Smack / May 27, 2011 / 12:57 am

LeBron and the Heat Stab the Bulls in the Heart

By

LeBron James

LeBron James (photo. Mannion)

If these conference finals proved anything, it’s that experience means something. But so does thirst. That thirst for a ring drove the Mavs to take out the Thunder and last night, the Heat, specifically LeBron James, used that thirst to stab Chicago in the heart. With three minutes left, the Bulls were up 12, playing the exact rumble-in-the-mud game they wanted with the exact relentlessness we expected, and we figured it was a formality. Game 6. Miami. Here we come. Except it didn’t happen. The Heat came back to win 83-80. They survived more than anything else, simply the last men standing in this brawl. And sometimes, that’s all you need. So finally the NBA is going to get what they want: LeBron vs. Ko…wait what? Oh yeah … Down 12 with three minutes left, Miami closed quickly on a D-Wade three-point play and a LeBron trey. After a D-Rose (9-for-29 shooting, 25 points, eight assists) floater, Wade banged a four-point play and James walked into a three on the next possession to tie it up. Sense a theme? The King provided the finishing touches with a steal off Rose (117 points on 120 shots this series) and a one-dribble pull-up over Ronnie Brewer (how did he not know James would go left and rise?) Rose had a couple of chances, but he failed those as well. First, he missed a potential-tying free throw. Then, his three was blocked by ‘Bron at the buzzer. Unreal finish. LeBron answered every question possible: his clutch, his deep shooting, his defense, his competitive spirit, and he did it all against the MVP (who couldn’t score late and was the one defending most of the ridiculous Miami shots) … If this guy was your dad, brother, husband, lover, friend or boss, what would you do? … How good is Miami? So good that not even six minutes in, they were already up 12-6 and the Chicago crowd was completely dead. It felt like the fans were resigned to a loss. Oh, Carlos Boozer just airballed a layup? Cool. But from there, Luol Deng (18 points) finally woke the crowd up by catching LeBron slipping, dunking on him on the break. We could’ve sworn afterwards that we saw James (28 points, 11 rebounds, six assists) meander over to the TNT table and mouth something to the guys behind the cameras. We’re also convinced baby Carlos from the Hangover could rebound better than Boozer (five points, six rebounds). LeBron’s J was working early, and with D-Wade’s shoulder problems and Bosh starting slow (20 points, 10 rebounds), it felt like we were watching a Cleveland/Chicago game from 2010. The second ‘Bron left for the bench in the second quarter, the Bulls pushed the lead up to double digits. If it wasn’t for Mike Miller, who hit three more shots in the first half, it could’ve gotten ugly. The real Mike Miller must’ve been let out of the carbonite recently because he’s been ballin’ like he’s back at Florida … On the first 22 possessions of the third, the two teams combined for 13 total points. The Bulls were hitting the glass hard and waiting for a Wade turnover every other possession. Wade’s (21 points, nine turnovers) night got so bad that by the middle of the quarter, the TNT guys were hypothesizing that there was something else going on with him. There has to be. He just passed up an open foul-line J, they said. These “off-court problems” seem to be affecting way too many players in the last few playoff runs. Alas, his late-game theatrics made up for it … The most ironic moment was easily Reggie Miller talking about ‘Bron’s ridiculous flop pretending to get hit in the face by Rose (Didn’t LeBron just buy a stake in a soccer team?). Miller started singing the King’s praises, basically handing him an Oscar … Let the predictions start. It’s a rematch of 2006: Miami and Dallas. Who’ll have the bigger mismatch against the defense: LeBron or Dirk? Who will be the x-factor? Who wants it more? Who needs it more? So much drama. So much at stake. Tuesday night: 9 p.m. ET. Get ready … Now that we know Jason Terry‘s tattoo of the NBA championship trophy inspired the Mavs, what will the Heat do? Count on Pat Riley to come up with some over-the-top thought with an even more ridiculous meaning that ends up somehow inspiring everyone … While we may not always check for his work, we still had to show this performance some love because Wale is rocking the new Washington jersey. Are those not immediately one of the top five jerseys in the league? … As we said earlier this week, Kentucky topped the list of schools former high school star Ryan Harrow was looking to transfer to. Now, it’s official: Harrow is a Wildcat. He joins an incoming freshmen class that can only be described as scary … We’re out like Inside The NBA.

