The Chicago Bulls did everything right during game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals, demolishing the Miami heat championship-like fashion. The Bulls owned Miami in the 4th quarter, outscoring them 31-19 in crunch time.

The Bulls had everything going on all cylinders as Derrick Rose led the way for Chicago with 28 points and solid offensive and defensive support from Luol Deng, Joakim Noah, and Carlos Boozer, dominating over the Miami Heat, 103-82.

Luol Deng impressed defensively, impeding LeBron James from getting things going on offense. In total, the Bulls team defensive scheme limited the 1-2 punch duo of Dwyane Wade and James to 12-32 form the field, dispelling the mythological hype of their impending dominance that every major media outlet claimed would occur game 1.

In a game of match ups, the Bulls simply match up better against the Heat than most other teams do, and here is why we can expect to continue to see the Bulls keep the Heat on their toes for the duration of this series:

• League MVP Derrick Rose is a powerhouse who destroyed the Miami guards, and will continue to do so.
• Rose’s ascension into super-stardom is happening right now, and should not be underestimated.
• Joakim Noah will not have any serious competition from the Heat in the middle, and should be close to a double-double every game.
• Luol Deng is a far better defender than most people give him credit for being, and his offensive game is quite good. Oh yeah, and he can shoot the three these days, after not being able to do so his first 6 years in the NBA.
• Noah’s defensive presence in the middle allows the Bulls to play tougher defense knowing Noah is back there to help out.
• If Carlos Boozer can play the way he did in game 1, life for Rose and the Bulls looks much better than it did before.

If Miami can somehow find a way contain Rose (not likely), and then focus on Chicago’s supporting cast, they have a good shot to correct their own mission of a trip to the finals. It looks as though the Big Three left the Heat with salary cap deficiencies that are becoming evident as they travel further into the playoffs.

Obviously, Wade and James canot be expected to shoot this poorly every game. However, Chris Bosh is not going to reach the 30 point plateau in this series again. It seems that Bosh, Wade, and James have trouble to all have successful games during the same game. There is still a chemistry issue that the Heat must figure out, quickly I might add, in order to turn the tables against the Bulls.

If they can’t get “Big Three” to generate solid output simultaneously, the Bulls are simply too good of a basketball team to beat.

And if they continue playing like game 1, Chicago’s unsung heroes will start getting the credit they deserve, as NBA stars.

LeBron James returned to action to score 34 points alongside Dwyane Wade’s 27, but it still wasn’t enough to defeat the visiting Atlanta Hawks, losing to the Hawks 93-89 in overtime. Miami’s other 3 starters combined for a total of 2 points. Joel Anthony didn’t even put up a single shot.

Miami has now lost their last 4 games and as long as Chris Bosh is out with an ankle injury the losing streak could potentially grow larger.

Perhaps now is the time to play Mike Miller back into game shape, and give the reigns back to Mario Chalmers exclusively at the point guard. Miller would create space on the floor because of his shooting ability, and Chalmers defense and three point shooting would further separate the wings and cause more room for LeBron and Wade to do their thing.

On another note, with Bosh out, it would be nice to see head coach Erik Spoelstra demand more out of LeBron in the post.

If the Heat want to maximize their currently-reduced-yet-talented roster, they should start more offensive sets with LeBron on the block, and wait for the defense to collapse on him, then allow him to power the ball in or kick it out to the likes of Miller, Chalmers, Eddie House, or hit a cutting Wade.

These sort of tactical adaptations might help Miami course correct and keep themselves within striking distance of Boston for the top seed in the Eastern Conference.

LeBron James returned home with all the hoopla and the hype in the world surrounding him. The entire basketball world was watching, but it was ultimately a snoozefest after the booing Cleveland fans gave him their best. As the noise subsided, so did Cleveland’s ability to play basketball, and the Miami Heat crushed the Cavaliers, 118-90.

The first thing I noticed about the Heat is that they are actually quite boring to watch. The predictability of the Miami offense becomes boring so fast that it is unbearable it at times.

The Heat need to start deferring more to Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh, and remove the ball from LeBron’s hands as much as possible.

LeBron stagnates the offensive scheme, and the shot clock erodes while LeBron holds or dribbles the ball pointlessly while the heat stand still and do nothing. More ball movement means more efficiency on offense, and less time for LeBron to hold onto the ball and do nothing. All of which will help the Heat become more exciting to watch.

James could easily get more assists by cutting, catching the rock, drawing a double team, and then dishing to an open Wade or Bosh than he will holding the ball incessantly while draining the shot clock almost every possession.

