LeBron James Defies Hate, Newly Crowned King

The most polarizing man in sports continued to defy the odds, left the world in silence and finally mastered a lifelong dream that nobody can ever take from him. LeBron James, a man bothered by his failures and criticized for choosing to leave Cleveland on national TV during an infamous announcement, is believed to be the most hated athlete in America.

There's not a more despised player than James in basketball, and while he was on a mission to erase a bitter ending and shrug off an onrush of criticism, he finally validated a place in history and silenced his critics once and for all. So now, America should circumvent bitterness toward a newly crowned winner. It takes some kind of courage and spunk to leave a native town for a change of scenery to contend for a championship with a bottomless team built to climb into primary contention. That's assuming why he took his talents to South Beach two summers ago, and realized Miami was a perfect destination to join Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh and embark on a journey for his elusive championship ring.


James, a man crowned King of basketball royalty Thursday, walked over to the sideline and exchanged hugs with his teammates. As time dwindled down in the final seconds, he released all of his emotions, elated and overjoyed, jumping up and down with his teammates on the sideline. With a sense of happiness, at last, he lifted and widely threw his arms with a sweeping motion, the kind of unbridled emotion that kids expose after championship victories. The Heat had clobbered the Oklahoma City Thunder 121-106, and won the NBA title 4 games to 1 to generate a party in South Beach.

His tale was a sense of vindication and validation, capturing triumph eight years later, after deserting Cleveland and reaching new heights in his polished career. It's a claim to all-time greatness, for a man who has lived with doubt and aversion, engulfed by enemies more than loyalists. But now, since he's a champion and has fulfilled his promise in a forgiven country, we can set aside the hate and disdain and embrace him. The scene, as confetti fell from the rafters, was refreshing on the championship stage at center court, where James stood proudly and cradled his NBA Finals Most Valuable Player trophy. He smiled and wore an NBA championship cap, soaking in a moment of satisfaction with Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra, who he hugged at the team's postgame and trophy celebration. At first glance, James was so euphoric and raised his first Larry O'Brien trophy, as Miami fans wearing a sea of white stood in awe and cheered loudly.

“It means everything,” James said proudly. “When I left Cleveland I understood what my future was about. This is a dream come true for me. Went through a lot the last two years but this is definitely the way that it pays off.”

This victory represents a step toward supremacy, and with such growth in leadership qualities and experience, James can very well be the centerpiece to a dynasty. He needed only one title to cement his greatness, and exemplified it throughout the postseason by barreling his way to the rim, by unselfishly involving his teammates and by taking charge in the fourth quarter, proving to the world that he's indeed clutch, after all. This is the real reason he won his first championship ring.

"It’s about damn time,” James said during the presentation. “It’s about damn time.”

This ought to be enough for him to mitigate scrutiny and criticism, perpetuating 30-point and fourth-quarter performances on a nightly basis, where he stunned detractors each game it seemed. The long overdue triumph is now a gratifying NBA story, one we will look back on for years and realize how much we really appreciate players of greatness. The enduring LeBron drama draws attention, and he is the star of basketball, whether you like it or not.


This was for the doubters who ridiculed, said he wouldn't ever win a championship ring and called him a traitor after leaving loyal fans in Cleveland. This was for the critics who've said he tainted his legacy by sacrificing his ego and fame to win a title with two superstars. This was definitely for Cleveland Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert, the man who guaranteed that his lackluster Cavs would win a title before the three-time MVP. And now, after months of failures, James had ambition to show he can produce in the NBA Finals. There's no one other than James who has mastered this game with grace and class, determined to avenge an abysmal 2011 NBA Finals performance against the Dallas Mavericks. James was lost in all the commotion and negative publicity, trying his hardest to rediscover his identity. But he had to taste the agony of defeat in his first season with the Heat by having a poor Finals display.

He's trying to repair an image and forget about the struggles in the past during which it gave his critics a chance to unethically express resentment and scorn a global megastar. That's when bashers, from all over the world, turned on him and lost respect for him. That's when cynics, from all over the world, mocked and scoffed him and ignored the otherworldly talent he brought to the game. James is a gifted basketball player who has sharpened and improved his newfound game to become an undisputed leader in Miami.

"The best thing that happened to me was us losing the Finals, and me playing the way I played," James said. "It was the best thing to ever happen to me in my career. ... It humbled me. I knew what it was going to have to take, and I was going to have to change as a basketball player and I was going to have to change as a person to get what I wanted."

The disparity of this full-grown assassin, as far as we know, is his humility and leadership -- which we never saw much a year ago. No one ever anticipated growth and no one ever envisioned him reaching this point. Believing in himself all along, he legitimized his case as a great NBA stud. He had it in mind, that he would mature, embrace his role as a leader and remove distractions to focus on the prize. Aware of what was at stake, he was playing with a sense of responsibility, focus and zeal.

It's typical, just as it always was, to be petrified of the nucleus and talent future Hall of Famer Pat Riley assembled in South Beach. The notion of a dynasty is realistic and the Heat can win multiple titles with these pieces. When the three came together in the summer of 2010, James promised a dynasty and, so far, the Heat are on pace to win seven championships?

"Two years ago, putting this team together, obviously we all expected it to be a little easier than it was," Wade said. "But we had to go through what we had to go through last year. We needed to. As much as it hurt, we had to go through that pain and suffering."

But he knows he wasn't alone and, without a sturdy supporting cast, he probably wouldn't have been partying inside the Heat's locker room. There is no way he worked alone to gain success. If he were generous, he'd take Mike Miller to celebrity parties or invite him to be a guest on late night TV appearances. And perhaps more than that, Miller was the real MVP and shot it from long-range to contribute off the bench, unfit and hobbling with an ailing back. And still, he netted seven three-point shots as Miami had an NBA Finals-record 14 threes. For James, he registered a triple-double, averaging 26 points, 11 rebounds and 13 assists. His teammates, Wade and Bosh, were feeling it as well. By the end, Bosh had 24 and Wade finished with 20.

It was a well-balanced performance from the three Kings.

However, the man of them all was James. From battling through severe leg cramps to dealing with the pressure of having to win, James proved worthy after all over his nine seasons spent in the league.

"It was definitely a journey," James said. "Everything that went along with me being a high school prodigy, when I was 16 and on the cover of Sports Illustrated, to being drafted and having to be the face of the franchise -- everything that came with it -- I had to deal with [it] and I had to learn through it. ... I'm happy now that eight years later, nine years after I was drafted, that I can finally say that I'm a champion. And I did it the right way. I didn't shortcut anything."

And, sure enough, James can sit back and relish the moment.

LeBron James Finally Clutch Is Reason Why Critics Can Hush

Now that he silenced the world and such anarchy is over, it's fair to state the truth. LeBron James is simply clutch. Only the naive believes he didn't have one of his best games in Finals history. Weren't you watching? Because if you weren't a witness, this was the kind of performance his disbelievers and even supporters were waiting for anxiously, and indeed, he delivered in crunch time.

This was James finally revealing his vicious and relentless toughness -- one of the finest LeBronstravaganzas we've ever seen. The night for James was a breakout Finals game -- particularly in the fourth quarter -- leaving his critics in silence and amazingly surprising everyone in full view. The first order of business is to taste glory and win his first ever ring as an NBA player, the only reward that's not visible on his resume to accompany with his individual achievements. James, in all, is getting tired of hearing that he has no championship ring, that he won't ever be the next best thing to Jordan. It's all an insult to him.

While he has heard the typical nonsense from critics and has been harangued by naysayers demeaning him, motivated by the haters and widespread criticism, he delivered on a critical pull-up shot without calling bank shot, and then closed it out with two late free throws. By that time, the Miami Heat had buried Oklahoma City 100-96 to tie the NBA Finals at one game apiece Thursday night, as the series shifts to Miami for three. This was not only good, but also great, a time for James to shut mouths close and prove everyone wrong.

Just when we thought it was safe to describe him as a fourth-quarter finisher, Kevin Durant, a three-time NBA scoring champ, sputtered down the stretch and was limited due to foul trouble, playing with five fouls, as he feared to be an aggressor. But now, in these Finals, it was LeBron with a vital defensive play stopping Durant's potential game-tying shot. With a chance to make it by driving baseline, Durant watched the shot bounce off the rim. He forced Durant to miss on a baseline 10-footer in the final seconds, he contested the shot, and he harassed him, refusing to give him space to capitalize on a game-tying basket. The refs just let them play, and didn't blow the whistle on James, on a no-call that could have gone either way.

