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Celtics-Heat Game 7: Chris Bosh becomes the ultimate ‘stretch’ four
Jun 10, 2012, 3:01 AM EDT
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Tell me you saw it coming. I’ll call you a liar. Chris Bosh, the most maligned of the Big 3 in Miami, the one everyone questions the toughness of, put the Miami Heat in the NBA Finals. Eight-for-10, 19 points, eight rebounds and it doesn’t even begin to describe his performance in the Heat’s 101-88 win…
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Heat coach Erik Spoelstra told reporters prior to Game 7 that Chris Bosh would not start but will play in Game 7. Bosh played more minutes in Game 6 than in Game 7, and it’s difficult to see the advantage in feeding Udonis Haslem to the KG lions, but maybe Spoelstra’s “riding the hot hand”…
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Stan Van Gundy’s unfiltered these days. He’s no longer employed by a team, so he’s kind of free to spout off however he likes. He’s not a guy who says things just to say them, like his brother, he has a tremendous amount of respect for players and coaches in the NBA and will want…
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With so much on the line in Game 7, what are the things that will decide this game? What does it come down to? Here are five things to watch as the Boston Celtics meet the Miami Heat in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals Saturday night. 1. For the love of God, stop…
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Heat-Celtics Game 7 Preview: The thing about chaos is it’s fair
Jun 9, 2012, 2:30 PM EDT
You want to know the truth about this game, the hidden, ugly, “no one will talk about it because it’s like running a news report on the Disney Channel about how Santa isn’t real” truth? Game 7 between the Heat and the Celtics? All that drama, all the impact on legacies and careers and the…
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You know, sometimes, when it rains, it pours. You’re living the life. You’ve got a custom tricked out motorcycle with Manu Ginobili‘s face on it, the Spurs are the favorites to win the Western Conference Finals and advance with a shot at their fifth title, you’re high on cocaine, the weather in San Antonio is…
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Celtics-Heat Game 7 Preview: The disturbing mystery of Dwyane Wade
Jun 9, 2012, 11:30 AM EDT
Dwyane Wade has not been good. No superstar has struggled more in the Conference Finals than Wade, which is bizarre considering his matchups. Wade’s facing Ray Allen, who is better, but not completely back from bone spurs. He should be eating him alive. But the Celtics’ help defense has been brutal in cutting off Wade’s…
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Game 7 Saturday night between the Celtics and Heat would honestly be better had the Celtics not won the title. You’d have so many legacies on the line. As it stands, this is the Celtics’ push for a second title, which just isn’t as much of a big deal. It’s not even as important as a…
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“He’s not smiling.” I made that remark to my wife Thursday night as the Heat took the floor for Game 6 in Boston when I saw LeBron James, a serious, almost somber look on his face. James is a known “happy-go-fun” guy, often to the annoyance of teammates and opponents. Sure, he tries to look…
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It was always going to be like this. Build your skill set in the comfort of a rebuilding team with low expectations. Take the next step as an exciting bad team in a new environment with a surprisingly rabid crowd. Make the jump to the playoffs and put a shock on the champs, showing that…
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Celtics-Heat Game 5: Erik Spoelstra vs. the depths of pressure
Jun 6, 2012, 10:59 AM EDT
The thing you have to understand is that I don’t think you can really study Erik Spoelstra and think he’s a bad coach. His preparation, his devotion, his work ethic, his approach, most of his tactics, and his overall intelligence make it pretty hard to validate what so many people say about him, just because…
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Celtics-Heat Game 4: It was more about the Celtics defense than anything
Jun 4, 2012, 11:03 AM EDT
“OH, LEBRON PASSED! HE SHRINKS FROM THE MOMENT!” “WADE COULDN’T HIT THE BIGGEST SHOT WHEN HE NEEDED TO!” OK, moving back to the real world, where fairytales aren’t spun on the dreams of angels and people are taking it one game at a time giving 110 percent, there’s something that’s going to be lost in…
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Celtics-Heat Game 4: Rajon Rondo punks Heat in halftime interview on whining about officiating
Jun 4, 2012, 12:42 AM EDT
![spt-nba-rondo-120603.standard[1]](http://nbcprobasketballtalk.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/spt-nba-rondo-120603-standard1.jpg?w=200&h=168&crop=1)
Rajon Rondo, after dropping 10 assists in the first half of the Celtics’ Game 4 win over the Heat, spoke to ESPN reporter Doris Burke for the standard halftime interview. And took a shot at the Heat right off the bat. “They’re complaining and crying to referees in transition.” That’s pretty succinct. Rondo’s correct in…
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When the process matters: Why Charlotte should trade the No.2 pick
