San Antonio Spurs guard Danny Green is poised to become one of the most unlikely NBA Finals MVPs in league history, as he’s put his team within one win of closing out the Miami Heat with lights-out shooting and strong defense.

Green, a role player for the Spurs during the season, has turned it on against the Heat, setting an NBA Finals record with 23 three-pointers. And he’s been on fire doing it, hitting close to 66 percent of his three-point attempts.

On a team where Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili, and Tony Parker get the most attention, it’s instead been Green and Kawhi Leonard who have taken over, adding offense and shutting down the Heat’s Big Three.

The performance has NBA insiders saying Green could be in line for Finals MVP, though first the Spurs have to win one of two games in Miami.

But Danny Green, who has scored more points than LeBron James in the NBA Finals, isn’t thinking about anything else but Game 6.

“I’m keeping focus on playing basketball,” he said. “I’m not worried about catching any records. I’m worried about helping my team and playing well and helping us win a game. The numbers are things I don’t like to reflect on or look back on. I don’t want to jinx it, but at this point numbers really don’t matter.”

Danny Green would certainly be an unlikely NBA Finals MVP. The honor is traditionally given to one of the top players, and only on a handful of occasions have role players been considered.

In fact, Green would be the first Finals MVP not to make an All-Star game since Cedric Maxwell in 1981.

Of course, to win NBA Finals MVP, Danny Green and the San Antonio Spurs would have to win one of two games in Miami. The Heat have yet to lose back-to-back games in the playoffs, and have followed up every loss with a double-digit win so far.

[Danny Green image via Keith Allison]

Danny Green Could Be In Line For Unlikely NBA Finals MVP is a post from: The Inquisitr

Manu Ginobili would have been buried on the bench in Game 5 of the NBA Finals had Gregg Popovich listened to conventional wisdom.

Instead the San Antonio Spurs coach decided to put his faith in Ginobili, giving the struggling guard a surprise start — his first of the season.

Manu Ginobili certainly made the opportunity worth it. He broke out of an NBA Finals slump with 24 points and 10 assists to lead the Spurs to 114-104 win and push the Miami Heat to the brink of elimination.

The game was Ginobili’s highest scoring output of the season and the most since June 4 of last year, when he scored 34 points against the Oklahoma City Thunder.

“He’s such a huge part of what we do and how far we’ve come. You can see it tonight in how we played and the results of the game,” Tim Duncan said after the game. “We’re always confident in him. … We know he has it in him. We hope he can bring it forward for one more win.”

The start for Ginobili was a masterful stroke for Popovich, who has devised schemes to keep Miami’s Big Three under wraps for much of the series and gotten great contributions from his role players.

For Manu Ginobili, the game was a break from the frustration he had been feeling in the first four games of the finals. Leading up to Sunday’s Game 5 he was averaging just 7.5 points on 34.5 percent shooting in the finals.

“We are playing in the NBA Finals, we were 2-2, and I felt I still wasn’t really helping the team that much,” Ginobili said. “And that was the frustrating part.”

It was a vastly different Manu Ginobili on the floor from just a few days before, when he was contemplating retirement.

“All season long I kind of knew that I was going to play one or two more years,” he said after Game 4. “But when you are 36 [years old] — I’m going to be 36 pretty soon — everything is a day-by-day basis. Once the season finishes and I see how I feel, I can’t imagine me not playing at least one more year here, but time will tell. We’ll see.”

Manu Ginobili now has a chance to earn his fourth NBA championship ring when the Spurs meet the Heat in Miami on Tuesday.

Manu Ginobili Silences Critics With Dominating Game 5 Performance is a post from: The Inquisitr

Spurs guard Danny Green was the highlight during Sunday’s Game 5 of the NBA Finals. Green set the NBA Finals record when he made his 23rd 3-pointer of the series.

The former mark of 22 was set by Heat guard Ray Allen in 2008 when Allen played with the Boston Celtics. Green was modest about the accomplishment.

Rather than focusing on the potential of breaking the record, Green instead tried to keep his focus on helping the Spurs win a championship.

