Kevan Barlow fan club

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LeBron James and Dwyane Wade power the Miami Heat, as we saw in Game 2 against the Indiana Pacers. Without them, there is no chance that the Heat will make it any further than the first quarter without being blown out. And then there is coach Erik Spoelstra…

Coach Spoelstra may not be the perfect coach for the job, but he has sustained some level of leadership within the Miami organization. The players seem to be receptive of him and his ideas, even in situations where they may feel like the play-calling could have been better.

Miami’s head coach is in a good spot with the players, for now. However, that could change if he does not figure out a way to ease off of the gas when it comes to the league’s most valuable player.

Not a single player in the league seems to be in better basketball condition than LeBron James. He is agile, rarely benched and plays very physical basketball on a consistent basis. Still, after being propelled into the power forward position after Chris Bosh’s indefinite exit, James is subjected to far more than he ever has been in his career.

The fatigue was apparent in Game 2. James has even come forward, according to ESPN, and said that the job is challenging:

“It’s a lot more taxing being in there with bigger guys,” James said, according to the Miami Herald.

He said that defense “is the biggest difference. When you’re on the perimeter, there’s more space. The interior is more cramped and physical.”

That’s been made painfully obvious. After posting really good free throw numbers throughout the first series against the Knicks and in Game 1 of the Indiana series, he bricked two possible game-winning foul shots. It was something that pushed LeBron right back into that dim light that forces the question—“Is he really ready to be as great as The Greats?”

Is Erik Spoelstra right in his decision not to rest LeBron more?

Yes. Miami needs LeBron to be on the floor almost 48 minutes to be successful without Chris Bosh. No. LeBron’s fatigue in the fourth is only going to ensure that Miami continues to struggle without Bosh. Submit Vote vote to see results

Is Erik Spoelstra right in his decision not to rest LeBron more?

Yes. Miami needs LeBron to be on the floor almost 48 minutes to be successful without Chris Bosh.

33.3%

No. LeBron’s fatigue in the fourth is only going to ensure that Miami continues to struggle without Bosh.

66.7%

Total votes: 3

However, there is something else that should be learned from Game 2 in Miami against the Pacers. James played 43 of 48 minutes, and the fatigue was there. Everyone saw it. James knows it and he hopes to get a little bit of rest here and there to keep those things from being a factor.

What was Coach Spoelstra’s response?

“There’s nothing we can do [about rest for James] in the fourth quarter,” Spoelstra said, according to the Herald.

“Forty-minutes-plus is probably what he can expect.”

It is one thing to not cave in to pressure from the superstar athlete. We get that. Players often look for a role in coaching that exceeds their responsibilities. Leave the coaching to the coach, and just play the game.

Still, there seems to be a lack of communication when it comes to what Spoelstra needs to do in order to get the best possible performance from the best player on his team. He’s never coached a player like James. Taking into account how conditioned James is in the game, it’s hard to think that he would ever need a breather.

He does now, especially while banging bodies with David West play by play.

Spoelstra wants to ride James until the wheels fall off, and unfortunately that may continue to be in the fourth quarter. LeBron has worked on being productive both offensively and defensively in the fourth. That has been shown in both the regular and post seasons.

Yet, it does not seem too smart to keep up with pushing James to the limit in a much more physical aspect of the season. The NBA Playoffs are generally much more taxing than the regular season, and 43 minutes are far from tiring.

Coach Erik Spoelstra has done a great job with LeBron James as a player and working him in every inch of Miami’s offensive scheme.

However, he may be out of his league at this point. Rotating players is something that elite coaches do without breaking a sweat and without forcing their star players into a bad situation. You know, the Phil Jacksons and the Pat Rileys.

What if Spoelstra doesn’t have that yet?

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Miami Heat superstar LeBron James has taken a beating in the media over the last year for his failures to come through in the clutch. 

When the Miami Heat fail, we find a reason to criticize LeBron, but why doesn’t anyone do the same to Kobe Bryant?

