“They met us in the Eastern Conference finals, and they were one player away from making it a very, very, very tough series,” Wade told ESPNChicago.com during an event for his “Wade’s World” charities. “Derrick Rose is evolving into a phenomenal player. You could look and see they’re one player away from being there every year.”

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HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: Dwyane Wade thinks the Chicago Bulls aren’t far off.

Yesterday Wade declared that the Derrick Rose led Bulls are one player away from potentially beating his Miami Heat, who won the Eastern Conference championship in 2011.

Wade is correct when stating the Bulls need a shooting guard to take the offensive pressure off Rose, who too often had to create a scoring opportunity on every possession.

However, the Bulls' options could be limited by the new collective bargaining agreement, which would make it difficult, if not impossible, for an upgrade.

The club already has $61.5 million in guaranteed salary for 2011-12. They only have eleven players on the roster.

Now suppose the owners get their hard cap with no exceptions or loop holes.The Bulls will have to look in-house for another scorer, which means getting greater production from the highly paid Carlos Boozer.

Yes, Boozer. Remember him?

Boozer sustained a freak injury in training camp, missed significant parts of the regular season, and found himself on the bench for parts of the Bulls' playoff run.

Boozer has four years and $60 million left on his contract. No contender can get such weak production from such a big-ticket.

The Bulls will likely have little or no money for free agents. And Boozer may have to be the difference-maker Wade speaks of.   

--Oly Sandor.

Got thoughts? Well, get at HoopsVibe News in the comment box below.

Love or hate the Miami Heat, Dwyane Wade knows that he and teammates LeBron James and Chris Bosh set a trend the rest of the NBA will follow for years. “Yes, we have,” Wade said. “I don’t know whether it’s a good thing or a bad thing, but more guys are going to look to team up and do things like that.”

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HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: You can’t fault them for what they did. You can, however, fault them for how they did it.

Yesterday Dwyane Wade told media he, Chris Bosh, and LeBron James started a trend for superstar free agents last summer by signing with the Miami Heat.

He’s right. The days of one superstar leading a contender is over. The crème de la crème have to partner up to win an NBA Championship (of course, the new collective bargaining agreement may change this).

Contrary to popular opinion, there’s nothing wrong with great players seeking each other out and deciding to play together.

Free agency is about choice, right?

In fact, it shows this trio values the collective experience of winning more than being The Man on a second rate franchise.

So credit Bosh, James, and Wade for deciding to share, but criticize Bosh, James, and Wade for the way they came to this decision.

Last July, Bosh and Wade took the cameras everywhere. They talked about making a documentary on their free agent experiences; they fired off annoying, mindless tweets.

Bosh, in particular, showed a lack of respect for the Toronto Raptors, the team he led for the previous seven years.

Then there was James. ‘The Decision’ was an exercise in how not to handle free agency. He went from beloved superstar to hated villain.

Bosh and Wade also became bad guys when they pranced on stage and held a championship celebration -even though they hadn’t won a game or practiced together.

Wade is right. The Three Kings started a trend for free agent superstars. Some of it was good; some of it was bad.

--Oly Sandor.

Got thoughts? Well, get at HoopsVibe News in the comment box below.

“At that point it was me. Obviously we went through a lot last year. It was unfair some of the stuff that we had to endure but we grew from it. That’s over with. We move on to whenever we play basketball again and we will be a different team.”

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HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: It’s relative.

Yes, Chris Bosh, LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and the Miami Heat endured a massive backlash last year and were the undisputed league villain.

Was it unfair, though?

On the one hand, this trio handled their South Beach union with as much modesty and class as Kanye West at an awards show.

On the other hand, Bosh, James, and Wade stay on the right side of the law, take care of their kids, and are involved with charity.

So to lump James in with Charlie Sheen, Donald Trump, and Tiger Woods may be a tad harsh. 

Of course, the public is split. The Heat are as polarizing and captivating a team to take to an NBA floor or compete in a North American sports league.

Perhaps the Heat were treated poorly, however, the public will not have sympathy for three highly paid professional athletes.

Instead, The Three Kings should embrace being the villain. The sooner they accept being the bad guy, the sooner they win that ever elusive championship.

And only then will the hoopla, controversy, and speculation teeter off.

--Oly Sandor.

Got thoughts? Well, get at HoopsVibe News in the comment box below.

"I will play (basketball)," he said at the Dwyane Wade Fantasy Camp at Fontainbleau Hotel. "I don't know where I will play it. Just because we're in a lockout don't mean I'm going to stop playing the game of basketball."

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HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: Lockout or not, Dwyane Wade will play basketball next year. He just doesn’t know where.

Fair enough.

Wade like most of the NBA is waiting for the Players Union and owners to settle their dispute and negotiate a new Collective Bargaining Agreement.

The Miami Heat guard, unlike some his superstar peers, has been bullish on playing during the labour strife. But why?

1) Wade would earn between $1-$2 million per month to play his trade for a club in a foreign league.

2) Wade would have numerous opportunities to further the D-Wade brand, which is always good.

3) Wade would show NBA owners that the players have options and do not need to fold during bargaining.

--Oly Sandor.

Got thoughts? Well, get at HoopsVibe News in the comment box below.

Just hours after Shanxi Zhongyu announced their deal with Kobe, the Chinese basketball league decided not to allow players who have deals with NBA teams to play in CBA. The league lists 108 players who have no deals with NBA; only them can register in CBA.

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HoopsVibe's Very Quick Call: Kobe Bryant, Kevin Durant, Dirk Nowitzki, and Dwyane Wade won't be playing for a Chinese club come fall.

Today, the Chinese Basketball League banned NBA players from signing with Chinese clubs if they have an NBA contract.

NBA free agents can still sign in China; however, getting an opt-out clause to return to America when the lockout ends may be difficult.

In other words: if you sign in China, you stay in China.

This is fair. The government created the Chinese Basketball League to develop talent for the national team, and not to provide leverage for locked-out, millionaire superstars from America.

And now Billy Hunter and the Players Union have a problem. The game's biggest stars have maintained they'll head to China if the owners prolong the lockout with their hardball negotiating tactics.

Such a threat is now meaningless. The money, lifestyle, and branding opportunities aren't as good in Europe. Greece, Portugal, and Spain are also in poor financial shape, so few roster spots will be available.

Hopefully, this development forces the players back to the bargaining table.

--Oly Sandor.

Got thoughts? Well, get at HoopsVibe News in the comment box below.    

Looking back on last year’s free agency and “The Decision,” do you look back and think it could have been done differently or do you just own up to it? Chris Bosh: “I say you own up to it. We all make mistakes. I think anybody would be kidding themselves if they thought they were perfect at anything.

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HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: So, Chris Bosh believes LeBron James made a mistake with The Decision.

Well, left-handed power forwards in glass houses shouldn`t throw stones, right Bosh?

