You could say the pressure is off of him because he has already climbed the mountain and won an NBA championship. But we all know the pressure on Lebron James to win, and keep winning, and keep winning will not stop until he racks up at least four or five championships. Lebron isn't just another Charles Barkely or Karl Malone. Those two were certainly great players and dominated their era, but the world was not expected of them. Lebron is a transcendent athlete that needs to solidify his position in the pantheon of all time basketball greats. He will have his chance to do that every June for most likely the next 5 to 7 years. Tonight will go a long way in allowing him to do that.
The Miami Heat take on the Indiana Pacers at 8:30 at American Airlines Arena. Ain't that where the Heat play? Lebron James will take the floor and attempt to ensure his chance at his second NBA title. I will be here to discuss the acton live as it's happening.
The winner of game 5 in a 2-2 series has gone on to win 83% of the time. Of course, the Heat were in that 17% just last year in the East Finals.
Check back in around game time for real time updates.
7:14 PM EST: David Ortiz walks. Wheels lauds him for being extremely patient. And the whole Red Sox team for being patient, noting this being the 4th game he's seen them in 4 nights. The Red Sox have gone from worst to first this season. Maybe the Phillies should take some notes.
7:20 PM EST: Might not have to even flip channels tonight. 4-0 Sawks.
7:34 PM EST: Delmon Young walking slowly carrying a bit stick in the 1st. 4 - 2 Sawks.
8:04 PM EST: I think Lebron needs to come out with the "Gimme the damn ball attitude!" Me too Shaq. Me too.
8:07 PM EST: My buddy Drew is in attendance tonight. He pointed out a nice cringe worthy fact.
2008 Draft:
16th Pick - Philadelphia 76ers Marreese Speights
17th Pick - Toronto Raptors (Traded to Indiana draft night) Roy Hibbert
Yup.
8:10 PM EST: Shaq likes the "mean mean" faces Lance Stevenson makes when he takes it to the basket. Me too Shaq. Me too.
8:15 PM EST: Reggie Miller, Steve Kerr, and Marv Albert (Yes!) with the call tonight.
8:34 PM EST: Bases loaded 1 out for the Phils. GIDP. Kratz been great of late. Take the good with the bad. Still down 4-2.
Okay it's game time. Lebron turns over the first possession. Dan Crawford, James Capers, Marc Davis. I hope its the last time I say those names tonight. But let's be honest.
8:35 PM EST: FIrst 3 shots haven't hit rim. It's ugly out there early. Hibbert gets a tip in for the first bucket 2 + minutes in. Lebron drains his first shot. A mid range jumper.
8:38 PM EST: Paul George drains a 3 and flies back on the next possession for another bucket. The play is a little sloppy early. Unforced turnovers on both sides. 9-4 Indiana with a 7-0 run.
8:41 PM EST: We may be on a Paul George alert early. He drains his first 3 shots including his first 3. Time for the first TV time out and they show a highlight of Hibbert laying one in. Reggie Miller speaks over it saying "The most impactful player in this series." That's hyperbole. We're at our first commercial break. He ate the bones. Jrue Holiday makes it into an Adidas commercial #quickaintfair.
8:45 PM EST: We're back from break and Craig Sager fits right in South Beach. Think Birdcage tonight Drew says. 17-13 Pacers and Lebron has turned it over 3 times with 3 minutes to go in the 1st.
8:53 PM EST: Paul George drains another 3. We're talkin solid NBA range on that one. 10 points on 4-5 including two 3s early. Meanwhile Dwyane Wade has two airball in the first quarter. I'll never get over the fact that that's how he spells his first name.
8:56 PM EST: Nearly a full blown Paul George alert as he misses a chance at his 4th 3 and 16 points in the first. Nevertheless he dropped a cool 13 in the first quarter. I'd say he's ready for the moment. Hibbert had 10 and Indiana leads 23-19 after one. Balanced scoring for Indiana.
9:04 PM EST: Birdman makes his 17th consecutive field goal. Hasn't missed a shot since game 4 of the semis. America Airlines is missing out a on a real opportunity with the Birdman and the Birdman. Brrrrrrrrrr should be playing every time he makes any play. Apparently it's a prerequisite to get a tattoo on your head if your nickname is Birdman.