LeBron has come through more often in late situations in recent years than Kobe has, but we rarely hear a peep about Kobe’s failures, while those of James dominate the news on television, radio and print media. 

Why is that?

For example, LeBron bricked two crucial free throws in the final minute of Miami’s Game 2 loss to the Indiana Pacers on Tuesday, and all you heard about on Wednesday was the fact that he disappears during the final minute of close games.

Yet Kobe went scoreless the final 6:43 in Wednesday night’s Lakers’ loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder and wasn’t criticized nearly as much.

Bryant hasn’t hit a game-tying or game-winning shot in the final 10 seconds of a playoff game since 2006, yet it’s LeBron who is everyone’s whipping boy.

That’s because LeBron made himself a target for the criticism.

It’s a combination of things, really.

Should Kobe be criticized more in the media for his failures?

Yes No, he’s proven himself Submit Vote vote to see results

Should Kobe be criticized more in the media for his failures?

Yes

31.1%

No, he’s proven himself

68.9%

Total votes: 45

He had every right to, but LeBron left Cleveland to join other superstars in Miami. James’ image took an awful hit for “The Decision.” Then there was the not one, not two, not three championships he went out and promised.

That and a host of other things make him a target for criticism, but most importantly, when you’re the best player in the game and you don’t come through in clutch situations, you are going to feel the heat associated with it.

Kobe’s workman-like attitude and leadership have always been respected. The same can’t be said about LeBron. 

Kobe is all about business. LeBron likes to have fun along the way.

Bryant has always wanted to be the best basketball player on the planet. Sometimes it seems like being a global icon is more important to LeBron.

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Is the criticism of LeBron fair? Hardly, but he’s made himself a target for it, so it’s unlikely to change anytime soon.

Then there’s the way Bryant steps up and handles criticism. He’s classy and shoulders the blame when it comes his way. He doesn’t care, though, if people like him or not.

It’s way too important for LeBron to have everyone like him. He doesn’t handle the criticism as well.

LeBron likes to play the victim card. For example, earlier in the season, after being criticized by Kendrick Perkins for his Twitter comments, he told ESPN’s Brian Windhorst:

I’m an easy target; if someone wants to get a point across—just throw LeBron’s name in there. You could be watching cartoons with your kids and you don’t like it, you say, ‘Blame it on LeBron.’ If you go to the grocery store and they don’t have the milk that you like, you just say, “It’s LeBron’s fault.”

James is an easy target because he made himself one, but that doesn’t mean a guy like Bryant shouldn’t face the same criticism for his failures on the court.

Is it fair? No, but it’s the way that it is.

There’s only one way for LeBron to silence the critics, and that’s to  achieve what Bryant already has: multiple championships.

Until he does, he’s going to remain the media’s whipping boy.

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We all know how good the Oklahoma City Thunder are when they score a high number of points. That’s one of the big reasons why they haven’t lost a single game in this year’s NBA playoffs.

So what does it say about them when they win a game by only scoring 77 points?

Even though the point total isn’t a lot, it tells you a great deal of how good this young team truly is.

After an Andrew Bynum hook shot gave the Los Angeles Lakers a 75-68 lead with over two minutes remaining, the Thunder began another epic playoff comeback with Kevin Durant and James Harden leading the way by attacking the basket and driving to the rim with ease.

In the midst of all of the dramatic hoopla that ensued, Kobe Bryant committed two careless turnovers down the stretch and took a bad three-point attempt with Harden right in his face, showing a side of himself in the last minutes that we don’t normally see.

The first turnover turned into a dunk from Durant that cut the lead to three, and the second resulted in an acrobatic layup by Durant that cut the lead to one. After the bad three-point attempt by Bryant, Durant hit the eventual game-winner from inside 10 feet and the Thunder now head to Staples Center with a commanding 2-0 series lead.