Durant, on the other hand, won't take it, but James certainly will. And he took the win. Even after his foolish decision show and premature celebration in Miami, James, an unlikable figure in the NBA, has mastered the role of greatness to some extent, the primary star in South Florida that everyone loves or loathes. Meanwhile, some people, among James' critics, think Durant is a more clutch performer than James. But one can argue that James is widely a better finisher than Durant. Erasing the regretful past times from a self-serving infomercial that permanently damaged his image and credibility, James is rising to the occasion -- hate him or love him -- not once did he quit or disappeared and seemed more confident. Filled with hunger, quenching thirst and pride, he dispelled any doubts that he's not clutch.

Above all, he shot 12 for 12 from the foul line, and from what we've seen, when the going has gotten tougher, James has played his hardest. And so, once again, he has stepped forward, handling all the pressure, dealing with all the scrutiny as the most despised player in basketball, if not all of sports. He's not the same player we saw one year ago, and in truth, he's meaner and tougher, a beast-like creature who can single-handedly lead the Heat to a second title. It's not Dwyane Wade. It's not Chris Bosh. The focal point of these much-anticipated finals happens to be James, after all, even though he's taken some criticism in the past for either being too selfish or too selfless.


This is turning into a series of vindication as James may finally celebrate and raise the first championship trophy by continuing his dominance. Finally, the most visibly polarizing figure in the sport could make a case as the best NBA player, and to some degree, he has laid the claim, only lacking the honorable prize. In recent news, to keep tabs on him, James has had two consecutive 30-point performances in this series alone.

At the end of the day, he's helping his team win, he's coming through in clutch situations and, as a result, he put away the Thunder. Through two games, James has been the man of the show -- and amazingly fun to witness with our very eyes. The fast start set the tone early in this game as the Heat pushed out to an 18-2 lead, scoring on Oklahoma City, who missed 12 of its first 13 shots. The team couldn't overcome a 10-point deficit, moment from moment. And every time the Thunder would cut into the lead, the Heat continued to score and James was unstoppable. It was inexcusable, whether the refs helped the Heat with no-calls or overused their whistles, the way the Thunder played in the first half.

The lack of urgency and struggles from Russell Westbrook, who has a sore left thumb, was a drawback for the Thunder after missing shot after shot. This outing clearly summarized Westbrook's horrible night and the numbers were misleading, for which he missed 16 of his team-high 26 shots to finish with 27 points. But this is one game where James had one vintage moment in the finals. This is one game where he was money in the fourth quarter. The ball eventually made its way to Wade, but he has yet to make noise in the finals. And thanks to LeBron, the Heat not once had to worry about a fourth-quarter collapse, and held on to a victory that they badly wanted in the 2-3-2 format series.

There's no doubt it was the hardest NBA Finals contest of his career -- on the road -- in a hostile territory, where James maneuvered by Thunder defenders with strength and a fierce approach to attack the rim and finish. For once, he wasn't scoreless in the fourth quarter, and his mental attitude spoke volumes, knowing that he is playing with a heavy burden in his role as a primary superstar. Late in the game, the Heat were on the brink of losing a 13-point lead, and every time the Thunder would make a run, James would deliver.

More surprisingly, he was unflappable and composed to handle the roughest time of the game. It's hard to question LeBron's greatness, his ability to step up late in the game when he avoided a heartbreaking collapse, at last in the finals. With James around, it can also be noted that he bailed out his coach Erik Spoelstra, who is well aware of offensive uncertainties, a weakness in which his diagrammed plays tend to unravel at the worst time. But that's when LeBron comes in to save the day, taking over at the end and throttling the opposition into submission.

It's been long overdue, and it's about time that James comes across good fortune in these finals, a testament to his success.

You know what that tells us?

You can't ever underestimate the heart of LeBron James.

Wade Has to Be Winner for Heat, Otherwise No Chance

The arrogance, the childish acrimony during postgame news conferences is common, as always. If Dwyane Wade is all about winning, he's absolutely not a winner. Alas, such a pouty brat, and somewhat egocentric, Wade can't focus on the task ahead, failing to lead the Miami Heat as he is listed as Heat's go-to-guy, a behemoth player if only he comes to play for a championship without telling the world that he's a winner.

“I’m a winner, so I’m just going to do whatever I can to help my team,” Wade said after the game. “Just doing whatever it takes to win the ball game, not necessarily sitting up here worrying about scoring 30 points.”

No one cares until it finally happens, no one cares until the Heat actually win the NBA Finals, but losing 105-94 to the Thunder in Game 1, with Miami crumbling in the second half, doesn't make life much better. Instead, it makes life much harder, and Wade is mainly the problem. He's not being a leader, he's being a follower to LeBron James. He's not being a nasty ballplayer, he's being an squawker, a pompous know-it-all and folded on the national stage Tuesday night.

The pressure is on for Game 2 Thursday night, particularly for Wade to erase a misleading performance in a game that the role players stepped up early. Never mind Wade scoring 19 points, finishing with eight assists and four rebounds in the opener of the Finals. If he and his team were hoping to win more than the next man, it would be nice for him to step to the force and take initiative in trying to be an emotional leader with the game on the line. His current state is undiscovered. He's in absolute distress, and has been battling knee soreness, according to reports.

But an injury is never a convenient excuse for someone who admittedly said he's all about winning. Like anything else in life, Wade needs to rediscover himself before it's too late. This, to me, is what raises fear, the fact Wade is either consistent or inconsistent, as no one ever knows what to expect from a player with very little pedigree because of his lack of mobility and explosiveness from an ailing knee. He didn't have his best game. Toward the end of the game he was taking huge gasps of air. Toward the end of the game he walked off the court helpless and impotent.

The catchy fad of players wearing geeky glasses is what's in, and after the game, Wade walked to the podium wearing his purple shirt and slacks with thick glasses. Not once in the game was he in control, too often watching his sidekick, James, since deferring the leadership role to him. This means he's too busy standing around, putting more pressure on James to deliver in the final minutes, when the ball should really be in Wade's hands in the fourth quarter.

“That’s the hardest part about playing with another guy with that capability; it’s just trying to figure out when to defer and when not to defer,” Wade said. “I’ve played with Shaq before. I’ve played with a dominant player, and I knew when to defer and when not to defer. It’s kind of a read-all game a little bit, and I think with me and LeBron, we continue to talk about it and discuss what we feel is the opportunities for that.”

By handing over the ball to Wade in the fourth, he has a better chance, unlike James, to make a clutch shot and give the Heat the victory they are now looking for to capture an opportunity to even the series 1-1 against Oklahoma City. Time after time, he's not making it happen, he's not helping the Heat's cause, nor has he been playing like he wants a second ring. Time after time, he's not making it easier on LeBron, who is competing for his first ring.

That is, after all, why he left Cleveland, right?

Because of the three-time MVP as a sidekick to Wade, James is actually minimizing and taking away from Wade's confidence and ability to perform at the highest level. Far from merely facing mortals, Wade had dealt with adversity after a dismal playoff game and responded by having a superb performance -- such was when he scored 45 points, grabbed 15 rebounds and distributed 5 assists to force Game 7 against Indiana in the Eastern Conference semifinals. This is a different Heat team when Wade is not on his game.

He seemed lost and flustered, unsure of himself and relied on his teammates a tad too much. It's tough to think -- no matter what Wade wants us to believe -- that he's not panicking heavily, thrust now in a position to find a way back into this series. If anything, he couldn't care less whether the Heat win or lose, laughing as he strolled into the conference room for postgame interviews, where he was an object of interrogation.


In response, he said he will stay aggressive, and will prepare by looking at film and making adjustments to have an answer for Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook. Earlier in his career, he was the most ferocious player in Miami, but when LeBron came to his neighborhood and arrived on his doorstep in South Beach, Wade's consistency and urgency shrunk. It was almost like looking at a sequel to Honey I Shrunk the Kids, the latest version that could have been called Honey I Shrunk Miami, a cinematic script that would have made Will Smith sing Farewell to Miami.

That's how bad it's been. That's how bad Wade has been. It's been the story of the playoffs. He's been on a roller coaster ride, from poor play to daunted losses followed by eye-popping games that made you blink in amazement. As for Wade, you never know which personality will show up, sometimes unable to find his zone for game-changing moments. He's either broken or he's superior. In this case, Wade wasn't superior, but broken missing 11 of 15 shots in the first three quarters and 12 of 19 shots overall.

The last thing on Wade's mind, after last year's loss to Dallas, is back-to-back misfortunes, which will come back to haunt the Heat if they lose again. This time around, while Miami was privileged to return to the finals for another crack at the championship, Wade should be determined to win it all and redeem himself of failures from a year ago. The forefront of the NBA Finals happens to be the overexposed duel between Durant and James, but the focus should be turned to Wade, another star player who is not balanced and not competent to take over like Durant and Westbrook, who made the Heat seem older.

