Heat Still Rising in Miami

Much of the noise emanating from the Miami Heat’s Game 1 win over the Indiana Pacers had to do with Pacer coach Frank Vogel’s curious removal of perhaps the best defender on the court, for either team, for two crucial defensive possessions in overtime.

That noise is the correct noise. It’s true that the Miami Heat space the floor expertly, and that LeBron James is just as adept at dishing to an open (ish) Ray Allen or Chris Bosh as he is at covering 24 feet in 2.2 seconds, but that’s not the point. The point is for Chris Bosh or Ray Allen to take the shot. Fabulous options, both, but far better options for the Pacers in that instance than LeBron James and an uncontested lay-up. Hibbert guarded Chris Bosh expertly on the possessions that preceded that embarrassing run for Vogel, and while the center’s presence can’t be counted on to call off a Heat score as a certainty or cinch, it certainly would have given Miami a far tougher look than it had.

Throughout the dogged 52 minutes and 38 seconds of basketball that worked itself into a sweat before Hibbert’s benching, the Heat had about as tough a look as it could handle. It’s true that the Bucks played Miami well at times and Chicago had a good chance to win in two of the contests beyond its Game 1 win in the conference semis, but Indiana managed to play the best basketball of any team we’ve seen take Miami in since winter only because their style can be counted on. To a game, Chicago may have played Miami better in its regular and postseason victories over Miami, but Indiana gets the nod because it knows it can improve and be right there with a team they’ve split a 2-2 regular and postseason series with.

What we’re discounting though, in the midst of all this Thursday morning coach-cracking, is the defending champions’ ability to improve. As Miami has proven over the last 12 months, they’re still a team on the make. They may have won the title last year and peeled off 27 wins in a row this season, but they’re still determining just how great they can be. Still trying to take advantage of farthest reaches of LeBron’s brilliance, or the depths of Dwyane Wade’s tolerance for pain. Still figuring out what to do with all those highly capable rotation parts. Still realizing, every few plays, that “oh yeah, we have Chris Bosh.”

Miami is allowed to improve, too.

They’re allowed to find new ways for Dwyane Wade to roam away from the ball. Wade had a sound performance in Game 1, finding his way to 19 points on 15 shots before fouling out, but even up against Indiana’s fantastic wing defenders it was apparent that he was capable of so much more. Things could change in the 48 hours between games, but by the looks of this flickering TV it appears as if Wade’s hops are back.

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Heat rally past Bulls to advance, 94-91

Knowing his team needed him at his best, Dwyane Wade retreated to the Miami Heat locker room after the third quarter for some quick treatment on his aching right knee.

When he came back, he was good as new.

And now he can rest until the Eastern Conference finals.

LeBron James scored 23 points, Wade added 18 and had a brilliant 45-second sequence that proved crucial, and the Heat clawed back from an 11-point second-half deficit to beat the Chicago Bulls 94-91 on Wednesday night and close out their second-round series in five games.

"We gave it everything we had," James said. "I have no energy left."

The Heat outscored Chicago 25-14 in the fourth quarter to escape and advance.

"I knew the fourth quarter was going to be tough so I wanted to re-tape my knee," said Wade, who has been battling bone bruises on his knee for several weeks. "I knew I was going to come back into a grind. Our trainers did a great job of getting it taped it enough so I could come out and play."

Did they ever.

Wade had a blocked shot, defensive rebound, offensive rebound and putback slam - all in a late 45-second span - to help cap a wild night of wild comebacks. The Heat blew an early 18-point lead, then pulled off a late rally to finish off the depleted Bulls, who still had two chances on their last possession to force overtime.
But Nate Robinson and Jimmy Butler missed 3-pointers, time expired, and Miami moved on to face Indiana or New York next week.

"Dwyane is uncanny," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. "When the competition is at its highest, and its fiercest, he finds a way."

Carlos Boozer finished with 26 points and 14 rebounds for the Bulls, who were without Derrick Rose for the 99th straight game, as well as Kirk Hinrich (calf) and Luol Deng (illness). Robinson scored 21 points, Butler had 19, and Richard Hamilton 15 for the Bulls, who dropped the final four games of the series.