Before praise is given to the Thunder for another incredible comeback, no one on this planet can explain what was going on with the Lakers in the final minutes. The ball movement that was there for the first 46 minutes was non-existent for the final two.

Getting Bynum and Pau Gasol involved in the offense immediately became an afterthought when Metta World Peace and Bryant turned the Lakers into a two-man game.

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And then, out of all of this, there’s a new moment in NBA history that will be coined as “The Decision”—World Peace getting the ball to Steve Blake in the corner for the go-ahead shot that would’ve given the Lakers a two-point lead with a few seconds to go.

No one truly knows what was going through the thought-scattering head of World Peace. If he waited just a little bit longer, he would’ve found Kobe at the opposite corner with a chance to take the final shot. But like the rest of the team in the situation they were in for the final 2:08, World Peace was feeling a great amount of doubt.

Yes, there has to be some sense of doubt from the Lakers right now. And even though no one on that roster will admit it, the question has to be asked:

Do they really think they can beat the Thunder right now?

It’s simple to say that the Lakers were two minutes away from tying the series at a game apiece and heading back to La-La land with a ton of confidence and a giant wave of momentum on their side. But is it possible to believe that, just like the Dallas Mavericks, the Lakers are intimidated by the Thunder?

Right now, as it stands? Absolutely.

The Lakers panicked in the final two minutes when the Thunder began their final 9-0 run. L.A. wouldn’t have moved away from the things they were doing if Kobe and company didn’t feel a little desperation coming their way, even with a seven-point lead.

Are the Thunder the favorites to win the NBA Championship?

Yes No Submit Vote vote to see results

Are the Thunder the favorites to win the NBA Championship?

Yes

66.7%

No

33.3%

Total votes: 12

Oklahoma City has performed these fourth-quarter comebacks all postseason long. They did it three times to Dallas in the final minutes, and after they annihilated the Lakers in Game 1, Durant took over once again and led the Thunder to their sixth straight playoff victory.

And even in the final minutes, the Thunder finally realized that they had to stop shooting three-pointers and attack the basket until they ran out of gas. The perimeter game is the strong suit of OKC, but they’re just as dangerous when they drive to the rim, and they proved that logic in the final minutes.

That’s how Durant and Russell Westbrook can become dominant players in these playoffs, more so than they already are.

So instead of asking whether the Lakers beat the Thunder right now, the question should really be can any team remaining in the playoffs beat Oklahoma City in a seven-game series?

When they’re on and playing the way they’re playing right now, the Thunder are arguably the best team in the league, and not one person would be faulted for saying that they are—especially with the way Westbrook has played in these playoffs by scoring in bunches and limiting his turnovers, which makes the Thunder that much dangerous.

If the Thunder come out and set the tone in Game 3 on Friday early and often, and continue to do the things that have made them a threat in the West, then they’ll go into Saturday up 3-0 and will more than likely get the sweep. But they need to be careful of the environment that awaits them in Los Angeles.

With 48 hours to prepare, OKC has a chance to send a big-time statement to the rest of the league and send one of the gold standards in the NBA to the brink of a second straight second-round sweep.

Don’t let the 77-point performance on Wednesday fool you. If the Thunder can win offensively and defensively, who can stop them?

Right now, no one.

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These are the NBA Draft know it-all’s that you see on TV. Read more about the 10,00 mile, 2 month, 75 interview cross country journey at www.pursuethepassion.com/journey

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After Wednesday night’s Lakers implosion, Kobe Bryant’s “compliments” towards OKC’s defense were backhanded to the point of biting. From the post-game presser, via Ben Golliver: 

They just made gambles and they just jumped in the passing lane. It’s something we’re not accustomed to seeing. It was just flat out risks defensively. Jumping in the passing lane in front of the ball. Durant did it and got a steal. Westbrook did it and caused a turnover. It was a little unconventional but we’ll make our adjustments in Game 3.

“Gambles.” “Flat out risks.” “Unconventional.” 