Miami can only hope for the best solution. It's only one game, surely, but the Heat need a lot of work to beat a team more skilled, deeper and quicker with fresher bodies. Even if the Finals revolve around James' championship pursuit, it's up to Wade. It's his team, not James'. The star of this team is Wade. It's Wade's County. It’s Dwyane's World in South Beach. But that has never occurred to anyone. The focus is on James, interestingly so, after making a case when he scored 30 points in the opener that went to waste.

But he won't win this alone and he can't have success without Wade accumulating monster points to be an equalizer offensively for a bona fide tandem, if not trio, hinging on whether Chris Bosh finally plays with toughness for maybe the finest moment of his career. In many ways, too, Brooks is outcoaching Heat coach Erik Spoelstra, who is afraid to make adjustments because he refuses to change the balance and tactics. He likes to play small, but it is detrimental to his team, a disadvantage for the Heat.

Off to a fast start, the Heat bludgeoned their transition game to extend a large lead early, grabbing steals and hustling for loose balls to push it the other way. They feasted on a vast array of shots, taking a 10-2 lead by spreading the floor, getting out in transition on break outs following missed shots and turnovers as it resulted in dunks and fast break points. For the second quarter highlight reel, James stole the ball from a broken pass by Durant and slammed it.

If only Wade delivered the goods.

From his actions, following the loss, Wade is arrogantly pleased to be in the position he and his team is currently in, and looks to be prepared and more assertive.

We've seen this episode before.

LeBron's Tattered Legacy is Endangered as the Heat On Verge of Suicide

He was integral in assembling the monumental trifecta all-time in hope of inserting triumph, to provide countless championships for the folks in South Beach who are worried greatly about the state of mind of the Miami Heat.

For LeBron James, one of basketball's global dignitaries and the most despised athlete because he wrongly departed Cleveland on callous terms and arrogantly broadcasted "The Decision" to announce his next destination during his free-agency mania, he was the greatest closer in the postseason that sort of validated his legacy as James stifled critics from irately bashing the embattled star.

But, then, something very weird and hopeless has happened of late. Whatever glaring perceptions we have on the Heat, especially with a season of accomplishments in jeopardy, it's now notable that the Heat would produce franchise suicide if Miami is devoid of an NBA championship when the masterminded Pat Riley constructed an unimaginable trilogy. The quality of play has been so dreadful that James is the scapegoat, catching all the negativity and scrutiny because of his fourth quarter meltdowns, where he has not shown ferocity, heart or determination but a lack of effort and self-assurance.

He'd much rather watch than hustle for the loose ball, grab rebounds and attack the rim, which tells us his mentality isn't all there, unprepared for the biggest moment of his career, a defining chapter of James' occult career. Although deep down, as someone who wishes to stand out as a modest public figure in mankind and our society, he merits no love unfortunately in America and, if there are impassioned people fond of James, it's the population located in South Beach.

There is much to dislike about the self-proclaimed King James, from the latest episode when he proclaimed that Game 5 was the biggest game of his career, from the megalomaniacal television spectacle last summer, from his insensitive exit that infuriated the citizens in Cleveland. As the most condemned athlete in sports, if he falls short of a championship, then James' tarnished legacy is endangered forevermore in the wrath of inevitably a pique he draws as the villain in sports.

The pressure is intense, then, for James to finally sustain his first ever championship in these NBA Finals, specifically when he pulled together with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh for the purpose of capturing a title. It's not so true as the Heat struggles mightily with James' fourth quarter woes, in a nation where the loyalists have every reason to ridicule, mock and laugh at his passiveness and inertia. There is a sense, by many viewers and critics, that James is often too latent, vulnerable and stolid, unwilling to stay with his abilities to drive to the basket and lately has the temptations of trying to be an outside shooter.

"The last 48 hours have been thinking about Game 5," LeBron said Saturday. "Some of the opportunities we had to win. Some of the opportunities I had to make plays and either made them or didn't."

Maybe he spent ample time thinking about just how he and his teammates need to keep this series alive if the Heat are pursuing an NBA championship. Consider it a failure if the Heat falls short of conquering the grandest prize, which for LeBron no doubt, he'll draw much scrutiny and aspersion after he couldn't exceed immense expectations and standards.

The disparity has been fretting James for some time, with the world closely glazing at the loathed superstar on the shores of South Beach, a place that welcomed him in nicely with open arms and bared compassion for a sports individual who has been loathed across the nation, if not worldwide. If he has the desire to be the best, in many ways, he needs to sustain greatness and deliver in the clutch. If the Heat lose to the Dallas Mavericks Sunday night in Game 6, Miami and James would be described as failures as their title hopes this season will diminish.

And, of course, James is on the verge of elimination and a painful summer, a long offseason when he reflect on the disappointment in the Finals. The heavy talk of these Finals, in whispers heard across the world from radio airwaves to television to the Internet, is on James, who is generating more buzz than other players. While Dirk Nowitzki is on the verge of capturing his first NBA title, James, in contrast, is nearly doomed and has been ripped for underachieving with his endless fiascoes on the floor such as in late-game situations when he's not producing as a clutch performer.

We can barely applaud James, not only because he's the most disliked player on the universe, but because he's never prevailed in the biggest event. In this development, James has underperformed on his playground where he is absent, not clutched, not a fourth-quarter savior, not one of the best shooters in postseason history, not even one of the all-time greats, but the flukiest and enigmatic player judging by his sudden disappearance.

It won't take long, should James and the Heat topple against the Mavs, until he falls from grace in a shot at redemption. It won't take long, should he began his vacation Sunday night in South Beach, until he visions the shred of his tattered legacy devalue, not potent enough, not determined enough and not reliant enough to lead the Heat on a wondrous expedition. Because of his foolish Tweet before Game 5, James is described as a fool, a loudmouth and overly sensitive whiner, reducing his focus and energy on the series, so engaged in getting the last word but disengaged in raising the intensity in the Finals.


The notion that James tweeted "Now or never!!" could have been a motivation strategy, but in reality, for the Heat as a whole, it's "Now or never!!" Could it be bad karma for James?? Remember when he and Wade were captured on video, directly ridiculing Nowitzki for being sick in Game 4??

"I'm not feeding into that. If you guys want to feed into everything that not only myself or D-Wade or the Miami Heat do, I think that's a non-issue." What in the hell has happened with LeBron?

All week, the curiosity has inherently circled James, worried heavily about his recent stumbles in the last two games of this championship series. That was Game 4 and 5, where he never measured up to his own standards. The comparisons of Michael Jordan and Magic Johnson are absurd at a moment in his dizzied career when he could be a work in progress, and can't withstand the stiffest challenge of pro basketball. It's more inexplicable to understand the Heat, and in the midst of James disappearing on his teammates as Miami is one game from elimination, he'll be blamed more than ever, hated even more so for such a poor and strange performance.

There'd be no way in hell to escape the criticism and taunting, simply when he convinced the world that he was an admirable athlete, hailed as one of the greatest all-time before he even made his presence felt in the league. It's the culture we live in, one which is abnormal for a player with higher expectations than life, but has yet met the agenda of greatness.

There's been plenty attention, after remotely raising his isolated popularity in a lone town and state, regarding his personal life, his health status and mindset. For sure, he is at much fault of the overblown hyperbole recently, and one can still speculate whether or not he's afraid or soft, turning into an epic disaster in one of the worst tragedies in NBA history if James doesn't turn it around in Game 6.

For the most part, legacies are constituted in June, as much as James tries calling it via social networking, he is wrong and on the verge of missing out on protecting a legacy in disarray. The result of James' flaws have no bearing on the fourth-quarter disengagement that seems confusing, when it looked as if he was having one of his historic postseasons. He ultimately know it's inexcusable to blow a legion of games late, and as much as James is considered a great athlete, it's a rarity whenever an exceptional player performs poorly in back-to-back games in the fourth quarter.

In theory, James is petrified of failure and he's mentally not in the frame of mind, just as much as he is physically fatigued. Even if he produced a triple-double in the 23-year history of the Miami Heat, it would be "NOW OR NEVER!!" The aspect of judging James is that he's not handling the adversity or expectations, unwilling to manage the hearsay and criticism, reluctant in handling the everlasting drama from his critics and the media. Given his baggage, the perception is that he's viewed as the enemy of basketball, so the pressure is greater than ever for James to win as a way to not be begrudged.

When he is described as the evildoer, the only way to clear one's name, given his pompous actions in many ways, James ought to be attempting to keep aspirations alive Sunday night and reduce the fear and weaknesses. There's only so much one person can endure in life, but in this case when much ramifications are involved, actions speak louder than words for LeBron. It's all about survival and avoiding the dizziness, the anger and the pressure.

Furthermore, it's "Now or never!!"