In an interview, Bosh indirectly said James slipped up last summer by announcing on ESPN he was ‘taking his talent to South Beach’ and leaving the Cleveland Cavaliers for the Miami Heat.

James admitted as much last year, although he couldn’t, or wouldn’t, say what he’d have done differently.

Equally as damaging to the Heat was Bosh, James, and Dwyane Wade’s collective decision to announce their arrival the way teams celebrate a championship.

The Three Kings held a massive party, and acted more like rock stars than NBA superstars. A sold out stadium of Heat faithful cheered. To be fair, James was the one who predicted multiple championships.

Bosh`s arrogance at this pre-emeptive celebration - along with James and Wade’s surliness -  turned off  fans outside Florida and solidified the Heat’s status as villains.

From that moment the Heat was public enemy number one. And they have yet to get the bulls-eye off their back.

--Oly Sandor.

Got thoughts? Well, get at HoopsVibe News in the comment box below.

Curry weighed 350 when he auditioned for Miami in March. Curry intrigues Pat Riley, who might offer him a minimum deal postlockout if he loses another 12 pounds or so. His skills “are there, no question,” Grover said.

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HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: Eddy Curry could soon become Pat Riley’s Greatest Reclamation Project.

Reports indicate Curry has dropped close to 40 pounds and, if his waist line continues to shrink, he may sign with the Miami Heat for the minimum when the lockout ends.

This is rather remarkable, especially when considering how low the skilled big had sunk.

Curry made $31 million to play in 30 games over the last three seasons. He blew most of that $31 million and, reportedly, took out high-interest loans from dubious characters. And then there was this.

Of course, Curry might not be best for South Beach. He was a finesse-five for the New York Knicks and Chicago Bulls, and the Heat need a defensive-minded banger down low.

Still, Curry won’t cost much, so, perhaps, he’s worth the risk -as it will appease the people behind Chris Bosh, LeBron James, and Dwyane Wade.

Move over Rafer Alston, Derek Anderson, Ike Austin. Smush Parker, Antoine Walker, and all others. Eddy Curry may soon be coming. You’ll have competition for Riles’ Greatest Reclamation Project.

--Oly Sandor.

Got thoughts? Well, get at HoopsVibe News in the comment box below.
 

If the Heat cannot sign preferred choices Shane Battier, Grant Hill or Tayshaun Prince postlockout, Miami will consider Michael Redd.

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HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: Is he healthy? Is he willing?

In theory, Michael Redd could absolutely help the Eastern Conference champion Miami Heat win an NBA Title.

For years, Redd was a prolific scorer with the Milwaukee Bucks, killing opponents with his deadly outside range.

The left-handed gunner has the skill-set to punish defenses for cheating on Chris Bosh, LeBron James, and Dwyane Wade.  

Of course, health matters. In the last two seasons, Redd has played in just 28 games, and doesn’t resemble the perimeter threat that terrorized opposing defenses.

Redd's goal may be to re-establish his reputation as a star rather than support another team's stars -like Bosh, James, and Wade in Miami.

If healthy and willing, Redd would help the Heat. A contender can never have enough shooting or depth.

--Oly Sandor.

Got thoughts? Well, get at HoopsVibe News in the comment box below.
 

If the Heat cannot sign preferred choices Shane Battier, Grant Hill or Tayshaun Prince postlockout, Miami will consider Michael Redd and Tracy McGrady, among others.

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HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: Would the ‘Three Kings’ welcome a king turned pawn in Tracy McGrady to South Beach?  

Well, the Miami Heat may have interest in McGrady, but only if - and this is a massive if - he agrees to a supporting role next to Chris Bosh, LeBron James, and Dwyane Wade.

The former All-Star would have to accept that the ‘T-Mac’ era is done and become the player he was at the start of his career with the Toronto Raptors.

Up north he used athleticism, length, and quickness to complement Vince Carter, who was then the league’s fastest rising superstar.

Back then McGrady defended any and every situation. He locked opponents down; he helped teammates; and he pressed and trapped in the open court.

McGrady also stuffed the stat-sheet. He collected assists, rebounds, and steals; doing the all-important little things to help right the Raptors' fortunes.

Finally, McGrady can’t be ‘That Guy’. He can’t be the veteran malcontent that complained and bragged in Orlando and Houston, and was partly responsible for sabotaging Detroit’s 2010-11 season.

If he’s humble, if he’s hungry, and if he takes another contract for the minimum, then McGrady may land in Miami when the lockout ends.

The alternative is to keep clinging to the ‘T-Mac’ identity and finish his career playing meaningless basketball.

--Oly Sandor.

Got thoughts? Well, get at HoopsVibe News in the comment box below.

“Dwyane Wade’s agent said Friday his client has received no offers nor has had any discussions with professional teams from China, but he wouldn’t rule out the possibility of that scenario changing. ‘If offers are made down the road, will they be looked at? Absolutely,’ agent Henry Thomas told ESPN.com on Friday. The Chengdu Daily reported that Zhejiang Guangsha was offering Wade $2 million per month to play next season in the Chinese Basketball Association, a report that was later denied by a team official.

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HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: China makes the most sense for a temporarily out-of-work NBA superstar.

After all, China is flush with cash because of their strong economy. And with a billion people, it would provide opportunities to spread the superstar’s brand.

However, the greatest reason may be timing. The season doesn’t start in China until December, which would allow the superstar an extended break, while hedging his bets on when the NBA season starts.

Conversely, Europe is broke, the branding opportunities are limited, and training camp for the long season will soon be opening.

So Dwyane Wade, like most big-ticket American stars, will play in China or rest until the owners and union can find common ground on a new Collective Bargaining Agreement.

Forget the $2 million per month salary, Wade has yet to receive a formal offer of any kind from a Chinese side.

That doesn't mean it isn't coming, though.

These clubs need to identify sponsors to help finance big-ticket offers and are waiting to see what happens with negotiations between Commissioner David Stern and Union Boss Billy Hunter.  

--Oly Sandor.

Will Wade stay or go? Well, get at HoopsVibe News with thoughts in the comment box below.

"When you think about the Olympics and the Dream Team, I have to throw it to you," Johnson said. "Kobe [Bryant] and them won by 22 points. Ehh, 22 points? We won by an average of 44 points. So when they want to step up to that, you tell them we'll be waiting on them."

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HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: Michael, Magic, and Larry or Kobe, LeBron, and D-Wade?

It's a tough question, however, most fans assume the 1992 'Dream Team' that cruised to gold in Barcelona, Spain was the greatest team ever.

Magic Johnson, the point guard for the first American side that allowed professionals to participate in the Olympics, has no problem saying so.

Johnson recently said that the ‘92 squad would handle the 2008 squad, known as 'Redeem Team', that captured gold at the Beijing Olympics in China.