"Obviously we're disappointed in losing the series," Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau said. "But I was never disappointed in our team. I thought our team fought hard all year long. There was no quit in them."
True - all the way to the end.

A team that played without the 2011 NBA MVP in Rose, and dealt with a slew of other issues along the way, was within a couple shots from forcing the reigning champions to fly back to Chicago for a Game 6 on Friday night.

"We've got warriors here," Boozer said. "If we're healthy next season, we're going to be pretty good."
The Heat say they have more than a few of those warrior-types as well, including Wade, who said privately before the game that he was amused about constant speculation surrounding his knee - which has been banged up for weeks.

When the stakes were highest Wednesday, he was there for the Heat.

"I'll go on and on about how great he is," James said. "I really don't care for the trash talk that he receives."
Shane Battier opened the fourth quarter with a 3-pointer to get Miami within five. Another 3-pointer from Battier - over Boozer, his fellow Duke alum - came not long afterward, and he connected on a pair of free throws after being fouled on a 3-point try to cut Chicago's lead to 81-79.

Norris Cole had a pair of baskets, the second being a left-handed driving dunk, to put Miami on top, and the Heat found a way to close it out from there, even though it wasn't easy, by any measure.

Robinson's 3-pointer with 1:43 left got the Bulls to 94-91. No one scored again, even though there were plenty of chances both ways.

When it was finally over, the Heat lingered on the court in celebration. Wade held on to the game ball as he shook a few fans' hands, and he, James and Bosh exchanged some high-fives - the last three Miami players to leave the floor.

"I had a good couple of minutes," Wade said. "I knew they've seen a lot of LeBron and Norris. I knew they weren't prepared for me to attack which is what I was able to do."

Miami will open the East finals at home next week, and it'll be a playoff rematch from its march to the title last season. If Indiana beats New York - the Pacers lead that series 3-1 - on Thursday night, then the Heat and Pacers will meet in Game 1 in Miami on Monday night. If the Knicks extend the Pacers to at least six games, then the East finals would open Wednesday night, regardless of opponent.

The Heat will almost surely be big favorites against either Indiana or New York, though it's certain either opponent would enter a series against Miami with plenty of confidence. The Knicks went 3-1 against the Heat this season, outscoring them by 11.5 points per game and winning both of their games at Miami convincingly. The Pacers went 2-1 against the Heat, winning twice in Indianapolis and losing their lone game in Miami.

To put that in some more perspective, the Heat went 2-5 against the Knicks and Pacers, and are now 72-12 against all other NBA clubs this season.

"It only gets more difficult and more challenging," Spoelstra said. "That's what competitors want."

Then again, given how Miami has played over the last 3 1/2 months, the notion of the Heat losing to anybody four times might seem downright impossible. The Heat lost at Indiana on Feb. 1. They won at Toronto two days later, the first victory in what became a run of 27 straight wins - and the start of a stretch that has seen Miami go 45-3 in its last 48 games.

More than half the league - 17 of the other 29 teams - didn't win 45 games, total, this season, even including playoffs.

"They're a great team. A great team," Thibodeau said. "They're not going to beat themselves. You have to beat them.

No one would have thought the ending would be so exciting after the way this one started.
Marco Belinelli took the Bulls' first shot, a woefully short airball. Joakim Noah took their second shot, a very long airball. Their third possession was a turnover, and the night was shaping up like a Chicago disaster.
It was 10-0 before half the crowd was in their seats, and 22-4 just past the midpoint of the opening quarter. Since the start of Game 4, in barely over 53 minutes of play, the Heat had outscored the Bulls by 40 points. Everyone in the building - except for the 20 or so guys in red uniforms or wearing suits on the Chicago bench - had to be thinking that the series was over.

If so, then they were all wrong.

Game 5 turned into a microcosm of the Bulls' season. They were unfazed, unflappable, unrelenting in the face of being counted out.

And before long, the massive deficit was a thing of the past.

"We kept fighting," Noah said. "And kept fighting."

Boozer went 6 for 7 in the opening quarter, his layup late in the period getting the Bulls within seven before James scored to end the first and give Miami a 30-21 lead. The Bulls were unbothered, and just kept getting stops on one end, making baskets on the other. Butler's 3-pointer with 4:46 left in the half gave Chicago its first advantage of the night, 38-36.