Whether the Heat Are Disdained or Loved, James Was Worthy Experiment

Because it’s entirely feasible that the Heat can persevere against the well-equipped Dallas Mavericks in the NBA Finals, astonishingly with their feral defense, the folks in Miami are very optimistic, after the Heat’s spectacular contest concluded on the road in a hostile environment. And through it all, the Heat showed signs of resilience and persistence to keep hopes alive, maintaining a sense of pride in a sensational series.

LeBron James, so eager and coveted that he finished with a game-high 28 points on 8-of-19 shooting, was celebrating in the aftermath of a stunning fourth-quarter rally to cruise to an 83-80 win in the Eastern Conference Finals. And how they ever reached such a pinnacle is just amazing as it is hard to imagine the Heat being obliterated, while on the verge of winning an NBA championship and defying the odds of common reasoning. It’s almost as if we are watching the sudden emergence of a heartwarming tale, similar to a cliché or even a surreal adventure, which has proven not to be a mirage for the greatest trio of all-time in NBA history.

Seldom does a team luck out with much triumph in its first season of an experiment, a singular project that the Heat worked on last summer during the most outlandish frenzy. It is as if the majority of Floridians envisioned the Heat stunning the world, brainwashed into the notion of talent, star power and national publicity, when others disdain James ever since he turned into a villainous ballplayer — a registered traitor.

The outrageous saga of “The Decision” disintegrated his credibility and popularity, a megalomaniacal infomercial that oddly adopted airwaves for an hour, just so he could announce to the world where he’d take his talents. He left Cleveland after it was said that he was loyal to his native town. What followed, however, was a reaction from an enraged community after he was heartless and selfish in a town where the masses pampered and even applauded James, identifying the All-Star forward as the saint of the city for uplifting a forsaken franchise, which was in disarray with all the misfortunes.

When he left the Cavs hostage and broadcasted his intentions of joining the Heat to become part of the framework and build the deepest team in the league, as opposed to staying in Cleveland, he not only disavowed his pledge but also sacrificed his ego and legacy. In this worldview, nonetheless, he is described as a villain for accepting a pay cut and renouncing his claim to all-time greatness, disliked for betraying a deprived territory. There was every reason to speculate that the Heat were capable of beating the Bulls, ready for the challenge and to potentially taste the glory of a championship.

But dismissing the most powerful franchise — by definition — the deepest roster with polished talent, is an understatement. You don’t have to like the Heat, and whether you believe Miami has a bevy of egomaniacal wannabes or even wimpy superstars who vent after a disheartened loss by shedding tears behind close doors, Miami is everyone’s greatest fear. You don’t have to like James, the best basketball player in these playoffs. Oh, don’t you hate him? It was James who sent a message to the world, for bitter fans across the nation, precisely silencing the average person who perhaps witnessed it as a hallucination.

No one ever imagined the Heat, with an explanation that Miami wasn’t fundamentally sound and competent to endure a probable pursuit this postseason, clinching an NBA Finals berth come June. It’s easily noticed that this run was for the haters, and America must show much regard for a man who is unstoppable and who demoralized Bulls point guard Derrick Rose. This season, in James’ most decisive battle ever, he disrupted Rose so much that Rose was shut down and couldn’t manipulate the tempo as the orchestra on the floor for the Bulls. There’s no way, just no way doubters can dismiss the Heat.

And this week, in the most enjoyable series, the big three stunned the world and muted disbelievers and critics who hate James only for having a self-loving persona and for leaving Cleveland, all while he elevated his popularity in South Beach with a chance to win and celebrate his greatest accomplishment. It’s all possible for James, as long as he stays compose and enters every game with a combative, fiery and perky mindset in the upcoming weeks. So many times, he has divulged that he is worthy of greatness and can modify his game with clutch performances in the closing moments.

With an awe-inspiring comeback, in large part of an 18-3 run while down by 12 points, James fueled a breathtaking turnaround as the Heat were outrebounded in the paint, out hustled on the court, outran in transition and outplayed for much of the game until Miami benefited from the slew of turnovers committed by the Bulls in the final quarter. As he gains plaudits on the shores of South Beach where he is adored roughly for choosing to play for the Heat, it’s well-documented that James has risen and suddenly became one of the finest finishers in the game, hitting a three-pointer that brought Miami within five.

James, in his first full season with the Heat since signing as a free agent last summer and earning plenty of individual accolades as a gifted star, is already nearing the stage of his career when he is about to earn his righteous nickname if crowned a champion. If not for James hitting an enormous three-pointer that tied it at 72, Miami would be traveling home for an elimination game, but James was solid and unstoppable.

The witnesses in the stands were stunned and saddened, and painfully watched Chicago collapse. James poked the ball out of the Bulls players’ hands with his quickness and awareness, forcing Rose into a luckless turnover to end Chicago’s hopeful season. Here was James again, taking the ball down the court, waiting patiently to scan the floor and finding one of his teammates. Even though he had trust in his teammates, he was tempted to knife his way through the defensive-minded Bulls, but then, like a resemblance of MJ, even if he’s nowhere near Jordan, he elevated for a jumper and buried a shot that shifted momentum towards the Heat.

If James doesn’t nail the shot, then he’d obviously hear criticism for blundering and not passing the ball to Dwyane Wade, who was the one superstar among the big three who needed to have the ball in his hands down the stretch. If he doesn’t pass it, then he’d be ripped for not playing like a facilitator and not creating scoring opportunities for Wade and Bosh. Now, James is worthy of all the credit and proudly has exceeded expectations, and he’s probably the Heat’s savior in the playoffs for having the pedigree and well-rounded dominance. The most polarizing player — if not in all of sports — who is on the verge of inheriting the crown, has removed the tension from an enigmatic Bosh and even Wade.

With a miracle late in the game, out of nowhere Thursday night, the Heat stormed back in the Eastern Conference finals. In a series of intense story lines, with much emotion after vanquishing adversity and doubts throughout the season, James was the focal point of the Heat’s prosperity in the aftermath of the backlash he encountered in Miami. But even though he draws bad publicity because of his narcissistic foolishness, arrogance and ungracious departure, James is seemingly the scariest player on earth and has provided a blueprint for the Heat.

The onslaught he brings to the game — prevailing in the biggest moments — when the masses doubted James, has defined the self-proclaimed King and he’s the best scorer in the game. This time, beginning an adventure in Miami, he minimized his weaknesses and ruled by knocking down shots and trapping Rose with his superb defense. The three stars were heavily criticized and scrutinized, but the three superstars evidently played harder every time, considering the talent the Heat assembled to validate a historic trio, a unique roster that the mastermind genius Pat Riley envisioned and trusted in.


Every game the Heat won — bearing the circumstances of attaining greatness — thanks in large part to Riley for orchestrating a topical storm in Miami, indicated strong ambition. The prelude to a bewitching NBA Finals, a rematch of the 2006 finals when the Heat rallied from behind after trailing the series only to defeat Dallas, has arrived for convivial folks in South Beach with a chance to celebrate if the Heat wins and watch a parade journey down Biscayne Boulevard. For the Heat, a franchise that seemed flummoxed and vulnerable to an early postseason exit with a totality of softness and a lack of chemistry, this would be a step forward as Miami has endured a postseason breakthrough. The repertoire of skilled megastars emerged in time for the playoffs and has excelled in moments when the stakes were higher than ever.

For nearly a decade, James desired to contend with a championship-caliber franchise, and earned his wish. For nearly a decade, he was unsuccessful and constantly fell short of the exulted prize. But if he finally has risen to a primary star and is NOT the decoy in the company of an abundance of megastars, he likely has a bright future in Miami and could very well hoist the Larry O’Brien trophy in June. This is the Heat we’re discussing here, not his former team, Cleveland. So if James and Wade made shots and suffocated Chicago, crushing the Bulls’ hearts and souls to relentlessly cut a 12-point deficit in the final three minutes, we can assume that the Heat are the scariest team in the East. As it happened, Rose capitulated and missed 7 of 9 shots in the fourth and committed a pair of turnovers before his last shot was denied at the buzzer by James. And the Heat took advantage.

“It’s on me,” Rose said after the disheartened loss. “Everything. It’s on me. Turnovers, missed shots, fouls. If anything, learn from it. That’s all I can do right now. The series is over with.”

Of course, there’s the issue that he won the Most Valuable Player award, but couldn’t lead the Bulls when it all counted. Particularly after Rose led the Bulls to a league-best 62-win season. But it’s now time to appreciate the Heat. When it was over, James hugged Wade and was elated over the gratifying achievements this season, as the Bulls were dispatched and hometown fans applauded loudly and gave a standing ovation.

“There’s a history in this game of great players shining in those moments, when the game is in the balance,” Heat’s head coach Erik Spoelstra said. “And all three of those guys are special players. That’s why we recruited them so hard this summer.”

