Tag Archives: Lebron James

Eastern Conference Finals Preview: Miami Heat vs Indiana Pacers

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If you stopped watching the NBA Playoffs when our depleted Bulls were bounced last week in round two, you may want to consider tuning back in starting tonight as the Eastern Conference Finals are about to get underway.

The post season is far from over as four teams remain (down from the original 16) and are looking to advance to the NBA Finals, the final round of the NBA Playoffs. In the Western Conference, the favored San Antonio Spurs are facing off against the underdog Memphis Grizzlies and already have a 2-0 lead in the series.

In the Eastern Conference, for the second year in a row the top seeded Miami Heat find themselves going head-to-head with the third seeded Indiana Pacers. That’s right, two of the Bulls biggest rivals will face-off to claim their throne as the biggest beasts of the East and continue their quest to an NBA title.

Let’s take a closer look at this interesting Eastern Conference matchup that is sure to keep Bulls fans tuning in just a little longer.

On one end of the court you’ll find the Pacers who have the league’s best defense led by big nasty Roy Hibbert and on the opposite side you have the defending Champion Miami Heat with the hottest commanding offense in the NBA led by four-time MVP Lebron James. Will the Pacers tough antics rattle Miami’s nearly perfect offense? We will soon find out. Here’s the need to know information for round 3.

Read the entire Eastern Finals Preview with Key Players, need to know facts and predictions at SportsDivasInc.com via Eastern Conference Finals Preview: Miami Heat vs Indiana Pacers | SportsDivas Inc..

Bulls vs Heat Game 2 Semifinals Cheat Sheet 5.8.13

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The short-handed Bulls extinguished the Heat and their raging egos on Monday night with their 93-86 Game 1 win, obliterating any ideas of a four-game “Miami Sweep” in the second round. Our favorite South Beach divas were caught off guard and we can’t imagine they were too thrilled about their unexpected loss to their conference foes who were missing three of their starters.

Chicago’s work in the series opener was nothing short of astonishing, but the Heat will be out for blood to defend their reputation as champs in front of their home crowd in Game 2. We can expect bigger and stronger plays from King James and his faithful minions after losing to our fearless Bulls squad. Can Nate Robinson and Joakim Noah lead the Bulls to another emotional win over the Heat?

Check out the entire Cheat Sheet at SportsDivasInc.com!

via Bulls vs Heat Game 2 Semifinals Cheat Sheet 5.8.13 | SportsDivas Inc..

Bulls STUN “White Hot” Heat 93-86 in Game 1 | SportsDivas Inc.

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After a two week series with the Brooklyn Nets, a battered roster, and countless injuries, many expected the Bulls to be too tired to get past the Heat’s “big three” in Monday night’s series opener in Miami.  But the Bulls stunned us all and continued their incredi-BULL post season run with a 93-86 Game 1 road win against the reigning NBA Champs.

The Roseless, Kirkless, Dengless Chicago Bulls defied the odds and pulled off a huge upset in South Beach Monday night in front of the White Out crowd proving once again just how tough they can play the Heat. Like Coach Thibs always says, as long as the Bulls have five guys on the court, “they have enough to win.”

If you had anticipated a Miami sweep in this Eastern Conference Semifinal series, you can put down your hater-ade and buckle up because the Bulls aren’t going anywhere without a fight.

Read the entire recap at SportsDivasInc.com!

via Bulls STUN “White Hot” Heat 93-86 in Game 1 | SportsDivas Inc..

STREAK SNAPPERS: Bulls Beat Heat 101-97

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James

It was an un-BULL-ievable game, as our shorthanded Bulls crushed the Heat’s dreams of making NBA history with a 101-97 victory at the United Center last night. Who better to snap the Heat’s 27-game winning streak than their biggest Eastern Conference rivals? We don’t allow streaking at the Madhouse unless it’s by the home team!

To throw a little more salt into Miami’s wound, Wednesday’s win came on a night when Chicago was without star point guard Derrick Rose, All-Star center Joakim Noah and veteran shooting guard Rip Hamilton. How do you feel about that King James?

The UC was in a complete uproar as the final seconds ticked off the clock with chants of “End the Streak” and  ”Beat the Heat” echoing around the stadium. It was all heart, a lot of hustle and a little extra muscle by Chicago that left Miami challenged and frustrated. It’s time to dig into the details of this historic game that has left our city celebrating the day after.

Check out my full recap at SportsDivasInc.com STREAK SNAPPERS: Bulls Beat Heat 101-97 | SportsDivas Inc..

Lebron is Getting Harder to Hate

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For the past few years every time someone mentioned “Lebron James” my blood would boil. It might have been the distasteful nationally aired “Decision” expo that sent me over the edge. It may have been the fact that he chose the Miami Heat out of all the teams in the league to play for. It may have been that I was just salty that he didn’t want to “bring his talents” to Chicago. Whatever the case – I was a King James HATER, but recently I’ve been finding it much more difficult to hold my grudge against the guy.

