Category — LeBron

Thunder 106 Lakers 90 to take the series 4-1.
Thunder vs. Spurs for Western supremacy doesn’t start until Sunday in San Antonio. But for those of us in L.A., we’ll read and hear about the speculation of who goes and who stays with the Lakers. Always the kings and queens of drama here whether they win it all or not.
But on this night, it was all about the Thunder. Even Metta said as much.
Cheers!

It was enought to give D-Wade and his sometimes clueless coach a headache.
We keep saying how we believe many fans are sleeping on the Spurs, but maybe we’re missing the boat with the Pacers. They haven’t done anything yet, but their 94-75 rout of the Heat tonight definitely caught our attention.
How about this: They eliminate the Heat in this series and then the Heat fire Erik Spoelstra. Brian Shaw, who just happens to be an assistant coach with the Pacers after the Lakers foolishly kicked him out for Mike Brown, takes over next season and leads Miami to the promise land.
IndyStar.com

And a belated congrats on that MVP thang.
We’re not the only ones who believe LeBron and R Kelly look like brothers, no?

Jerry Stackhouse rides the pine with the Hawks, who are tied at 1 apiece with the C’s in a Best of 7 series. But if he had to put his “analyst hat” on, he’d pick the Heat to win it all. He also isn’t dismissing the Lakers.
JerryStackhouse.com

We said it back in December, when the NBA season tipped off. Everyone and their mother picked the Heat, the favorite to win it all, while idiots like us took the Thunder.
The smart money says the Heat, and we get that. But for credibility sakes, we can’t change horses in the middle of the street. Can’t do it.
Our only reservation about the Thunder is Kendrick Perkins (and Russell Westbrook not getting out of hand and shooting them out of a contest) matching up with some of the big men in the Western Conference. Against the Heat, though, it’s even money since they don’t have a significant presence inside either.
So here’s how we see the playoffs playing out. Happy trails.
East
Bulls over 76ers in 6; Heat over Knicks in 5; Pacers over Magic in 5; Hawks over Celtics in 7.
Semis: Bulls over Hawks in 5; Heat over Pacers in 7.
Final: Heat over Bulls in 7.
West
Spurs over Jazz in 5; Thunder over Mavs in 6; Lakers over Nuggets in 7; Grizzlies over Clippers in 6.
Semis: Spurs over Grizzlies in 7; Thunder over Lakers in 5.
Final: Thunder over Spurs in 7.
For all the marbles: Thunder over Heat in 6.

With the NBA playoffs tipping off Saturday, the Heat remain the favorites to capture the title. The Bulls are the No. 2 pick at 3-1 odds, while the Thunder come in at 4-1. The Thunder are tabbed as the favorites to claim the Western Conference title, meaning they will meet the Heat in the final.
Vegas Insider

Kevin Durant and LeBron James are the top candidates for MVP, but there is no disputing this is James’ best season. Still, it means nothing if he and the Heat fail again at winning the NBA title. That’s the standard by which he’s held. Unlike before, LeBron appears to embrace it now.
SI.com

Billy Hunter is making the NBA players executive committee look like buffoons, particularly Mo Evans. Evans, once a teammate with Derek Fisher with the Lakers, has been the most vocal committee member about forcing Fisher out as president despite the union paying almost $5 million to Hunter’s family for union-related “work.” Please.
The committee went as far as dropping the name of Chris Paul, who also is a member of the committee and voted for Fisher’s ouster, as a possible successor to Fisher. Wonder where that came from?
Seriously, the stench is becoming unbearable.
Rick Fox was a guest on the “Petros & Money” show this afternoon on Fox Radio in L.A. Fox said the wackiness is just beginning. And though he didn’t elaborate, it’s a good guess more skeletons will be falling out of Hunter’s closet.
Bloomberg

Or will they trade him and stick with Stan Van Gundy? Coaches rarely win battles with superstars, but considering the way the Magic’s management has poorly handled these matters, it might be foolish enough to deal Howard and keep Van Gundy.
SI.com

Suns 93, Clippers 90.
Like the chippy Bulls-Heat contest that preceeded it on TNT, the Clippers-Suns game also was a hotly-contest affair. It resulted in Blake Griffin getting a semi clothesline from Robin Lopez, who was ejected, but as Charles Barkley pointed out, no 1 on the Clippers retaliated. What’s up with that?
Regardless, the Clippers remain a game back of the Lakers, who face the Spurs again tonight in San Antonio. Both clubs, who are currently 3rd and 4th in the Western Conference, are trying to avoid a date with the Grizzlies in the 1st round. That could be major trouble for either of them, particularly the Clippers.
NBA.com