The Heat, who advances to the Finals against the Mavericks for a series that begins Tuesday night, are four wins away from the I-told-you-so declaration as signing James and Bosh was relevant. The rally all started late in the fourth when Wade hit a jump shot and scored eight of his first 11 points in a spurt, including a four-point play on a mindless foul charged to Rose as Wade made the three. This was a historic comeback and, if the Heat attempts to win a championship down the road, well, they are on pace to bypass the adversity and outrage.

“We built up a lot of toughness and resiliency through a lot of things that we’ve experienced during the regular season, and even during the postseason. A lot of things don’t rattle us,” Spoelstra said. “We’ve built up a lot of confidence in our defense that we can get consecutive stops when we need to, and we’ve had several games where we finished with 12-0 or 14-0 runs.”

Hate all you want, but the Heat isn’t to be laughed at.

Fear the Heat as Dream Is Coming True for LeBron, but Not So In America

In the endless uproar of the evilest villain in sports, the resentful citizens are bashing and deriding LeBron James as a self-centered quitter or a hapless egomaniac, a wannabe superstar who tosses baby powder skyward to awe the crowd. James has been called out for being disloyal to his native state and instantly departing Cleveland. A man can desert the diabolical past, if ever, when he bustled through traffic and diminished Chicago's defensive ferocity, finishing on a timely layup as the intense crowd stood and applauded James.

This time, as James was capping a masterpiece that couldn't have been denied on a night when the Heat rolled to a sentimental 101-93 win, and suddenly, secured a 3-1 lead in the Eastern Conference finals, the crowd in South Beach was jolted by his 18-foot jump shot. To call him the biggest enemy in the NBA is to downplay his greatness, insult his ability to rise as an elite star amid the absurdity with James' shocking departure when he left Cleveland for South Beach and decided he'd bring his talent to Miami. For the Heat, a team that Hall of Famer Pat Riley masterfully built a foundation last summer and coax James and Bosh to join Wade to construct the most compelling trio in sports, it would be an indicative of a suggestive win, moving within one win of the NBA Finals.

If we ever felt sorry for James, just because he was ridiculed and crucified by his former supporters, including his former boss Dan Gilbert, it's because he unwisely announced his choice on national television on "The Decision," a one-hour infomercial that enraged many fans in Cleveland and across the world. Whether you like him or hold grudges, weary over the giddy Nike commercial ads featuring James or even his overbearing attitude of the everlasting turmoil keeping his dignified accomplishments veiling, he drilled the 18-footer in the final 30 seconds of overtime. By now, used to the sarcastic jokes and criticism, James continuously quiet down critics with virtuoso performances and swagger, clearly when he ceded his chance of becoming the well-known, iconic ballplayer in the NBA and likely even the best player of all-time by leaving the Cavs to unite with invigorated stars.


It's entirely amazing, given the totality of the marksmanship he brings to the game, just how much the nation refuses to acknowledge and hates James after showing remorse -- apologetic for such a sophomoric escapade. In a forthcoming NBA Finals appearance that looms, if the Heat presents fear throughout the rest of the postseason, such as when James is the distributor assigned the point guard duties and shut down Derrick Rose and Mike Miller and Udonis Haslem scores in double-figures, Miami will be crowned NBA champs in June.

The point is here, nonetheless, is that the Heat are the scariest and hungriest team in the playoffs and knows what's at stake with enough weapons to easily outplay and torment their opponents.

In fairness, we can possibly be gazing at the best roster in the league, depending on the Heat's prowess and readiness of the hottest pursuit in a long time for South Beach. If granted a trip to the finals, the journey would last as long as James and Wade carries the Heat and, more importantly, could validate that the latest experiment of putting together a trio is a workable nucleus for inheriting multiple titles and embarking on a dynasty. The buzz is louder than expected for the Bulls, who are on the brink of elimination, in part of Miami's deepness, self-assurance and fluidity as Chicago will attempt to keep their hopes alive Thursday night at the United Center in Chicago.

That's the case when the Bulls were ever so close to tying the series, but unfortunately, Rose blundered in a jittery point of the game, missing a pair of jumpers in a one-on-one battle with James on the Bulls' final two possessions of regulation. It was over when he bricked a deciding foul shot with the game tired at 85 with 1:10 left in the fourth quarter, finishing with 23 points and missing 19 of 27 shots. As the Heat are one win away from enduring the animosity in much of the nation, beheld as certified scoundrels with James as a member of Miami who is a traitor by many and taunted for leaving the Cavs and, even greater, his pompous and egomaniacal nonsense, the Big Three are close, very close, to stunning and silencing the haters, doubters and critics.

If the Heat wins the hardware this season, not too mention James earning his first ever ring, it would be America's saddest taboo in sports and the most dreadful nightmare. And in truth, the Heat's dream is coming true, faster than usual, when the Three Kings, Three Amigos or whatever you prefer prevailed with all the criticism and adversity early on. In recent years, James has developed when he is demanding the ball in clutch situations, hitting practically decisive shot attempts and when he is defined as a useful hero in South Beach, particularly on a night that he scored 35 points and suffocated the Bulls late with heroics. He is, without much debate, a beloved superstar in Miami, converting on the enormous shots, no longer struggling with his arsenal of shooting but is pushing the Heat near the NBA Finals.

With three straight losses for the first time this season, the Bulls and Rose had fallen short, not ready for the national scene in contending for a championship, although Chicago plays fierce defense and have been craving to arise in the East as the premiere team. At this level, when the Heat is deeper and encountered the young Bulls, it justifies that Miami is much willing, faster and stronger in the Eastern Conference finals.

As it stands, for the Heat, it was a statement win in which Miller turned out with 12 momentous points, buoyed by James and Chris Bosh effortlessly scoring. It was a physical game and, most of all, another splendid night for Bosh, scoring 22 points in an intense victory en route to sustain a championship in one year with the trio experiment. Meanwhile, Wade struggled with shooting the ball for much of the night and had merely 14 points, but Miami can survive each series in the playoffs by the essence of James and Bosh alongside Wade to insert much parity in a gigantic turnaround, one that can have fans and bikini babes celebrating near the shores of South Beach really soon.

Never mind that the Heat made a statement, when nobody expected the Heat to be 8-0 this postseason at home, the only undefeated home team in the playoffs. Never mind that the Heat frightened the world and preserved a 3-1 lead in the series. It's seemingly considerable to think that Erik Spoelstra, despite his hyperbole in press conferences, returns next season as head coach when much speculation vanished of the low-keyed Spoelstra getting canned for numerous episodes with players in the locker room and his strange coaching philosophy.

That is when Miami wasn't unified or playing together and had been adapting to the offense and new teammates. There's no realistic chance for the Bulls to beat the Heat, not the hottest team in the playoffs, not with a player as good as James, Wade or even Bosh, including an elusive bench that seemed believable.

The reality is, Miami is as real as it gets.

Whoever wins the West should be scared of the Heat as neither Oklahoma City or Dallas have the weapons that the Heat possess.

Finally, Bosh Regains Stardom After Feeling the Heat

He was staring into the stands, gazing at the crowd and literally stuck out his tongue -- the kind of behavior that elevates fear as Chris Bosh has finally awakened. His eyes were possessed, his body language indicated much poise in his game, wearing hideous facial expressions and likely intimidating Chicago inside the downtown venue located on the edge of Biscayne Bay.


And this is a good thing, too, since he was called a “bust” and ridiculed for playing like a worthless wuss, not the fierce aggressor as advertised when the Miami Heat signed Bosh last summer to join forces with Dwyane Wade and LeBron James. In this particular game, Bosh trotted the court with much bitterness and antipathy that the seas of white in the stands stood in delight and applauded as he walked near courtside.

But where he was credited, when Miami pleasantly hosted its first game at home in the Eastern Conference Finals putting on a spectacle for the folks in South Beach; Bosh emerged at last and dazzled as the superstar of the night. The very qualities that make Bosh a dominant force are his mental state and consistency along with his ability to score in every facet because of his phenomenal heroics, which fueled the raucous crowd that is madly obsessed with the Heat, in a town where the vast majority profoundly adores football.

In sports, we tend to overlook the underachievers -- for instance -- a player like Bosh. He was absent for much of the postseason and often discontent with his role. For one thing, it often engendered much uncertainty and for a while there, he never suited the Heat's offensive scheme and instead turned into an absolute waste. For one thing, on the positive side, he reestablished himself exposing the kind of characteristics that was expected of him when he daringly decided to migrate to Miami and assemble the greatest trio in sports (lineup of stars fans usually admire -- fueled by the idea of one franchise building a unique team with the deepest star power).