The first step was the adorable Samsung Galaxy commercial he put out starring himself, but more importantly his super cute little boys. You can’t help but smile at those guys drawing an afro on their dad’s picture.

Then TMZ leaks a photo of his recent “Save the Date” for Bron Bron’s destination wedding to fiancee Savannah Brinson in San Diego, CA. Again, I have to admit, I really like them. There’s even a fun caricature of James, Savannah and their 2 kiddos.

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Lebron James is undeniably one of the best players to ever play the game of basketball. He’s averaging 27 points a game, 7.2 assists and 8.1 rebounds. This guy is the real deal when it comes to the NBA’s elitist league. I’ve never had a hard time respecting his talent, but now I think I might actually like him off the court. Do not misinterpret this post as my transition to becoming a Lebron fan, I will cheer for my Chicago Bulls through and through.

NBA says “No Flopping Allowed”

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ESPN has reported that the NBA is trying to stop the floppers. League Commissioner David Stern has had enough with players deceiving the officials by flopping like weak little fish and has been seeking a way to properly penalize the “phony” aspiring actors of the NBA.

The new procedures will likely involve a review after the game is played by the league office, rather than an official calling an infraction during the game, NBA spokesperson Tim Frank said. Players likely would be fined if the league determined they flopped. $$$

“If you continue to do this, you may you have to suffer some consequences,” Stern said about flopping during the NBA Finals. “What those exactly should be and what the progression is, is to be decided, because … we just want to put a stake in the ground that says this is not something that we want to be part of our game, without coming down with a sledgehammer but just doing it in a minimalist way to begin stamping it out. And I think there are ways we can do that and we’ll have to wait and see exactly what we come up with.”

Uh oh? What is Chris Bosh, or better yet the entire Miami Heat team going to do once this new procedure is implemented (yea Bron Bron you’re just as bad)? Bring on the fines Stern!

Nike Releases Most Overpriced Shoe Yet: The Lebron X

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YIKES! The latest shoe in the Lebron James sneaker line is setting Nike records. With a retail price set at a whooping $315, the Lebron X is the first of its kind to be priced over the $300 mark. Who in their right mind would pay $315 for a Nike gym shoe?!

Bron Bron debuted his new kicks in team USA’s Olympic gold medal game in stylish fashion, and now Nike has announced they can soon be yours too for such a reasonable rate. To make a comparison, some previous styles such as the LeBron 9s sold for $170 – still a pricey amount, but much more manageable.

According to The Wall Street Journal, Nike attributes the price hike to rising labor costs in China and an increase in cotton prices. The Lebron X comes with all the latest technology, including the Nike+ system, but it’s tough to imagine what exactly necessitated a $145 price hike. It seems like they’re just testing the waters to see just how far they can go with their “high-end” shoe lines.

For $315, these shoes better transform you into a basketball god, make you jump 10 feet in the air and dunk from the free throw line – otherwise no dice.

USA Basketball Roster Announced: Is it the Next Dream Team?

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USA! USA! Get ready to get your Olympian on friends. The 2012 London Olympics are sneaking up on us and it’s right around the corner. The U.S. Olympic basketball team announced it’s final roster Saturday and boy is it jam-packed with superstars. Will we see a repeat gold medal performance like the 2008 games in Beijing?

Drumroll please…here is your 2012 Team USA Basketball roster: Carmelo Anthony (New York Knicks); Kobe Bryant (Los Angeles Lakers); Tyson Chandler (New York Knicks);Kevin Durant (Oklahoma City Thunder); Blake Griffin (Los Angeles Clippers); James Harden (Oklahoma City Thunder); Andre Iguodala (Philadelphia 76ers); LeBron James (Miami Heat); Kevin Love (Minnesota Timberwolves); Chris Paul (Los Angeles Clippers); Russell Westbrook (Oklahoma City Thunder); and Deron Williams (Brooklyn Nets).

There is some serious talent on this Olympic team (as would be expected). Ten of the players were NBA All-Stars and six have appeared at least once in the NBA Finals. They have the reigning NBA MVP (James), Defensive Player of the Year (Chandler) and Sixth Man of the Year (Harden). Anthony, Bryant, James, Paul and Williams are the Olympic veterans on the team.

If you’re a basketball lover, you might have noticed some missing NBA All-Stars. Derrick Rose (ACL), Dwight Howard (back), Dwyane Wade (knee) and Chris Bosh (abdomen) all would have most likely made the cut, but they’re all “rehabilitating” their injuries. Rose and Howard actually had surgeries to rehabilitate. Then there are my favorite Miami Heat players; Wade should suck it up because he might be too old after 4 more years to top the list of “elitest” players in the NBA and Bosh – I just don’t think they let dinosaurs in the Olympics.