Danny Green deflected the attention from himself and the potential record recently when a reporter asked if he knew how close he was to making history. The Spurs guard responded, “No, I don’t want to be aware of it. But thanks.” Green also added:

I’m keeping focus on playing basketball. I’m not worried about catching any records. I’m worried about helping my team and playing well and helping us win a game. The numbers are things I don’t like to reflect on or look back on. I don’t want to jinx it, but at this point numbers really don’t matter.”

And that mentality doesn’t surprise Danny Green’s teammates. Should the Spurs win the series, he is a strong candidate to win the MVP award in the Finals.

Green was able to benefit from the Heat’s defensive focus on Tim Duncan and Tony Parker. He was able to connect on at least three 3-pointers during every game of the NBA Finals. Guard Gary Neal stated of Danny Green:

“That fits his personality. Danny is a humble guy, hard working. I’m pretty sure fore the rest of the series Danny will be locked and loaded. He’s not worried about any records or anything. He’s just worried about coming out and doing his job.”

Not only has Danny Green set the NBA Finals record, he is also ahead of LeBron James for scored points. The Spurs guard was surprised, commenting, “I never thought in a million years that would happen.”

Are you rooting for the Spurs or the Heat to win the NBA Finals?

[Image via Keith Allison]

Danny Green Sets NBA Finals Record is a post from: The Inquisitr

Manu Ginobili implied that he’s considering retirement after a season that brought him injuries and uneven play but also a chance to go out on top.

Ginobili struggled with a host of ailments this year. There was a hamstring strain that kept him out for a long stretch, back spasms, a left quadriceps bruise, and a thigh bruise.

The two-time NBA All Star is also at a crossroads after this season, in the final year of a three-year, $39 million contract.

When asked if this could be his final season, Manu Ginobili said he didn’t know.

“All season long I kind of knew that I was going to play one or two more years. But when you are 36 [years old] — I’m going to be 36 pretty soon — everything is a day-by-day basis. Once the season finishes and I see how I feel, I can’t imagine me not playing at least one more year here, but time will tell. We’ll see.”

Ginobili admitted that he considered quitting as he was in the midst of his rash of injuries.

“For three quarters of the season it was the physical part,” Ginobili said. “I’d say, ‘No, I can’t deal with this anymore. I’m tired of rehab and trying to be in shape all the time.’

“But at this point I’m fine physically, so you are a little more optimistic. But you know, it’s been 18 years doing this. You kind of get tired and you want to enjoy a little more time at home sometimes. You go back to Argentina to see your people, and you think about it. I’m going to have time for that too.”

The San Antonio Spurs management said they are committed to keeping Manu on the team, but it’s ultimately up to him.

And Manu just isn’t sure.

“Sometimes I do think about retirement,” he said. “But then I say, ‘No, no. I love what I do. I’m very lucky to be in a franchise like this. So I really can’t picture myself being retired already.

“There’s a small chance. It’s not that I’m really considering, but I can never say ‘no’ for sure, because I sometimes consider it.”

Manu Ginobili could still go out on top. He and the Spurs are tied 2-2 with the Miami Heat, with the final home game of the season — and possibly Ginobili’s career — on Sunday night.

Manu Ginobili Considering Retirement After NBA Finals is a post from: The Inquisitr

By most accounts, last night’s Tony Awards show was one of the best in many years, and the numbers are out to back the early reviews. The CBS show ranked second behind NBC’s NBA Finals between San Antonio and the Miami Heat.

The broadcast brought in 7.2 million viewers despite the heavy competition. Not only basketball was on last night, but the season finale of the worldwide sensation, HBO’s Game of Thrones.

As reported by Variety, Nielsen rankings indicate that the show had over one million more viewers than it did last year, which finished with six million viewers. This is the largest audience since 2009 in which 7.4 million tuned in to watch.

Neil Patrick Harris has had excellent reviews as the show’s MC, and one could credit his stellar performance for the bumped up numbers in the ratings war between networks.

“Due to the nature of live programming the ratings for ABC (NBA Finals) and CBS (The Tony Awards) are approximate and subject to more than the typical adjustments in the final numbers,” according to TVbythenumbers.

