Carmelo Anthony and the New York Knicks improved to 19-6 after defeating New York rivals the Brooklyn Nets 100-86 at Madison Square Garden.

‘Melo’ was extremely efficient, playing in his first game back since missing the last two games because of a sprained ankle. He scored 17 points in the first half, helping the Knicks take a 52-48 halftime lead.

Point guard Deron Williams helped spark a Nets’ comeback as he scored nine of Brooklyn’s first 10 points, to start the second half, giving the Nets a 61-57 lead.

New York was able to regain their composure and played solid lockdown defense to regain momentum. They then finished the third quarter with an eight-point lead, thanks to an 18-6 run late in the quarter.

Anthony finished the game scoring 31 points on 12 of 22 shooting from the field, and 4 of 8 from downtown. He also contributed with three rebounds, one assist, two steals and a block. In his three games against the Nets, Anthony is averaging 37 points per game.

Prolific sixth man and guard, J.R. Smith, scored 19 points, dished out three assists and secured five rebounds. Big man Tyson Chandler also contributed as he recorded his tenth double-double of the year, scoring 16 points and grabbing 12 boards.

The Nets were led by shooting guard Joe Johnson, who scored a team high 17 points.  Deron Williams and center Brook Lopez both finished the game with double-doubles, as Williams scored 16 points and dished out 10 assists, whilst Lopez also scored 16 points with 10 rebounds.

Brooklyn continues to be inconsistent as of late, and are currently on a three game losing streak, which contributes to a record of 2-8 in their last 10 games. The Nets will be hoping for a chance in fortunes when they welcome the Philadelphia 76ers to the Barclays Center December 23, for the first time this season.

Although being blown out at home against Houston earlier in the week, the Knicks have managed to win five of their last six games, and remain atop the Eastern Conference with a game and a half lead over the Miami Heat. The Knicks will entertain the Chicago Bulls at Madison Square Garden on December 21.

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Even the defending world champion, Miami Heat, cannot comprehend what the Los Angeles Lakers’ front office has been able to accomplish this offseason with their acquisitions of All Stars, Steve Nash and Dwight Howard. This is the same team that became the league’s ultimate villain after adding LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh to their roster only two summers ago.

That’s just how the Lakers are. One would have a significantly better chance of convincing a child that Santa Claus and the Easter bunny really don’t exist than somehow persuading Lakers general manager, Mitch Kupchak, that patience is a virtue.

If there were any fans out there who actually had some outrageous fantasy that the Lakers weren’t going to land Howard for at least half of a season – which may be the case if they’re unable to sway him into signing a long-term extension before this upcoming season’s trade deadline – shame on them.

His acquisition is a complete leap of faith by the Lakers, considering that he can book a flight to Brooklyn or Dallas as soon as next season ends and there’s literally nothing they can do about it. Usually, that would seem like an unwise move on their part, but in reality, it actually warrants the utmost amount of respect.

Here were the Lakers, inexplicably bounced prematurely in the semifinals for the second straight year after having just won back-to-back NBA titles. Their response? Go out and get Steve Nash, who, at 38 years of age, was still able to lead the league in total assists yet again last season.

That wasn’t enough, though. Even with a core of Kobe Bryant, Steve Nash, Pau Gasol, Metta World Peace and Andrew Bynum they still felt the need to make one last splash – a splash that would set off an unstoppable tidal wave that could actually give problems to teams stacked with star power like Miami and Oklahoma City. That splash came in the form of Howard.

In professional sports, teams often tend to invest an excessive amount of concern into their long-term futures, and don’t grab the bull by the horns with what they currently have to compete with. As Bryant approached the end of one of the greatest careers of all time, the Lakers refused to take this route. Using that same savvy that has won them 16 titles – only one behind the Boston Celtics for the most in league history – they gave up essentially nothing in the process of snagging the guaranteed number one center in the league.

By doing so, and also adding quality veteran reserves such as forward Antawn Jamison, guard Chris Duhon, forward Earl Clark and guard Jodie Meeks as well, they’ve assured themselves of the best possible opportunity to win it all right now.

It’s common knowledge that championships have never been won on paper; however, if this grouping of superstars, consistent All Stars, and reserves can live up to their potential on both ends of the floor and remain relatively healthy, you can comfortably presume that a 17^th Larry O’Brien trophy is headed to Los Angeles by next June.

As far as the starting unit is concerned, Nash, despite being the oldest of the five, is the most important component. He’ll be the type of floor general that the Lakers haven’t had the privilege of calling one of their own since the greatness that was Magic Johnson back in the good old Showtime days. When you combine his uncanny vision, ability to pass the ball with either hand, having excellent scorers like Bryant, Gasol, and Howard and the new Princeton offense that Los Angeles is implementing, scoring will not be much of a concern.

Bryant, who recruited Nash this summer, will be the biggest beneficiary of the transaction, as he will no longer have to constantly isolate and take a beating in order to create his own shot. A Lakers team where Kobe doesn’t have to always have the ball in his hands? Watch out.

Former Lakers center Andrew Bynum was beginning to blossom into an outstanding young player, and even made his first All Star team last season, but he’s still no Dwight Howard.

Howard’s physique and athleticism was something that Bynum would never be able to match because of his dauntingly wide seven-foot frame. While Bynum was one of the most ineffective pick-and-roll centers in the league during his seven years in Los Angeles, Howard has always been regarded as one of the best in that set since he broke into the league in 2004.

With Nash being the master of the pick-and-roll, Howard’s going to be in heaven.

That athletic ability also makes Howard a significantly better defender than Bynum. Unless Bynum also has three Defensive Player of the Year awards just lying around somewhere, but hasn’t told anyone.

Passion is the one trait that might’ve been the difference between the Lakers having a very good chance with Bynum to becoming the overall favorite with Howard. Bynum’s immaturity on the court occasionally cost the Lakers games, and off the court it continuously left people scratching their heads. Howard may have earned a reputation as being an indecisive brat off the court over the last couple of years, but on the court he’s always given his last ounce of energy.

The Lakers have rolled the dice, now expect them to hit the jackpot.

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There are two possible words to describe the NBA offseason thus far: player movement.

Since last season’s trade, deadline rumors of Dwight Howard leaving Orlando took NBA movement headlines. Although he has made it clear that he wants to join the Brooklyn Nets, the Orlando Magic have not found the right deal to send their superstar packing. It seems talks between the Magic and Nets are over for now after Brooklyn inked current center Brook Lopez to a four-year, $61 million deal. The longer the Magic continues to hold onto Howard, the less leverage they will have when it comes to deals. Orlando doesn’t want history to repeat itself when they lost Shaquille O’Neal for nothing.