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  • http://www.facebook.com/loganlight loganlight

    Dallas has won at least 5 of their playoff games coming back in the 4th quarter and especially the final 5 minutes. Miami turns their defense into steel walls in the final 5 minutes… who wins that battle?

    Also, if you live by the jumper, aren’t you supposed to die by the jumper? Hasn’t Dallas lived off of open jump shots? At some point you have to think that they will go cold and that will equal a Miami blowout.

    Fans of the Heat have been on this boat all year long. We all knew that this is what this team could do. Now that we have put it together -sooner than EVERYONE else expected- the entire L better start game planning their rosters to meet us. LeBron is that dude. Wade is a monster. Bosh turned into an assassin with his jumper. LOVE IT.

    More importantly, I love the hate. Never knew that so many people would get so jaded about this team.

    HEAT IN 4.

  • http://deleted dagwaller

    What do ya’ll think of this?

    http://basketball.realgm.com/wiretap/213886/Blazers_Considering_Asking_Roy_To_Retire_To_Clear_Cap_Space

    Obviously it’s just a quick article, but the possibility that Brandon Roy might RETIRE?!?!

    And at the end of the article, they allude to the fact that Roy might simply be let go by the Blazers.

    Crazy

  • heckler

    DeShawn Stevenson vs LeBron James for the ‘chip…..

    hahahaha.
    now deshawn has a chance to backup his OVERrated comment.

    Shouts out to Drew Gooden who snitched the whole “LeBron is overrated’ thing to begin with.

  • Atom

    Off topic, but watching lebron and harden acting up a storm in the last round had me thinking about the league making a big deal a couple of years ago about cutting down on flopping by issuing fines after the fact. Has this EVER happened? Players flagrantly do it all the time, and it could easliy be fined, but I don’t remember them ever doing anything. Until there are some reprecussions players will game the system. I would rather they enforced the rule though and the game was more about playing ball and less about getting calls

  • JBaller

    Crazy end to both conference finals with come from behind wins to clinch. Mavs and Heat both want it so bad and they deserve to be there. I’d like to see the Mavs win so that all those veterans get rings, but it’s gonna be hard to get past the Heat the way their playing.

    Bring on the 2006 finals redux!

  • top_gun

    Someone get LeBron an Oscar
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ihuOrQHSjWQ

  • LeRoy Green

    *kicks in the door like S.W.A.T*

    *see’s Sporty-Gay passed out on the couch after victory celebration*

    *shaves his eyebrows, paints his face Mavs blue*

    *smashes his girlfriend raw while she’s passed out on the couch like ol girl in that movie KIDS*

    *spraypaints DALLAS all over the walls*

    *breaks things, leaves*

  • K Dizzle

    LMAO!

    #57 might be early candidate for post of the day

  • LeRoy Green

    seriously tho….good win for the Heat. The Bulls had that shit wrapped up but Rose couldn’t get ANY help down the stretch (Deng always seems to dissapear at the WORST times as Rose’s sidekick smh). Miami got some favorable calls and made some TOUGH shots to get back in it and over come the Bulls. I would’ve loved to see those teams play one more time cuz it was a battle all series long.

    Sporty J……STFU. You actin like it was total domination or somethin, the Bulls were close to winning both of the last 2 games but they couldnt make it happen down the stretch.