To recap, the game started with a 22-4 Heat run - and in the 13 minutes that immediately followed, the Bulls rebutted with a 34-14 burst.

By halftime, it was 53-47. In the third, after Chicago briefly led by 11 - remember, they were down 18, making that a 29-point turnaround - the Bulls took a 77-69 edge into the final 12 minutes.

"We grinded it out," Boozer said. "We had chances. We just fell a little bit short."

And Miami moved on, now halfway home in its quest for a second straight title.

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NYK Makes LIN Decision

Kevin Martin doesn’t even remember Jeremy Lin being in training camp with the Houston Rockets last December. Seven months later, Lin is returning to Houston – and he's a lot richer for it.

Lin officially rejoined the Rockets Tuesday night after the New York Knicks declined to match the three-year, $25 million offer sheet he signed with Houston. The Rockets waived Lin just before the start of last season, and he went on to become one of sports' biggest stories during a stunning three-week run as the Knicks' starting point guard.

"Everyone knew his story and how it came alive, but it started in Houston with no one really even knowing he was there,” Martin told Yahoo! Sports. "I don’t remember him at all from training camp. It’s going to be kind of funny. Even though he’s been there for us before, it feels like we are getting a new player."

The Knicks declined comment on their decision to match the offer sheet. Rockets general manager Daryl Morey used his Twitter account to welcome Lin: "Welcome to Houston @JLin7! We plan to hang on this time."

"Extremely excited and honored to be a Houston Rocket again!!" Lin tweeted.
Lin became the Knicks' starting point guard after injuries to teammates forced him into the lineup. He led New York to seven straight victories and earned a pair of Sports Illustrated covers and praise from President Obama. His stunning three-week stretch included a 38-point performance against the Los Angeles Lakers and a game-winning 3-pointer at Toronto. The sports world was quickly swept up with "Linsanity," until Lin's season ended with a knee injury.

"Much love and thankfulness to the Knicks and New York for your support this past year … easily the best year of my life," Lin tweeted late Tuesday.

Lin was a restricted free agent, but was strongly expected to return to the Knicks no matter what offer he received. The Rockets creatively put together an offer sheet that includes a $15 million salary in the third year of the contract. New York would have incurred substantial luxury-tax penalties matching the deal because the team owes Carmelo Anthony $24 million,

Amar'e Stoudemire $23 million and Tyson Chandler $14.5 million that same season.
The Rockets and Lakers are the current frontrunners to acquire Orlando Magic center Dwight Howard in a trade. Lin can't be traded until Jan. 15 after signing the offer sheet. But Martin, who is in the last year of his contract, could be moved. The Rockets have rid themselves of Kyle Lowry, Luis Scola, Samuel Dalembert and Chase Budinger this summer to acquire the salary-cap space and assets for a potential Howard trade.

"I got here 2½ years ago, and now I’m the longest-tenured Rocket there," Martin said. "We lost some great players over the last month in Kyle and Luis. They were great teammates. Nobody likes to go the rebuilding route, but sometimes it’s needed. And that’s how Daryl Morey feels right now, so you don’t know what the future holds for the Rockets."

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LeBron for Wimbledon Inspiration

Drawing inspiration from LeBron James and his new NBA title, Andy Murray is ready to win his first championship, too.

The fourth-seeded Murray, who has lost in three Grand Slam finals, advanced to the Wimbledon semifinals for the fourth straight year by beating No. 7 David Ferrer of Spain 6-7 (5), 7-6 (6), 6-4, 7-6 (4) Wednesday.

''He came very close to winning quite a lot of times,'' Murray, Britain's best tennis player and a big basketball fan, said of James. ''I would say for me I guess it's a similar situation. I've been close a lot of times and not quite made it. You know, just have to keep putting myself in the position, and hopefully it will click.''

Murray's three near-misses in major finals - twice at the Australian Open and once at the U.S. Open - have raised questions about whether he'll ever win the big one. But this year, with Rafael Nadal already out and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga waiting in Friday's semifinals, could be his time - at least to make the final. Winning it all, like James did last month with the Miami Heat after two losses in the NBA Finals, would be even better.

