial middle finger to his legions of critics, dropping 45 points to lead the Miami Heat to a 98-78 win over the Boston Celtics in Game 6. James also added 15 rebounds and five assists in 45 minutes of action.

It was one of the most beautiful displays of furious basketball I have ever seen, as LeBron was an unstoppable machine from start to finish.

On the other side, the Celtics got an absolutely terrible effort from Paul Pierce... read more

By Ira WindermanTribune Newspapers

MIAMI -- It comes down to a two-game winning streak for the Heat.

Or a lost season.

Failing to capitalize in their return to AmericanAirlines Arena, the Heat fell 94-90 Tuesday night to the Celtics, now down 3-2 in the best-of-seven Eastern Conference finals.

Game 6 is Thursday at TD Garden, where the Heat lost both of their previous visits in the series. A Game 7, if needed, would be Saturday in Miami.

Even with LeBron James scoring 30 points andDwyane Wade 27, the Heat did not have enough on a night power forward Chris Bosh returned to the court for the first time in more than three weeks... read more

Chris Bosh will be a game time decision tonight with the abdominal strain he suffered early in the Eastern semis.

The Heat have gone 5-4 without Chris. They sure would love to be able and have this heart felt young man back in the line up. Bosh has had an underrated presence until now. Miami sure could use the matchup advantage and the physicality Chirs brings to the table. As a Miami fan I personally would love to see a healthy Chirs Bosh and a cohesive Miami Heat team tonight.

By Erik Matuszewski

The Boston Celtics blew an 18-point first-half lead before pulling out a 93-91 overtime win against the Miami Heat that ties the National Basketball Association’s Eastern Conference finals at two games each.

Paul Pierce scored 23 points and Rajon Rondo added 15 points and 15 assists for the Celtics, who won their second straight game at Boston’s TD Garden last night after consecutive losses in Miami... read more

 

NEW YORK — The number to watch, it turns out, is the lowest one in the four-number sequence of ping-pong balls that determine which NBA team gets the top pick in the draft. The balls are drawn from one of those air-powered lottery machines more than an hour before the television broadcast of the lottery, in a room open only to officials from the 14 lottery teams (one from each) and a few media members. Everyone in the room must surrender mobile devices and slip them in yellow packing envelopes, and no one is allowed to leave until ESPN’s telecast is over.

There are elaborate rules to the process and contingency plans in case of a power outage or if multiple balls fly out of the machine at once — disaster scenarios that have never happened... read more

By TIM REYNOLDSAP Sports Writer

MIAMI (AP) — Dwyane Wade grabbed a rebound, turned and fired a 90-foot pass to LeBron James to set up one of the easiest scores the Miami Heat had all night.

James scored 32 points and grabbed 13 rebounds, Wade scored 10 of his 22 points in the fourth quarter and the Heat beat the Boston Celtics 93-79 on Monday night in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals. The stars were stars, and the role players more than did their parts as well, with the Heat enjoying a 48-33 edge in rebounds, blocking 11 shots and never trailing.“One down. And they still have an opportunity in Game 2 to accomplish what they want to,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said, referring to how Boston can still grab home-court advantage by winning Game 2... read more

AFP – Fri, May 25, 2012

Dwyane Wade scored 41 points and NBA Most Valuable Player LeBron James added 28 Thursday as the Miami Heat beat theIndiana Pacers 105-93 to reach the Eastern Conference finals.

After falling behind 2-1 in the-best-of-seven second-round series, the star-studded Heat won three straight games to advance to the conference finals.

They next face either Boston or Philadelphia for chance to return to the NBA championship series... read more

Congratulation to Manuel "Wooj" Centurion, the winner of the Miami Ticket Giveaway! Rules are simple: Create a hilarious caption fo: LeBron, Wade and Bosh. Do your best!

 

 

Contest Rules -1. Create a funny caption.2. Use the 'Share' feature to get your friends, familyand strangers to "LIKE" your caption on Facebook and Twitter.3. The caption with the most "LIKES" at 2 PM CT onTuesday, May 29th, will be the winner!

 

There will be a final audit before a winner is declared. Any accounts without an official emailaddress will be deleted and the likes from those accounts disregarded... read more

NBA.com By PAUL NEWBERRYPosted May 25 2012 7:42AM

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) Miami's Big Two was more than enough to finish off the Indiana Pacers.

Dwyane Wade and LeBron James turned around a season on the brink with perhaps the most remarkable week of their high-powered partnership, capped off by a 105-93 victory in Game 6 Thursday night that sent the Heat back to the Eastern Conference finals.

Wade scored 41 points, James had 28 and Miami wrapped up the series 4-2, advancing to face either Boston or Philadelphia.

But this was about more than one game.

This was a dazzling trilogy, Wade and James taking control when the Heat were down and looked like they might be out... read more

By Linda Robertson

lrobertson@MiamiHerald.com

 

Casual fans of basketball think of it as a “pretty” sport, according to Dwyane Wade.

The coaches wear suits, the celebrities wear sunglasses. The magnificently muscled athletes soar like trapeze artists and glide like ballroom dancers.

But don’t let the slo-mo replays fool you. Basketball can be ugly.

“It’s a very physical sport,” Wade said Wednesday after practice, fingering a jagged red cut above his right eyebrow.

The damage was inflicted by Tyler Hansbrough on Tuesday night when he went up to block a shot by Wade and came down with his hands raking across Wade’s scalp... read more

Windhorst: The Fallout For Physicality

 

There were three flagrant fouls in the Heat's 115-83 Game 5 victory that gave them a 3-2 series lead plus several players claiming cheap shots. The league office will be busy Wednesday reviewing the actions that could result in suspensions before Thursday's Game 6 in Indiana.