Perhaps.

I don’t buy Johnson’s argument about point differential, though. The former Laker believes the 92 squad’s wide margin of victory solidifies their status as the greatest ever.

However, I do believe the ‘92 squad trumps the ‘08 squad because they handled a terrifically talented and inspired Croatian team in the gold medal game.

--Oly Sandor.

Dream Team or Redeem Team? Well, get at HoopsVibe News with thoughts in the comment box below.
 

"I haven't stopped working out really since May," Griffin said. "It's been every day, sneaking it in whenever I can." Griffin says it's frustrating for him to think that the NBA games may be interrupted after his first season playing in the league. Griffin missed all of the 2009-10 season with a broken kneecap after he had been the No. 1 draft pick out of Oklahoma. "Now my first three seasons, I could play 82 games," Griffin said. "So, we'll see what happens."

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HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: Last year was overwhelmingly positive for the NBA.
 
The sporting world was galvanized by Chris Bosh, Dwyane Wade, and LeBron James joining forces and becoming the ‘Heatles’ in Miami.

Dirk Nowitzki and Jason Kidd’s hard work was rewarded with an NBA championship, guaranteeing both immediate entry into the Hall of Fame when they retire.

Derrick Rose won the MVP award, leading the Chicago Bulls to the league’s best regular season record and a place in the Eastern Conference Finals.

Kevin Durant and the Oklahoma City Thunder took another step winning two playoff series before falling to Nowitzki and Kidd’s Dallas Mavericks in the Western Conference Finals.

The Memphis Grizzlies made the playoffs and upset the San Antonio Spurs. After years of futility, the Indiana Pacers and Philadelphia 76ers were relevant and entertaining.

There are other storylines I’m missing.

For instance, high on this list is the emergence of Blake Griffin, whose aerial antics reminded the world there’s a professional basketball squad in Los Angeles not called the Lakers.

(And this squad, the Clippers, can compete and delight despite being owned by the twisted and incompetent Donald Sterling.)

Suppose there’s a lockout. One that wipes out the entire season. Griffin, who missed 2009 with injury, will have played just eighty-two games in his first three seasons.

Fans would have to wait a year to see Griffin assault the rim. Fans would have to wonder what Griffin would do to defend his crown at the 2012 Slam Dunk Contest. And fans, the purists, would have to wait a year to see Griffin’s above average passing and skill-set develop.

This is tragic. And just another thing Commissioner David Stern, the owners, Union Head Billy Hunter, and the players are risking with their posturing and rhetoric.

I hope they know what they’re doing. Griffin missing another year should be a last resort.

--Oly Sandor.

Got thoughts? Well, get at HoopsVibe News in the comment box below.

During his interview, the Minnesota Timberwolves forward (Kevin Love) was asked, “Did guys around the league enjoy the fact that the Heat didn’t win the championship?” You bet, Love responded. “Oh yeah, great amount of joy out of it,” he said. “Plus, for me, they say nice guys, good guys finish last. But Dallas, they just had a slew of great guys and veterans on their team that made for just a great team. “It wasn’t just two, three, four guys on the team, like Miami I kind of felt it was. “Around the league, it was kind of a consensus that guys were happy.”

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"They took everything off," Love told The Post. "I laughed, but it's not funny. You take everyone off? You go on our website and it's the dancers and Crutch our mascot. I think it's cool for the charity events, but not using any of the players, it's silly. Let's get this thing resolved and play basketball. It's disheartening to fans and to us. Let's get it figured out.''

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Seems that a guy like Dwight Howard, nearly 7-feet tall and answering to "Superman," would be a perfect fit at Comic-Con, where he talked about both his budding career as a voice over actor and his basketball future. What about the Lakers? "That's everybody's question," he told the "Kick" audience. "I am wearing purple ... but that's Rock's outfit." The Heat? "Never."

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HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: It would be like the Greasers combining forces with the Socs', or the Capulets breaking bread with the Montagues, or Paris Hilton ‘re-friending’ Kim Kardashian.

Or, like a want-to-be-superhero telling the Comic-Con masses he’d never join the villains, the bad guys, the capped-out Miami Heat.

Give Howard credit. He can charm a crowd -even if that crowd spends weekends playing D&D, Call of Duty, and comparing the old Star Wars trilogy to the new Star Wars trilogy.

However, this is bigger than Comic-Con. Howard’s current team, the Orlando Magic, hate the cross-state Heat. They hate Chris Bosh, LeBron James, and Dwyane Wade, known as the 'Three Kings'. And they hate arrogant Heat exec' Pat Riley.

There's little Howard can do. The NBA is locked-out. His Magic will lack the pieces, unless Gilbert Arenas and Hedo Turkoglu rediscover their past form, to topple the Eastern Conference champion Heat.

Howard will opt-out of his contract next July and likely join another superstar. Perhaps something happens with the Lakers -if Jerry Buss falls out of love with Andrew Bynum. Perhaps he links up with Deron Williams and the Nets.

One thing is certain: Howard would 'never' join Miami.

--Oly Sandor.

Got thoughts? Well, get at HoopsVibe News in the comment box below.

“The Miami Heat, they’ve got a lot of great players, the `Big 2.’ They will be back,” O’Neal said from Louisiana during the broadcast, when discussing the NBA finals and how Dallas was able to beat Miami for the title. “LeBron James is taking a lot of criticism, but I know LeBron very well. He hears everything that everyone is saying, so I think he’s going to come back and have an MVP year this year.

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Today, Shaq put Bosh on notice that nothing will change now that he's a TNT analyst with Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith, Chris Webber, and host Ernie Johnson.

While on-air as part of NBATV's preview of the 2011-12 schedule, 'The Big Broadcaster' referred to the Miami Heat as having the 'Big 2' of LeBron James and Dwyane Wade.

Of course, the Heat is known for their Big 3 of Bosh, James, and Wade. So it's clear O'Neal was taking another run at the four-man.

Here's the question: why?

O'Neal needs to prove his worth to TNT. So he re-ignited an old beef with Bosh and generated publicity for the show and himself.

O'Neal has issues with other elite posts, too. The master-in-the-middle has battled Dwight Howard over more than the Superman emblem and has gone at Andrew Bynum since he was a teenager.

No doubt about it, Shaq planned today's attack on Bosh. And we, the media and fans, are giving him exactly what he wanted: headlines.

Got thoughts? Well, get at HoopsVibe News in the comment box below.

Regardless of whether James Jones re-signs (and there’s mutual interest), we hear forward Shane Battier will be very much on the Heat’s radar after the lockout. The Houston Chronicle, after interviewing Battier, said “don’t be surprised” if he signs with the Heat or Bulls.

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HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: How much improvement is necessary when you’re two games from winning everything?