''There's a lot of people out there that didn't want him to win,'' Murray said. ''There's a lot of people that said he would never win. There's a lot of people who said he never played his best in finals, in the fourth quarter of games he never steps up.

For much of Wednesday's match, Prince William and his wife Catherine - also known as Wills and Kate - watched from the Royal Box. The pair sat in the front row, applauding politely at times and clapping loudly at others.

''It's always going to make a difference when you have royalty in there,'' said Murray, then turning his attention to some former Wimbledon champions who also sat in the Royal Box. ''For me, also playing in front of someone like (Andre) Agassi as well and Steffi Graf. Rod Laver was there, too. You know, it was an unbelievable privilege to play in front of those people.''

Murray is trying to become the first British man to win Wimbledon since Fred Perry in 1936. If Murray beats Tsonga, he will be the first British man to reach the Wimbledon final since Bunny Austin in 1938.

British bookmaker William Hill already has Murray as an odds-on 1-2 favorite to advance over Tsonga. But he's still not favored to win the title. That honor belongs to defending champion Novak Djokovic, who is at 4-6. He is followed by six-time champion Roger Federer at 7-2 and Murray at 9-2. Tsonga is the outsider at 10-1.

''I'm in a good position, that's for sure,'' Murray said. ''Whether it's the best chance or not, I'm not sure. But I've been in this position a few times now and want to push on.''

On Centre Court, Murray saved 10 of the 12 break points he faced, including two while trailing 4-3 in the final set.

He also saved a set point in the second-set tiebreaker. Ferrer led 6-5 after Murray sent a backhand return wide, but he evened the score moments later with a forehand winner. Ferrer then made mistakes on the next two points to give Murray the set.

''I think the key was in the second set, no, when I have 5-4 or I had one set point in the tiebreak,'' said Ferrer, who served for both the first and second sets but failed to close them out. ''But Andy, in important moments he play really good. He played more aggressive than me, and he was better, no?''

Murray was better in the end, keeping his cool even when he was down.

''Subconsciously, I'm probably extremely stressed out right now,'' Murray said, ''but I try not to feel it.''

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James, Wade lead Heat to 115-83 win over Pacers

Suddenly, the road back to the Eastern Conference finals no longer looks daunting for Miami.

Not after the Heat left the Pacers beat up and banged up.

LeBron James scored 30 points, Dwyane Wade added 28, and the Heat moved a win away from the NBA's final four with a 115-83 victory over the hurting Pacers on Tuesday night, a game where three flagrant fouls added more chapters to an already-physical series and Indiana watched starting forwards Danny Granger and David West leave with injuries.

''This is our challenge right now, to leave it behind us,'' Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. ''A lot of good things tonight, but we have to focus on the next one.''

That would be Game 6 in Indiana on Thursday night. The Heat lead the best-of-seven East semifinals 3-2.

James added 10 rebounds and eight assists. Shane Battier scored 13 points, Mario Chalmers had eight points and 11 rebounds, and Udonis Haslem finished with 10 points for Miami, which never trailed, held a 22-2 edge in fast-break points and shot a franchise playoff-record 61 percent - best of any team in the playoffs this season.

Paul George scored 11 points for Indiana, with Granger and West adding 10 points apiece. Granger left with a sprained left ankle in the third quarter and departed the arena in a walking boot, while West departed with what the Pacers called a left knee sprain at the end of that period - something that West thought was born of a

A series marked by ugly moments had perhaps its worst with 19.4 seconds remaining when Miami reserve center Dexter Pittman went across the lane to send a forearm into the chin area of Indiana's Lance Stephenson - who was caught on camera making a choke sign toward James during the Pacers' Game 3 win, drawing the ire of the Miami locker room.

Pittman was caught on camera winking after the foul.

''I don't know if that was retaliation. ... I'm sure the NBA will and do what they have to do,''

Granger said, adding that Stephenson was getting X-rays for a possible collarbone problem.

Physicians were examining Stephenson after the game.

Miami, which had gotten into quick deficits in each of the first four games, was the team that started hot in Game 5, running out to a 19-8 lead on the strength of three 3-pointers from Battier - who had been 2 for 19 from the field in the first four games of the series. Battier left his mark in many ways, even stopping a 3-on-1 Indiana break to set up a score by Wade at the other end.