The Brooklyn Nets did not let the “Dwight-mare” affect them when it came to making other deals. One of the biggest moves this offseason included the addition of ex-Atlanta Hawks guard, Joe Johnson, to Brooklyn. The Nets sent Jordan Farmar, Anthony Morrow, Johan Petro, DeShawn Stevenson, Jordan Williams, and two draft picks in exchange for the six-time all-star. The addition of Joe Johnson definitely helped Deron Williams make his decision to come back with the Nets, signing a five-year $98 million deal. The Nets also agreed to terms with veteran point guard, C.J. Watson.

The Nets possible starting line-up for next season could be: Brook Lopez, newly signed forward Mirza Teletovic, Gerald Wallace, Joe Johnson, and Deron Williams. Let’s not forget MarShon Brooks, who will make a great impact off the bench for the Nets. It seems the Nets have made a jump from possible lottery winners to playoff contenders in a few months.

With the Nets making all these moves and improving, their New York rival Knicks had to start doing something. In a sign-and-trade, the Knicks welcomed back Marcus Camby and sent Toney Douglas, Josh Harrellson, Jerome Jordan, and two future second-round picks to the Rockets. The 38 year old will help back up Tyson Chandler and Amare Stoudemire, as well as help the Knicks improve defensively.

Knicks brought in another veteran signing point guard, Jason Kidd. Kidd is coming off his worst career year, averaging only 6.2 points per game and 5.5 assists per game. Signing Kidd made Knick fans assume they would re-sign Jeremy Lin; however, that does not seem to be the case after the Knicks’ latest move. The Knicks are bringing back Raymond Felton and Kurt Thomas for Jared Jeffries and Dan Gadzuric.

Bringing back Felton likely closes the idea that the Knicks will match the Houston Rockets three-year $25 million deal for Lin. The Knicks have also re-signed Steve Novak and J.R Smith. Felton back in New York may be the only good move so far for the Knicks. Looking at everything else they seem to have just gotten older, not better.

However, the Knicks have parted ways with guard Landry Fields after not matching the Raptors three year $19 million deal. Toronto also added guard Kyle Lowry in exchange for Gary Forbes and a future first-round pick.

When everyone thought the Heat couldn’t get any better, the NBA champions did. The Heat added veteran sharp shooter, Ray Allen, in a three-year deal. Also, the Heat added veteran, Rashard Lewis, to a two-year deal.

After losing one veteran, the Celtics locked up Kevin Garnett to a 3-year $34 million deal. The 36-year old will definitely help improve Boston’s rookie big men Jared Sullinger and Fab Melo’s skills in order to be effective in the NBA. The Celtics also brought in another veteran guard, Jason Terry. Terry will likely start due to guard Avery Bradley undergoing shoulder surgery; however, once Bradley returns, Terry will take the duty as sixth man.

Philadelphia 76ers added guard Nick Young, who averaged 14.2 points per game last season. Young will be a good replacement for Lou Williams, who has reached an agreement with the Atlanta Hawks. In addition, Young may have the edge to earn the starting job over Evan Turner.

The Detroit Pistons traded away guard Ben Gordon and a first-round pick to the Charlotte Bobcats in exchange for Corey Maggette. The Bobcats also added free agents Ramon Sessions and Brendan Haywood.

Indiana Pacers re-signed guard George Hill as well as center Roy Hibbert. In addition, the Pacers added Gerald Green and D.J Augustin. However, the Pacers traded guard Darren Collison and Dahntay Jones for Ian Mahinmi.

The Milwaukee Bucks were able to re-sign probably one of the most underrated free agents this offseason, Ersan Ilyasova. Ilyasova signed a four-year, $45 million contract after having the best season of his career averaging 13 points per game and 8.8 rebounds per game.

Although the only news coming from Orlando is about Dwight Howard trade rumors, they were able to re-sign guard Jameer Nelson and add Gustavo Ayon via trade for three-point specialist Ryan Anderson.

There is still tons of time and room for more deals to be done in the East and it will be exciting to see what will happen next.

For More Eastern Conference Moves/Deals 

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There are rare occasions in sport when two or three world class players come together as a team and provide that side with the means to dominate its’ respective league. In basketball, you need look no further than the current NBA champions, the Miami Heat. The coming together of LeBron James, Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh delighted, frightened and intrigued NBA fans the world over, and could potentially become one of the best sides to have ever graced the NBA. Go back a few years and the trio of Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen and Dennis Rodman (or Horace Grant if you want to go a little further back) created a dynasty that the current Chicago Bulls side are desperately trying to escape the shadow of, let alone replicate just. Similar occurrences have happened in soccer, with the recent domination of Barcelona in world soccer, spearheaded by the breathtaking Lionel Messi, Andres Iniesta and Xavi. It would foolish to presume these players do it all by themselves, and highly disrespectful to the likes of Mario Chalmers, Steve Kerr and Carles Puyol, but the stars are the cornerstones of any dynasty, with supporting pieces coming and going over the years.

While the spotlight falls on James and the Heat at the moment, there is a significant question hovering over the young Oklahoma City Thunder side. Could they become one of these great teams who can win championships year after year and forge their own legend within the world of sport?

Well at a quick glance, it certainly looks as if they do. Do they have the talent? Check. Are they young enough to achieve their ambitions? Check. Do they have insightful leaders on and off the court? Check. Lastly, do they have a passionate fan base who will stick by their team? Check (If there is such a thing as a ‘double check,’ then it applies here).

In Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook you have two All-Stars, superstars of the game who will only continue to improve and could go on to dominate their respective positions for years to come. Behind them you have James Harden and Serge Ibaka. Both players certainly have the potential to become All-Stars, and with both players aged just 22, it would be foolhardy to bet against that possibility. Throw into the mix the physical presence of Kendrick Perkins, the perimeter defense of Thabo Sefolosha, and if the rumors are to be believed, the leadership of Derrick Fisher for at least one more season.

Ibaka and Harden’s youth has been mentioned, but Durant and Westbrook are also just 23, leaving Perkins and Sefolosha as the elderly statesmen amongst the starters at 27 and 28 respectively, but far from nearing the ends of their careers. This youth, whilst arguably playing against them in this months’ NBA finals, offers huge hope to Thunder fans, who will believe that they can go from strength to strength as they players develop as a group. Given how good Durant, Westbrook, Harden and Ibaka are at this young age, the ceiling for these players, particularly Durant and Westbrook, is colossal.