If you’re the Miami Heat, a lot. It’s championship or broke in South Beach. Eastern Conference banners don't count. Not when your superstar predicts multiple championships at a pre-emptive victory party.

Simply put, the Heat was built to win it all –year after year.

Expect Executive Pat Riley to be active when the lockout ends and free agency opens. The oil-slick has eyes for Shane Battier.

Battier fits for two reasons. First, he’s a terrific role player, capable of spreading the floor with his range and defending premier wings. With Battier, opponents would get punished for helping on Chris Bosh, LeBron James, and Dwyane Wade. And James and Wade would have some choice as to who they matched-up with on defense.

Second, the Heat - right or wrong, fair or not- have a PR problem. Most living outside Florida couldn’t stand the ‘Heatles’. And most living outside Florida cheered when the Dallas Mavericks won the NBA Title.

Enter Battier.

The Duke grad is well-spoken, intelligent, and humble. He communicates like a Fortune 500 CEO and/or politician. His measured, toned-down approach would lessen the day-to-day scrutiny the Heat faces.

So Battier would help on-and-off court. He may be the difference between the Heat winning and losing the championship in 2012 -if there's a season.

--Oly Sandor.

Got thoughts? Well, get at HoopsVibe News in the comment box below.

Despite a month that has taken him to fashion previews in Italy and France, then to another camp he hosted in his Chicago hometown, Wade said the night of June 12 and that lost feeling still stings.

"The sting is always going to be there when you lose," he said. "Obviously, it was my first time ever losing the Finals. The sting is there, no question about it. I joke with the kids. I said, 'All right, I'm going to make jokes about it. You guys are not going to ask me the question.' Because the first thing, when they ask questions, they want to know stuff. I make sure I shed some light on it in a sense-of-humor type of way, but the sting is there.``

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HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: Dwyane Wade and his Miami Heat must embrace the `sting’ and get humble.

Last year was out-of-hand in South Beach. The Great Free Agent Chase of 2010 and The Decision were offensive. Their pre-emptive victory celebration was highly offensive.

It showed that D-Wade, LeBron, and Bosh thought they’d waltz to the NBA championship and have no issue winning several more.

While their regular season was mixed, the Heat was outplayed and out-classed by the team-first, collectivist Dallas Mavericks in the NBA Finals.

The Three Kings, or whatever else they were calling themselves, had lost. Most were happy about this development, too.

The Heat's arrogance had turned off those outside of Florida. Wade and his running mates were the villains.

So Wade needs to embrace the ‘sting’. He needs to get, and stay, humble. He needs to get in the gym and re-discover the work ethic that won him the 2006 NBA Title.

Forget about the Heat upgrading their supporting cast. New additions will be tough with the stricter Collective Bargaining Agreement.

Instead, Wade must focus on how he can improve. This is the first step towards another championship. And a championship is the only thing that will lessen the ‘sting’ of 2011.

--Oly Sandor.

Got thoughts? Well, get at HoopsVibe News in the comment box below.

Dwain Price: "He has to be the most scrutinized player of all-time." --Mavs center Tyson Chandler, talking about Bron-Bron on ESPN's Sports Nation.

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HoopsVibe's Very Quick Call: It's his fault, though.

Tyson Chandler is right to declare LeBron James the world's most highly scrutinized athlete. However, James, and nobody else, is to blame for this.

After all, The Decision was not a good look. It was an example of how not to handle free agency and what will go wrong when 'your boys' handle your career.

Then there was The Victory Party. After signing James, Chris Bosh, and Dwyane Wade, the Miami Heat threw a pre-emptive championship shindig, complete with all the bells and whistles.

The Three Kings hadn't won a championship. They hadn't even won a game. Such details didn't prevent James from suggesting his Heat would win several championships.

These acts, The Decision and The Victory Party, sealed James' fate. He went from hero to villain faster than any athlete, actor, or musician of recent memory.

James dug his grave. He must now live in it –which means having the masses cheer when his star-studded Heat lose the 2011 NBA Finals to Chandler's Dallas Mavericks. 

There's a solution: James leads the Heat to a championship. Hoisting the Larry O'Brien trophy would silence most, if not all, of his critics.

Most would begrudgingly forgive James for The Decision and The Victory Party. They wouldn't forget but they'd forgive. 

Forgiveness would be the start of James, the world's most scrutinized athlete, rebuilding his image.

--Oly Sandor.

Got thoughts? Well, get at HoopsVibe News in the comment box below.

We’ve known that the lockout was a possibility for the last couple of years,” he said. “It’s not just something that came overnight. (Williams) didn’t wake up and say, ‘All right, go play in Turkey.’ Obviously, this is something that he felt that if a lockout was to last a long time, ‘I would consider playing.’ It’s because of the game. He wants to play the game, wants to play it at a high level, and if we can’t play in the NBA, he’s going to take that opportunity to try to play somewhere else. Hopefully, we don’t get to that point, but if we do, I’m sure a lot of guys will possibly explore it.”

And Wade made it clear: He could be in that group. "If there’s an opportunity there, I’d consider it,” he said.

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HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: Considering and doing is different.

Right now, Dwyane Wade and other NBA stars can talk like they’ll sign overseas with a European club side.

Talk is cheap, however.

Will Wade and the crème de la crème of David Stern’s league uproot their family for a fraction of their NBA salary? And who will pay the insurance on their big-ticket NBA contracts?

Suppose Wade and his NBA brethren work out the particulars and sign abroad. There’s no guarantee they get paid because the best European clubs are in bankrupt nations like Italy, Spain, and Greece. And European owners are known for not honouring contracts.

Wade and others say they’ll consider Europe. They’ll also consider the risks and likely wait for the lockout to end in America.

--Oly Sandor.

Got thoughts? Well, get at HoopsVibe News in the comment box below.

“Kobe is super arrogant but everybody loves him. To me, Kobe is more arrogant (than LeBron James).”

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HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: You got to love today’s NBA.

Only in this era could a third stringer win a championship and feel he has the ‘juice’ to call out an all-time great.

Isn’t that right Ian Mahinmi?

The Frenchman, who played behind Tyson Chandler and Brendan Haywood on the 2011 world champion Dallas Mavericks, recently declared that Kobe Bryant is the most arrogant player in the NBA.

Forget LeBron. Forget D-Wade. Forget the Three Kings. Forget Carmelo Anthony and Amar’e Stoudemire. According to Mahinmi, it’s Kobe.

This is hardly a surprise. Bryant is supremely confident. Always has been, too.

He was this way when plying his craft as a prep-to-pro star at Lower Merion in Philadelphia.

He was this way when Del Harris sat him as a rookie with the Los Angeles Lakers.

And he was this way when jostling with Shaquille O’Neal and Phil Jackson for lead dog status with the champion Lakers.

Confidence, or arrogance, has made Bryant who he is. He won’t change, either.