None of that describes what happened on Bryant’s bizzarre pass to Durant with 1:50 left in the game. KD was just too long for such a low entry pass (I believe Pau Gasol was the target). He barely jumped in snatching it for an easy transition dunk. Such a “gamble” description could, however, fit what occurred on the subsequent possession, when Russell Westbrook blurred into the path of a Steve Blake pass. Still, it isn’t as though Blake would have made Westbrook pay with a drive from halfcourt to the hoop. 

But let’s get away from the final moments, because the others matter just as much. OKC smothered the Lakers for the second time in a row—to the tune of .385 field goal percentage and 2-of-15 from three. For all the focus on Steve Blake’s three-point miss, Los Angeles had trouble scoring all game.  

In a way, this was by design. The Lakers pounded the ball inside, hoping to slow the game and stem the tide of Thunder transition opportunities. While this worked as an indirect defensive strategy, OKC’s length and athleticism made it a miserable offensive plan.

Double teams swarmed Andrew Bynum, causing the usually efficient big to shoot 42 percent with four turnovers. Serge Ibaka came racing into the paint, blocking seven shots. In the distant past, a double team of Shaquille O’Neal keyed the Lakers’ offensive attack, opening up lanes for shooters and drivers. Bynum’s not quite ready for such an offensive load. 

Quite a few compliments are also in order for OKC’s wing defenders, who limited Kobe Bryant for a second game in a row. KD’s aforementioned crunch time harassing of Bryant was crucial, but so, too, was Thabo Sefolosha’s defense throughout the contest—especially in that final, meaningful Los Angeles possession.

With the Lakers down one, with 18 seconds left, Thabo’s incredible lateral mobility kept Kobe at bay, until the Swiss wing finally used his foul to give with 5.7 seconds left. This resulted in the Lakers getting one less possession in a moment of desperation. 

The Thunder are an offense-first bunch, and they may not need this level of defensive play to advance past their current foes. But if they are to challenge a points juggernaut like San Antonio, such signs are encouraging.

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I Get By With a Little Help From My Friends
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Twelve teams passed on drafting Kobe Bryant in the 1996 NBA draft, allowing him to fall to thirteen. The thirteenth team? The Charlotte Hornets.  

His agent at the time, Arn Tellem, expertly maneuvered Kobe to the Los Angeles Lakers on a draft-day trade in exchange for then-Lakers center Vlade Divac, citing that he would prefer to take his talents to a larger market where he could perhaps blossom into the second coming of Michael Jordan. 

Now, the Black Mamba is an astonishing talent, that is unquestionable. Kobe has five championship rings thus far in his illustrious career.  He has won Finals MVP twofold. He has won NBA MVP just once, but that is not indicative of his brilliance because he will without a doubt go down as one of the best players to ever play the game.

He has the ability to score from anywhere on the court. He oftentimes defies nature. He has us staring at the television, jaw-dropped in amazement thinking, “Did he really just do that?” His patented turn-around jumper from the baseline appears nearly impossible to convert at a high rate, but he continues to get it done. And even more impressive is that they fall in clutch situations with the game on the line.  

However—all five of his championships have come with the benefit of playing with a great big man while his opponents lacked the ability to counter the talent the Lakers put on the floor.

Contrary to what you are currently mumbling to yourself, this is not a slight to Kobe’s game, it is, quite simply, a fact. Shaquille O’Neal, the most dominant big man of all time, was in his prime during the Lakers’ three-peat to begin the 21st century. This was at an age where a dominant big man translated into success. The reason the term “Hack-A-Shaq” exists is because there was no other conceivable way to stop him, especially when Arvydas Sabonis and Vlade Divac were his main competition.  

Will Kobe Ever Win That Elusive 6th Ring?

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Will Kobe Ever Win That Elusive 6th Ring?

