Real Deal

I think a lot of people feel Wade is the better closer because he's willing to score the ball in the fourth. LeBron continues to lose confidence. He's shooting an abysmal 4-16 in the fourth quarters of the first five games of this series, which is insane for a guy who, really, should be dominating his match-ups (Kidd, who is far undersized and lacks athleticism, and Marion, who is no longer the Matrix). I don't think a single person, in their right mind, expected this. Maybe Cleveland fans who absolutely hate LeBron and think he's the worst player on Earth, but truthfully, they've been waiting for the break-out game as well, and I can assure that, before this series started, nobody would've bet $100+ that LeBron would average just two points in the 4th quarter of the first five games, and 11 total points (something I figured he'd score in one single quarter already).

Correct, but Randy Brown wasn't that big of a deal in Chicago, so I'm not sure why you're bringing him up, unless you're comparing the two and their roles.

Yeah, he's dismissing both problems. In that presser, he was talking about how well Miami shot the ball, and how many points they scored, saying the offense wasn't the problem. He's wrong. Late in the game, the offense is indeed the problem. But maybe not the biggest problem, because Miami can't do a damn thing against Dallas' offensive onslaughts at the end of these games. Terry has lit him up, Marion is impersonating John Wall and throwing all of these spin moves on LeBron, and in times where he's not recovering quick enough, he's standing there yelling at Mario Chalmers during the game. Not surprised, though.

Depends on the trade. If you tell me Drew gets us Dwight, somehow, then no. Odom is a capable starter, though, and Drew + Odom would work in that frontcourt. Can you give me a guarantee that Drew stays healthy? If I get that, I would trade Gasol over Drew every single opportunity I get, because unlike Gasol, Bynum is a legitimate defensive anchor, and unlike Gasol, Bynum can do a LOT of damage on the low block. I'm not sure how you could disagree with that assessment (if you do).

Nine Finals games for LeBron, with zero games over 25 points. That's a problem. He's going to need to get something going soon. He shot under 40% against the Spurs in 2007, and people will never forget the sweep. Now, with the Game 2 collapse and the terrible fourth quarter performances, he's in trouble.

He was being bashed during the playoffs because he averaged 13/8 on 42% FG. Me bashing him doesn't mean I'd trade him for a scrub...not sure where or why you would get that idea. I'm a basketball junkie that breathes basketball, not a football junkie that will sometimes talk basketball. I'm fully aware that one bad playoff run doesn't turn Pau Gasol into Pavel Podkolzin. You didn't hear me talking trash on Amare's 15/8 on 38% FG against Boston, and saying the Knicks should deal him for Zaza Pachulia.

Does anyone remember the Clippers trading Marko Jaric to the Wolves back in 2005? Guess what they received? Minnesota's 2012 first round pick. At the time, it was a current first, but it was top 10 and lottery protected every year...until next year's draft. Talk about cashing in seven years later... :o

Go on 2k10 and try it, Superstar difficulty level, against the Celtics. Crazy hard.

When my machine tells me so. http://www.plentyofhealth.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/highbloodsugar.jpg

While we're all waiting for LeBron to have that big Finals game, I wonder how many of us are waiting for Wade to have a terrible one. If it happens in Game 6, and LeBron doesn't step up, the Heat are toast. Suddenly, these last two games are must-wins for Miami. As it stands, the Heat are now 2-5 against the Mavericks this season, and two of those five losses are in Miami. Sunday will be huge.

To be honest, if anyone else were to have a challenge feature, it should be Kobe. Score 81 points on Toronto Outscore Dallas 62-61 by the end of the third quarter Have four-consecutive 50-point games Set the scoring record at MSG Hit a record 12 threes in one game 40/8/8 vs. Orlando in Finals 49 points, 10 assists vs. Denver in playoffs 45/6/6 vs. Phoenix, playoffs 50 vs. Phoenix, playoffs 48 points, 16 rebounds vs. Sacramento, playoffs 45 points, 10 rebounds vs. San Antonio, playoffs Win a single game with Kwame, Smush, Walton and Odom as starters Would be sick.