Even after facing the big deficit, Indiana even had two shots to tie or take the lead late in the first half, the second of those a 3-point try from Granger with 3:03 remaining.

It didn't go down. He did.

Granger landed on James' foot after the shot, spraining his left ankle and leaving the game. The Heat outscored Indiana 8-2 the rest of the half, with James - who had been guarded by Granger for much of the series - scoring seven of them.

He opened the burst with a 3-pointer, stole the ball from West and dunked for a seven-point lead with 26 seconds left, then capped the half by coming up with a defensive rebound, passing to Wade, getting the ball back just before the halftime horn sounded and laying it in to send Miami into the break with a 49-40 edge.

''They played at their tempo,'' West said. ''We weren't able to get enough stops. You can't allow a team to shoot 60, 60-plus, whatever from the field.''

So now the Heat are one win from the East finals, after a series filled with twists and turns.

There was Vogel's accusation before the series started that the Heat were floppers, Chris Bosh's lower abdominal strain that sidelined him midway through Game 1, James and Wade missing key chances late in the Game 2 loss, Stephenson's gesture toward James and the 40-point, 18-rebound, nine-assist effort from James in Game 4.

And now a blowout - followed by a chance for a Heat close out on Thursday.

''When we defend and we rebound, we're a very good team,'' James said.

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Heat top Bulls 83-72, Tighten East Race

The earliest Miami and Chicago could meet again is Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals.

Good thing. The tempers could use a little time to cool down. And after a game filled with shoves and takedowns, the race for the No. 1 seed in the East is still going strong.

LeBron James had 27 points and 11 rebounds, Dwyane Wade scored 18 points and Miami tightened up the race in the East by beating the Bulls 83-72 in a scuffle-filled matchup Thursday night.

Mario Chalmers scored 16 points and Udonis Haslem grabbed 10 rebounds for Miami, which held the Bulls to a season-low point total and moved within 1 1/2 games of Chicago.

John Lucas scored 16 points for Chicago, which was again without reigning MVP Derrick Rose because of injuries. Joakim Noah scored 15 points, Luol Deng added 11 and Carlos Boozer had 10 for the Bulls, who split four games with Miami this season.

The teams combined for four technicals, two flagrant fouls and Miami reserve James Jones was ejected.

But above all else, Miami decided this one with defense. The Bulls went up 21-20 on a layup by Deng with 3:36 left in the first quarter, making them 10 of 14 from the field at that point. They shot 15 for 56 - 27 percent - the rest of the way.

Chicago (47-16) has games with Dallas, Indiana and Cleveland left, while Miami (45-17) still has matchups with Washington (twice), Houston and Boston.

In case anyone forgot that the Heat and Bulls don't particularly care for one another, the refresher courses came often in this one.

The first real salvo came with 6:05 left in the first half, when Jones was ejected after being assessed a flagrant-2 for excessive contact against Noah while trying for a rebound. Jones stretched out both arms to move Noah out of the way, making contact around the head.

By the end of the game, that play seemed like a love tap.

Wade and Chicago guard Richard Hamilton - rivals for years - raised the level of angst a few more notches early in the third quarter.

Hamilton led with his elbow and shoulder to create some space, and Wade took exception - so he delivered an elbow and shoulder back, sending the Bulls' guard sprawling to the court. The jousting then turned verbal, enough to merit a technical foul for each, plus a flagrant-1 on Wade.

And then things really got hot a few minutes later, not long after James was pulled down under the basket. James set a screen and was run into by Lucas, who gives up 9 inches and 85 pounds to the two-time NBA MVP. Predictably, Lucas went flying. Even more predictably, Lucas - who was leapfrogged for a dunk by James in Chicago's first trip to Miami this season - got angry.

After Deng fouled Chalmers to stop the play, and reopened a cut over his own left eye in the process, Lucas ran at James and the other eight players on the court at the time quickly converged on the area. It took referees about 5 minutes to sort out the mess, which only resulted in a personal foul on Deng and technicals on Lucas and James (who, upon hearing his name announced, shouted, "For what?).