Sure this “LeBron-fense” strategy will work with horrible teams such as the Cavs, but it also highlights why the Heat are 12-8, rather than having a significantly better record. Don’t misinterpret what I am trying to say here, a 12-8 record is decent, but the Heat could be doing much better.

My line of thinking is as follows: Let Mario Chalmers start, and let the Big Three move without the ball more. Why not utilize the speed of Chalmers to allow the Big Three to fill lanes keep defenses guessing? Doing so they will bring excitement into the game as the Big Three attack the hoop.

Chalmers’s knowledge of how to get Wade the ball in the right spots can be extended to Bosh and James as well. Although the PG position is pretty much a patsy role in Miami, the Heat could be well to do using Chalmers’ defensive skills for 30-plus minutes a night.

No dig on Carlos Arroyo, but Mario Chalmers is a much better natural defender than Arroyo. Chalmers was the incumbent starter but after a devastating injury during the preseason that cost him his job, appears to have fully recovered. Maybe it is just me, but I want the best defense out there as possible surrounding the Miami Superfriends.

The Heat need to shake things up and inject more life and fluidity into their ball movement and overall mentality. Doing so will make the Heat fun to watch, and should immediately propel them into ownerships of the league leading records. Failure to do so will result in one of the most talented  teams wasting their talents while boring us all to death.

The Boston Celtics met the Miami Heat for he second time in the early stage of the 2010-11 season, and were again successful beating the Heat for a second straight time. In doing so, Boston has made it abundantly clear that they are still the team to beat in the Easter Conference and Miami’s Big 3 is still no match for Boston’s Big 4.

The main difference I noticed during this game was something that cannot be measured by looking at the numbers: A complete sense of togetherness Boston possessed while the Heat appeared to have a larger display of separatists on the floor for most of the 48 minutes.

The continuity that the Boston Celtics had on display against the Heat was also highly disruptive of the Heat’s offensive intentions, often forcing Dwyane Wade into bad spots to the tune of  6 turnovers and 2-12 shooting from the field.

LeBron had another great game, speaking statistically, but it’s becoming more apparent to me that when his stats are Oscar-Robertson-like, Chris Bosh suffers as the victim, and it also hurts the overall team chemistry. If Miami can’t figure out how to get LeBron to defer to Bosh more and allow an inside out game to develop, the offensive attack is skewed in a way that allows great defensive teams like the Celtics to zero in, neutralize, and consequently negate all LeBron’s big numbers.

Conversely, the Celtics had no problem moving the ball around, and did not have to defer to any one in particular in order to get their offense going. Many ball fakes, wrap around passes, and kept the Heat guessing where the Celtics would strike from. This was a far more effective strategy to make the Heat work and get tired while playing defense, and benefited the shooting opportunities for Ray Allen. Allen had 35 points with seven 3 pointers.

Another good sign for Boston was the activity level of Kevin Garnett. He has already been off to a great start compared to last season, but if he continues his pace and form like tonight’s game, it is highly likely that his Celtics will be making the push for rings in June.

Derrick Rose had a lot on his mind when it comes to LeBron James’ decision to join the Miami Heat, and shared it with ESPN Radio. After discussing his new teammate Carlos Boozer, Rose eventually had this to say about LeBron James:

“If he really wanted to come he would have come no matter what. He is grown, he makes his own decisions, and to him he made the right decision so everybody has to live with it because he has to live with it.”

Driving to the lane is not going to cut it.

Rose clearly looks forward to the challenge, adding:

“Yeah, it’s going to be fun. Playing the Heat is going to be fun,” Rose said. “I don’t know about anybody else’s team but I think my team is ready for war.”

Rose, Luol Deng, Joakim Noah,  and the newly acquired Carlos Boozer will form a solid line up to compete against the “Super Friends” Miami Heat lineup of James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh.

Realistically though, Rose must drastically improve his outside shooting to give Chicago any chance of beating the elite. Until he can spread the floor from from the outside, teams can defend the  post and offer up better defense.

Rose will definitively dominate Miami unless they assign Wade the defensive task of trying to slow Rose, which I could easily envision creating problems for the Bulls. Wade has all the bulk and speed to hang with Rose. Wade can beat on Rose for the majority of 48 minutes.

As it stands now, Miami and Chicago and both poised to strike at Boston for supremacy in the Eastern Conference. If Rose starts draining the 3 ball, it will infinitely help the Bulls’ cause.

The media has officially been set ablaze after LeBron James and Chris Bosh agreed to join Dwyane Wade to form the Miami Heat troika.

The Miami Heat is about to conquer the world.