Something that has changed: a part-time player on a championship squad calling out a once-in-a-generation superstar.

Scott Hastings never said a thing about Larry Bird, Clyde Drexler, or Magic Johnson when his Detroit Pistons won back-to-back titles. Same with Eric Riley when the Houston Rockets defeated the New York Knicks in the 1994 finals. And Sean Marks was silent when the San Antonio Spurs captured the Larry O’Brien trophy in 2006.

Even Josh Powell, a reserve with the glamorous L.A. Lakers, knew to stay silent when the purple-and-gold were champions in 2009 and 2010.

They knew their role. They knew their place. Mahinmi does not.

To be fair, Mahinmi had a slightly greater impact than the above players, serving as an energy reserve for Rick Carlisle and the Mavs’.

Still, Mahinmi should stay silent. Right now, he, not Bryant, looks arrogant.   

--Oly Sandor.

Got thoughts? Well, get at HoopsVibe News in the comment box below.

You’re coming off an NBA Finals where your team fell painfully short of its second world championship, and you have only three more years of guaranteed time with the LeBron James, Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade before their player options come up, giving all three the freedom to head elsewhere if this isn’t working out as planned.

Is this really the time for labor strife to potentially cost you a full season? Isn’t this the worst possible time to consider bonding with these newer, more desperate owners around the league for the sake of shared health? Wouldn’t a potential lost season put a huge dent into this perfect model you essentially have spent four years planning for and building?

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HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: Like De La Soul said, The Stakes is High.

Right now, the Miami Heat has the most to lose if there’s a prolonged work stoppage and a new Collective Bargaining Agreement with a hard cap.

It starts with owner Micky Arison. The billionaire has invested hundreds of millions of dollars on the Three Kings -Chris Bosh, LeBron James, and Dwyane Wade.

The controversial trio is only signed for a guaranteed four years. 2010-11 is in the books. 2011-12 is at risk because of the lockout.

Of course, the entire Heat model is also at risk. Suppose the owners win negotiations. Suppose they implement a hard cap. Suppose they rollback salaries.

Despite what he said publicly, Heat executive Pat Riley may be forced to break up his star trio. And Bosh would be the one to go.

Upgrading the supporting cast will also be a problem. With a top-heavy salary structure, the Heat will have little money to sign a point guard or center. Especially if soft cap loop-holes like the veteran`s minimum and mid-level exception are eliminated. 

Whenever next year begins, the Eastern Conference champions could look different.

--Oly Sandor.

Got thoughts? Well, get at HoopsVibe News in comment box below. 

With the beginning of free agency just a few days away, its no surprise that there are little tidbits of rumors and information starting to find their way into the hands of the media.  The Sun-Sentinel reported on Monday that the Heat had been working with free-agent center Eddy Cury, who has barely played over the past three seasons.

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HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: I don’t see it. I don’t see what Eddy Curry can offer the Miami Heat.

After all, Curry played a grand total of ten games in the last three seasons. He's several seasons removed from posting nice numbers for the New York Knicks.

Then there’s the fit. The Heat need an athlete. Someone to score, defend, and play both ends of the floor.

That’s not Curry. The Chicago native was once a skilled center, but he always struggled with defense. His skill will be gone after such a lengthy layoff, and his defense will be even worse becase of poor conditioning.

There were off-court issues, too. Curry, despite signing a massive contract, was in debt because of atrocious decisions. Then there was this.

Why is the Heat so interested in Curry? Three words: Bosh, LeBron, D-Wade.

Curry has the same management as the 'Three Kings'. So Executive Pat Riley may be tossing the people behind his superstars a bone.

If so, this isn’t basketball. This is business. And bad business at that.

--Oly Sandor.

Got thoughts? Well, get at HoopsVibe News in the comment box below.

Not long after LeBron James' Finals flameout, Miami president Pat Riley has sent word to other league execs: He's not breaking up his Big Three. That's too bad - for the rest of the NBA.

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In an interview with Sports Illustrated, Warriors General Manager Larry Riley said the team is not planning to trade Monta Ellis.“We are not shopping Monta Ellis,” Riley said.

HoopsVibe's Very Quick Call: It's official. The Dallas Mavericks are NBA champions.

The Mavs' won game six of the NBA Finals and, as a result, the Larry O'Brien trophy with balanced play, masterful three-point shooting, and offensive rebounding in the fourth quarter.

The storylines are endless: Future Hall of Famers Jason Kidd and Dirk Nowitzki get their rings; owner Mark Cuban really has a reason to smirk; Jason Terry's offensive explosion was reminiscent of Vinnie Johnson.

Plain and simple, the Mavericks were the better team.

The questions will continue for the Miami Heat. For instance, who will Executive Pat Riley sign to support the 'Three Kings'? And can the Heat afford the 'Three Kings' if the new Collective Bargaining Agreement changes the NBA's financial landscape? 

Is Erik Spoelstra the coach to lead LeBron James and Dwyane Wade to a championship? If not, will 'Oil Slick' Riley stab Spoelstra in the back like Stan Van Gundy and return to the sideline?

These questions will be answered in the future. In the meantime, click the link for video highlights of game six, and get at us with thoughts on the Mavericks winning the championship. 

--Oly Sandor.

Got thoughts? Well, get at HoopsVibe News in the comment box below.

Jeff Van Gundy: 'Can Dirk Nowitzki finally shed the soft label? When has Nowitzki ever been soft'?7

(ABC Broadcast)

HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call:  From unknown ‘Euro’ to world champion and Finals MVP.

Leading his Dallas Mavericks to an NBA championship validates Dirk Nowitzki as one of the NBA’s greatest players of all time.

His numbers were always superb. Yet Nowitzki never received the respect he deserved from his fellow superstars. It was subtle, but there.

There were Euro jokes. There was little respect from Shaquille O’Neal and Dwyane Wade in the 2006 NBA Finals. And Wade snubbed him months later at the 2007 All-Star game.

Then there was the jokes after his Mavericks self-destructed against the Golden State Warriors in the first round of the 2007 playoffs. The Mavericks were the first seed. The Warriors were the eighth seed.

Just a few days ago, Wade and LeBron James took a run at Nowitzki, coughing and joking into the camera before a shoot-around.

Clearly, the Heat’s two superstar didn’t believe Nowitzki had the flu in game five, or the German was playing up his fever to gain sympathy.

Bottom line: none of that matters anymore. Not one bit. Nowitzki now has a championship. Nobody can ever take that from him.

Revenge is indeed sweet.

--Oly Sandor.

Agree or disagree? Well, get at HoopsVibe News in the comment box below.

I’m here to win,” James said. “That’s all it’s about. Individual accolades take care of itself. “I’ve got two MVP trophies sitting in my house back in Ohio and I haven’t won anything. It doesn’t matter to me. It’s all about a team game and this is the ultimate team prize right here, just trying to win the NBA championship.