Pressure will be heaped upon young Head Coach Scott Brooks over the next few years to extract results from such a talented squad. To his credit though, Brooks has orchestrated improved performances in each of his four years at the Thunder. After failing to make the playoffs in his first season, he guided them to a first round exit in his second year, before falling at the conference finals last year. If he continues this trend of improvement, Oklahoma City will be on target for a much coveted NBA Championship next season. He should also be praised for his management of such a young team, a task often fraught with difficulties, which has, publicly at least, been free of controversy or major problems.

Whilst there seems to be no end of positives for the Thunder over the coming seasons, there are important questions which need to be answered if they are to achieve their goals of creating a ‘dynasty.’ Firstly, will they be able to keep hold of Harden once his contract runs out? Whilst Harden has made it known he is happy to come off the bench and contribute in that way, allowing the Thunder to start Sefolosha, who adds to their defense, will he be happy in that role in a year or twos time? Another issue is whether or not they can keep hold of Ibaka. The young power forward has made a name for himself as one of the best blockers in the league, an attribute which could well earn him some admiring glances from other franchises, franchises who may have the cap space to make him a very nice offer.

If Harden can be sufficed with a bench role for the long term, or Brooks can devise a way for him to start, and Ibaka can be secured to a long term contract in the same way Durant, Webstbrook and Perkins have, then there is no reason to suggest that this Thunder side will not be able to live up to their near limitless potential. The rise of this team from relative obscurity to genuine NBA contenders has been startling and makes their achievement of making the finals this year even more impressive. With this group of players having at least 10 years left at the highest level, we could be enjoying the Durant vs. James dual for some time now, a rivalry which has all the potential of Bird vs. Johnson.

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Entering the 2012 NBA Finals, Heat forward LeBron James put it upon himself to make sure that the third time would in fact be a charm.

He would not leave anything to chance, shy away from the moment or give anyone another year’s worth of ammunition to continue calling him a crownless king. Averaging 28.6 points, 10.2 rebounds and 7.4 assists in five games against the ferociously athletic and ambitious Oklahoma City Thunder – led by the star-power of Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and James Harden – the Finals MVP’s breakout performance was exactly what we had long been craving from the world’s best player on its biggest stage.

After last year’s colossal meltdown against the Dallas Mavericks in which he essentially disappeared in the games’ most critical moments – which undoubtedly played an enormous role in the Heat dropping the final three games after establishing a 2-1 series lead with a late win on the road in Game 3 – James refused to crush the fragile hearts of the Miami faithful for a second straight season.

But the seemingly infinite scrutiny that he would have endured might have been an even bigger motivating factor when all was said and done.

In this era of social media and endless reporting via internet, television and radio, many have made the case that James is not only the most criticized and hated professional athlete on the globe today, but that he in fact holds that title amongst all of those that came before him as well.

Reasons for that overload of negative attention differ depending on the skeptic. Reporters, analysts and writers comprehend that someone of his overwhelming size and talent level should surely still be able to shine when the lights are at their brightest, as opposed to crumble under the pressure as he did in his 2011 and 2007 Finals appearances. Although a number of fans share the same sentiment, many others instead enjoy watching him fail due to all of the factors that “The Decision” was composed of along with the understanding that he truly is the greatest player in the game.

A lot of fans appreciate having the opportunity to witness greatness and history as it is taking place, yet there are also those who can’t help but despise it when their beloved team isn’t the beneficiary of it.

With all that being said, it was additionally clear that James felt no desire in returning to that dark place he found himself in following last year’s Game 6 Finals defeat in Miami. He heard the chatter about how he didn’t have that killer instinct that it takes to win a championship. He heard the analysts chastise him for having an inadequate post-game despite being 6’9, 250 pounds – making him an incomplete player.

At that moment where it was essentially the world against James, he had two options. He could either uphold the villainous persona that he openly embraced after announcing his decision to take his “talents to South Beach,” or he could learn from his recent anguish and finally snatch that ring that he had been desperately pursuing for nearly the past decade of his life.

Thankfully for his sake, he chose the latter.

James spent the offseason working on developing an array of moves for the low-block with Hall of Famer and two-time champion, former Houston Rockets center Hakeem “The Dream” Olajuwon. He certainly put those moves to work this postseason, as they made him practically unstoppable for prolonged stretches.

They wouldn’t be enough, however. Something needed to click in James’s DNA in a way it had never done before. The only thing that virtually stood between him and the Larry O’Brien trophy was his inability to focus and play at his optimal level when his team absolutely needed him to.

He admittedly looked himself in the mirror and said “You need to be better.”

With the Heat staring elimination dead in the eye entering Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals in Boston, James appeared to have an epiphany about his true abilities. He put his teammates on his back and had a game for the ages, dropping 45 points and ripping down 15 rebounds in a rout of the Celtics.

A solid 31 points by James in Game 7 propelled Miami to its second consecutive NBA Finals appearance. This was apparently a new LeBron James.

Oklahoma City won Game 1, but a huge shot by James with a minute and a half remaining in Game 2 helped the Heat tie the series. He did not freeze up in any of the fourth quarters as we had grown accustomed to seeing. Before his leg cramps in Game 4 forced him to sit out the final few minutes, they did not prevent him from hitting big shots down the stretch.

When it came time to close the deal, James took Game 5 by the throat and recorded his first triple-double of the playoffs – 26 points, 11 rebounds and 13 assists – en route to a blowout victory for the Heat and their second world championship since 2006.

After this excruciatingly long road, LeBron James is finally an NBA champion, and with all of the questions thoroughly answered, the best could be yet to come.

Image Courtesy of  Keith Allison

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News flash: LeBron James is undoubtedly the most vilified athlete on the face of the Earth. Alright, that isn’t exactly breaking news, but it still holds 100% true, regardless. And now that he and his Miami Heat are back in the NBA Finals for a second consecutive year, his army of haters will be in full force.

But what makes the NBA’s greatest player the most despicable sports superstar out there? Well, many people who loathe him in this manner will point at “The Decision” of Summer 2010 as the moment they decided to scrutinize essentially every single move that he makes.

To those fans, here’s the message: Re-evaluate it and realize that you need to let it go.

When James left the Cleveland Cavaliers and his home state of Ohio, he did it in what was perceived as such an egotistical and selfish fashion that it was simply unforgivable. He did not inform even a single soul within the Cavs organization of his final decision to leave and take his “talents to South Beach,” where he would form a super alliance with fellow All Stars Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh on the Miami Heat.

He did not owe the city of Cleveland and its fans that had suffered for so long before his arrival in 2003 anything more than the classy farewell they deserved. An hour-long special aired live on ESPN certainly didn’t qualify as classy to them or anyone else watching.