Wade is actually older, and didn't even come out to start the second half due to the injury. That is the green light for LeBron to seek a 25-30 point second half. I can't accept excuses for LeBron James. Not right now. Wade has been carrying him, so he shouldn't be that tired. He's having to average just 17-18 PPG in this series, and just 2.2 PPG in the 4th quarter. He's defending Jason Terry, not an overly-aggressive Derrick Rose. When you are just two wins away from an NBA championship, and you're a superstar that many consider unstoppable, you prove those people right. When your superstar teammate is down and obviously limping around, the opportunity hits you in the face, and you take over the game, much like he has done against many teams in the playoffs back in Cleveland. If Dallas is up by 3-4 points, two minutes to go in Game 6, and Wade is hurt...I'm turning into Michael. If anyone is to stop me, it means they'd have to foul the hell out of me and send me to the charity stripe. Will he do that? Probably not, because in what he said was the biggest game of his life, he didn't make that attempt.

Right, but he wasn't trying to get to the line in the first half (or the second), and as I've stated over and over again (and many of you as well), that's how the Heat win their games. They win them at the line. LeBron was 4-10 in the first half. I recall 4-5 of those missed shots being 20 feet from the rim (or beyond that). One or two were off of offensive rebounds, under the rim. He wasn't putting his head down and driving to the rim. It's kind of like watching Shaq stand 15 feet from the rim and take jumpers for 40 minutes. That was never his game. He always belonged in the post, throwing elbows and shoulders, creating room, and dunking the ball with players fouling him like crazy. That was his thing, and that's what made him one of the most dominant players ever. So, yes, LeBron is relying too much on Wade...so much, he's really turning into a sidekick. The truth is, LeBron is not a Ray Allen, Reggie Miller, or a Rip Hamilton...he can't play off the ball. He doesn't utilize screens well. He doesn't cut when he should. At the end of the day, the conflicting games (or, I guess you can say the similar games that conflict each other) of Wade and LeBron could be the death of this team this season.

LeBron is doing everything in his power to not take the blame during this presser. They asked him, directly, if he needs to score more...if he needs to shut down Terry better in the fourth...and he talks about how it's not an offensive problem, how the team has to play better defense, and how Terry will "make a few" shots if he "gets enough cracks at it." How the hell can Heat fans even like this guy?

What some aren't going to understand (I'm reading it on Facebook right now) is that LeBron has to score the ball. He has to be aggressive. If he becomes a facilitator, Dallas can sag off a bit and focus more on Wade, and basically force the ball into Bosh, something Miami doesn't want to do because it slows the game down.

Yeah, the triple-double was nice, but LeBron has never scored over 25 points in an NBA Finals game (nine games so far). I figured he was due for a 30.

WRONG.

LOL, yes, by ignoring the insane six-step travel on a post-up by Dwyane Wade, the two flagrant fouls by Juwan Howard, and the step-and-pro-hop three-step travel by James, or when Jason Kidd was hit in the hip on his last three-pointer, or when Barea was hit on the hand by Chalmers on his three-pointer.

TIME: 8:00 PM ET TV: ABC

LeBron is averaging just 2.2 PPG in the 4th quarter of the series. That's 11 points total, five games, a high of 5 points in one of those quarters. Miami isn't getting anything from LeBron on the offensive end, scoring-wise, and they aren't getting anything on the defensive end with 3-4 minutes to go. Dirk has two games to get one win. Both on the road. He has to smell blood. As of tonight, right now, this is the best chance he has ever had to win a championship...and may be the best he'll ever have.

LeBron is probably going to go ballistic.

Man, that's so difficult for me to watch. I've been through there a few times, on all of those streets.

? I said it would be us ripping off the Wolves, if we traded Gasol for Love and the #2. And no, I never said Gasol was that worthless. Kwame and Smush are trash. During the playoffs, Gasol played more like a lightweight version of Andrea Bargnani, but given the fact that he's an actual post player who can rebound the ball, I wouldn't have dealt him for nothing less than another all-star. Someone asked on TLN if I'd deal Gasol for Monta Ellis. Tough to say...probably a no, only because Monta is a guard, and I'm not 100% sure Drew will be healthy again next season. Now...Kevin Love and the #2 pick? That's Love and Derrick Williams, or Love and either Kyrie Irving or Brandon Knight, and that's a no-brainer for us.

Not a chance, unless Kevin Love is included, and that would be a rip-off for the Wolves.

Kaman knocks $12.2 million off the books after next season. If you add an unconditional 2012 first-rounder, Philly does this deal. I think the Sixers can do better, though, because that first-rounder is more than likely going to be a mid-first, and while Kaman was an all-star center just two seasons ago, those injuries are killing his game, and I just don't see the Sixers taking him for his production...but rather that money off the payroll, and when you look at it that way, who are they after? I doubt Dwight Howard would be interested. CP3 is dead set on New York. Free agents love big market teams these days. Interesting, to say the least.