“So I don’t really care. I could trade in my last two MVP trophies to have a ring. I don’t care about individual accolades to solidify myself in the NBA or whatever they’re talking about. It’s ridiculous.”

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HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: For two days, we had concerns about how the Miami Heat would respond to blowing game two of the NBA Finals.

Tonight, we got our answer.

The Heat, led by Dwyane Wade’s 29 points, went into Dallas and hung on for an impressive 88-86 victory. Click the link, watch the highlights, and get at HoopsVibe News in the comment box below with thoughts on game three.  

--Oly Sandor.

Got thoughts? Well, get at HoopsVibe News in the comment box below.

HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: They say a playoff series doesn’t begin until the home team losses a game.

Well, the Chicago Bulls lost game two of the Eastern Conference Finals, so, suddenly, we have a series.

Tonight’s contest was a close affair; however, the Miami Heat pulled away down the stretch behind strong efforts from LeBron James and Dwyane Wade.

Click the link for details on the Heat evening their series against the Bulls.

--Oly Sandor.

Got thoughts? Well, get at HoopsVibe News in the comment box below.

HoopsVibe`s Very Quick Call: Forget Miami verses Chicago. Focus on the poster-jobs; specifically Chris Bosh`s battle against Taj Gibson.

Last night, Bosh threw down a thunderous dunk off a pick-on-roll, condemning Carlos Boozer to a life of snide comments and viral snickering on youtube.

However, Gibson, at a minimum, matched Bosh with an epic facial on a two-on-one, forcing Dwyane Wade to offer a little disclaimer to the media today.

Watch both videos below and get at us with thoughts in the comment box below. 

(Bosh on Boozer.) 

(Gibson's facial on D-Wade.)

Got thoughts? Well, get at HoopsVibe News in the comment box below.

The Bulls center huddled with Chris Bosh inside Chicago's Trump International Hotel and Tower over the summer without any preconceived notions. He simply wanted the guy sitting across from him at Sixteen restaurant to show a fire and passion about joining the Bulls.

Bosh didn't. "He was a nice guy and all,'' Noah said of his recruitment of Bosh during the free-agent frenzy. "But Bosh was more into, 'Well it depends on what this guy does, what that guy does.'''

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HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: Of course, Chris Bosh wasn’t serious about the Chicago Bulls.

The fix was in. It had been for years.

Bosh, LeBron James, and Dwyane Wade knew they were signing with the Miami Heat last summer. They knew this since the Beijing Olympics, where they bonded as teammates.

Free agency was a charade. James and Wade’s recent comments about coming to Chicago should be taken with a grain of salt.

If James was serious about Chicago he’d have responded to Derrick Rose’s texts, where the table-setter tried welcoming him.

He didn’t, though. James knew what he was going to do: he was `taking his talent to South Beach’.

Fair enough. This was James` right as free agent. Same with Bosh and Wade.

They could pick where they played and with who. The problem was how –as in how they, specifically Bosh and James, handled the situation.

Bottom line: this is old news. The Heat has their Three Kings. The Bulls have Rose and a superb supporting cast.

As a result, fans should get an excellent Eastern Conference Finals.

--Oly Sandor.

Got thoughts? Well, get at HoopsVibe News in the comment box below.

LeBron James and Dwyane Wade admitted they strongly considered signing with the Bulls. "It was two mornings," Wade said at Friday's practice of waking up during the summer of 2010 envisioning himself with Chicago. "I definitely had one or two mornings where I woke up thinking I'd be a Bull too, but ultimately I decided to come here," James said.

It was never a show of disrespect toward Bosh, but a way for James and Wade to display the friendship they had built over the years. For Bosh, it was an easier way to distinguish his preference of standing alone. "With me, I've always just been different," Bosh said. "I've never tried to fit in. I'm one of the fellas, great. I get along with everybody, great. But if I'm going to read my book, I'm going to read my book and this is what I'm doing."

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HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: The Miami Heat doesn’t care if Chris Bosh is his own man. They don’t care if he’s one of the ‘fellas’ -or not. And they don’t care if he conducts interviews with LeBron James and/or Dwyane Wade.

They care about one thing: his play. That is all.

If Bosh produces, the Heat will be tough. They’ll likely win the Eastern Conference and stand a good chance at capturing the NBA Title.

If Bosh falters, the Heat is beatable. Their half-court sets become predictable. Opposing defences will cheat on James and/or Wade with little or no repercussions.

Bosh is that all-important third scorer. His skill keeps opposing defenses honest, and his length makes him a solid rebounder.

When Bosh is at his best, the Heat can turn to an undersized unit of The Three Kings with two shooters. The most interesting feature of this line-up is when James and Wade runs pick-and-rolls.

All of this hinges on Bosh playing his best. And nothing else matters.

--Oly Sandor.

Got thoughts? Well, get at HoopsVibe News in the comment box below.          

HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: Game two of the Eastern Conference semi-finals wasn’t good for the Boston Celtics.

First, they lost to the Miami Heat. And second, they got crossed-over, rejected, and embarrassed on several highlight reel plays by LeBron James and Dwyane Wade.

Don’t believe me? Want proof? Check out the video clips below and get at us with your thoughts.

(Wade breaks Ray Allen’s ankles.)
  

(Wade tangles-up Garnett in the open-court.)

(James blocks Garnett’s shots.)

-Oly Sandor.

Got thoughts? Well, get thoughts in the comment box below.

Our big brothers at CraveOnline caught up with the always interesting Mark Cuban at SXSW recently, and naturally it didn't take long before the conversation turned to hoops. Among other topics covering the NBA and more, the billionaire owner of the Dallas Mavericks dropped his thoughts on Miami Heat's acquisition of LeBron James and Chris Bosh over the summer.

Mark Cuban weighs in on the Miami Heat “Three Kings” fiasco:

Mark Cuban: I’m a believer in karma. You’ve just opened yourself to a big old whack across the head like they did, you typically get it. It was a unique opportunity. There was a lot of excitement. They were smart to try to extend the excitement throughout the community, but I just think they went a little overboard. They tried to make it like a rock concert. They tried to make it like the biggest event, the Super Bowl of player signings. It becomes very anticlimactic. That’s the challenge. You don’t want to shoot your wad before you even get in business. That’s basically what they might have done. So you’ve got to be careful. You’ve got to understand, particularly in sports, at the start of the season, everybody’s undefeated, everybody’s excited about their team and you want to try to have a crescendo that builds through the season to hopefully something good at the end. It actually worked to the benefit of the league because instead of the Beatles, they were The Knack. They were the knockoff that so far hasn’t quite worked. Maybe it will but they became the villain. They were like the Oakland Raiders so that’s actually helped the league because people go watch them to boo ‘em. You always want a villain.