Jun 3, 2012, 7:00 PM EDT
Let’s start off with some instant rebuttal to the premature outcry that headline above is going to muster. First, the basics. The Charlotte Bobcats, in a continuing pattern regarding their awful, horrendous, terrible franchise history, lost the lottery’s No.1 pick despite a 1-in-4 chance to land Anthony Davis. The Bobcats are an awful, awful basketball…
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The Bulls, Steve Nash, Jason Kidd, and walking the walk vs. talking the talk
Jun 3, 2012, 5:30 PM EDT
See, here’s the problem with the superstar team-up era. The Chicago Bulls have put together a team that features a perennial MVP candidate at 23, an All-Star wing defender who can shoot, a hyper-active emotional powderkeg with some offensive skills built in at seven-feet, a deep bench, some microwave scorers… and Carlos Boozer. (No one’s…
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Celtics-Heat Game 4: The bizarre development of the Boston offensive juggernaut
Jun 3, 2012, 2:00 PM EDT
It makes no sense, you understand. We’re talking about throwing away not just the stats, forget the stats. We’ve seen it. We’ve seen the Boston offense not only struggle, but look absolutely apoplectic for six months. That Sixers series was something out of a Rob Zombie film on offense. It wasn’t just gross, it was…
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Alonzo Gee is what you might call a value free-agent this summer. The Cavs forward has athleticism, youth on his side, a versatile skill-set, and strong upside. But he hasn’t played well enough or under a big enough microscope to carry with him serious buzz. So teams are going to get their shot at making…
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Same story, different day. Chris Bosh will not be riding to the rescue of the Miami Heat as they try and put the chokehold on the Celtics in Game 4 in Boston.ESPN reports: Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said Saturday that Bosh won’t play Sunday and reiterated the All-Star forward has not yet advanced far enough…
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Reporter: “It seemed like [Durant] took over.” Popovich: “It didn’t ‘seem’ like that. That was a fact. I was there. I saw it. He was great.” — Alex Kennedy (@AlexKennedyNBA) June 3, 2012 And that’s why Pop’s the best. Durant’s performance in Game 4 was not the first dominant performance Popovich has seen in the…
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Report: Suns to pursue Deron Williams. What, is Magic Johnson unavailable?
Jun 2, 2012, 9:00 PM EDT
The New York Daily News reports that if Steve Nash leaves the Suns in free agency, the Suns will make a bid for Deron Williams. “If they lose Steve, then they plan to go after Deron, hard,” said a person with knowledge of the Suns’ plans. “They know he loves golf and they’re going to…
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Video: This should get you suitably excited for Thunder-Spurs Game 4
Jun 2, 2012, 7:30 PM EDT
No words necessary. Get your popcorn. Via @calebjsaenz on Twitter.
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Celtics-Heat Game 4: Celtics can survive a LeBron onslaught, can Heat survive another Rondomination?
Jun 2, 2012, 5:42 PM EDT
Here’s the secret to this series, and the Celtics’ postseason in general. Kevin Garnett getting points off the pick and pop and in the post over Ronny Turiaf and yelling and barking and cursing is nice. Paul Pierce getting an inefficient number of points per FGA is fine. Ray Allen hitting some in-between freezeouts is…
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Report: Warriors targeting Iguodala, Gay, Granger, unicorns, hippogriffs
Jun 2, 2012, 2:00 PM EDT
The Warriors at this point might as well put up a big neon sign outside their offices that read “TRADE MARKET FLEA SALE TODAY!” Ever since they went into tank mode, they have made it known that their players are available for trade and that they want a small forward in return. And by landing…
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The New Orleans Hornets and a matter of serendipity, not conspiracy
Jun 2, 2012, 12:30 PM EDT
Maybe they’re right. Maybe the league, in the face of unfathomable depths of reason to avoid the concept like the plague (which I have outlined here), really did rig the 2012 NBA Lottery in order to help the Hornets after a rough year, or dot the i’s on the sale of the team to Tom…
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Seriously, this is the most serious of seriousness. This is the business. This game is monstrous. All those games before that were big? No, this one is big. BIG. Like, those commercials big. Thunder-Spurs Game 4 is going to have dramatic ramifications either way. If the Spurs win, the Thunder’s Game 3 win is meaningless…
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Video: Grizzlies ready for 'running' Spurs
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Video: Durant won't 'compromise himself' like other stars
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Video: Knicks avoid elimination
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Video: Heat finish off Bulls, James 'has no energy left'
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Video: Health woes make Heat vulnerable
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Video: Good news for Sacramento, Kings stay