Yes

31.6%

No

68.4%

Total votes: 19

When fighting for his two most recent titles, Kobe had the benefit of playing with perhaps the best passing big man in the NBA, Pau Gasol. He is mostly known for his finesse game, but his ability to rebound and play a dynamic two-player game with Kobe allowed for the Lakers to win consecutive titles. It didn’t hurt that Lamar Odom had become the most feared sixth man in the league either, as he combined with Pau to provide the Lakers with the longest front court in the league (with an underdeveloped and often hurt Andrew Bynum).

The reasoning behind the boldness of my statement is simple: the NBA has drastically improved.  In a league that sorely lacked parity over the last twenty years, it seems more and more likely that there will be a different team raising a banner each year.

The Western Conference alone is so deep, the Lakers’ main focus now lies in finding a way to scratch and claw their way out of their own conference. The San Antonio Spurs, Oklahoma City Thunder, Dallas Mavericks, Memphis Grizzlies, Denver Nuggets and dare I say it, the Los Angeles Clippers all pose a legitimate threat to the Lakers in the coming seasons. In years past it was simply between the Lakers, the Sacramento Kings and the Portland Jailblazers. I mean Trailblazers. 

The Nuggets just pushed the Lakers to seven games in the first round and Kobe was spectacular. He has quickly realized that he cannot win on his own in today’s game because opposing teams are too well balanced.  He put forth an unbelievable effort in a potential Game Five clincher as he found his Laker team down 90-75 late in the fourth quarter at home. He is the only player in the league who can do that without surprising his audience. He has spoiled us all because now we expect him to do it. He scored 14 points in the quarter to finish with 43, but came up just short because his teammates left him hanging.

Kobe still has it. He is fourth all-time in 40-point postseason games with thirteen. He is a genuine stud. The issue lies in the increased competition. Without a consistent team effort, he just cannot win another ring. The team he has around him does not work as hard as he does and it frustrates him. Andrew Bynum only exerts himself every other game when he finds time not to make headlines for the idiotic things he says. Pau Gasol disappears sometimes for no apparent reason and the bench is completely nonexistent. 

I’m Doubled, Get Open!
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The biggest factor is the absence of an effective crunch-time point guard. The trade for Ramon Sessions was supposed to ignite the Lakers and alleviate some of the pressure placed on Kobe’s shoulders night in and night out. However, in his first taste of postseason experience, Sessions has been far from effective. In eight games thus far, he has shooting splits of 37/19/69 (FG/FT/3FG). That just won’t get it done. 

Sessions was also to be counted on to make a defensive difference as the Lakers have had trouble with opposing athletic point guards in years past. Derek Fisher was too old to keep up with the likes of Russell Westbrook, Chris Paul, Tony Parker and Ty Lawson. 

In Round One, Lawson completely dominated the point guard matchup, posting averages of 19 points, six assists on 51-percent shooting. 

Game One of Round Two? Westbrook put up 27 points, nine assists and seven rebounds in only 25 minutes. 

If he is unable to defend opposing point guards, it forces coach Mike Brown to ask Kobe to expend some of his precious energy on the defensive end, which affects his offensive production.  Regardless of who you are, defense requires the exertion of energy and if he over-exerts himself at the defensive end, his offensive game suffers.

You see? This article wasn’t what you thought it would be. It isn’t a hater piece, it’s a factual one.  The NBA is too deep for Kobe to add another ring to his collection. And you know what that means—one less than MJ. 

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The NBA postseason is nothing if not an opportunity for the league’s best players to prove themselves on its biggest stage.

For some, that means doing more of the same, but for others, it requires an entirely new approach. In a world where only the fittest survive, adaptation is a must. 

The teams still alive in the second round of these playoffs owe their fortunes in large part to guys who were willing to do what their teams needed them to do, even when that meant making some changes.

Here are four standouts who did just that.

Kevin Garnett, PF/C (Boston Celtics)

Toward the end of the regular season, Doc Rivers shuffled his rotation to get power forward Brandon Bass into the starting lineup. That meant Kevin Garnett would slide over to the center position, a move that would force him to defend and box out bigger guys.

