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The Miami Heat are trying to keep their composure after LeBron James’s decision to take his talents back to Cleveland.
Thankfully, Pat Riley has managed to avoid a total destruction of his team, following LeBron’s departure. Chris Bosh was re-signed to a long term contract, Dwyane Wade will also be back and the Heat managed to land one of the top free agents available in the market this summer, Luol Deng. So, what lies ahead for the Heat? How far can this team really go?
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He did it.
It wasn’t easy.
It took a lot of pandering, false parallels, unfair doling out of responsibilities, and a pinch of dog whistle, but Rick Telander managed to connect this city’s position in NBA free agency to the plague of gun violence here. It’s brilliant in its absurdity, magnificent in how dually counterproductive it is to both the topic of sports contracts and to people being murdered en masse.
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Yes, Heat fans. You heard it right. LeBron James is going nowhere.
He is staying in South Beach.
And for all those fans of other teams around the league, we have some bad news. There are multiple reasons why LeBron James will simply stick with the Heat for many seasons to come. Let’s have a look at some of the most significant and realistic reasons why James is staying put. [Read more…]
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Miami Heat forwards Chris Bosh and Udonis Haslem joined guard Dwyane Wade in opting out of their contracts, leaving Norris Cole as the only player the team has under contract heading into the 2014 free agency period.
Cole is scheduled to make $2,038,206 this season, and Shabazz Napier – who the Heat acquired in a draft-night trade from the Charlotte Hornets – will carry a $1,032,200 cap hit until he signs a contract later this summer. [Read more…]
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The Miami Heat and their “Big Three” are currently standing at a crossroads. Each member of the big three, as well as the rest of the team, will have to make some very important decisions this summer. Will they stay united and give it another go for the championship?
Or will they decide to part ways and seek a better, more suitable environment? Well, that’s another article for another day. Today, we’ll look at the rest of the roster.
(UPDATE: Lebron James opts-out! Here’s an in-depth assessment of Miami team needs this offseason, in light of this news)
(UPDATE: Heat entirely clear their roster, Bosh officially opts-out, what does this mean and what will they do with the cap space? how will this affect Pat Riley’s future?)
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Paul George had 37 points and six steals to help the Indiana Pacers erase a nine point halftime deficit, but did their win do anything more than delay the inevitable for 48 hours?
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The Miami Heat have taken control over the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference Finals. In fact, LeBron James and Co. have had a much easier trip than initially expected up to now. As the series move on, it is interesting to examine the top three players’ matchups of this series. Let’s break down. [Read more…]
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The Miami Heat and the Oklahoma City Thunder entered the 2014 NBA Playoffs as two of the strongest favorites for the NBA Championship. Up to now, they still hold this title and they have already shown their teeth. Although we still don’t know of the two teams will make it to the NBA Finals, it is interesting to examine which of the two powerhouses holds the upper hand in a potential rematch of the 2012 NBA Finals. Let’s break down.
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During the 2013 playoffs we all saw how close the Miami Heat and the Indiana Pacers were. The defending champs only managed to crack the Pacers’ resistance in Game 7 and they did that with much difficulty. Every NBA fan is eagerly waiting to see the rematch of last year’s Eastern Conference Finals. The two teams made sure to perform several moves, strengthen their armor as they get ready for the final battle.
Andrew Bynum is the latest piece of the puzzle for Frank Vogel’s group. But will he have a determining role in the outcome of the game? And could we say the same for Miami Heat’s reborn center, Greg Oden?
As things look at the moment, this battle goes above and beyond just Oden and Bynum. Let’s see why.
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At the age of 28, LeBron James has now achieved what he ever wanted. He is a two-time NBA champion, a four-time regular season MVP and a two-time Olympic Gold medalist. What could a player like LeBron want more, now that he is in the top of the world?
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Having exceeded everyone’s expectations of them except their own, having pushed the defending NBA champion Miami Heat to the precipice, the Indiana Pacers find themselves with a remarkable opportunity tonight at American Airlines Arena.
One win in Miami, in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals, for a trip to the franchise’s first NBA Finals since 2000.
It’s funny; the Pacers felt as if they shouldn’t have had much to prove and yet they did (as center Roy Hibbert elaborated in a post-Game 6 press conference that got him fined $75,000). Now, having knotted the Heat at three games apiece at the end of this semifinal series, the vibe is that this Pacers team has proven its mettle to the public. Indiana’s only remaining task is to prove to itself it can win tonight’s monumental matchup. [Read more…]
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Lance Stephenson went by the nickname “Born Ready” as one of the nation’s top high-school basketball players and one of the most decorated New York prep products.
Often times, during his one year at Cincinnati and his first two seasons with the Indiana Pacers, Stephenson made folks wonder if the “Born Ready” tag was purely hype and little substance amid instances of immaturity and lack of production.
However, with Danny Granger sidelined for virtually the entire 2012-13 season with a knee injury, the 6-6 Stephenson capitalized on the opportunity at starter’s minutes, and he put a huge exclamation on his remarkable improvement last Saturday with a 25-point, 10-rebound effort (including a clutch nine-point fourth quarter) to lead the Pacers to a series-clinching Game 6 victory over the New York Knicks and a date with the Miami Heat in the NBA’s Eastern Conference Finals, which begin with today’s Game 1 at 8:30 p.m. in Miami.
That Game 6 performance suggested Stephenson indeed may have been “Born Ready.” The Pacers hope that’s the case regardless, but it very well might be key to their chances at defeating Miami and earning a trip to their first NBA Finals since 2000.
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