    And here it is….the rematch. Yall don’t even know how bad i wanna see Dallas do this shit. Back in 06 I recorded every finals game on VHS and after my heart was broken by Wade (+ Stern) and company I watched those tapes and relived the pain over and over. I love the Mavs more than any other team in the world (i’m a Cowboys/Rangers/Stars fan too)so to see them do this would be the greatest sports moment in my lifetime. It won’t be easy, the Heat have assembled by FAR the best starting lineup in basketball. The Mavs will have to get the BEST out of EVERY player on the roster to beat Miami 4 times in a series. Peja, Haywood, Barea, Brewer…these guys gotta play their hearts out everytime they get minutes. Marion/Kidd/Terry/Chandler all have alot of experience in this league and we’ll need every ounce of heart and soul that they have to get this done right. Dirk has to play like white Jesus, which he has been, and hopefully he can continue to exercise the demons of 2006. Can’t wait till Tuesday night, it’ll be a hell of a game 1 in Miami. Dallas thrives on the road and ESPECIALLY when we’re considered the under dog. We’ll see if they really want it.
    DALLAS BITCH

    ps: Sporty J i’ma f*ck ya girl in the face wit a Dirk Nowitzki wig on if we win this thing. No shots homie

  • Claw

    So the Heat beat the Bulls, and Rose falters down the stretch, just saw that with OKC against Dallas, young and inexperienced and don’t know how to close.

    @Sporty Spice – let here the prediction! Heat sweep!

    I don’t see Dallas choking I see them killing the Heat with their depth, I’m saying 6 games.

    So far the Heat haven’t done anything that the Cavs haven’t already done, lets see Bron actually close out and then he gets his props.

    What is up with the gay and faggotry and inability to spell? Heat haven’t won shit yet, let the games begin!

    @chicagorilla – Boozer f*ing sucks!

  • http://deleted dagwaller

    @ LeRoy – dude I was thinking about boycotting this site for the next 5 years, but that post has brought me back hahahahahaha

    @Chicagorilla – please tell me you have some pull in the Chicago front office and just buy Boozer out. Don’t even try to trade him, just give him away and let Taj Gibson get some more PT.

    And why was Kurt Thomas on the floor with Noah watching at the end?!

  • JEAR18

    Dallas is gon beat the HEAT with their DEPTH .. ?? .. wasnt that said with the BULLS/CELTICS ?? .. i am alright with a lil hate here n there .. but lets be real .. the MAVS havent faced a perimeter defense in the playoffs like the HEAT .. i know DIRK gon get his .. all heat can do is make things tougher for DIRK .. but he gon get the same treatment as DROSE did .. and DIRK is gon have to play more D in this series compared to the OKC and LAKESHOW ones ..

  • LakeShow84

    Wooowwwwwwwwzzzeeerrrsss

    Was i the only one who watched that game??????????

    FIRST OFF… Lebron was there damn near ALLL GAME (and mad props for those 2 3′s) but DWade brought them back

    Phantom 3 point play

    and a

    Phantom 4 point play

    It must really suck when THE MVP of the league is getting bumped on damn near every drive and getting fouls called 1 out of 7 times LMAO then you got Wade YELLIN and drawin fouls..

    I know we aint supposed to talk about it but SERIOUSLY.. the officiating once again was biased.. You couldnt even tell that was in Chicago LMAO

    So with all that being said

    Dallas in 6 or 7.. Dallas isnt going to let the 4th slip away like that.. Chicago’s offense flatlined every 4th quarter this series.. Dallas wont go through that with they veteran squad.. plus WAY MORE weapons..

    I cant believe how BITCHMADE Boozer has played.. i said it at the beginning he had a chance to earn his ticket.. And he flopped.. which is weird because in Utah he wasnt THIS BAD in the playoffs..

    Oh well

    Mavs in 6.. if they execute.. and beat the 8 players the MIA Heat and NBA put on the court lol

  • Big Island

    @JAY and LeRoy – A couple of errors/omissions in otherwise great posts.

    First, JAY, you know Sporty doesn’t have a job, and the last one he had was sticking flyers on windows in front of a Home Depot somewhere, so there is no way he could be online doing anything since he doesn’t have a smart phone.

    Second, LeRoy, you know Sporty still lives with his mom, and without a doubt he has no girl. So you’d be breaking into his mom’s house, breaking her shit, and then screwing her silly. Now that might actually be better when you think about it because there is no comeback when you fuck someone’s mom, but I’d steer clear of that. I am 99.9% sure her snatch has teeth and her mouth doesn’t.