The upshot, though, is that Garnett is all the more able to exploit his quickness on offense. Even more importantly, the bigs guarding Garnett have struggled to stay with him on pick-and-pop jump shots.

KG has made a living drifting to the top of the key and finding himself wide open. To that end, Garnett has thus far raised his scoring average in the playoffs by almost four points more than the 15.8 he averaged in the regular season. His return to significance has been one part reinvention and one part sheer renewal.

Manu Ginobili, SG (San Antonio Spurs)

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Ginobili is no stranger to coming off the bench, but he’s reprising that role a bit differently these days. With the 34-year-old missing 32 games this season, San Antonio’s bench became fairly self-sufficient thanks to contributions from Gary Neal, Stephen Jackson, Tiago Splitter and Matt Bonner.

Once depended on as a relatively lone scoring option, Ginobili is now called upon to pick his spots a bit more carefully. He didn’t reach a double-digit point total in any of his first three playoff games, but he did tally 10 assists in Game 3 against the Utah Jazz.

When the Spurs needed his scoring in Game 4, Ginobili scored 17 points in 27 minutes. Then, in Game 1 vs. the Clippers, he scored 22 in 27 minutes.

Ginobili may not take over games like he used to, but he can still take them over at crucial moments.

Ramon Sessions, PG (Los Angeles Lakers)

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It wouldn’t be entirely accurate to say Sessions has re-invented himself in this postseason alone, but the shortened half-a-season he played with the Los Angeles Lakers was hardly an extensive trial run as Mike Brown’s starting point guard.

Having spent much of his career coming off the bench for mediocre (at best) teams, Sessions is still finding his way as the man chiefly responsible for distributing the ball to the All-Star likes of Kobe Bryant, Andrew Bynum and Pau Gasol. The evolution remains a work in progress to be sure, though. Sessions is averaging just 10.5 points and 3.9 assists in the postseason, but he’s undoubtedly learning plenty on the job.

Nick Young, SG (Los Angeles Clippers)

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Like Sessions, Nick Young only had a couple of months to acclimate himself to an entirely new situation in Los Angeles. Young had become a fairly regular starter in his last two seasons with the Washington Wizards, but he’s been asked to take on a more limited role with the Clippers.

Young’s minutes aren’t what they were with the Wizards, and he’s essentially become a sixth man on Vinny Del Negro’s bench. Nevertheless, Young has taken the transition in stride, making almost 46 percent of his postseason field-goal attempts and hitting some crucial threes in the process.

This more efficient version of Nick Young has been a valuable asset for the Clippers and was one of the team’s few bright spots in their Game 1 loss to the San Antonio Spurs in the second round.

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The NBA lineup on Wednesday and Thursday is full of statement games.

With only a few games of each series in the books, no team is dominating yet, but Game 3 will be critical in each series that remains on the docket. Some teams dearly need to rebound from crushing losses in Game 2, while some need to further their momentum in the hopes of burying their opponents.

Here’s a look at the can’t-miss matchups over the next couple of days. As always, you can see the full playoff schedule at ESPN.com.

Boston Celtics at Philadelphia 76ers
When: Wednesday, 7 p.m. EDT
Series: Tied 1-1

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The Celtics could’ve flown to Philly with a 2-0 series lead on Monday night. Instead, a critical and controversial error in the final minute of the game cost them a win.

With 10 seconds remaining and one more chance to tie the game at 78, Kevin Garnett was whistled for an illegal screen on Andre Iguodala, and the game was as good as over. Philadelphia escaped from Boston with an 82-81 win, and the Celtics found themselves wondering how their offense became so sluggish, confused, and ineffective in crunch time.

The answer? Only two members of Boston’s “Big Four” had decent games on Monday. Garnett tallied 15 points and 12 rebounds and Ray Allen chipped in 17 points off the bench to lead all scorers, but Paul Pierce and Rajon Rondo—who have keyed Boston’s notorious fourth-quarter runs throughout the postseason—were relatively dormant. Pierce had seven points, five rebounds, and three assists while Rondo had eight points, 13 assists, and seven rebounds.