However, other than that, he didn’t owe them a new contract, a championship, or to finish what he started straight out of St. Vincent-St. Mary High School.

He gave them everything he had in those seven years and exercised his free agent right to pursue a new opportunity elsewhere. How is it any different from a person who isn’t an entertainer, who decides to leave the job they’ve worked for years for an even better one?

Don’t kid yourself, you know it isn’t. Plus, when regular people announce leaving their jobs that usually doesn’t bring in a boatload of money in donations to the the local Boys and Girls Clubs.

So if you think about that twice, declaring your intentions to start a new job in front of your entire family at Thanksgiving dinner might seem a little more self-centered than what James did.

Of course there are people out there who don’t really care about any of that stuff. Instead, there are those who will claim, ‘I hate him because he went and joined two other great players. One is also a top five superstar player in this league (Wade), and the other has been one of the more underrated All Stars pretty much his entire career. Jordan wouldn’t have done that.’

Alright, all of that is true. Jordan wouldn’t have left the Bulls to assemble some crazy squad alongside guys with the caliber of a Wade and Bosh. But that was then and this is now. If you live in the past and fail noticed that the league has been heading in this direction since the “Big Three” of Paul Pierce, Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett joined forces in 2007, you probably should pay a little more attention to players and teams other than your own and James.

James needed the help and the Cavs were incapable of surrounding him with enough of it because they play in Cleveland! The majority of people, especially young professional basketball players, don’t want to live in Cleveland during a long season! Jordan had Scottie Pippen, Steve Kerr and the rest of the crew to help him finish off the job; James just knew he had to make a drastic move in order to get his help, because Cleveland itself was repelling free agents like a great college in the middle of nowhere.

And for those who argue that he could’ve gone to a place like New York or New Jersey – where he could have been ‘the man’ and eventually gotten the aid he needed because that’s what Jordan would have done – you need to come to terms with the fact that there’s only one player remaining that still has that kind of old school mentality, and his name is Kobe Bryant.

Bryant’s admitted that he always wanted to be Jordan. That is why he has only one less ring than him. James just wants to be himself. That’s something that should be admired, not detested.

In the end, if this isn’t enough, the fact that it’s been two years should be. Unless you are that immature, you really don’t have an excuse to hold a grudge for this long.

LeBron James has moved on with his life, it would be best if the haters followed suit.

Image Courtesy of  Keith Allison

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With just a 34 point output in the second half and a huge fourth quarter by Dwyane Wade, the Orlando Magic – who hold the third-best record in the Eastern Conference (29-17) – fell to the current second seed in the East, the Miami Heat (33-11), in south Florida on Sunday night, 91-81.

“We have to do a better job of not turning the ball over,” said Magic center Dwight Howard, who led the team with 18 points and 11 rebounds. “That’s what gave them a chance to get out early, get the lead and keep the lead. We’ve just got to do a better job. It’s the small things that are going to matter in a game like this.”

Orlando turned the ball over 20 times against a Heat team that has proven to be one of the best defensive units in the league over the past two seasons.

Along with being less than thrilled about the extraordinary amount of turnovers his team committed, Magic coach Stan Van Gundy also took the defensive intensity of his players at the outset of the game into question.

“Our effort defensively early in the game was not there,” said Van Gundy. “We did not come to play. That’s inexcusable particularly playing on the road against a team this good and then the 20 turnovers.”

Miami came out smoking in the first quarter with 31 points, and had totaled 50 before halftime. Forward Chris Bosh’s team high 18 points in the first half on 7/9 shooting was a key component in the Heat’s 53% first half shooting percentage.

Despite shooting only 41% over the first 24 minutes, Orlando found themselves only down by three entering the locker room after a difficult three point play down the right baseline by Wade untied the game with 48 seconds left in the second quarter.

Wade led all Miami scorers at the game’s conclusion with 31 points. He tallied six rebounds and four assists, as well.

Forward Quentin Richardson, guard Jason Richardson, and Nelson all finished in double-figured scoring for the Magic.

After playing from behind since losing an early 7-6 lead, Orlando finally found themselves in the driver’s seat, 57-54, with 8:26 remaining in the third when an interception of a ball Bosh saved from going out of bounds, turned into a fastbreak opportunity and a three point play on the other end for guard Jason Richardson.

Orlando scored just nine points on the break, but did a quality job of limiting Miami’s transition game, which they excel at with athletes like James and Wade. The Heat had only 13 points in the open court.

But Miami made sure to take away Orlando’s strength as well – the three pointer. The Magic, who attempt and make more three’s than any other team in basketball, shot just 9/25, 36% from behind the arc.

The teams were abysmal in the third quarter, shooting a combined 13/40 from the floor. A LeBron James bank shot, with .8 left in the period, gave the Heat a 67-63 lead entering the fourth.

With just 14 points overall, James had a relatively quiet night as far as scoring was concerned. However, he still had a major impact with 12 boards and seven assists.

The Heat went on an 11-2 run that ended around the four minute mark and outscored the Magic 24-18 in the final quarter to hold on rather comfortably for their 13th consecutive home win. Only the Oklahoma City Thunder’s 14 game home winning streak has bettered Miami’s current run this season.

Wade was unstoppable over the final minutes, dropping 12 in a row at one point, and 14 of his 31.

“I don’t think (Wade) ever had a bad game against us,” said Van Gundy. “Every game he’s played it’s been a great game. We never do a decent job on him.”

Miami and Orlando split the season series two games apiece.

The Heat will look to continue their winning ways at home when they host the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday night.

The Magic are right back at it on Monday night, as the team with the best record in the league, the 37-10 Chicago Bulls, pay a visit.

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For most of the season it seemed like there was a fairly strong possibility that Orlando Magic center Dwight Howard would actually be wearing a red New Jersey Nets uniform, playing the role of villain when the teams met on March 16 at the Amway Center – one day after the trade deadline – as opposed to continuing on as the Magic’s star, leading them to a comfortable 86-70 victory.

Howard shocked the basketball world on Thursday with his decision to remain under contract with Orlando through next season, and proceeded to follow it up with an 18 point, 6 rebound effort against New Jersey, the team many believed to be the frontrunner in acquiring his services before the deadline.

“I don’t think anyone asked me any questions about trades, so that part is over with,” said Howard about the season-long situation after the win.

Forward Glen Davis and point guard Jameer Nelson each chipped in 13 points as Orlando’s second leading scorers behind Howard. Forward Ryan Anderson’s 12 point night made him the team’s next highest point man, followed by forward Hedo Turkoglu and shooting guard Jason Richardson, who both added 10.