  • http://www.facebook.com/loganlight loganlight

    Here’s the deal:

    “You can say what you want about LBJ and Wade, but please do not deny that they are fantastic players who both work the game as it is now built. They continuously put the refs in a position to make a call, and more times than not, the refs are going to err on the side of a foul.

    “Flops and phantom calls may not have existed in the 80′s and 90′s, but they do now and EVERY star takes advantage of them. Even Rose and Noah. Even Pierce. Even Ray. Even Melo, Dwight, CP3, Noah, Kobe, Dirk. Even KD, Westbrook, Jennings, Evans, Ellis, Gay, and Griffin.

    “Unfortunately it’s how the game is built now. When you choose to not play to its weakness, you lose.”

  • LeRoy Green

    I am 99.9% sure her snatch has teeth and her mouth doesn’t

    ^^^^^^

    WOWWWW

    L M A O ! !

  • wtf

    Calls were pretty even both ways honsetly

  • LakeShow84

    One thing is forsure..

    Chicago is going to come back PISSED next year..

    That was the worst closeout game ive seen in awhile.. Well just the worst way to lose lol

    DAMN that was FUGLY

  • pharoah

    stop it with these “biased calls”. wade and THE BRON JAMES attacked the basket all series long and drew fouls bcuz of it. every1 saw it in the replays. rose on the other hand couldnt even get by the guy who was checking him unless it was in transition, so where the hell are yall getting “he sould have gotten calls” from? and their coach tibbs needs to quit sayn that shit in the postgame interviews. its givin rose an excuse while in actuality, like i said in my previous post (31), rose just sucked.

  • pharoah

    is it me, or are the BULLS supporting cast getting unnecessary ridicule? watch the games. every1 of them came down to the wire (no thanx to rose). this was bcuz the supporting cast defended, rebounded, and scored at a pretty consistantly level. the truth about the matter is that they didnt get any help from their “superstar”. to be honest, Deng was probably their best player all series.

  • LakeShow84

    Listen u fucks

    for every 3 neutral bystanders that say it was a HORRIBLY called game there is going to be 6 blind people who say they thought the game was called correctly..

    Im not saying thats the WHOLE reason Chicago lost.. they wet the bed.. they are a young team and they crumbled in the 4th the past 2 games.. same with OKC

    BUT

    Dont sit up here and fuckin tell me that 4th quarter last night was called both ways..

    GTFFFOOOOOHHHHHHHHHH

    Im just sayin all this because no one ever does.. i was disgusted with the officiating of last years Finals and i rarely said anything.. as a neutral party right now???

    i can say whatever the F i want lol

  • LakeShow84

    @ Pharoah

    Boozer deserves ALL THE RIDICULE lol

  • K Dizzle

    Bulls legitimately gave away 3 games this series. Worst 4th quarter execution for a team that been doin it all year. Difference between success and failure:
    DRose hittin the shot. Game 4, D-Rose missed 2 jumpers to win. Game 5, he turns it over on a pass attempt then forces a shot that gets blocked when Korver is wide open at the top.
    I actually read a post sayin some stupid shit like:
    “Nice try, Bulls, but your run is over”
    LOL Are dudes really that dense? DRose is right where he needs to be. Painful loss after an amazing regular season.
    All part of the process.
    Feel for Bulls fans that Scott Foster was makin calls like it was a Miami home game, but the important thing is that, in the last 3 games, the Bulls had their chances to win. Good solid squad. Asik’s injury hurt a little, but not as much as Korver and Boozer’s ineffectiveness.

    Don’t really get why Thibs didn’t give Rasual Butler a shot. He was hittin like 50+% of his 3s in Chicago and can actually play defense. Leaned too much on Korver n he was invisible.

    I wanna give props to Luol Deng tho. Dude balled his ass off. Played Lebron as well as anybody I’ve ever seen and actually made him work on the defensive end.
    I like this squad. Pick up a TMac, Nick Young, Afflalo, shoot, maybe even a JR Smith, give Gibson more minutes and they’ll be back next year.