Before he even asserted himself into the offense, the Heat weren't known as the Miami Thrice or the Three Amigos and instead it was the greatest tandem in the postseason with James and Wade. He has had a peculiar season with his new team but decisively came to life at the right possible time, where he located his swagger and seemed more aggressive than ever before in the Eastern Conference finals, to lead the Heat to a pivotal 96-85 win Sunday for a 2-1 series lead.

"He put his imprint on the game right from the beginning, and that helped give us some relief and also keep them honest with some of their coverages," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said.

At this point, nobody knows if Bosh has fully revitalized, which still remains a mystery, even if he reveled in his resurgence and reached his full potential following his awesome performance on the court to amaze thousands of fans. So for Bosh, the forward who traveled to South Beach and joined the Heat for championship aspirations, he was clearly the best player on the floor and regained his status as a well-known superstar in the NBA.


By definition, as you probably know, he is anything but flawless on many nights and among the Big Three he is the least noticeable of stars. Of all things that he qualifies as a derided star rather than a peerless star for the Heat's profound roster, but on Sunday night he certainly played like he was the biggest star all season and electrified the populace and the bayside all over South Florida. For much of the night -- all night rather -- Bosh made all the noise the Heat wanted to hear, accentuated on the notion that he was the storyline and ended all the indiscretions in his inability to contribute and convert on shot attempts.

We saw numerous hints that he never had the firepower or toughness to deliver earlier in the season as a member of the Heat, despite countless moments in his impressive NBA career -- which began in the North of the border when he was the star player for Toronto. But once he scored 32 points, which came on an empathetic dunk, he fiercely pounded both fist onto his chest, scowled and shouted to the heavens and, more importantly, observed the attention when he elevated stardom. The emergence was clearly the way for Bosh to advertise that he's one of basketball's marquee players, illustrating that he's worthy and blends in perfectly with a championship-caliber roster when in all he solidified his popularity, especially shortly after boosting the decibels louder than ever on his vicious dunk.

"I just wanted to make some type of imprint on this series," Bosh said.

Because Bosh couldn't seem to pose as a factor, shoot, pester opponents with his effective post presence or defend to expose the basic fundamentals in basketball and never survived in previous series as undersized players pushed and shoved him around, not intimidated by his laziness, apathy or attrition, he was vilified and least appreciated in a town where the expectations were immense for a player of his size. Yet, by some means, it's seemingly jarring that he finished with 34 points on 13-of-18 shooting in the best postseason performance of his career.

And the best part is, he awakened to bolster the Heat as the team survived without much from James or Wade on a night the workable tandem in previous games were quiet, not as competent as Bosh to give Miami an assuring lead in the best-of-seven series with Game 4 on Tuesday night at American Airlines Arena. The truth is, when he came in as a high-profile free agent with James last summer, he faced agonizing scrutiny more than any other player deemed as the irrelevant player of the trio in Miami.

What matters most is that Bosh may have risen and accepted his role as a reliable scorer on a very talented team in the NBA, justifying his acquisition when he finally made his presence felt as one of the tallest, lanky forwards in basketball. The likelihood of questioning his relevance, diligence, heart or even toughness, no longer matters as long as Bosh continues the recent consistency and validates how beneficial he was in delivering the knockout to dismantle the Bulls.

“I'm human, I really don't care for it,'' Bosh said. "There's always going to be somebody throwing rocks. But I know I'm a good ballplayer.''

Then there was the arrival of Carlos Boozer, scoring 26 points and grabbing 17 rebounds -- an incredible performance which may have inspired and increasingly built upon Bosh's self-assurance. Whatever it was, Bosh was brilliant and unstoppable, a backup plan seemingly as Wade wilted uncharacteristically and as James distributed the ball unselfishly to create opportunities, dishing to Bosh on limitless possessions since he was the hottest star on the floor. Not even Bulls Forward Joakim Noah was capable of slowing down Bosh.


Suddenly, James and Wade sees a level of trust in Bosh even thought he has never advanced past the first round until this season and has struggled in adjusting to the stronger demands in contention for a title. At the beginning of the game, he missed his first three attempts, but then he hit 13-of-15 shots to finish with 34 points on 18 shots as Wade and James were held to a combined 12-of-30 from the field.

You saw Bosh score 30 points in a Game 1 loss. In Game 2, he had an egregious night, a horror night with a mere 10 points in 42 minutes, despite that Miami beat the Bulls in Chicago. He could have been tired of hearing all the nonsense about his irrelevancy, tired of hearing that he wasn't an essential of the Big Three, until he hit uncontested shots and weaved his way into the paint.

For Bosh, no doubt, it's a whole new story. After his sudden breakthrough, he's an integral fragment of the Big Three.

LeBron James Is Built to Lead Heat When Stakes are High

When it was over, relieved of the anguish and heavy burdens to reclaim his identity as the playoff scene transformed into hyper mode, LeBron James was calmed following his vicious dominance, perfectly sending a wave of promise that shifted the Miami Heat's personality in a fierce series.

The latest news on James -- from freakishly driving in traffic to outplaying the Bulls' swarming defense to producing his ferocity and creativity with the ball -- is that he awakened and responded by hurling a three-pointer and a difficult fallaway jumper over Rose to give the Heat a substantial two-possession lead as time dwindled in desperation. When he advisedly knocked down a deep jump shot to give Miami a nine-point lead with 47.3 seconds left on the way to an 85-75 destruction of the Chicago Bulls at the United Center and stole homecourt advantage -- after putting back his own miss on a previous shot -- there was a sense of confidence.


Yes, he is a clutch performer after all. This was for the people who've disrespected James and said he'd never be a finisher. For once, he revealed to the world that he is fully capable of taking over a game single-handedly, and is properly fitted to rise as a reliable superstar. And what we know about James is that he is a carefree, freakish athlete. What's most notably is that he is a godlike ballplayer, a global icon, but is mostly forgotten and has been perceived as the most hated villain in sports since the uncivil departure last summer during his dramatic and weird free-agency madness.

Either way, that is, the world scorns James deeply, not an all-encompassing icon we once adored when he was the portrait of an honest savior with loyalty and unselfishness in a town where much misfortune left the angry fans fretting about the gloomy age, a region deprived of a major professional championship since 1964. But we as people shouldn't hold grudges forever, particularly when James apologized for "The Decision," a reckless extravaganza that seized airwaves for which he proffered an announcement nationally on his choice to join forces with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh in Miami.

For the first time in his embattled NBA career, after his credibility ravaged and fans lost tremendous respect for him ever since he broadcasted his narcissistic telecast in an abnormal manner, James is distinguished as the evilest villain and traitor for leaving his native state Cleveland. With the game tied at 73-73 with over four minutes remaining, managing to take over in pressured situations of the fourth quarter, James scored nine points in three minutes -- worthy of a respectful nod, simply for carrying his team in Chicago.

It was another tense and overwrought night for the Heat, a formidable challenge on the road against the stingiest defense in the league, which impelled Miami to adjust to the Bulls' defensive schemes. So there is Tom Thibodeau, in his remarkable rookie season as Chicago head coach, leading the unbeaten Bulls with the best record in the NBA. As the Bulls reminded us in Game 1 of their regular-season sweep over the Heat, James perfectly ended the lingering debates on whether or not the Bulls can sustain improbability and remove the underdog label.

The unfolding of Game 2 is where the Heat sent a statement ideally by justifying they are resilient and intrepid in the postseason after struggling and lacking chemistry and unity, with such a quirky mindset in the regular-season. The night for the Heat was about survival, keeping hopes alive while in contention for an NBA championship, and Miami proved it is built to win a title and survive on the road in a tight and tense playoff game Wednesday night. Wade, as we know, was tangled with Omer Asik when Asik blocked Wade in the final quarter of an intense game, a period that the Heat missed shots to begin the fourth 1-for-9 in field goals.

Wade was bloodied when the Turkish center had blood gushing from his chin and down his neck. To stop the bleeding, Wade was attended to on the sideline and was provided a sleeve to cover the wound on his elbow, forcing Erik Spoelstra to call a 20-second timeout with under five minutes left. By the time he returned, Wade blocked a desperation three-pointer attempted by Derrick Rose with less than two minutes left. From there, the Chicago faithful began filing out of the quiet United Center, although Taj Gibson almost beheaded and dunked on Wade for a breathless panorama Sunday, although Rose won the Most Valuable Player award and is the most spectacular point guard to watch these days.

Fortunately, for Wade, he scored 24 points on 8-of-16 shooting and had nine rebounds against a flexible defense and the younger and more athletic Bulls, unlike the Celtics in the semifinals mainly because of oldness and lethargy. There was no time for the Heat to disappear, but to finally come alive and bounce back from an inferior performance -- killing off the criticism and verbal attacks. Before we consider that the Heat are girly, before we ridicule and strongly present animosity toward James, we should give credit to the explosive forward who can gracefully move the ball. Before we belittle the Heat -- when they're playing and running the floor -- we must admire that Miami is composed of talent and creativity, sometimes enough originality to be more creative than Apple.