Howard scored 10 of his 18 in the first quarter on a perfect 5/5 from the field. He would then only take two shots in the second quarter, missing both and going scoreless for the remainder of the half.

A 3/3 second half with two made free throws gave him his final 8 points on 8/10 shooting.

New Jersey was considerably banged up, as All Star point guard Deron Williams sat out for the fourth straight game with a sore right calf, along with backup guard Jordan Farmar, suffering from a strained right groin, and center Brook Lopez, who has been unavailable since March 4 with a sprained right ankle.

The Magic certainly took advantage of New Jersey’s health issues, never trailing the rest of the way after falling behind 2-0 in the early moments.

Orlando took an 11-4 lead with a 7-0 run that concluded with 7:41 remaining in the first quarter. They ended the quarter with a 22-18 lead. A 12-2 run extended the lead to double digits, 43-29, with 2:57 left in the half.

Jameer Nelson’s three pointer with 2.1 to go in the half ended a 7-0 Nets run, making it a 46-36 score in favor of Orlando at halftime.

Nets guard/forward Gerald Green, who is on his second 10-day contract with the team, went 6/9 from the floor and led them with 14 points total, half of which came on 3/3 shooting in the first quarter.

A 21-11 scoring stretch by the Magic in the third quarter stretched their lead all the way out to 20 at 67-47, their largest of the night.

The Nets were able to make the score manageable when a long alley-oop pass from forward Deshaun Stevenson accidentally banked into the basket for a three pointer during the final seconds of the third and cut the lead to 72-60 entering the fourth. It was easily one of the most bizarre three pointers ever witnessed.

But the Magic never allowed the Nets to creep any closer than 12 points in the final period, and they coasted toward an 86-70 win.

“I was happy,” said Magic coach Stan Van Gundy about his team’s overall performance. “I thought we did a good job on their starters. Their bench guys, Gerald Green got going, but I was fairly happy with our defense. The only thing I was unhappy with honestly was the 20 turnovers … again, just mindless.”

The Nets now sit at 15-30 following the loss, but just a reasonable five and a half games behind the Milwaukee Bucks for the eighth and final playoff seed in the East. They will host the New Orleans Hornets on Saturday night.

As for The Magic, they are now third in the East with a 29-16 record. They will make their way to Miami for a Sunday night matchup against the Heat, who they have beaten two out of three times this season, including this past Tuesday, 104-98, and trail by only four games in the standings.

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The Detroit Pistons have announced a unique community program called “Come Together” aimed at celebrating community champions from cities across the State of Michigan.

Working with local political, business and community leaders from cities throughout the state, each municipality is eligible to receive up to 100 tickets to a Detroit Pistons home game for the purpose of recognizing individuals and groups for outstanding achievement, service to the community and leadership through volunteerism.

“The ‘Come Together’ program is a new platform that we are eager to share with our fans and community difference makers both locally and throughout the state,” said Dennis Mannion, President of Palace Sports & Entertainment and the Detroit Pistons.

“Tom Gores has made no secret about his desire to make an impact on the lives of people in Michigan by using the Detroit Pistons and Palace Sports & Entertainment as a community asset.  This program allows us to recognize, entertain and say thank you to individuals making a difference in their communities.”

Throughout the season-long program, city groups and participants will be acknowledged in-arena at each game and video features highlighting the participating towns will be shown on Palacevision.  Individuals in attendance will receive a parking, merchandise and food and beverage package for the game along with a certificate from Tom Gores thanking them for their participation.

Cities and groups can also use their game as a fundraising opportunity by purchasing additional tickets at a discounted rate with $5.00 from each ticket purchased going back to a community initiative of their choice.

Community groups and civic leaders from more than 15 municipalities including Allen Park, Attica,Commerce, Fenton, Fort Gratiot, Laingsburg, New Lothrop, Rives Junction, Saint Clair, Sylvan Lake,Romeo, Montrose and Hamtramck will be in attendance beginning Wednesday, January 25 when the Pistons host the Miami HEAT at The Palace of Auburn Hills.

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Since the Carmelo trade during last years 2010-2011 NBA season there has been speculation on both ends whether the trade was better for Denver or New York. Initially it seemed the Knicks were getting the sweet end of the deal but looking at the numbers now, some people may think a little differently. Looking at the regular season records for both teams since the Carmelo Anthony trade, the Knicks are 20-22, not even .500, while the Denver Nuggets are 28-12, sixteen games over .500.

When analyzing the trade that took place between the NY Knicks the Denver Nuggets and the Minnesota Timberwolves, neither team kept all players in the trade. Most of these players were traded after the lockout for other reasons. The Knicks lost Raymond Felton who was their starting point guard, although they received a veteran point guard in Chauncey Billups through the trade, after the lockout they got rid of Billups to free up cap space to sign big free agent Tyson Chandler from the Mavericks.

Everyone knows that D’Antoni preaches offense and is known for not being the best defensive coach. Then this stat would confuse some people in that, the Knicks are 22nd in offensive efficiency, which is a stat that measures points per every 100 possessions. While the Knicks are 22nd in this category the, “Meloless” Nuggets rank 5th.

So this leads to the question what is missing in the NY Knicks offense and the answer is: a solid point guard. With the loss of Billups and Felton, the Knicks fell back to signing two other veteran point guards, Mike Bibby from the Miami Heat, and Baron Davis from the Cleveland Cavaliers who is still trying to return from injuries.

With that in mind, much of the weight of the Knicks offense was not on any of their “Big 3″ so to speak, but on their rookie point guard Iman Shumpert out of Georgia Tech. Shumpert has come to the starting position and said in an interview about Carmelo and Stoudemire, “We’re making them take a lot of tough shots and we’re depending on them to score points,” Shumpert said. “We’ve got to make the offense a lot smoother.”

Shumpert makes a good point because coming into Wednesday game against the Suns, the Knicks were fifth worst in field goal percentage, and in the game against the Suns, the Knicks shot only 37.5 percent. Shumpert has a lot to learn being a rookie. When you look at teams like the San Antonio Spurs with Tony Parker, you see a team with a solid point guard with a smooth running offense.

That means breaking down the defense, running the offense, calling the right plays and finding the open man in order to put points on the board. Maybe Knicks is not giving Shumpert time to develop and go after veteran point guard Steve Nash who will be a free agent after this season. Looking back he ran a flawless offense with Stoudmire that could potentially work in D’Antoni’s offense.