    Too bad they couldn’t have got Amare instead of Boozer…

  • pharoah

    calm down lakeshow84, i know its tough for your team to get swept in the 2nd round. but tell the truth, the whole series was called pretty evenly. both teams bcuz of their defensive reputation was allowed a little rough-housing (excluding boozer obvious attempts to be a goon). they both also shot a lot of free-throws; with the only difference in the number being the consistency of WADE and BRON’s attacking.

  • pharoah

    lakeshow84, i missed the lol part in your Refs bashing post. are you joking or serious? bcuz u seem like an intelligent guy thats been postin here for a while. i dont think you seriuosly believe that the calls were biased in the series.

  • pharoah

    heat over mavs in 5

  • QQ

    Is it really more fun to call Lebron James ‘THE BRON JAMES’?

    Can anyone tell me what a ‘bron’ is?

    But damn…

    The Finals matchup would be fun, cause we can finally The Bron James duke it out with a rival…

    The Shawn Stevenson.

  • LakeShow84

    OH IM SERIOUS lol

    I hated how that whole series was officiated.. basically just the fact Rose wasnt getting calls he was getting ALL YEAR..

    But i dont want to discuss officiating lol i just wanted to say my part..

    Like i said before MIA won it.. they EARNED their way.. you cant put it all on officiating.. Chicago’s offense in the 4th was FUGLY.. they wilted.. they’re young

    but still.. MIA had a lil bit of help :)

    it was just funny.. i was watching the game with a big smile on my face lol

  • LakeShow84

    That 4 point play from Wade was ridiculous

    late whistle and all lmao

  • JAY

    “…because there is no comeback when you fuck someone’s mom”
    ^^^ Ain’t that the truth. That’s why the Bulls should bring in, and start Delonte West. And he should change his last name to “Gloria” so it’s on his back.

    and I agree with everything Lakeshow is saying. That 4th quarter last night was horrible. No way was it called evenly. The refs’ whistles clearly favored Miami.

  • http://deleted dagwaller

    Just have to look at the FTs each team got. You knew going in that it wouldn’t be even, but damn.

    On the other hand, the Mavs overcame the same thing. Let’s hope they can do it in the Finals.

  • LakeShow84

    Rose shouldve hit that FT to tie too tho.. like i said Chicago shouldve/couldve won last night they just didnt know how in the face of that much adversity..

    Ah growing pains lol

    If Rose continues to progress (as he has the last 2 years) then i think next year he’ll be ready for the late stages of the money rounds.. gotta trust your shot kid..

    He isnt AFRAID to take it.. he just doesnt trust it yet..

  • pharoah

    QQ, trust me, it is much more fun to say THE BRON JAMES.

    definition BRON: one whose level of ability utterly exceeds every1 else’s night-in and night-out; one who wins 2 consecutive MVPs, and pretty much tells this yr’s MVP that the only reason he got it is bcuz “i took my talents to South Beach”; one who in the last few min of a close game all of sudden becomes a DEMON.

  • JAY
  • DH

    The 4 point play was ridiculous…because he was legitimately fouled. Isn’t that the call Jordan got ALL THE TIME? You can’t hit a dude’s elbow while he’s shooting.

  • JAY

    Hmmmmmmm… you guys think the refs weren’t biased during the last quarter??
    I’m reading on various sites that Mike Bibby threw a towel into the air as Rose took his second free-throw. To my knowledge, players cannot throw anything in the air to distract ongoing play. If Bibby did it, that should have been a technical foul… one shot with possession on the side.

    I’m trying to find a video to post here but I’m at work so not everything is available to me. Can somebody else find it and share?

  • LakeShow84

    If he was hit on the elbow the foul shouldve been called WHILE THE BALL WAS IN THE AIR..

    Not after it drops through the net.. They called the foul on Wades KICK OUT.. and refs know better than that nowadays..

    Like i said.. I think DAL plays through all that shit..

  • K Dizzle

    @ DH
    Jordan didn’t get that call nor did he need it…cuz he was fadin away. Jordan got fouled on layups.

    You might be thinkin of Jamal Crawford…he is the all-time leader in 4-point plays

  • QQ

    I’m all for the hate the refs get for giving calls to Miami and Stern finally getting Bron back to the Finals…

    But come on now. Even with all the douchebags and apologists that pushes me to hate everything about Lebron, you could NOT charge that loss to the calls.