Head over to CraveOnline to read the rest of the interview.

“LeBron and Wade are going to be LeBron and Wade,” Doc Rivers said. “They were great before the series, they’ll be great during it and they’ll be great after it and this summer when you’re talking about it you’ll say LeBron and Wade are great players. That’s not going to chance. But when Bosh plays great, then their team plays great. He’s a key guy for them.”

“We have the best closer in the world,” said Joakim Noah, who had 11 points, 10 rebounds and four blocks. “Everybody knows it. They know it. We know it. Their coach knows it. They all say it. They have no problems saying it. We all know it. That gives you confidence for your team.”

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He's changed his tune thus far in the postseason. Because of Philadelphia's speed at the position, Bosh has played extended minutes at center. His role is expected to remain the same throughout the series. "It just took some time to get comfortable to it," Bosh said." At first, I was kind of frightened. I didn't really want to play the five. I know I've said that a bunch of times."

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HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: There’s a saying. Winning changes everything, especially if there’s a chance to win a championship.

Case in point: Chris Bosh.

At the start of the season, Bosh wasn’t into playing center for the Miami Heat. After all, he labored at the position for the Toronto Raptors, even though he fancied himself a power forward with skills and a face-up game.

When he signed with the Heat as part of The Great Free Agent Chase of 2010, he was under the impression his days at the five were over.

Permanently.

Now Bosh is open to playing center. A playoff run and the possibility of hoisting a championship will do this.

The Heat is at their best with Bosh at center. This allows them to spread the floor with two shooters, and lets LeBron James and Dwyane Wade isolate against their man or run a pick-and-roll.

Only time will tell if Bosh playing out of position will pay off with a championship, though.

--Oly Sandor.

Got thoughts? Well, get at HoopsVibe News in the comment box below.

Hoops Hype: You had only attempted 46 three-pointers in the first 78 games. Is that the next part of your game that you want to expand?

Demar DeRozan: Oh yes, definitely. It will come through time. I really don’t stress about it. Because once it comes, that is another part of my game that will develop. Will work on that this summer a lot and come back ready next year.

Do you think Miami trades bosh next year too improve overall? Ric Bucher: I've heard it's already been discussed.

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HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: Could ‘The Three Kings’ lose a member this summer?

According to ESPN’s Rich Bucher, the Miami Heat has already held discussions about trading Chris Bosh.

Of course, Bosh signed in South Beach last July as a free agent for two reasons: LeBron James and Dwyane Wade. And the trio expected to waltz its way to multiple championships.

While the early returns weren’t awful, ‘The Three Kings’ first regular season together produced mostly mixed results. At times, they were brilliant. At times, they were mediocre.

The key is that it was the regular season. All will be forgotten -if the Heat captures the NBA championship, and then there'd be no major changes.

So Bosh will stay put provided the Heat win and his salary remains manageable under the new Collective Bargaining Agreement.

The pressure is on. What did Bosh, James, and Wade expect when they joined forces?

Oly Sandor.

Got thoughts? Well, get at HoopsVibe News in the comment box below. 

"I call Barnes the Charminator," said Terry. "You know what that is? That is a guy that's soft as Charmin' toilet paper. It's not only that he's a Pac-10 guy and he's a [UCLA] Bruin, and so you know we hate those guys -- us [Arizona] Wildcats, we hate Bruins. I don't care who you are. Whenever you don that uniform, I can't stand you, other than Reggie Miller. Barnes, I remember you when you were at Golden State, you're a journeyman. You put on that Laker uniform and you turn into Jerry West, Kareem, and Worthy, and Magic. Those are the real Lakers, not Barnes."

Barnes smiled when he was relayed Terry's comments after practice on Saturday afternoon. "I'm not worried about what he's talking about," Barnes said. "In Golden State we showed how to beat Dallas. You take it right to their chin and they back down. I don't see that nothing's changed since then so hopefully we see them again."

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HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: In pro sports, there’s competitive hate between players and/or teams competing. This ends when the final buzzer sounds.

Then there’s personal hate, which is, well, personal. This doesn’t end when the final buzzer sounds. It carries over to the next game.  

Put Jason Terry of the Dallas Mavericks and Matt Barnes of the Los Angeles Lakers hate in the latter.

Recently, insults have flown between the super-subs, which included references to toilet paper, journeyman status, being a fake Laker and past playoff upsets.

The trigger for this war of words was Thursday’s dust up between the purple-and-gold and Team Cuban. So Barnes went there: he brought up the Golden State Warriors 2007 upset of the Dallas Mavericks.

The Warriors, of course, were the eighth seed, who squeaked into the playoffs with an end of season rally. They were supposed to roll over in round one.

They didn’t, though.

Instead, they used an up-tempo approach to shock Terry's Mavericks, who were the heavily-favoured, first-seed. The series was highly entertaining –provided you weren’t a Mavericks fan.

The loss was especially harsh for Terry's team. In 2006, they held a two game lead in the NBA Finals –and lost the championship to Shaquille O’Neal, Dwyane Wade, and the Miami Heat.

All of this adds context to a possible playoff battle between Dallas and LA. Sports are at their best when there are multiple storylines and plots.

It never hurts when there’s good old fashioned hate, either.

--Oly Sandor.

Got thoughts? Well, get at HoopsVibe News in the comment box below. 

Wade is controlling the ball late in games, which lets LeBron James be used in a simple pick-and-roll. James has been accustomed to playing with the ball in his hands in crunch time, but it appears Wade and Erik Spoelstra have convinced him to try something new. “I think he's starting to see that this can open up his overall game, and he's going to want to do it more," Wade said last week.

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HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: Talent isn’t enough in the NBA. Teams must also have chemistry.

Chris Bosh, LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and the Miami Heat learned this the hard way, with their up-and-down year.

So have the New York Knicks, who broke up a squad with established chemistry to acquire the talented but sometimes difficult Carmelo Anthony from the Denver Nuggets.

Credit the Heat for trying new things, though. Against the Philadelphia 76ers, James acted as a screener and ran several pick-and-rolls with Wade.

This is a welcome change from the Heat’s steady diet of predictable ‘iso’ plays and one-on-one attempts at the basket.

Doug Collins, the coach of the Philadelphia 76ers, is right: this option will work. James as a four-man setting picks will be tough to prevent from rolling to the basket or slipping the screen.

Opposing defenses will be helpless. If defenders try to switch on the screen, James and/or Wade will have a clear mismatch, which should lead to a scoring opportunity.

If defenders try to show and adjust to the screen, James and/or Wade will have an advantage, which should also lead to a scoring opportunity.

The Heat would be wise to run more of these sets. Variety is important in basketball, and a two-man game involving their best players will upgrade their mediocre half-court offense.

After all, chemistry, not talent, is the key to winning in the NBA. It seems James and Wade are learning.