LeBron has been highly criticized by Cleveland Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert and the media for his decision.

I cannot see James making a better decision than he did. He wanted to win. NBA Players would rather play in Siberia than they would Cleveland. Cleveland should praise LeBron for not demanding a trade earlier.

But what does LeBron’s decision prove? It proves that he does value winning over everything else, especially his own self-love and his brand. He proves it by accepting less money in order to surround himself with better talent, and a better organization, and his first real chance at making a run at multiple championships.

And how do we know it is a better organization? Miami entered the league in 1988 and has already won a title. That settles any debate in my mind.

Or maybe it is the fact that Miami players stick with the organization after their careers are done, or that Wade could have left, but instead stayed and made this happen because the Miami organization instilled in Wade a sense of ultimate loyalty.

Fans in Cleveland have been burning his jersey to make their opinions known. I can’t really blame them, I do not really see any purpose to a Cavaliers Jersey or t shirt, other than kindle for the fire.

Nothing gets a fire going like Cleveland Cavaliers apparel!

But as time passes and wounds mend, and regardless of your disposition to James, you will have to marvel at watching the greatest combination of NBA players ever assembled on a single roster. It is going to be unfair for the rest of the league for a long time. Possibly the greatest run in NBA history since the Bill Russell Celtics era.

This decision by James paints him in an entirely different light to me. I have written about how he needed to make this move in order to truly grow his global brand, because everyone loves a winner. How can he possibly dilute his brand by winning multiple championships?

LeBron’s friendship with Wade and Bosh grew stronger with their experiences while winning the Gold Medal in the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. It allowed them to foster a fellowship that has made this happen. They all sacrificed financial gain for the sake of winning. To me, that is what the game of basketball is all about.

We are going to be treated to the best basketball we have seen in a long time. Wade, James and Bosh are all unselfish team-oriented players. They are willing to make the extra pass, and work extremely hard on defense.

Wade will be able to terrorize teams on offense like never before. Expect Wade to surpass Kobe Bryant as the greatest shooting guard in the NBA. Due to Wades supporting cast, teams were able to limit his brilliance. Now we can finally see it because Wade will have great players around him, just like Kobe has always had during his career.

James will have the best drive and dish options he has ever seen. Expect James passing skills to lead to more comparisons to Magic Johnson. For the first time since Oscar Robertson, a season-long average of a triple double is very possible.

Bosh will have the best one-on-one options down low. Defenses will have to sacrifice the damage by Bosh in the paint to try and slow Wade and James. We will see massive increase in Bosh’s efficiency, and whatever two players  Miami puts out with the big three will have an easy night every night.

LeBron James has a twitter account. Heck, he even launched a Facebook profile page as well. What is LeBron James missing?
Oh yeah, it’s an NBA Championship ring.

Articles covering the destiny of King James continually focus about how LeBron will abandon $30 million if he heads to Miami and how he risks deluding his brand as a result of possessing a supporting cast featuring Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh.

How in the world could this combination of NBA All Stars do anything but be a marketing team’s dream? It’s enough to leave everyone, LeBron included, scratching their heads.

Seriously dude how much can somebody love themself?

Is LeBron self-absorbed to the degree that even he can’t fathom the fact that his best opportunity at winning multiple rings in rapid succession should automatically come second to any branding strategy? It should be nothing less than his prime directive focal point.

People love winners. When all else fails in someones life, people forget everything bad that was said, or even in extreme cases (cough cough), they forget something like a highly publicized rape case involving arguably the best player in the NBA.

Hint, he just won his fifth ring this year, and he has changed his jersey number twice. If you have not figured that out yet, you might be a member of LeBron’s marketing team.

LeBron should seriously question his brand marketing ideals. Either it’s marketing experts providing ill advice for their own greed and profit, or it’s James’ own gigantic ego overriding all wise and sensible moves to follow his narcissistic needs and desires to focus more on money and his own brand then on winning.

Either way they are eluding the main aspect of successfully branding a star athlete.

People love winners.

Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh had dinner in Chicago Thursday night. Bosh tweeted about it.

He also provided a picture to prove it, and mentioned “Just had dinner w @dwadeofficial. Great way to end day 1 of #freeagency although it feels like someone is missing…… http://say.ly/FrP2L8″

Chicago fans are praying for this to happen.

Someone is missing? Could that be a less-than-subtle hint to LeBron James?

Bosh allegedly also met with Chicago late Friday night for the second time. If Chicago manages to land both Bosh and Wade what is to stop LeBron James, , other than his own stupidity, from hopping aboard to create arguably the best starting 5 in modern NBA history?