The Knicks look to turn their four game losing streak around this Friday at the Garden when the 4-9 Milwaukee Bucks come into town. More importantly the Nuggets come to NY for the first time since the Melo trade and they come into the Garden with a better record the NY Knicks, and all eyes are on Melo to deliver an all-star performance.

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In the wee hours of Saturday morning, the National Basketball Players Association and team owners came to a tentative agreement to end the NBA Lockout.

After a 15 hour negotiation session high ranking officials Derek Fisher, Billy Hunter, David Stern, Adam Silver, Maurice Evans, and Peter Holt emerged to address the press. For the first time since the lockout began on July 1, 149 days ago, they were able to deliver encouraging news.

The season is set to begin on December 25 with a triple header, possibly featuring the teams that were originally scheduled to play on Christmas. The matchups include the New York Knicks vs the Boston Celtics, the Dallas Mavericks vs the Miami Heat, and the Chicago Bulls vs the Los Angeles Lakers.

This would be the start of a compressed 66 game season. Training camps would start December 9 with a two week free agency also starting on December 9. While details are still fuzzy as to how this agreement was reached, what is known is that compromises were made by both sides.

The players are set to receive a 49 and 51 “band” percent of basketball related income (BRI), down from the 57 percent that they received under the last collective bargaining agreement (CBA). The players could lose almost 200 million dollars over the 10 years that deal is scheduled for.

The players’ cut is on a sliding scale based on league performance. If BRI exceeds projections, the players receive 60.5 percent of that incremental revenue. If BRI fails to meet projections, the players receive 60.5 percent less of the amount by which BRI falls short. The players’ BRI range can never fall below 49 percent or go above 51 percent.The players did gain some ground in the negotiations as both sides agreed not to institute a hard salary cap.

With the exclusion of hard salary caps, one monumental issue where clarity is still lacking is the exactly how the luxury tax system is going to work under the new CBA. The luxury tax is in place to punish teams that exceed the salary cap by forcing teams to pay the NBA one dollar for every dollar that a team has gone over the limit. The tax also serves as a deterrent to prevent teams with deep pockets from buying all the available talent and ensure fair competition.

However, it has failed to produce positive results, as teams like the Los Angeles Lakers were 30 million over the cap last year. There is speculation that the new luxury tax would force teams to pay up a 3-1 ratio for every dollar they go over the cap. At a 3-1 ratio the punishment would be far harsher and encourage the fair play that small market teams have clamored over for years.

While all of this news seems encouraging, there is no guarantee that the season will actually start on Christmas. There are still important issues that need to be hammered out and voted on by the membership of both parties. Fans of the NBA can only hope that both sides can truly reach an agreement and give the best Christmas present of all.

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A potent offense is something that every team needs to be successful in the NBA. We saw last season that even though the Chicago Bulls had the stingiest defense in the league, the lack of help for Derrick Rose on the other end of the court essentially led to their downfall.

Crawford is, by far, one of the most explosive, electrifying scorers in the NBA. With his dazzling crossovers, his crafty shake-and-bake move, and his nearly unstoppable jump shot, Crawford is a threat anywhere on the court.

Now that his time with the Atlanta Hawks is up (the Hawks did not offer him a contract extension last season), Crawford has expressed interest, in one form or another, in joining quite a few teams around the NBA.

1. Portland Trail Blazers

Because of his unbreakable bond with superstar PF, LaMarcus Aldridge, Crawford has expressed interest in joining the Portland Trail Blazers. Aldridge, with a little bit of a sales pitch, has been trying his hardest to snag him while the lockout rages on.

On October 26th, Aldridge tweeted:

Rip City when @JCrossover come play in my game we need to make him feel at home so he will sign with us!

Crawford then responded:

@aldridge_12 —yall have GREAT fans too!! And love u and broy’s game!!!

Now, it would take a great deal of rotation work to fit him in—the Blazers are stacked at the Guard position with Raymond Felton, Brandon Roy and Wesley Matthews—but if they could find a way to work all four of them into the game plan, Portland would have the best four-guard combo in the NBA. Crawford is sort of a combo guard, possessing the ball handling ability to run the point and the scoring ability to run the two.

It would be an interesting acquisition that just might pay off in the long run.

2. Miami Heat

Could you imagine Crawford coming off the bench and dropping 15 points behind the already offensively savvy Dwyane Wade? It would be ridiculous!

LeBron James already put the thought out there in the twitter world:

Would love to see @JCrossover in a Heat uni! What u guys say?

And while Aldridge tried his best to protect his potential free agent jackpot, tweeting:

@KingJames how are you going to try and steal @JCrossover from us?! I already told Portland to make him feel at home on the 6th.

There’s absolutely no doubt that Crawford would take a contract from the Miami Heat as a potential championship contender for the next decade.

3. Chicago Bulls

Returning back to his true NBA home in Chicago isn’t a distant thought from the former Sixth Man of the Year, either. After being questioned about it from several of his followers on Twitter, Crawford finally budged with a response.

@Raffletickets17: “@JCrossover ever consider the bulls? With you at the 2 we would be amazing! Championship right there”–course I wud.!

With the already dominant scorer, Derrick Rose, leading the way for the Bulls, the only thing they need is a second option on offense. Their defense is already top tier, hanging high above all other teams in the NBA last season. If they could get their hands on Crawford when the free agency period opens up, Chicago could find themselves in the NBA Finals within the next two years.

4. New Jersey Nets

Jamal Crawford and Deron Williams are already good friends. What’s to say he doesn’t join forces whenever the lockout comes to a halt? Crawford’s also good friends with Marshon Brooks, the Nets acquisition on the day of the draft. While Williams and Crawford cut their conversation short on Twitter, moving into private messaging, but one can only speculate as to what they could be talking about.

Crawford to the Nets would only give Deron Williams another reason to stay with the franchise.

I don’t know about you, but I can’t wait until the lockout is over to see where all these free agents end up. With other big names like Tyson Chandler, J.R. Smith, David West and Caron Butler in the market, the NBA could see a complete shift in power. We’ll just have to wait and see what happens.

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Well, apparently some would go to extreme lengths in order to get a good part in a movie these days. Gerald Butler, who will be playing Moriarity’s mentor Ricky “Frosty” Hesson in Mavericks, is just another one of these individuals.

With all of the hype over movies being accurate, or having the perfect actor to play a part, actor’s need to change more and more about themselves to fit the right mold. Butler was no exception in this case. He too had to do a 180 degree take on not only his choice of role, but also his body and appearance in order to look the part for this new character.

