Lebron Realizes His Destiny, Finally An NBA Champion

“It’s about damn time man, It’s about damn time.” Lebron said moments after winning his first NBA Championship.  It has been a long 9 years in the NBA for Lebron who came in with surreal expectations of how great he truly could be.  Since arriving into the league in 2003 the bar was set so high that experts felt James could make the impossible seem possible.  After 2 previous trips to the NBA finals which ended in losses for Lebron, he finally has a chance to call the trophy his along with the finals MVP trophy.

“I had to regroup after losing last year to Dallas.  I had to get back to playing the way i did when I was in Cleveland before I came to Miami and played with anger.  When I play with anger the game isn’t fun for me so I had to get back to playing the way I did when I was having fun.” Lebron said after the game.  The 2012 playoff run was one of the best individual playoff performances in the NBA history.  James recorded 2 triple doubles alone during the NBA finals along with his other jaw dropping stats.

You have to wonder now that Lebron finally has that elusive championship and has figured out how to win one, how much more can he possibly has by the time his career is over.  Yes he is 9 years into his career but he is only 27.  With Dwayne Wade 30 years old he has officially passed the torch to Lebron as the leader of the Miami Heat.  Wade has done the torch passing gracefully and without hesitation because it’s the right thing for the Miami Heat team.

This Miami Heat team played their best basketball with their backs against the wall in the playoffs.  They trailed the Boston Celtics 3-2 before dominating game 6 and finishing them off in game 7.  A Round earlier against the Pacers the Heat were staring down a 3-1 deficit before winning the last 3 games to advance.  They fell behind the Thunder 1-0 and almost gave game 2 away before winning the last 4 games to be champions.

There was a different energy this season about the Heat this year.  Last season they played with a chip on their shoulder and a sense of entitlement.  This season they went about things in a very workmanlike way and just played the game with purpose.

Miami now has the experience, and all the tools to dominate the league for years to come.  The way the Heat were constructed has them firmly in the drivers seat for a good 5 year period.

Congratulations Lebron and Chris Bosh on your first ring, and to Dwayne Wade on your second ring.

They say defending your title is a lot harder then winning your first one.  Let’s see if the Miami Heat have a dynasty on their hands.

Pacers Back Heat Into A Corner, Take 2-1 Series Lead

Indiana made Miami frusterated and left them searching for answers.  Struggling to adjust without the injured Chris Bosh the Heat’s offense is looking very predicatable and easy to stop. ”We have all vested together in this and are all in it together to the end,” West said. ”We will not back down or take anything from any team.”

The Pacers are the much more tougher and physical team right now.  They are imposing their will on the game on both sides of the floor and are controlling the paint.  Third year player Roy Hibbert had the best game of his career with 19 points and 18 rebounds.  “My primary focus is defense, defense, defense,” he said. ”I embrace that role and let the offense come to me. Them being one and done, that’s what we talked about in the huddle,” he said. ”One shot and they’re done.”

Heat star Dwayne Wade has struggled all series long including a miserable 2-13 shooting effort in game 3.  Wade has been forcing shots trying to shoot his way out of the slump while it has looked lke a one man team with Lebron trying to do all the heavy lifting for Miami.  It looks like everything is falling apart for the Heat from the inside as the playoffs are getting more intense.  During a huddle Wade got into a shouting match with coach Erik Spoelstra. 

”That happens,” Spoelstra said. ”Anybody that has been part of a team or has been a coach or been a player, you have no idea how often things like that happen. That was during a very emotional part of the game. We were getting our butt kicked. Those exchanges happen all the time during the course of an NBA season. There’s going to be a lot of times where guys say something, you don’t like it. You get over it and you move on. We’re all connected. Dwyane and I have been together for a long time, a long time. We’ve been through basically everything. A lot of different roles, a lot of different teams. That really is nothing. That is the least of our concern. That type of fire, shoot, that’s good. That’s the least of our concerns. Our concern is getting ready for Sunday.”

The Pacers have a tremendous opportunity to get one step closer to pulling off a shocking upset in the second round.  On Sunday they can take a commanding 3-1 series lead and grab the series by the throat.  Will this be the Heat’s final gasp of air?  Or will the Heat come out and fight their way to a 2-2 series tie?

Miami vs. Sun, May 20, 2012 3:30 PM EDT

                 Indiana