"The fourth quarter was Miami defense," said James, who had nine of his 29 points in the fourth quarter. "There wasn't much offense out there, but when we play defense like this, we're tough to beat."


So, while the series shifts to Miami for Game 3 Sunday night, the best-of-seven series is tied and already epitomizes a longer series than usual in one of the craziest Eastern Conference finals ever. One of the reasons the Heat played so well, as much as the franchise located in South Florida continues to make progress in each contest, was James respectively and even the robust Udonis Haslem, who has recovered fully based on his prowess to stand as a factor in the readiness of a playoff spurt. So it's good to know that James, who would respond disappointed over a painful Game 1 loss, unwilling to trail in the series 2-0 and back down in the fourth quarter when the stakes are higher, scored nine of Miami's last 12 points. Certainly, the Heat found a closer in James in these playoffs.

"LeBron was very good on both sides of the ball," Spoelstra said. "He had to guard virtually everybody on the floor and rebound and make a lot of plays for us on the offensive end, and do it for 45 minutes. The only thing I kept reminding him every timeout is, 'You cannot afford to get tired. For us to have a chance to win, we cannot have you fatigued.'"

There was no time to feel sorry for Derrick Rose, finishing with 21 points on 7 for 23 shooting but now is a good time to applaud James, not weeping over too much playing time, not griping over dropping successive games and not complaining over touches. Meanwhile, the Bulls had no answer for James or Haslem, who began the season as a starter but missed much action nursing a torn ligament in his foot. And now suddenly, he scored 13 points and gathered five rebounds in 23 minutes. With him, he changed the tone of the game and defended the paint brilliantly, and then delivered an array of jump shots that defined a relentless comeback when he rejoined the lineup a week ago.

The one sequence where he blocked Rose, then run upcourt in transition for a fast-break dunk and 3-point play, benefited the Heat and transformed the momentum in the fourth. In the same game, James stripped Luol Deng twice, coming on one possession that organized a fast break layup on the other end by Wade. Then came Haslem levitating on another fast break dunk, and the Heat extended the lead to 67-56 with a 10-0 run.

“The thing I’m exploring the most is getting back to our game,” Spoelstra said. “And it’s not about who. It’s about what. It’s what we’re capable of. We’re an aggressive, hard-hitting, physical, defensive team. We did not show that obviously in Game 1, particularly on the boards. But that is not our nature.”

This series is far from over, but at this rate, the Heat are unbeatable. This could be the moment when James prove he is worthy. This could be the moment when James unleash to the world that he is a clutch performer. This could be the moment when James puts Cleveland on hush mode. Not counting a championship ring.

Celtics Are No Match for Younger James, Heat

In a year where the epicenter of an unparalleled experiment assembled believably the greatest trio all-time in the history of American sports -- bigger than any prior transactions in NBA history, the only other that parallels the acquisition of Lebron James and Chris Bosh was a few years ago when Boston acquired Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett respectively in a trade.

If there's one valid explanation for why James fled abruptly from his native homeland Cleveland and announced nationally via his narcissistic one-hour spectacle, a bizarre, self-centered stunt that killed his legacy and popularity, it was for one objective. That would be to capture his first ever NBA championship with the Heat. If there's anything less than a title, upon the gossip that the Heat are the dominant force in the league jumping into primary contention with the masterminded rebuilding by the savvy Hall of Famer Pat Riley, it would be a great disappointment when the franchise built sizable talent.

The Heat, once upon a time, were useless, too young and soft to align into quality stars, unable to vanquish any weaknesses in a flux. For a variety of reasons, for which he sacrificed his ego and ceded his legacy all while seeking a lone title, he signed the smallest deal of the most compelling free-agency bonanza, migrated to South Beach and join forces with the Heat. When the Heat implored James to become a resident in Miami, not to mention to stand as a symbol globally in a town where basketball has turned into a social event regularly, the franchise in Southern Florida wooed him away from Chicago, New York and Cleveland.

The good news is, of course, that he is playing for the hottest team in these playoffs and has had a large impact on the Heat's dominance in the postseason so far, even if he's portrayed as one of the most villainous person in sports except for the likes of Tiger Woods, Alex Rodriguez and Kobe Bryant. That's what America desires, a sports figure who is the villainous superstar ridiculed for either a mishandled decision or for being disloyal in a town that pampered and adored him dearly. The most powerful man in the world isn't Donald Trump, not even Charlie Sheen, maybe the funniest television personality who might have lost his mind mentally.

Other than President Obama controlling the reign of power these days, it turns out that James is the most powerful athlete. This was the night for James to put a hush on the critics, carrying the Heat in the most sensational performance in which he played like a barbaric assassin to propel to 102-91 victory in Game 2 Tuesday night for a commanding 2-0 lead of Boston in the series. And together, they have played with cohesiveness and toughness, thrust in the position to increase the level of intensity and urgency if the Heat wish to surpass the hardest challenge in the postseason.

In an erratic season, of which the Heat wilted and began to frail in the shadows of others in the Eastern Conference for their poorest drought in the regular season, one of the underachieving franchises that lacked unity and trust, Miami was seemingly predicated to hit a roadblock against the Celtics, who boldly teased Miami via Twitter by unleashing, "It's been a pleasure to bring my talents to South Beach, Paul Pierce posted after Boston's statement win in Miami back in November.

Before the basketball lords mock and denounce the Heat, before the analyst disrespect James and Wade, might we suggest that Miami is scarier than ever, prepared to meet an epic battle. This clearly looks like a seven-game series, in what has flourished into an immediate rivalry. This gives Miami coach Erik Spoelstra, the protégé of Riley, every reason to breathe and not stress about his job security but uphold the coaching role and thrive to cement the Heat in every way.

It seems, after all, the Heat aren't nearing destruction but instead triumph, aren't close to being dispatched from the postseason with the exception of James, Wade and Bosh. Quite fittingly, the Big Three exist in South Beach rather than Beantown for a veteran core beginning to reveal their weaknesses. The aging bodies and tiredness is a factor in the Celtics' sluggish, sketchy breakdown as Pierce, Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett, the inspirational voice and defensive guru, slowly debilitates to limit Boston's usual firmness. No one ever imagined the Celtics being in the jeopardy of losing a series, now trailing 2-0 to the Heat.


For Miami, now in full control of the series, they are the hungriest and strongest equipped with a disruptive and assertive defense. In this generation, known as the era of "Where Amazing Happens," the Heat bypassed the hysteria and lives up to the hype with a relentless effort against the defending Eastern Conference champs. It was an edgy night for the Celtics, a testimony to the Heat's anxiousness and heartiness to revolutionize their intensity as the deepest and boisterous triple threat in the East if not in the league. As the Heat's youth dictates the significance of this series, a common trend noticed all of the sudden in such a startling semifinals, the older Celtics are breaking down.

The premature disrespect inspired the Heat to heal the heartaches and it has placed fear on the minds of the Celtics, fading quickly as the topflight squad. Forget about the Celtics entering the Eastern Conference semifinals with higher expectations than the Heat. Forget about Boston supposedly being the toughest unit with much postseason experience, when perhaps the reign has ended completely. But as much as everybody tries to downplay the Heat's rebound in time for the postseason, with talented star power on the floor nightly, the Heat are rising quickly.

In this one, James had the signature dunk and poured in 35 points, many of which came in the fourth quarter alone when he dominated at will and stunned all his critics. His counterpart, no doubt, scored 28 points, and on this particular night, he wasn't too worried about an ailing Pierce. No ejects or technicals, but he was seen limping to the locker room with a probable "strained foot" diagnosis. No need for a wheelchair either but, in all, the injury was revealed to be a strained Achilles' tendon.

In his return, he was limited and had a 5-for-11 performance to finish with 13 points, all while his teammate Allen accounted for seven points and ended an abysmal night in shooting. Everything, it seemed, was falling for the Heat in the final quarter after witnessing the Heat take a 14-0 tear in the fourth to complete another lopsided ending. The lack of fight in the Celtics, with the passive and careless mindset, is killing Boston and finally James and Wade are gaining closer to riding the Celtics with the last word at last.

Without a healthy Rajon Rondo, battling with problematic back ailments, the Celtics aren't nearly explosive or robust but very fragile and vulnerable that gives Miami an advantage in an unpredictable series. Early in the fourth, he lied flat on his sore back and had been worked on by trainers. Earlier in the season, the Heat were overpowered in three games by the Celtics and bullied while in uncertainty with the lack of defensive effort.