This means we might see an even bigger bump in when the final tally comes in. Whichever the case, the show was a great success and everyone is talking about Harris’ performance.

This was Harris’ fourth year hosting the ceremony which awards the best of the best in the Broadway scene.

Last night’s CBS Tony Awards saw the musical Kinky Boots taking home a total of six Tonys including Best Musical, Original Score, Performance by An Actor, and Choreography among others.

Cindy Lauper, who wrote the music and lyrics was very emotional while accepting the awards for her musical:

“OK, I can’t say I wasn’t practicing in front of the shower curtain for a couple of days for this speech.” she said barely holding back tears while accepting the Best Original Score Tony. “I gotta thank my mom for sharing all that wonderful music. I wrecked all her Broadway musicals when I was a kid, the cast albums. That’s how I learned how to sing.”

This was the 67th edition of the Tony Awards on CBS. What did you think of the show?

[Image via Igor Bulgarin / Shutterstock.com]

CBS Gets 7.2 Million Viewers With Tony Awards, Highest For The Show Since 2009 is a post from: The Inquisitr

Dwyane Wade is no stranger to Game 1 defeats in the NBA Finals, as he’s helped lead the Miami Heat to two championships after falling behind due to a loss in a finals’ opener. With two rings under his belt, the 31-year-old understands what it takes to regroup after a disheartening loss to regain control of a series, but it will take a lot more than solid play to knock off the experienced San Antonio Spurs on Sunday.

Wade started off Game 1 with a bang as he drove the lane and dunked home a pass from LeBron James to give the Heat an early lead. The crowd at American Airlines Arena went wild, but as the game progressed into the second half, the Heat lost all momentum and Tony Parker took over to give the Spurs a one-game lead.

The importance of Game 2 is rising by the minute, and the Heat’s star wasn’t afraid to admit after practice on Saturday that losing Game 2 would make things very difficult for his team going forward in the series.

“Obviously you don’t want to go down 0-2, going to San Antonio for three straight games,” Dwyane Wade said about Sunday’s match-up. “Odds are not that good. They are not in our favor.”

It’s never a good sign when a team leader is already debating what could happen if the Heat lose Game 2, but he also made comments saying the “playoffs ain’t fun, man,” that have also raised questions and backlash from fans around the NBA.

Nevertheless, his focus remains on Game 2 Sunday as the Heat look to even the series before hitting the road for Games 3-5 in San Antonio.

“We’re not a team that really says too much ‘this is a must-win game,’ but this is a must-win game,” he added while speaking to reporters after practice.

Wade finished with 17 points in Game 1 while LeBron James put together a triple-double, and now the dynamic duo are expected to carry the workload on Sunday as Tim Duncan and the Spurs look to quiet the Miami crowd once again.

Do you believe the Miami Heat can regroup in Game 2 Sunday? Is Dwyane Wade ready to takeover at home to even the series at a game apiece?

[Image via Keith Allison]

Dwyane Wade On Game 2: ‘This Is A Must-Win Game’ is a post from: The Inquisitr

Dick Vitale surely knows how to stir things up on Twitter as he responded to Eva Longoria’s NBA Finals prediction with one of the oddest numbers you will ever see on social media from a sports figure. Vitale, the well-known basketball sportscaster, sent Longoria a tweet that was meant to be a nice response, but it’s interpretation has since become a laughing matter in sports media.

The 73-year-old has regularly been viewed as one of the most vibrant sports broadcasters of all-time, but his Twitter antics after Game 1 of the NBA Finals has the nation wondering if he knows how to handle social media.

By now, the popular basketball expert has probably re-read his tweet over and over again, wondering why he didn’t word things differently. There’s no possible way he meant any harm behind it, as Vitale has always been an upstanding analyst and rarely makes critical comments about anything other than “diaper dandies.”

Eva Longoria tweeted, “Go Spurs Go! I say Spurs in 5!”

After Tony Parker’s clutch shot at the end of the game, Dick Vitale tweeted a response to the 38-year-old actress that will blow your mind and give you a few chuckles in the process.