Team USA will be coached by Duke University Hall of Fame mentor Mike Krzyzewski, who led the USA Basketball Men’s National Team to gold medal finishes at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Assisting Krzyzewski is Syracuse University and Hall of Fame coach Jim Boeheim, and former NBA head coaches Mike D’Antoni and Nate McMillan.

There are some other familiar faces heading to London, but not representing the U.S. The list includes: Luol Deng, who will be playing for Great Britain, Marc Gasol, Paul Gasol and Serge Ibaka will all be playing for Team Spain.

Lucky for Bron Bron, he still gets to be “White Hot” in the new Nike Team USA uniforms. Bring home the gold medal gentlemen!

James Keeps His Promise and Brings a Title to Miami

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Well, it finally happened, LeBron James has won his first NBA Championship and led the Miami Heat to their second title. The Heat destroyed the Oklahoma City Thunder 121-106 in Game 5. Despite my extreme dislike for “Bron Bron” as a person, as a player he gave a truly admirable playoff performance – he was unstoppable. James had 26 points, 11 rebounds and 13 assists, a triple-double in his final playoff appearance. As he took his talents to the bench with 3:01 remaining, the crowd at AmericanAirlines Arena chanted “MVP.” He was undoubtedly the unanimous candidate for playoff MVP.

He told ESPN, “This is a dream come true.”  Yes, that is unless you live in Cleveland or in one of the many other pockets of “LeBron Hate.”

Miami is the NBA’s 2012 Champs. LeBron is MVP. The most controversial and tacky (that ESPN special still makes my skin crawl) career move in NBA history has been vindicated.

After last year’s playoff loss, LeBron went home and didn’t come out for weeks. I honestly think it was a time for some self-reflection for the talented but ever cocky forward. And then he did what he needed to do, he worked on his identity as a player. “Last year I played like I had something to prove,” he said. “I played with a lot of hate. That’s not the way I play. I play with a lot of love.” I think it’s time the rest of us let go of the hate as well, because honestly it’s just bad karma.

I wanted the Thunder to win, mainly because I love watching Kevin Durant and his lanky arms dunk like a maniac and I think Oklahoma City would cherish a title. Miami is a narcissistic paradise that doesn’t need the ego boost, but I bet they sure knew how to throw a sweet after party. I think we’re going to see quite a few Thunder-Heat match-ups  in the finals for the next few years because neither team is lacking any talent.

The one criticism I’d like to throw out there is about the championship t-shirts. I thought Miami was a stylish trend-setting city for fashion? Those tees are NASTY – and not in a good way. I know you can’t do much with the logo, but the retro red horizontal stripes in the background are awfully ugly. Adidas you can do better than that.

Heat Take Game 4 in the Finals; Thunder Need to Rally

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It pains me to say this, but the Miami Heat are one game away from clinching the NBA Championship title. They lead the series 3-1 after they topped the OKC Thunder 104-98 in Game 4 and with the 2-3-2 format of the NBA Finals they have another home game for Game 5, all the odds are in their favor.

Here are some memorable moments from Game 4: 

  1. This little lady, Julia Dale, sang the National Anthem at last night’s game and man does she have some pipes for an 11-year-old. Don’t be fooled, this isn’t Julia’s first rodeo, she sang the anthem during the 2011 NBA Finals as well and received a standing ovation from the crowd.
  2. In general, people don’t like the Heat because of their attitudes and diva-like habits. Dwyane Wade embraced stereotypical Heat behavior when he “injured” his back on a nicely braced fall, hobbled off the court holding his back, and was back in the game bouncing around within seconds. FAKER. Wade finished with 25 points on 19 shots, five rebounds, three assists, two steals, and two blocks.
  3. The West’s favorite fashion forward point guard has a brag and boo for Game 4. Russell Westbrook’s explosive 43-point performance in Game 4 ranks up there as one of the best in recent NBA Finals history (brag). Unfortunately, I think the majority of fans will remember his lapse of awareness in the finals seconds that cost the Thunder a chance to tie the game and sealed the deal for Miami (boo). Since 1985, only three players have scored more points in the finals and the list includes: Michael Jordan, Allen Iverson and Shaquille O’Neal. That’s an elite bunch if you ask me.
  4. King James had a king cramp in the final minutes of the fourth quarter. Why was Bron Bron so dehydrated? Can’t handle the Heat? Or was he out at the clubs partying too hard? Regardless, watching Lebron sit on his little blue mat to stretch at the end of the game gave me a chuckle. James led Miami with 26 points, 12 assists and nine rebounds.
  5. The Heat’s Mario Chalmers had one of the best games of his career; coming up big when it mattered most. Chalmers had a post-season high scoring19 of his 25 points in the second half, 12 of them coming in the fourth quarter when Lebron was struggling with his man cramps.

It’s not very likely that the Thunder will come back from being down 3-1 in the NBA Finals to claim the crown, but hopefully they put up a decent fight in Game 5. I’d like to see at least one more game in Oklahoma City before this series is over. Make’em work!