--Oly Sandor.

HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: Leave it Dwyane Wade to welcome Kendrick Perkins to the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Yesterday, the Heat’s superstar spun baseline and posterized Perkins, who happened to be playing in his second game as a member of the Thunder. Then Wade dropped some celebratory dance moves from the Kid N Play era.

--Oly Sandor.

Got thoughts? Well, get at HoopsVibe News in the comment box below.

LeBron James: ‘We envisioned us playing at a high level and that’s what we’re doing right now.’   

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HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: Five consecutive losses do not make a season. Neither do two wins -even if they come against the Los Angeles Lakers and San Antonio Spurs.

So the Miami Heat should take a deep breath. They should avoid crying after tough losses on national television, and they should avoid over-enjoying their victories.

Bottom line: the Heat shouldn’t get too up or too down. Instead, they should focus on achieving a few things:

First, superstars Chris Bosh, LeBron James and Dwyane Wade must continue setting the pace on defense. Getting stops will give them a chance to win every game, and it takes pressure off their mediocre half-court offense.

Second, they must keep Bosh involved on offense. One frustrated superstar can contaminate an entire team.

Finally, no team wins a championship with three superstars, so the Heat’s role players must start contributing on a consistent basis.

Mike Bibby, Eddie House, and Mike Miller must start making shots. This will help Coach Erik Spoelstra settle on a more permanent rotation.

The Heat has been through a lot this year and the real action, the playoffs, haven't even started.

--Oly Sandor.

Got thoughts? Well, get at HoopsVibe News in the comment box below.

The most obvious candidate for subtraction from the Big Three is Chris Bosh, who hasn't been able to produce the kind of impact Miami could have gotten from two or three cheaper role players. Bosh also has complained recently about not getting the ball in the post enough. Whether he has a point, this sort of griping at a time when the Heat were in crisis mode won't make Riley any more eager to pay him $16 million next season -- especially if Miami falls far short of its championship goal in Year 1.

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HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: So far, it hasn’t worked. Not like it was supposed to, at least.

Remember, the Miami Heat’s Three Kings of Chris Bosh, LeBron James, and Dwyane Wade came together to win multiple championships. They were expected to waltz through the regular season and playoffs.

Will the Heat pull the plug and possibly deal Bosh this off-season, as reported by Ken Berger of CBSSportsline?

Maybe. Maybe not.

Much depends on how the Heat performs going forward. Say they win the majority of their last regular season games. Say they advance to the Eastern Conference or NBA Finals.

Oil slick executive Pat Riley would then be hesitant to break up his superstar trio. Instead, he’d look for ways to upgrade and improve their supporting cast.

However, the new Collective Bargaining Agreement will factor into his decision. For instance, the Heat may not be able to afford three max salaries if the owners succeed in achieving their hard cap.

Or, the Heat may be able to keep three max salaries on their books, but can’t afford role players because loopholes like the mid level exception and veteran’s minimum no longer exist.

Then Riley has to contemplate changing his Three Kings formula. And Bosh, because of his up-and-down play, would be the first to go.

Last summer was interesting in South Beach. However, next summer could be almost as entertaining.

--Oly Sandor.

Got thoughts? Well, get at HoopsVibe News in the comment box below.

When asked about the team mood, he said, "there's a couple guys crying in the locker room right now."  "We stay together," James said. "Spo is the captain of the ship and we're going to stay behind whatever Spo says. It doesn't matter. Spo can go out there and say whatever he wants about the team. We're going to stand by him."

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HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: They made their bed. Now they must lie in it.

Last summer the Miami Heat irked the NBA’s 29 other franchises by winning The Great Free Agent Chase of 2010 and signing superstars Chris Bosh, LeBron James, and Dwyane Wade.  

Then they rubbed their nose in it by parading their ‘Three Kings’ in front of screaming of fans before playing a single game together.

Why would there be sympathy for the Heat?

Nobody cares if a few players were crying after a tough loss on Sunday to the Chicago Bulls. And nobody cares that they dropped four consecutive games.

These are the big, bad Heat. They are the team most fans love to hate. And they are the team most fans love to watch lose.

So James is right to declare that the players and coaching staff must stick together. But he has to say this. In fact, he has no choice.

It's the Heat and their fans against the world.

--Oly Sandor.

Got thoughts? Well, get at HoopsVibe News in the comment box below.

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“We’re going through these growing pains, and it sucks,” Wade said. “Of our 18 losses, I think 13, 14 of them we’ve had leads. “It’s mind-boggling.” This game meant something. Something awful? Yes. Something positive? Possibly, eventually, yes.But it doesn’t get much more painful than this. So it might be a while before that wears off entirely and we get the actual answer to that last question.

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HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: Well, that’s one way to describe the Miami Heat’s struggles.

Clearly, Dwayne Wade is putting as positive a spin as possible on the Heat blowing a 24 point lead to the New York Knicks and getting routed by the San Antonio Spurs.

Are these defeats more worrying than ‘growing pains’? Is team South Beach starting to doubt itself?

Consider the numbers: the Heat is 27-2 against teams with losing records, and 14-17 against teams with winning records. More troubling, they allow all teams -those with winning and losing records- back into games when ahead by a large margin.

Part of this could be about getting distracted. The Heat possesses three top flight superstars, and often get bored and lose focus with opponents.

Part of this could be about chemistry. With so many new faces, the Heat is still getting used to each other, especially on the offensive end where they run simple, basic sets.

For instance, Wade and James are still adjusting to each other. And both are learning to play with superstar post Chris Bosh.

Fortunately, they have some time to iron out the kinks. Unfortunately, they don’t have much time and today they face MVP candidate Derrick Rose and the upstart Chicago Bulls.

--Oly Sandor.

Got thoughts? Well, get at HoopsVibe News in the comment box below.

The Heat would like to sign Mike Bibby if the Wizards give him a buyout; Washington called it unlikely but hasn’t ruled it out. The Heat will explore Troy Murphy if he gets a buyout from Golden State (one report has Boston as the front-runner) and perhaps Indiana’s T.J. Ford, but he’s a poor three-point shooter.

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James was seen offering a “What’s up?” nod toward the rapper. NBC-6s Adam Kuperstein approached Lil Wayne, an AmericanAirlines Arena regular, to ask if he and James now were cool and received a response of, “Oh, yeah, yeah.”

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HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: Peace has prevailed.

Rapper Lil’ Wayne has squashed his beef with Miami Heat superstars LeBron James and Dwyane Wade. Remember, Wayne felt slighted because James and Wade ignored him when he was sitting courtside at a recent game between the Heat and New Orleans Hornets.

Everything is ‘cool’, though. It was all a misunderstanding. No word on whether the three are expecting the Noble Peace Prize for their efforts.

--Got thoughts? Well, get at HoopsVibe News in the comment box below.