No one is really expecting this series to be an offensive slugfest, but Boston needs to exhibit more of a presence in Game 3 than it did the last time out, when it truly looked its age. Losing two straight games to such a young, aggressive team could put the Celtics in a hole they can’t escape from. 

Los Angeles Lakers at Oklahoma City Thunder
When: Wednesday, 9:30 p.m. EDT
Series: Thunder lead 1-0

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The Lakers got flat-out embarrassed on the road in Game 1 and in no way resembled a team that is capable of going on a championship run. They were severely out-hustled by a Thunder team—and especially a Thunder bench—that ran all over them.

Like the Celtics, L.A. looked drained of all energy on Monday night and were dominated by a Russell Westbrook-Kevin Durant tandem that looks more and more formidable every game. Together, the two OKC stars tallied 52 points, 15 rebounds, 13 assists, and just one turnover. That pair drastically outplayed Kobe Bryant and Andrew Bynum, and the Lakers fell victim to a deficit from which they couldn’t recover for the second time in their last three games.

L.A. seems to be fading fast, and Game 2 is its chance to prove it still has some fight left before it has a chance to extend its momentum at home. But as it stands, the Thunder look as good as any team in the NBA, and the Lakers are quickly losing steam. If OKC won Game 2, it would be nearly impossible to believe the Thunder would have trouble scrounging up two more wins to take the series. 

Miami Heat at Indiana Pacers
When: Thursday, 7 p.m. EDT
Series: Tied 1-1

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Just a couple of days after looking like a shoe-in to win the Eastern Conference, the Heat somehow dropped a 78-75 contest at home to the Pacers, and suddenly, this is a series again.

As it seems, Chris Bosh is much more of a factor in Miami’s success than expected. The Heat forward is out indefinitely after suffering an abdominal strain in the final minutes of a Game 1 win, forcing LeBron James to switch to the 4—a move he found “a lot more taxing,” according to the Miami Herald. The Heat’s weariness showed on the boards, where they lost the defensive battle 50-40 as well as one of their most important presences in the paint.

With no official timetable for Bosh’s return, the Heat have no choice but to find a way to compensate for his loss, and LeBron is an MVP, so he should be able to find a way to be effective against some of the bigger players in the league. If Miami can’t adjust, the Pacers may have just found a way to neutralize the NBA’s best player.

With two games at home coming up, a win in the first would be huge for Indiana, while a win for the Heat would give them the confidence to know they can win while Bosh recovers.

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The news on Derrick Rose’s surgically repaired knee isn’t great, but it also isn’t the end of the world, so the Bulls must proceed as if he’s never coming back. I know that sounds harsh—believe me, as a fan of the NBA, moreover a fan of the Bulls and Rose, it hurts to write such a thing.

I believe he will be back, and he’ll still play at a high level when he returns. I wish I could say he’ll be the same phenomenal athlete that he was before the injury, but we’ll have to wait and see on that one.

That uncertainty is half of the reason why the Bulls must take this harsh approach. Neil Hayes of the Chicago Sun-Times quotes the Chicago Bulls’ team physician, Brian Cole, as follows:

It could take eight to twelve months, Sometimes shorter, sometimes longer. It could take him more than a year to be back to pre-surgery level of performance.

He could miss entire season.

Because of this, the Bulls need a point guard, or at least a player that can create offense for himself and his teammates. As a matter of fact, an entirely new backcourt would be ideal. 

C.J. Watson proved in the event that Rose does have to miss an entire season, he can’t be trusted to guide a team in the postseason. The SG position still needs improvement as well.

Rip Hamilton showed more aggression towards the end of the season and in the playoffs, but he also showed a lack of durability. Hamilton will be 35 years old by the beginning of next season and did nothing to convince the Bulls to go into next season with him as the starting SG.