This part required him to slim down quite a bit from his former buff self. The dramatically altered Scottish start has been spotted by many as his new slimmer self, as the buff and hunky form that he sported in 300 is quite the opposite from the scruffy surfer look that Butler takes on in his new role.

The Scottish actor is not the most extreme case of actors and actresses transforming themselves for a part, but it is one of the more recent. What else would a person do for a part?

This brings up so many new thoughts on what is right to ask a person to do simply for a job. Is it morally right to ask a person to change themselves so much, even if they are willing?

Should those looking for a job leave parts only for those who actually look and act the part? These all run into the thought that sometimes it’s just not possible to find exactly the type of person that you are looking for, so making that person is the only way.

Another question to ask is whether or not changing who you are is good for the actor mentally as well as physically. In the past many actors have blended too well with their characters. For example, Heath Ledger got way too into the mind of the joker in his last film. Before he died unexpectedly, he went through many mental health issues included terrible nightmares.

When an actor has to become a new person and fully immerse themselves into the life of this new person, it really takes a toll on the actor’s sense of self and well-being.

So, the question is, how far is too far? How much can a person ask another to change for something that will last only just a few short months? Is it really worth it to permanently alter who you are as a person, and to put yourself at risk for mental and physical issues?

With all of these different issues, roles today are becoming increasingly more and more specific to the opinions of the viewer. In the end, it may just be those paying to view these movies that either change this trend, or push to make it more and more important for actors to delve completely into their roles in order to be the right fit for the character that exists in their mind.

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The Philadelphia Eagles will win, not one, not two, not three, not four…

The Miami comparisons have already begun, the problem is however they are not very similar.  Vince Young, during a recent interview, has proclaimed this the “Dream Team,” a joke which has taken a life of its own.  We must remember that this is Philadelphia; Brotherly love doesn’t apply when it comes to its athletes.

The comparisons are few and far between and that might be a good thing, unless your goal is to reach the finals only to lose.  Philly has improved on paper but as we all know, the games are not played between the lines, they are played between the hash marks on Sundays thus they must prove themselves a yard at a time.  The team leader is Michael Vick who is in his 3^rd year after his stint behind bars; talk about full circle.

Michael Vick can be compared to Dwayne Wade, a popular athlete who convinced his friends to come play with him-a stretch by any sense of the word.  Vick has played a major role in acquiring the many free agents who now have taken their talents to the Eagles locker room.

It is well known that players in the NFL love, admire and respect the electrifying quarterback, not to mention the fact that they would rather play with him instead of against him.  The comparison ends there considering there is no Lebron or Bosh on this team.  All the Eagles have done is spread money around, not waste money because the players they have acquired are good solid players; nonetheless, aside from Nnamdi, none of the players are stars in this league.

Let’s focus on the Eagles and leave comparisons alone for now.

Looking at this team, the question still remains- what happens with number 1 corner of last season Asante Samuel.  He has stated that he doesn’t want to be traded and if he indeed stays put, the Eagles would have a trio of pro bowlers; but would the massive egos allow such a team to win?

It also becomes a question of what happens with Jackson who has yet to report, considering a hold out due to contract negotiations or lack thereof.  The situation with Maclin is also something people are not talking about as of right now.

With all these questions and unknowns, the most important factor in determining how far this team goes, is the health and effectiveness of Vick.  He showed us all what he was capable of last season but tailed off late, including an ill-advised throw in the playoffs which basically ended the season for the Eagles.  Will we get the same or better from the athletic quarterback or has the rest of the league figured out what to do against him?

The NFC East is stacked with good teams (minus the Redskins of course) but none have made as big a splash in free agency or via trades.  The cowboys were also in the Nnamdi sweepstakes but failed to nab the big free agent and they have been relatively quiet.

The giants are still battling with defensive end Osi Umenyiora who wants a resolution with the ongoing contract dilemma that may or may not result in a trade.  A sticky situation for the giants but one they will have to take care of soon because with the beginning of August, the season is right around the corner.

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This years NBA Final is giving fans not only incredibly entertaining play on the court, but countless underlying stories that have kept everyone talking, even on the off days.

Everybody knows that superstars run the NBA, and because of that, commissioner David Stern must have had a grin as wide as the Grand Canyon when the Miami Heat and Dallas Mavericks reached the finals.

I want to start by saying that Dwyane Wade deserves every bit as much recognition as LeBron James for bringing Miami this far. I most definitely do not wish to ignore his accomplishments because he has a solid argument to be just as talented as any other player in the world. The thing about Wade is that he has already been to the promised land. He has hardware on his side, and that can never be taken away from him no matter how many times he may lose from here on in.

Now that I’ve said that, we can move on to who we all know who the big story really revolves around here.

LeBron James has been criticized more than any other player in the league for not having a championship ring on his finger at this point in his career. He has upped his game to the point where he is unquestionably the best player in the NBA, and probably the world. At this point, the only thing he has to worry about, is his legacy moving forward. If LeBron really wants to go down as one of the absolute best, he’s going to need the hardware.

Dirk Nowitzki is at this moment considered by many to be the greatest international player ever to grace the NBA, not to mention the best shooting big man of all time. He has brought a style of play that nobody has ever seen in the history of this game, and as of late has proved to be impossible to guard at virtually any spot on the court. Unfortunately he, like LeBron, is missing the same thing that they have been chasing their entire careers.

These two probably could not be more different people if they tried, aside from the arc of their careers to this point. Although Dirk has been around the block a few more times than LeBron, they find themselves at a similar point in the eyes of the rest of the world. Both men have been to the finals one time, been unimpressive to say the least, and gone home with disappointment rather than future hall of fame votes. This is their second chance.

The term “on fire” does not even begin to describe the way each of them have been playing to this point in the playoffs, not to mention the impressive performances that have kept fans on the edge of their seats thus far in the finals.

Even their stats are similar. To this point Dirk has 28.1 points per game in the playoffs to LeBron’s 25.5 (but when we factor in how much more help LeBron has on the floor, the numbers seem to even themselves out). Rebounds? Dirk has 7.8 per game to LeBron’s 8.8. Even their shooting has been incredible with both men raining down countless outside shots and going on uncanny made free-throw streaks to lead their teams to victory.

This will surely prove to be a battle between these stars, and nothing should be taken away from either of them no matter the outcome of the series. Unfortunately the key word there is should, and the fans, or the media for that matter, doesn’t exactly abide by the same rules of respect that I do.

Nobody knows what will happen in the remaining games in the finals. In 2006 most everybody believed that Dirk and the Mavericks had the series wrapped up halfway through game 3, but some teams lay eggs and we just can’t see it coming. One thing is for absolute certain, the remaining games in the coming days just may decide a lot about how these two players are remembered.