Here’s Vitale’s over-the-top tweet to Tony Parker’s ex-wife, who probably enjoyed reading just as much as anyone else. Before you check it out, let’s not forget that Vitale lives and breathes basketball so his approach to this tweet was probably based on the game, and not meant to disrespect Longoria’s past relationship with Tony Parker.

@evalongoria @nba your ex is AWESOME BABY – Mr Clutch!

— Dick Vitale (@DickieV) June 7, 2013

The tweet has since been re-posted over 4,500 times and even some of ESPN’s other analysts joined in on the odd comment by Vitale. Jemele Hill, another basketball analyst, sent a basic response that pretty much sums up the entire ordeal.

@jemelehill He was clutch big time – Jemele Parker belongs in conversation as one of the BEST PG’s INTHE game @coachadubato says he is # 1

— Dick Vitale (@DickieV) June 7, 2013

No harm no foul, right? Maybe not, as Eva Longoria never responded to Vitale’s tweet, nor does she have any reason to. Do you think Dick Vitale’s tweet to Tony Parker’s ex-wife was a little over the top?

[Image via Creative Commons]

Dick Vitale To Eva Longoria On Twitter: ‘Your Ex Is AWESOME BABY” is a post from: The Inquisitr

The Miami Heat reached the NBA finals thanks to a convincing 99-76 win over the Indiana Pacers in Game 7 at the American Airlines Arena on Monday night.

Lebron James scored 32 points and grabbed eight rebounds while Dwyane Wade bounced back from a couple of underwhelming performances to chip in with 21 points.

The Heat booked their third consecutive trip to the finals where they will face the San Antonio Spurs in Game 1 on Monday in Miami.

James was proud of his display in the deciding game of the Eastern Conference final and revealed that he was not going to let this opportunity slip through his fingers.

“This is what it’s all about,” he said. “I’ve dreamed about this as a kid to have a Game 7, no matter at home or on the road. And that game allows you to advance to the finals. I’ve had multiple dreams about it.

“We just focused on every possession, trying to get stops, play Miami Heat defense, create havoc and I thought we did that.”

The Pacers held a slim two point lead after the first quarter but it was all Miami after that and the home side boasted a 52-37 advantage at halftime.

Indiana did itself no favors by turning the ball over 19 times and had no answer for Miami’s superstars. Wade was relieved after his performance and said that he never let his critics affect his play.

“Everything that happened in the first six games didn’t matter,” he said. “It was all about Game 7.”

Miami never looked back in the third and fourth quarters and now have a chance to defend its NBA title much to the delight of coach Erik Spoelstra.

“We’ll enjoy this win,” he said. “For a short time.”

The Miami Heat reached the NBA Finals for the third consecutive year after the big win over the Pacers and will look to cap off one of the greatest season in basketball history.

[Image via Yahoo.com]

Miami Heat Crush Indiana Pacers To Reach NBA Finals is a post from: The Inquisitr

The San Antonio Spurs pulled out the broomsticks Monday night as they finished off a sweep of the Memphis Grizzlies at the FedEx Forum. Their 93-86 win gives the Spurs their first NBA finals appearance since winning it all over LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2006-07.

On Monday night, the Spurs jumped all over the Grizzlies in the first quarter, quieting the crowd early as Tony Parker took control of the game from the point. Parker finished with 37 points on the night off 15-of-21 shooting, his best performance of the playoffs.

Tim Duncan is currently going through a divorce, but it’s been put on hold for the playoffs, and the 37-year-old big man was a force in the paint once again for the Spurs. Duncan pitched in 15 points and eight rebounds in the contest.

The Grizzlies trailed by 10 points going into the second quarter, and Marc Gasol began threatening on offense to cut into the Spurs lead. Gasol did all he could, but his 14 points just weren’t enough as the Spurs now advance to the NBA finals.

The Grizzlies cut the Spurs lead to six at the half and it became the Quincy Poindexter show in the third quarter. The 25-year-old came off the bench and hit one three-pointer after another to get the Grizzlies’ crowd back in it.