If the age was revealed, finally, it's a real notion that Miami has solid defense to halt the Celtics when Allen, the NBA's all-time three-point leader, couldn't hit a three exhausted from the Heat's speed and energy that dictated the tempo. It was ridiculous for nine voters to exclude James off their MVP ballots, given that he transcended in one of his most balanced playoff performance of his strange career. But all of this essentially fueled his capabilities to unleash his stylish attack on the older Celtics by shooting a mere 14-for-25 and collecting seven rebounds, compiling 14 of the Heat's 16 points in the third and fourth.

"I've been in moments before in the postseason where I've gotten it going," James said. "And tonight was another night where you felt like whatever you threw up or whatever play you were making for you team, it was going to work."

It will probably go down as one of his greatest games, hitting consecutive three-pointers and crossing over his opposing defender to finish on a smooth floater off the glass. When James stormed down the floor quickly, he literally flew over the top of Rondo in the fast break and slammed in a basket on the putback dunk. And he even caused damage on defense when he blocked Garnett late in the game.

This tells us that LeBron and company is no match for the Celtics.

Good Vibes in South Beach, If Wade Dictates Series

The crowd in the stands, lathered in Miami white, stood as Dwyane Wade posed for the cameras and dived into spectators as he stormed for the ball in the second half, where celebrities watched amazingly. The celebs, such as P. Diddy, Gloria Estefan and Drake, gathered near courtside to soak in a wave of excitement and intense drama, easily hypnotized by the electricity at American Airlines Arena, where nearby a train of cruise ships rested at the docks on a refreshing late afternoon in America’s tropical setting.

No one is a larger celebrity in South Beach than Wade, a basketball star and television marketer globally, whether he features in his comical T-Mobile or Gatorade commercial ads. The world belongs to Wade in Miami, where he is marked as the face of a franchise in prime contention with the welfare of two marquee megastars coming to his aid, on pace to possibly win an NBA championship in June. If we forget to acknowledge a noteworthy iconic figure in the league, a player with a colossal impact on his team's brilliancy and state of mind, it's Wade we are wrongly neglecting.

At game's end, he was given a loud, kindhearted standing ovation for a 38 point performance, settling for a game high in the scoring category and playing like he was the Flash we once were familiar with, when he was a dynamic duo alongside Shaquille O'Neal -- dating back to the time in his delightful career when he won his lone championship as a member of the Heat. What's more conspicuous, after the Heat beat the Boston Celtics 99-90 on Sunday in the opener of the Eastern Conference semifinals, is that he's virtually the veteran leader for a dominant core on a quest for an NBA title, coming out with a fierce, fiery mentality.

He not only qualifies as the Most Valuable Player in a town where basketball is priority, ever since the masterminded president assembled talent to solidify and form an unparalleled Superteam in South Beach, but also qualifies as the cultural icon in Miami -- even after LeBron James and Chris Bosh joined forces that built conceivably the greatest trio all-time. The iconic faces, beloved by the vast majority in South Florida, were the enormity of the league's most talented team and an eye-opener on an afternoon when the Heat finished a resplendent spectacle, in what appeared to articulate sheer dominance that came into view so nicely.

And most importantly, almost convincingly, if not, Wade played his most dazzling game of these playoffs after he could've brought smiles to thousands, believing in a team on the verge of a title amid a daunting postseason of ills and thrills. When he sauntered off the court and walked toward the locker room, Wade acknowledged the fans and stared fatigued, knowingly pleased with the victory but not satisfied, knowing there is plenty left in the series.

Meanwhile, the Heat faced a rigid challenge of their own, with discussions that the ageless Celtics were well-experienced, poised and robust in defeating Miami in a lengthy series of breathless and surprising fireworks. D-Wade and company took notice and had been clearly aware of the Celtics' dominance, after meeting on three occasions in the regular season.

The teaming of multiple stars is a useful tool for Wade, relieving lots of pressure on the explosive floor general who needed assistance, including LeBron at his aid in chase for a championship. The anger in a bitter town that hasn't witnessed a major championship in ages, along with the world perceiving James as a pariah and the world's most hated athlete, described the Heat as the villainous franchise in professional sports, holding grudges against James after abruptly departing a depressed community where residents burned his expensive No. 23 jerseys following his egotistical extravaganza.

It was "The Decision," a full-blown reality show that crippled his legacy and increasingly killed his popularity as populace conveyed animosity towards the global megastar. The emotions of a fallen star, when he clearly dropped from grace by his poor choice during his free agency last summer, became a national disturbance and has not earned his celebrity as a likable athlete, even though he sacrificed his legacy and ceded his ego. It wasn't long ago, particularly at the beginning of the regular season when Miami struggled to accumulate victories because of egos, imperfections, limited experience and the lack of mental capacities, that the Heat became fearful, gutless and soft. Few believe, but for many of whom hate the Heat, that the recent prosperity of Miami's postseason surge engenders an emotional outpouring for the magnitude of a championship-starved town.

Meanwhile, in the past week, the Heat became less vulnerable and the scariest assassins in the playoffs. It wasn't just a matter of bodies crashing to the floor or mini scuffles, provoked by the exchange of words from one of the stars -- sent to the locker room early after he was ejected -- but it was essentially the consciousness in a sensational, epic series of conviction and craze. The difference in this case was the Heat, a cohesive unit with trust and confidence, acting like unstoppable contenders. When Paul Pierce drew his second technical foul with seven minutes left, as the irritable Celtics' star was escorted to the locker room furious over Wade's peskiness that forced Pierce to lose his composure, he was battered and lost his match against Wade.

"It's the playoffs," said Wade. "We're trying to win."

The Heat arrived on the scene and bullied the Celtics, delivering the knockout punch in which it sort of dictated the concept of what could be a prolonged series, an epic battle with engaging drama. And as combative as the Heat are playing, it's been a drastic turnaround for Miami, once criticized for its early lapses and not jelling as a tenacious unit. Wade was fierce and had been the scoring machine for much of the night. James was the selfless playmaker, mostly dishing off passes to James Jones, who had 25 points off the bench.

With that in mind, he was near-perfect from three-point range and shot an incredible 5-for-7, giving the Heat a cushion in a large deficit. This comes as no surprise that the Heat are clicking on all cylinders. The good vibes are telling by Miami's scorching firepower, mindset and toughness, dominating the East and bringing out the oldness in the Celtics, a unit with aging veterans but fully capable of showing signs of life when the stakes are higher. There are good vibes partly because Wade vanquished four miserable regular season downfalls by pouring in 38 points with 14-for-21 in shooting, five assists and two blocks in a well-rounded performance, all coming in 37 minutes of playing time.

The point is, just moments into the late matinee in South Beach, Wade bullied and emotionally teased Pierce as much as Jones peeved the Celtics captain when he was clobbered around the shoulders by Jones on a play where Pierce was faked and tried to hinder him from firing the jumper for a three-point opportunity. In response, he nudged his nose into Jones' cheek, and of course, Jones retaliated. There was an abundance of trash talk that escalated into fighting words to some degree, really by the time the Celtics were trailing 87-74.

As Wade stormed the baseline defensively, breaking out of the screen, the refs blew the whistles immediately and called double technicals on both superstars, and then sent Pierce to the locker room. The customary inhabitants in the stands witnessed an earnest Wade pose as a leader in his role, and then as superior as ever, he demanded the ball and shined as the popular star on the shores of South Beach. If he's finally the primary scoring assassin, if James is the crafty playmaker and if Jones can be a factor off the bench, then it's easy to figure that the Celtics are in for a tremendous fight, a rival showdown that can crucify Boston. For now, however, the Celtics are labeled underdogs on the road against a younger, tougher championship-caliber squad -- perhaps scarier if Wade hit pull-up jumpers and score fastbreak points.

All of this makes him thrilling to watch regularly. And in this particular scenario, the Heat's relentless defensive effort was designed to frustrate the Celtics and make it complicated. It was effective and very well executed, as the Celtics stumbled in a sense. Early on, Rajon Rondo, Celtics explosive point guard, earned three fouls, played a total of eight first-half minutes and couldn't defend Wade successfully.

Wade, as we know, is suited to attack the Celtics and can be very creative with the ball in his hands, equipped to attempt the pull-up jump shot. So even if James is his counterpart, the Heat are aggressors and superb with Wade having an impact, taking on the substantial game-winning play. By now, the Heat are probably inspired to reach higher levels in Game 2 on Tuesday, while the Celtics are revealing signs of weakness as the team ages instantly.

Sure enough, beware of Wade. Pretty soon, on the arena in downtown Miami, it should be a banner that reads "BEWARE OF WADE!!" After all, it is Wade County or Wade's World, which ever you prefer.