 

In a span of 57 seconds in the second quarter there were two flagrant fouls after players were hit in the head on drives to the basket. The Pacers' Tyler Hansbrough was the first, he swung his arm downward and hit Dwyane Wadeacross the face, opening a gash on Wade's forehead... read more

By Tom WithersAssociated Press

NDIANAPOLIS (AP) — The coveted NBA championship, the one LeBron James needs to validate everything, was vanishing.With 18,000 towel-waving fans roaring like the engines at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the Indiana Pacers had knocked the Miami Heat to the floor and to the edge of elimination.James didn't panic. He simply picked up his teammates and carried them to a win.And this time, Dwyane Wade helped.

James scored 40 points with 18 rebounds and nine assists, and Wade added 30 points — 22 in the second half — as Miami rallied to even their semifinal series against Indiana with a 101-93 win on Sunday over the Pacers, who had the defending Eastern Conference champions down couldn't keep them there... read more

SPURS 105, CLIPPERS 88

Tony Parker scored 14 of his 22 points in the second half and host San Antonio pulled away to take a 2-0 lead in its Western Conference semifinal series with Los Angeles.Tim Duncan added 18 points and Boris Diaw scored 16 as the Spurs extended their winning streak to 16 games.San Antonio led by only four points at halftime but broke it open behind Parker, who celebrated his 30th birthday with five assists, five rebounds and three steals.Blake Griffin scored 20 points to lead the Clippers, who will look to regroup when the series shifts to Los Angeles for Game 3 on Saturday afternoon... read more

What an amazing turn of events in the past couple days. The NBA's whipping boy, Chris Bosh, has all of a sudden become evidently one of the most important players in the league. Not long ago was Bosh the focus of complaints, gripes and grumbles. He doesn't rebound, doesn't score inside, doesn't do his part. Some of that, absolutely true at times. But as Game 2 against the Pacers showcased, Bosh's value to the currently constructed Heat is priceless. Bosh is out "indefinitely" with an abdominal strain, but the consensus is that it will likely be four weeks, at least... read more

MIAMI -- The most telling communications the Miami Heat made Sunday afternoon were all nonverbal. The look on Chris Bosh’s face as he was on his knees following a dunk in the first half. The undercurrent of concern about Bosh that permeated the Heat locker room, overshadowing what was supposed to be a lighthearted atmosphere after a 95-86 Game 1 win. But the most powerful was the unspoken understanding between LeBron James and Dwyane Wade. 

Bosh went down with an abdominal injury late in the first half and by the time the team gathered in the locker room they knew he wouldn’t be coming back... read more

Associated Press

MIAMI -- The final horn sounded, and LeBron James wrapped his arms aroundCarmelo Anthony in a warm embrace.

Their head-to-head scoring matchup in this series was even, 139 points apiece... read more

ESPN.com news services

MIAMI -- Drops of blood stained the carpet leading up to the back entrance of the New York Knicks' locker room. The glass portion of a nearby fire-extinguisher case was quickly replaced... read more

Associated Press

MIAMI -- LeBron James dropped to the floor holding the back of his head, grimacing and then staggering a bit when he reached his feet... read more

Key questions, storylines for playoffs With the playoffs set to begin on Saturday, here are the biggest storylines to watch: Are the Spurs — discounted before the season — the favorites to win a shocking title?

Tony Parker and the Spurs look like a new team after falling to the Grizzlies in the first round last year. (D. Clarke Evans/NBAE via Getty Images)

No question better represents the surprising degree of uncertainty enveloping the NBA’s elite as April turns to May. The Heat have stopped scoring just as the league’s scoring has surged overall... read more

THUNDER NOTEBOOK — Kevin Durant also said it doesn't matter which team OKC draws as its first-round matchup in the playoffs.

LOS ANGELES — LeBron James' closest competitor for the 2012 NBA Most Valuable Player award says the Miami Heat star deserves to win it.

“He deserves all the love (for MVP),” said Thunder forward Kevin Durant. “He's playing phenomenal basketball. I'm just trying to get better every single game and trying to help my team as much as I can. I'm just blessed to be in that conversation.”

In his fifth season, Durant has strung together his best year, averaging 27... read more

The Heat’s fiesty victory over the physical Thunder showed the Heat won’t be intimidated by roughhouse tactics.

BY JOSEPH GOODMANJGOODMAN@MIAMIHERALD.COM

Heat coach Erik Spoelstra began his news conference after the Miami’s most significant victory since the All-Star break defending the perception of his team.

Dwyane Wade echoed his coach’s attitude while also scoffing at a belief around the NBA that the Heat is “soft.”

Udonis Haslem then took to the airwaves to throw a barb at Thunder center Kendrick Perkins, who has a history of roughing up the Heat’s stars... read more

By Brian Windhorst, ESPN

MIAMI -- After missing three games following the death of his grandmother, Chris Bosh has returned to the Miami Heat and will start Tuesday night when they host the New Jersey Nets... read more

The Sports Xchange

The silver lining in Dwyane Wade's absence? That would have to be the breakout play of power forward Chris Bosh.

With Wade sitting with a sprained right ankle, Bosh has shown flashes of the dominating scorer he was while with the Toronto Raptors, before joining Wade and LeBron James last season.

"You see a lot of good come out of some injuries," said James after the Heat's 101-98 win Wednesday in Detroit, with the Knicks next up at home on Friday night. "You never want any injury to our team, but we've seen what C.B. has done since the injury... read more