James shrugged off the next hit, a hard foul by Chicago's Omer Asik about a half-minute later, converting a three-point play in the process.

"A physical Eastern Conference game," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said after the third quarter in a televised interview. "It's an emotional game, a passionate game."Your site "Digital Printing" will be reviewed within 5 business days

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Grizzlies Grab 1st Ever 3-1 Series Lead Over Spurs

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Mike Conley had 15 points and seven assists to help the eighth-seeded Memphis Grizzlies rout the San Antonio Spurs 104-86 on Monday night and grab a commanding 3-1 lead in their opening series.

The Grizzlies already had made franchise history by winning their first playoff game in Game 1 and added their first playoff win at home. Now they are a game away from becoming the second eighth seed to knock off a No. 1 seed since the NBA expanded to a best-of-seven series and join the 2007 Golden State Warriors.

Game 5 is Wednesday in San Antonio.

Darrell Arthur added 14 points off the bench for Memphis. Tony Allen had 12, Zach Randolph and O.J. Mayo 11 apiece.

Tony Parker led the Spurs with 23 points, but he also had seven turnovers. Manu Ginobili had 14, Gary Neal 11, and George Hill and Tiago Splitter 10 each. Splitter, a rookie from Brazil, had not played previously in this series.

Tim Duncan had six points on his 35th birthday.

These are the same Spurs that won 61 games in the regular season. They opened up very energetic, shooting well and even had their first halftime lead in this series.

They finished the game with their starters on the bench for the final 5:43, and now the Spurs will be trying to avoid their second 4-1 opening series loss in three seasons.

The first three games had been tight with Memphis winning by no more than three points. The Spurs won Game 2 by six.

This time it was a rout once the Grizzlies took control by outscoring the Spurs 30-15 in the third quarter for the first time in this series after trailing at the half for the first time in the four games.

Memphis opened the second half with a 14-0 run with Gasol's two free throws at 11:04 putting the Grizzlies ahead to stay at 52-50. Sam Young's dunk capped the run at 7:41 of the third for a 62-50 lead. The Spurs, who shot 55.3 percent in the first half, missed their first five shots and were 6 of 15 from the floor. They also had seven turnovers in the quarter.

The Grizzlies had every fan up and waving the rally towels handed out, cranking up the noise with every Spurs' missed shot or mistake. Arthur ended the quarter by hitting a pair of jumpers to put Memphis up 78-65 at the end of the third.

When Arthur dunked at 10:13 of the fourth putting Memphis up 83-67, Spurs coach Gregg Popovich took a timeout. It didn't help as Arthur hit a shot at 8:51 pushing the lead to 85-67.

The Grizzlies went up 94-74 on a 3 by Shane Battier who was wide open in the right corner with 5:43 left. The celebration began in earnest in Memphis.

Memphis already had become only the seventh No. 8 seed to go up 2-1 in the NBA playoffs since the league expanded the postseason to 16 teams in 1983-84, and the Grizzlies are just the third team to do it since the first round expanded to best-of-seven for the 2003 playoffs.

The Grizzlies had another electric crowd, just their sixth sellout of the season, and fans buzzed with a sense of expectation instead of mere hope for a win that surrounded this team when the Spurs swept them out of the playoffs in their first postseason trip in 2004.

The Spurs opened the game by hitting eight of their first 10 led by Parker who scored eight of the first 10 points. Memphis came out forgetting its strength is going inside to Randolph and Gasol, and Randolph set that tone by taking a long jumper as the Grizzlies' first shot. He missed, and they wound up outscored 16-6 in the paint for the quarter.

San Antonio led 26-21 after 12 minutes, the first time in this series the Spurs had outscored Memphis in the first quarter.

Greivis Vasquez had an ugly turnover at the end of the first quarter, just losing the ball. Hill took it and scored to make it 26-19. Vasquez, the second-year pro out of Maryland, rebounded by hitting his next three shots to start a 9-2 run. Mayo capped it with a fast-break layup for a 30-28 lead in the second.

Parker came into the game 15-of-44, and he hit all seven shots in the first half and his four free throws in helping the Spurs lead 50-48 at halftime. But he missed his first shot in the third quarter, a 3-pointer, at 9:58.

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