Memphis looked to slowly be cutting the Spurs lead until Tony Parker stepped up and starting knocking down shots. In 34 minutes on the floor, Poindexter pitched in 22 points and three rebounds after finishing three-for-six from behind the arc, but Parker’s performance made all the difference.

The Grizzlies made things interesting in the fourth quarter, and Gasol hit a runner in the final minute to make it 89-86 Spurs. Memphis would never score again over the final 45 seconds as the Spurs stepped up their defense and Parker hit a few free throws to seal the sweep.

“It’s a great feeling,” Parker said after the game, with the Western Conference finals trophy by his side. Do you believe the San Antonio Spurs have all the tools to win another NBA finals?

[Image via Creative Commons]

Spurs Sweep Grizzlies, Advance To NBA Finals is a post from: The Inquisitr

Former NBA pro Jalen Rose intentionally injured Kobe Bryant during the 2000 NBA Finals.

That revelation comes from Rose on The Jalen Rose Show, a podcast on Grantland.com. He claims that when Bryant went up for a shot, Rose himself broke one of basketball’s most important unwritten rules — sticking your foot under an opposing player after contesting a shot. The idea is, that when they come down, they could roll an ankle or worse, rendering them unable to play.

In the 2000 NBA Finals, Rose was playing for the Indiana Pacers against Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers. Heavy underdogs, the Pacers needed any advantage they could find. L.A. dominated game one, but game two was close. Bryant went up for a shot in the second quarter, and came down on Rose’s foot, injuring himself. He played just nine minutes in that game and missed game three.

Accidents happen, but was it an accident?

“Did you purposely put your foot underneath him when he landed?” producer Dave Jacoby asks, as reported by Ball Don’t Lie. “Don’t lie to me. Jalen, don’t lie to the people.”

“I think I did it on purpose,” Rose says in the video. Later after more prodding he says, “I can’t say it was an accident.”

The Los Angeles Times‘ website showed a video from the finals when the incident took place, and it doesn’t look intentional, but if Rose says it was, who’s to say it wasn’t?

The gambit worked, but not well enough. The Lakers still won game two, but with Bryant out the Pacers got back into the series by winning game three. Bryant played through the pain though and Rose didn’t get his ring after all.

Rose seems to acknowledge karma has already punished him for his actions, suggesting that Bryant’s 81-point performance five years later against the Toronto Raptors — a team Rose was on and a game in which he at times guarded Bryant — was retribution.

Jalen Rose Intentionally Injured Kobe Bryant is a post from: The Inquisitr

LeBron James and the Miami Heat will be celebrating all night long after clinching the teams first NBA championship since James made his “decision” to jump from the Cleveland Cavaliers.

James once predicted he would win up to seven titles over his career and tonight’s victory pushes him in that direction with a long way still to go.

Now only did James and the Heat win the NBA championship they did it with a dominating 121-102 point victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 5 of the NBA finals.

James won his first Finals MVP award after scoring a rare triple-double in the final game. LeBron also scored a nice victory by winning the Finals MVP and MVP of the year awards in the same season.

Making up for last years NBA Finals loss to the Dallas Mavericks in six games LeBron managed to rack up scoring totals of 30 or more points in 13 of 23 games including two games against the Thunder. James also averaged 29 points in four Finals games. In game 5 LeBron was helped along by his fellow teammates while personally picking up 26 points, 13 assists and 11 rebounds.

Adding to the Miami Heat’s victory was Chris Bosh who knocked down 24 points and Dwayne Wade who added 20 to the mix.

In what could be the final game of his career Mike Miller also came up big with 23 points includes 7 of 8 three-pointers. Point guard Mario Chalmers added 10 and Shane Battier threw down for 11.

The Oklahoma City Thunder weren’t exactly limping along, Kevin Durant scored 32 points and Russel Westbrook added 19 while the struggling James Harden scored 19 points. Unfortunately for the Thunder they were not able to create an all around equaled performance from their bench and ultimately fell to the Miami Heat.

