Welcome to the 2012 NBA Playoffs. This year's theme: Let's Roll Over For The Miami Heat.
In Year 9 of his NBA career, LeBron James wants to win his first championship, and apparently everyone else wants him to win it, too. He certainly seems to have their full cooperation. The only way the rest of the league could have made this any easier for James is if Kobe Bryant ran into one of Metta Peace's elbows.
It's not enough that James took his talents to Miami, or that he arranged to form The Big Three; now the Heat's rivals seem to be doing all they can to help James fill the glaring hole in his resume. At this rate, he can start sizing his ring.
The Chicago Bulls tied for the best record in the NBA this season and seemed like the one team that could prevent the Heat from reaching the Finals again. Then Derek Rose, the NBA's 2011 Most Valuable Player, went down with a torn ACL injury during a Game 1 playoff victory over Philadelphia. He is out for the rest of the playoffs and then some.
Inquiring minds want to know: Why was Rose still on the floor with the Bulls holding a big lead late in the game?
LeBron sends his thanks.
The L.A. Lakers and Kobe Bryant are always a threat in the playoffs, or they were until Ron "Call me Metta World Peace" Artest threw a vicious elbow into the head of Oklahoma City's James Harden in a late-season game. Artest â€" has he really earned the name "Peace?" â€" was suspended for the first seven games of the playoffs.
Even Bryant needs help from his teammates, and Artest was providing it with a recent resurgence. But the Lakers knew what they were getting with Artest and they got it. Artest apologized, noting that his flying elbow seemed like anger but was actually passion. Or stupidity, whatever. He later referred to it as an "accidental elbow" in a Tweet.
Bron Bron sends his thanks and good wishes in the anger management course.
The Boston Celtics, the Atlantic Division champs and another Eastern Conference threat for the Heat, lost Game 1 of the playoffs to Atlanta and now they've lost Rajon Rondo, who was suspended for Game 2 for chest-bumping a ref. At least he's a fast learner. Rondo, the league's leader in assists, was suspended for two games earlier this season for throwing a ball at an official. With Rondo out and Ray Allen sidelined with an injured ankle, the Celtics appear to be in trouble.
And King James thanks them.
No comments:
Post a Comment