Should Dallas lose, Dirk’s chance at a ring may be gone for good. He will be remembered as a great scorer and shooter who just could never get over the hump. In the spectrum of all-time players, he will be considered really good, but not great, somewhere many players would appreciate being, but somewhere a true champion never wants to end up.

Should Dallas win, in my opinion, Nowitzki will be knocking on the door of the hall of fame. A complete career, an MVP award, a ring, and the honor of being not only the best player ever from Germany, but probably ever as an international player in the NBA. Not matter what would happen after this year, he would go out the way he wanted to.

On the other hand, if the Heat were to lose, the media would have a field day. Worse than the Brett Favre retirement fiasco, worse than Tiger Woods’ scandal, we would hear about LeBron’s uncanny ability to lose the big game for an entire year before the next season started again.

That would make two times that it seemed “King James” would finally reach the promised land and come up short. His career is already complete aside from the championships, and since everybody knows he wants to the the absolute best, the rings are what he needs.

He is still incredibly young and has plenty more time, but this one would have a real toll on him and maybe the rest of his career. He is focused and ready now, and everyone is sensing that this is the time, no more excuses.

If they win, all the talk goes away. He would have it all. The rings, the MVP’s, the scoring titles, everything. He would already be considered one of the greatest, no matter how hated he may be around the country. The only thing left to do would be to build a trophy room and wait for more championships to roll in after having the confidence of the first. Comparisons to the great one’s would be everywhere. His dream would be achieved.

I for one, can not wait to see what happens. These last few games of the season is going to have an incredibly impact on how people view these two outstanding basketball players. Most people don’t realize it quite yet, but LeBron James and Dirk Nowitzki really are playing with their legacies on the line.

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Sunday night during game three of the NBA Eastern Conference Finals between the Miami Heat and Chicago Bulls, Joakim Noah had a verbal altercation with a fan resulting in a $50,000 fine. Noah promptly apologized for the derogatory anti-gay term he used in response to a fan showering insults about Noah’s mother among other things. Some of the players said the fan was intoxicated, but he was never removed from the game.

This was just another instance in the NBA that sparks discussion on several topics. Should security be increased around the benches? Should ushers warn fans around the benches when they are getting out of control? Do arenas need to limit alcohol sales?

Now these are all areas that the NBA needs to make sure they are doing a good job in handling, but the true responsibility lies with the fans. Paying top-dollar for a seat right behind the bench does not buy you the right to act like an idiot. It is sad when one or a few moronic fans ruin things for all the other fans that do a great job rooting for their teams. This is no good-natured Spike Lee Reggie Miller spout. This is just plain harassment and it needs to end.

Taunting is of course a part of the game, and it can be a fun and exciting part of the game that drives players to play harder. More trash-talking takes place on the floor than cameras are able to capture. Every now and then you can read their lips, but most goes unheard by the fans. In the crowd there is also rumblings and chants targeting players but that is part of playing in a hostile environment, and these fans aren’t in the players’ faces they are simply creating a home-court advantage.

The NBA is different than any of the other major sports in America. There is very little separating the fans from the players, often nothing at all. There are seats on the edge of the floor, behind the benches and under the baskets. There is no distance, and fans can be right in the faces of players, verbally abusing and harassing them during the course of a highly emotional game. Sports like the NFL have the fans far removed from the players, and baseball has walls, foul areas, and covered dugouts. The NHL even has glass separating fans from the playing ice.

This incident brings The Malice in the Palace back to life, although in a much smaller scale. This happened between the Pacers and the Pistons November 19, 2004 at The Palace of Auburn Hills. Two notable players, Ron Artest and Stephen Jackson ended up in the crowd going toe to toe with fans. Five players were eventually charged with assault and five fans faced criminal charges and were banned from attending Pistons games for life.

How much is too much?

This article is not meant to excuse Noah of his actions, and he never should have confronted the fan in the first place, but it brings to light a responsibility that lies with the fans. Fans please be responsible when you attend games. Sporting events are meant to be fun, to be an escape from everyday life. Being a fan is about having passion, but when you cross the line it becomes something else, ruining the game and the reputations of fans.

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Lebron James was once again King James in game 2 tonight against the stagnant Bulls whose defense kept them in the game but was no match at the end. His performance tonight was what Dwayne Wade envisioned when he recruited good friend James to join his depleted heat squad.

Dwayne Wade had a good night scoring 24 points on 16 shots, being very efficient against the best defensive team in the league this past regular season.  More importantly his 9 rebounds showed the effort that they lacked in game 1 where they were out hustled on the boards by more than 12.

The Bulls played their usual tough defense that they have come to be known for but the hustle along with the energy seemed to have disappeared along with Derick Rose’s ability to get to the paint at will.

Rose went 7 for 23 along with 8 assist but his energy and determination was not there thanks to the Miami defense which decided to sow up today.  Let’s not forget the Miami defense was statistically the 2^nd best defense in the league so this performance was nothing new for them.

Lebron James is slowly but surely quieting his critics in crunch time, delivering timely buckets with high level difficulty and not just driving blindly to the paint often resulting in block shots or even turning the ball over.  He poured in 29 points, 10 tough rebounds and 5 assist to Haslem and running mate Dwayne Wade.

Although Lebron was big in crunch time scoring 9 points to seal the victory, the true hero for Miami was Udonis Haslem.  He has played only 9 minutes this whole post season and his 23 minutes this game provided the spark needed to win the game.

Miami has two future hall of famers, what they lacked the first game was energy and rebounding which Haslem provided.

Chicago has Joakim Noah who was everywhere during game 1, whether it was loose ball or rebounding or a tip in, he did everything but tonight was different. He was relatively quiet during the second half and Haslem assumed the role left vacant by the absent Noah.

If this game showed us anything, it is that this series will come down to offense… yes, offense.  We all know that these two teams will play defense, that will not stop…with the exception being game one.  It came down to who can execute better offensively with the game on the line and Miami has two guys who can do this on regular basis and Chris Bosh, who can do this as well when needed to.

Derick Rose will have to find a way to run this offense and not get frustrated by not being able to drive at will like he has done in the past.  He will have to use his improved jump shot more often and maybe get his other teammates involved in the offense, mainly korver.

The Bulls bench is better and deeper than the Miami bench, so that is where they will have to win this series.   Miami’s starters, well Lebron and Wade will have to dominate and somewhere down the line Bosh will have to come up big once again.

The formula is there for both teams, now let’s see who will execute and meet Dallas in the NBA Finals.

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