9:08 PM EST: Birdman promptly shoves Tyler Hansbrough drawing double technicals. Bird was the clear instigator in that exchange after they got tangled battling for a rebound. He'll be seeing a fine coming his way. 30-25 Pacers two minutes into the 2nd quarter. Lebron makes another jumper. He could stand to be a bit more selfish.
7:14 PM EST: David Ortiz walks. Wheels lauds him for being extremely patient. And the whole Red Sox team for being patient, noting this being the 4th game he's seen them in 4 nights. The Red Sox have gone from worst to first this season. Maybe the Phillies should take some notes.
7:20 PM EST: Might not have to even flip channels tonight. 4-0 Sawks.
7:34 PM EST: Delmon Young walking slowly carrying a bit stick in the 1st. 4 - 2 Sawks.
8:04 PM EST: I think Lebron needs to come out with the "Gimme the damn ball attitude!" Me too Shaq. Me too.
8:07 PM EST: My buddy Drew is in attendance tonight. He pointed out a nice cringe worthy fact.
2008 Draft:
16th Pick - Philadelphia 76ers Marreese Speights
17th Pick - Toronto Raptors (Traded to Indiana draft night) Roy Hibbert
Yup.
8:10 PM EST: Shaq likes the "mean mean" faces Lance Stevenson makes when he takes it to the basket. Me too Shaq. Me too.
8:15 PM EST: Reggie Miller, Steve Kerr, and Marv Albert (Yes!) with the call tonight.
8:34 PM EST: Bases loaded 1 out for the Phils. GIDP. Kratz been great of late. Take the good with the bad. Still down 4-2.
Okay it's game time. Lebron turns over the first possession. Dan Crawford, James Capers, Marc Davis. I hope its the last time I say those names tonight. But let's be honest.
8:35 PM EST: FIrst 3 shots haven't hit rim. It's ugly out there early. Hibbert gets a tip in for the first bucket 2 + minutes in. Lebron drains his first shot. A mid range jumper.
8:38 PM EST: Paul George drains a 3 and flies back on the next possession for another bucket. The play is a little sloppy early. Unforced turnovers on both sides. 9-4 Indiana with a 7-0 run.
8:41 PM EST: We may be on a Paul George alert early. He drains his first 3 shots including his first 3. Time for the first TV time out and they show a highlight of Hibbert laying one in. Reggie Miller speaks over it saying "The most impactful player in this series." That's hyperbole. We're at our first commercial break. He ate the bones. Jrue Holiday makes it into an Adidas commercial #quickaintfair.
8:45 PM EST: We're back from break and Craig Sager fits right in South Beach. Think Birdcage tonight Drew says. 17-13 Pacers and Lebron has turned it over 3 times with 3 minutes to go in the 1st.
8:53 PM EST: Paul George drains another 3. We're talkin solid NBA range on that one. 10 points on 4-5 including two 3s early. Meanwhile Dwyane Wade has two airball in the first quarter. I'll never get over the fact that that's how he spells his first name.
8:56 PM EST: Nearly a full blown Paul George alert as he misses a chance at his 4th 3 and 16 points in the first. Nevertheless he dropped a cool 13 in the first quarter. I'd say he's ready for the moment. Hibbert had 10 and Indiana leads 23-19 after one. Balanced scoring for Indiana.
9:04 PM EST: Birdman makes his 17th consecutive field goal. Hasn't missed a shot since game 4 of the semis. America Airlines is missing out a on a real opportunity with the Birdman and the Birdman. Brrrrrrrrrr should be playing every time he makes any play. Apparently it's a prerequisite to get a tattoo on your head if your nickname is Birdman.
9:08 PM EST: Birdman promptly shoves Tyler Hansbrough drawing double technicals. Bird was the clear instigator in that exchange after they got tangled battling for a rebound. He'll be seeing a fine coming his way. 30-25 Pacers two minutes into the 2nd quarter. Lebron makes another jumper. He could stand to be a bit more selfish.
9:12 PM EST: David Beckham managed to get decent seats for the game.
9:16 PM EST: The Heat really just look out of sync and can't seem to get into any kind of rhythm. They only have 27 through 18 minutes and lack energy. Sluggish would sum it up.
9:22 PM EST: Sam Young just went baseline on Ray Allen like it was 2013.
9:24 PM EST: The Pacers are just dominating inside but the Heat are staying close with Bosh hitting a 3 and Chalmers getting to the bucket.