Bosh and Wade, if signed, will automatically augment a lineup featuring Derrick Rose, Joakim Noah, Luol Deng, and Taj GIbson. The Bulls have made the playoffs with their current lineup, so adding these two superstars will automatically make the Bulls title contenders.

Wade will join his hometown team and have the best guard playing alongside him in his entire career. Talk about inspiration.

Bosh will have the best center he has ever played with in his career.

Will they also get to play with the best small forward they have played with in their entire career? Apparently this is not going to happen, as Jalen Rose reports via twitter:

jalenrose

#NBA Breaking News(rumor has it)FA’s Wade/Bosh hv made up their minds to play AGAINST Lebron so don’t expect all 3 to play 2gether! WOW.

The verdict is not yet out on that one. Of course Pat Riley will do his absolute best to not allow this when Wade returns to Miami to meet with him.  But one can only wonder if Wade and Bosh have both made second trips, shared a dinner to discuss in Chicago, what sort of likelihood this has to happening.

However, if Wade and Bosh are are secured, Chicago fans will have a new slogan that can absolutely make Bucks fans go insane:

Fear the Steer!

The 2010 NBA Draft went according to plan with John Wall going first, and everyone else basically falling into place. Even the Golden State Warriors followed protocol making a horrible selection at 6. Alas, all is normal in the NBA.

But the biggest success came from the teams that were already involved in the NBA free agency class of 2010, and they made a bigger splash by using the draft to create more cap space using the addition by subtraction method of packaging players into draft day trades.

The Chicago Bulls and Miami Heat made the most room, freeing massive cap space and taking the serious lead to make their teams title contenders this summer.

The Bulls sent Kirk Hinrich and the 17th pick to the Washington Wizards, freeing up enough space to sign two max free agents. They retained Luol Deng, so the Bulls can now immediately offer a major free agent a solid playoff ready supporting cast in Derrick Rose, Deng, and Joakim Noah.

The free agency power is in my hand!

LeBron James’ name and the Chicago Bulls seem to keep popping up in conversations and the rumor mills, but now you can start hearing things like “LeBron and Bosh” or “LeBron and Amare” emerging as the new conversational trend.

The Miami Heat, who were already poised to make some serious waves in free agency, shipped out Daequan Cook and the #18 pick to Oklahoma City Thunder,  clearing the space now for the Heat to resign Dwyane Wade, and sign two free agents.

Miami now can offer free agents the beach, Wade, and a lifestyle that is more desirable than almost any other NBA franchise location around (Note: Miami’s acronym= Minnesota).

For now, these two teams are the big winners as we waltz our way into the July 1st fiasco, however, once LeBron inks a deal, and the rest of the players fall into place with their teams, we wont really know.

As of now Miami sits at the top of the list of all franchises hoping to hit the free agent marketplace, perched and ready to make the most noise this summer.

Reports from the Washington Insider have the Miami Heat interested in acquiring Antawn Jamison from the rebuilding Washington Wizards.

Jamison is a hot commodity heading towards the pending trade deadline this Thursday, and currently buried in NBA purgatory; oops, I meant Washington. Miami could steal Jamison for expiring contracts of players like Quentin Richardson and Dorell Wright.

Seriously Pat Riley, what's taking so long? (Credit: picapp.com)

This is a potential great fit for Jamison and would help Dwyane Wade’s Heat significantly turn this season around. With reduced pressure on Wade, and an inspired Jamison who would now be playing for a chance to return to the playoffs, Miami could make a serious push. Miami, currently the 7th playoff seed, could potentially leapfrog Charlotte and Toronto in the standings with 30 games left in the regular season.

Washington benefits from this deal because it gets players providing immediate cap relief. The Wizards can continue tanking, let the season play out, and then focus on which draft picks and free agents to acquire during the summer.

The ideal trade for Miami to propose to Washington, which would have to be entertained, is a deal shipping out Antawn Jamison and Mike Miller in exchange for Udonis Haslem, Quentin Richardson, and Dorell Wright.

This trade yields the Wizards $18.7 million in expiring contracts and Miami would have Mike Miller on a “rental” basis for the rest of the year. Miller is a quality shooter and could help distribute the ball running the point with his above average passing skills.

If you are a Heat fan this trade is a far better outcome for the franchise, in my opinion, than pursuing Amar’e Stoudemire. Cross your fingers, hope Amare heads to Cleveland, and the Heat land Jamison and Miller.

If Stoudemire undermines the system while under performing in Cleveland, the Eastern Conference will become a more open race towards the post season.