Well everyone points out when you get one wrong as a writer, so let me take a chance to boast at calling this series for Miami in 5 games.
Hold on just let it sink for a second….
Ah feels good..
Ladies and gents what we saw yesterday was our beloved franchise eliminate what equates to basketball royalty.
Forget beating the Pistons in an Eastern Conference Finals or the Bulls in earlier rounds, those teams got nothing in terms of stature to Boston. It’s somewhat like when the Florida Marlins took out the Yankees in the World Series. To beat the Celtics or Lakers in the NBA Playoffs especially when they’re the defending conference champions, well that’s just a special accomplishment.
The Heat managed to stay in the game thanks to Dwyane Wade shouldering the load and looking eerily similar to D-Wade circa 2006 playoffs. It wasn’t just the 34 points he tallied to lead all scorers, there were also big rebounds, steals, and a whole lot of hustle. Wade was getting to the basket at will and caused all sorts of havoc on the court for Boston.
Then there was the icing on the cake from a man that appeared to be as cold blooded as a killer last night.
LeBron James has been denounced all season as being a choke artist, even Heat fans have clamored for Wade to have the ball in his hands late in games. Yet there was James with 2 minutes left in a tie game taking the ball and drilling a pair of CLUTCH three pointers. He didn’t defer to Wade, he didn’t cave in and hide inside a shell. No this was James showing the world just how dominant he can be at any moment in a game.
I don’t know about the rest of you, but in my book scoring the last ten points and single handily sealing the start of the Celtics offseason is being clutch.
Along with the dynamic duo, Chris Bosh played a solid game and managed to match KG’s early intensity and then wear down the Celtics’ big man. James Jones also needs to be credited for netting a huge transition three late in the game that narrowed a 5 point deficit to 2.
Credit should also be given to the only two classy players on Boston’s roster, Ray Allen (expected) and Delonte West (shocker). They along with Doc Rivers were the three Boston members that stayed on the court to congratulate Miami and wish them luck in the coming rounds. As a Heat fan I think I speak for all of us when I say Ray, we’d love you here in Miami next season if Boston frees you up. It’d be a perfect fit to send you off with one or two more rings.
That’s something to worry about later in the Summer, for now it’s on to the Eastern Conference Finals. Rest assured the Heat staff will have their eyes glued on the Bulls-Hawks game in order to prepare for what is shaping up to be a scrumptious dinner and prelude to an even better dessert.