9:33 PM EST: The first half is over and the Pacers lead it 44-40. George finished with 15 in the half scoring just two and mostly disappearing from view in the 2nd. David West shouldered the load for the Pacers but the Heat basically never got untracked. Lebron had a bland half with 11 point and 2 boards. The highlight of the half was really the contact between Anderson and Hansbrough. After watching the replay the call was completely bogus and Hansbrough did nothing to earn his technical.
9:39 PM EST: Barkley says the Pacers are putting a "world class whooping" on the Heat inside. That may be the case but the margin is only 4. Shaq is basically making a fool out of himself just sitting there with that beard. Close your ears if he tries to make a point.
9:41 PM EST: My take on the first half: It's 44-40 and the Heat are lucky. They have not done much of anything any good, especially rebound. Lebron isn't playing bad but that's not the way you'd want to describe the play of the player who is supposed to be better than any one on the planet. Bottom line, he needs to shed the Magic side of his ego and put on the Michael side and the game should be over. You have to go down swinging, but I've known Lebron to take a pitch or two.
9:50 PM EST: We start the 2nd half with Frank Vogel in the locker room preaching will and determination. The Pacers have been listening. Lebron has 1 assist and 11 points.
9:54 PM EST: Lebron dazzles in the lane with a 360 lay in by George hill. Somebody that big should not be able to move like that.
10:02 PM EST: Lebron misses the first free throw he takes in the game. And his second.
10:05 PM EST: Offensive foul on George Hill. Worst call of the series by far.
10:07 PM EST: Phils lost 9-2 :(
10:11 PM EST: Nice shot of Floyd "Money" Mayweather. Who do you think Floyd is rooting for? I wonder how much money he has on the Heat money line? The crowd is starting to get into it as the Heat take the lead 58-53.
10:16 PM EST: Lebron is imposing his will at this point on both ends of the floor. He's made jumpers and gotten to the bucket. He's making flying blocks in transition. This is what you need to start seeing from the best player in the world. The Heat are up 61-55 and Ray Allen rimmed out a 3 that would have brought the house down.
10:24 PM EST: Marv Albert is dishing out "Yes!" after "Yes!" and Lebron is doing it all. He gave up what looked like a wide open lay up for a Udonis Haslem well defended 16 footer from the corner. Buckets. Steve Kerr says that Haslem has "been the backbone of this franchise for years."
10:26 PM EST: Lebron drains a deep 3 sending the crowd into a frenzy with 20 seconds to go in the 3rd. The Heat came out like the defending champs with the best player on the planet in the 3rd quarter. Lebron scored or assisted on 25 of 30 points in the quarter and the Heat lead 70-57 heading to the 4th. The Lebrons won the quarter 30-13 and Lebron out scored the Pacers 16-13. Welcome to the big show.
10:39 PM EST: Udonis Haslem takes a seat providing the same X-factor role he played in game 3. He's gone 7-8 with a bevy of mid range jumpers from the baseline. He's the mayor of the mid range baseline spot.
10:41 PM EST: Hibbert stays stayin in the post as he lays one in trying to keep the Pacers in it, but the Heat are just too much after a sequence of a Ray Allen 3, an Indiana turnover and a Wade lay-in. Heat up 79-66.
10:47 PM EST: It's all but over with 5 and half left. Norris Cole is dropping jumpers. Heat up 85-70.
10:50 PM EST: Well the third quarter has proven to be the decisive quarter in this game. 3 minutes left and they're playing out the string.
11:00 PM EST: Final - Heat 90 Indiana 79. It was never in doubt. If you're a Lebron fan this is basically what you live for. His team trailed by 4 starting the 2nd half and he was the catalyst that turned a deficit into an easy victory. Cameras caught him borderline berating his teammates in an effort to pump them up just before the half started. They had to blur out his mouth because of the expletives flying out of it. His lead was easy to follow. He made jumpers. He forced turnovers and created easy fast break points. His teammates, most notably Haslem who finished 8-9 (For the second time in 3 games!), fed off his energy and the lead quickly ballooned to double digits and the Pacers never recovered. Lebron finished with 30 8 and 6 and another chapter in his big game legacy. He really didn't quite go Michael and didn't quite go Magic. He went Lebron and that was pretty damn good.
If you're a Lebron hater. Oh well.
If you're a Paul George fan you're scratching your head and asking what happened after the 1st quarter.
11:21 PM: If you're still watching Shaq continues to make a fool out of himself. Charles is incredulous.
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