    That game was a Bulls win, UNTIL the Heat decided to take it and the Bulls offering no resistance whatsoever.

    I’m all for hating the Heat (see Sporty J), but that was a WIN, if there’s ever one, for them.

  • johnny kilroy

    mad props for bron. three pointer, steal, mid range jumper, then block to finish the bulls off. now that’s a clutch sequence

    d-rose looked like lebron cavs last night – with no help, crumbling in ghe big stage. chicago will get help for him eventually – not that joke boozer. boozer over bosh anyone?

    miami over dallas in 7

  • JAY

    Found it. I can’t watch it at work but here’s a page with the Bibby-tossing-towel-in-the-air video.
    Can someone watch it and post their opinion? Does he throw the towel into the air as a distraction? If so, that’s a blatant technical foul and the refs blew it badly. It’s two-thirds down the page, in the “Sports Video Of The Day” section.

    http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/extramustard/hotclicks/05/27/nadia-bjorlin-scottie-pippen-says-lebron-james-better-than-michael-jordan/index.html?eref=sihp&sct=hp_bf1_a3

  • LakeShow84

    @ JAY

    they missed A WHOLE LOTTA SHIT in that 4th lol

    Just wish you could find a camera angle of a ref lookin right at the shit lmao

  • http://www.dimemag.com Austin Burton

    Please stop trying to blame everything on the refs. If the refs were going to “fix” this game, they would have had it go Chicago’s way in order to prolong the series, which means more games, which means more money. Chicago just dropped the ball and lost a game that will motivate them to win later championships.

    About the Bibby/towel thing, I’ve actually seen Bibby do that before over the years. I’ve seen other players do it too, but they rarely get caught and T’d up. Most likely because the refs aren’t looking at the benches during a FT. The last time I remember somebody getting T’d up for the towel/FT thing, it was Danny Ainge when he was sitting behind the basket in view of the refs.

  • NotaHater

    The Miami Heat are “Hollywood as Hell” Thanks for stating the obvious Joakim Noah, lol.

  • derrick

    Lebron gets my respect and proved he was the best player in that series and that’s why the Heat won. Lets see if the Mavs can stop the Bron and Wade this series cant wait.

  • jdizzle

    And as if us Bulls fans weren’t hurting enough already, Dime had to go and rub it in some more by changing the name of the Smack article. SMDH -20 cool points

  • Stunnaboy2K11

    Come on guys, I am a huge member of the “I hate the Heat” fan club but the refs called that game as fairly as possible. Wade was hit on the elbow and they called it before the shot went in. I know cuz my thought process was “oh shit a whistle he got fou- HE MADE THE SHOT”. Do not know why Chicago stopped running plays in the 4th that made absolutely no sense.

    Mavs in 6 though

  • K Dizzle

    At Stunna -

    so gimme the equivalent of the Lebron “facerake” foul on Rose, the 3rd foul on Boozer on the offensive rebound over DWade, or the technical on Gibson on that same call cuz he was WALKIN AWAY screamin “Nooooooooooo!”

    I can watch the game stressfree cuz my team got bounced weeks ago, but i know when a team gettin screwed. I posted the same thing after, I think game 2, when there were 4 Bulls fouls called in 40 SECONDS to start the 2nd quarter and replays show one might have been a foul.
    Most of the time, these calls came as the Bulls were tryin to take take leads out to double digits and beyond.
    I agree the Bulls disintegrated in the 4th, but i give that young team props for mentally stayin in and keepin the games close before fallin apart.
    We’ve all seen teams allow bad reffing to get them off their groove (Dallas-06)…

  • http://www.DarkWingPro.com DarkWing Productions

    I think the key to this series (and the rest of the playoffs) was Haslem returning and Miller returning to form. We always knew what we’d get outta Wade, LeBron, and Bosh, it was the supporting cast that made everyone nervous. But now that their 4-5 are Miller/Haslem instead of Bibby/Chalmers/Anthony, they look like what we envisioned. Re-read that last sentence – that’s a decent upgrade right there.

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