That point is even more clear if you consider he wouldn’t have a healthy Derrick Rose to create shots for him.

Addressing this should be one part of the Bulls’ three main initiatives this offseason:

Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images

1. Trade or Amnesty Carlos Boozer

Boozer’s time with the team has been up and down. I’m not one to bash him completely, but this was never a good fit. He is a solid performer, but he isn’t a max player, and because he received that contract, that is what is expected of him. 

If it’s possible to move Boozer for a favorable deal, then that is an option, but I fear that is unrealistic. I’d do an Amar’e Stoudemire-for-Boozer deal in a heartbeat. Neither contract is thrilling, but if I had to choose, I’d rather be stuck with Stoudemire’s deal.

If they can’t trade him, then the Bulls must use the amnesty clause to free up cap room. This is likely the most favorable option for the franchise, as a trade would just bring back another player with issues.

Doing this gives the PF spot to Taj Gibson; he’s earned it.

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2. Target a Top-Notch Veteran PG in Free Agency

Yes, the Bulls need a starting-caliber PG now. Even if Rose comes back during the upcoming season, the depth doesn’t hurt. Rose will need time to work himself into shape, and in the meantime, the Bulls need someone capable of running an offense. 

Watson and John Lucas III have proved they are not the answer.

Offering free agent-to-be Steve Nash a two-year contract would be genius in my opinion. He still has some life in him, but he doesn’t create a long-term conflict upon Rose’s return. It’s an instant improvement on offense, and it even allows Rose to play with Nash for stretches.

The Bulls would certainly have competition if they chose to pursue Nash, but it would be worth a try.

Jeff Gross/Getty Images

3. Draft a Shooting Guard

I like Jimmy Butler a lot, but he’s not the type of SG the Bulls need. The Bulls need a player that can create his own shot, get to the basket, finish or go to the free-throw line. If Doron Lamb of Kentucky isn’t available at the bottom of the first round, the Bulls should strongly consider moving up to get him.

He’s an excellent shooter from distance (47 percent at Kentucky) and over 80 percent from the line. He isn’t a freakish athlete, but he isn’t Kyle Korver either.

Plus, when Rose does return, he fits in nicely with him as a scoring option.

If the Bulls approach the offseason this way, they can make this Rose-less period much easier. In the end, when Rose returns, the team could be better than they were when he went down.

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The Pacers beat the Heat in a close one—let the rending of garments and screaming commence. 

But first, a dirty secret about the NBA: Teams tend to stink in last-shot scenarios. Kobe Bryant, for all the mythology surrounding him, has nearly as many airballs in the final 24 seconds of playoff games as he has makes (via ESPN.com).

So the goal is more to prevent your team from needing such a shot than to be fantastic at them. Because, to be “fantastic” at such tries, is to convert 40 percent of the time. 

There will be much analysis of how Mario Chalmers got the pass when the Heat were down three with seconds to go, but a Chalmers chuck is about as well as you can do in such a scenario.

There will also be questioning of the Heat possession before it, when LeBron James’ pass to Dwyane Wade led to a wide-open layup. Wade missed, but does that mean LeBron should have just heaved a contested shot?

James’ real error was missing three crucial free throws, something I might ascribe to “choking” had I not seen him make FTs in similar instances. 

Look, the real problem is that Chris Bosh is the Drano of Miami’s offense. A big man who shoots is a rare commodity in the NBA, which is why the Heat love his presence despite all the “Two and a Half Men” jokes.

His shot draws the lumbering Roy Hibbert out of the paint, opening lanes for LeBron James and Dwyane Wade. Defenses then help out to close those open lanes, leaving three point shooters free. 

So without their power forward, we might see more 34.6 percent FG games from the Heat. We might see more 1-of-16 three-point shooting performances as well. And make no mistake, going 1-of-16 on threes is a much bigger issue than “LeBron passed when the game on the line.” 

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