Miami Heat Win NBA Finals Title As LeBron James Earns MVP Award is a post from: The Inquisitr

Lebron James was standing on the sidelines during the final minutes of game four of the NBA Finals. The Miami Heat were able to beat the Oklahoma City Thunder in another close game, but it’s not something that they want to try again. Thankfully, James should be good to go tonight for game five.

James suffered leg cramps at the end of game four and was forced to come out of the game. James admitted today that he was still a little sore but doesn’t think that the cramps are going to slow him down at all.

Lebron said:

“I feel a lot better than I did last night. That’s clear. I’m still a little sore because of the muscles just kind of being at an intense level, very tight. I’m still sore. I was able to get some treatment [Tuesday] night. I was able to get some treatment this morning.”

The Miami Heat lead the series 3-1 and with a win tonight James, Dwayne Wade, and Chris Bosh could clinch their first title together. Tonight’s game will be in Miami and Heat are hoping to end the series tonight. If they lose, they’ll have to play game 6, and possibly game 7, in Oklahoma city.

Do you think Lebron James will win his first NBA title tonight?

Lebron James Injury: Miami Heat Star Isn’t Worried About Leg Cramps is a post from: The Inquisitr

LeBron James bounced back from left leg cramps in the fourth quarter of Tuesday nights NBA finals match up to hit a 3-point tiebreaking shot with 2:54 remaining in the Miami Heat’s 104-98 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Heat now hold a 3-1 lead in the NBA Finals.

James scored 26 points, grabbed 12 assists and pulled down nine rebounds, only missing his triple-double because he was sitting on the bench towards the end of the game after suffering from leg cramps.

Finishing off the game was Mario Chalmers with 25-points which matched the effort put forth by Dwyane Wade.

The win is a good sign for the Miami Heat, no team in NBA Finals history has blown a 3-1 lead.

The Oklahoma City Thunder were helped along by Westbrook with 43 points while Kevin Durant knocked down 28, however James Harden had another horrible performance, finishing with just eight points on 2-of-10 shooting. Making matters worse Westbrook and Durant were the only Thunder players to known down any points with 16:46 still left on the clock.

After the game Dwayne Wade made a simple statement:

“Whatever it takes. No excuses. You don’t want to leave this arena saying you missed opportunities.”

The biggest help in the game came from Chalmers who was struggling so much in previous games that the Oklahoma City Thunder put Durant on him to avoid further foul trouble, yet he managed to knock down 9 of 15 shots. Chalmers scored more points than he had in the previous three games.

If the Miami Heat win on Friday night they’ll pull off their first NBA championship since LeBron James arrived in town.

LeBron James Lifts Miami Heat Past Oklahoma City Thunder is a post from: The Inquisitr

The Miami Heat and the Oklahoma City Thunder will square off tonight in Miami for game four of the NBA finals. The Heat have won the last two games and currently lead the series 2-1.

The Thunder will enter game four with a must-win attitude.

James Harden, the Thunder’s sixth man, said:

“It’s a Game 7 for us. We win this game tomorrow and tie it up, 2-2, and it’s the best of three with two games left in Oklahoma City. We’ll take that.”

The biggest story before game four came from comments made by Serge Ibaka about Lebron James’ defense.

Ibaka said:

“LeBron is not a good defender… He can play defense for two to three minutes but not 48 minutes. LeBron can’t play (Durant) one-on-one. They’re playing good defense like a team.”

Lebron James, who was named to the NBA’s all defensive team, brushed off Ibaka’s comments.

James said:

“I don’t really care what he says, he’s stupid… Everyone says something to me every series, then (the media) tries to get a quote. It’s stupid. For me as a defender, I just try to make plays and try to keep my body in front of a great player… First of all, I’m not playing 48 minutes, and Kevin’s not playing 48 minutes. I’m not guarding him for 48 minutes. When I’m on him, I’m just trying to make it tough for him to make shots, which he’s going to make.”

The other big story line following the Thunder’s game three loss was the finishing power of Kevin Durant. Durant, who missed a game tying shot at the end of game three (some say he was fouled) said that he isn’t worried about that shot and that he’ll keep shooting in the fourth quarter of game four.

Durant said:

” I’m going to shoot until my arm falls off in the fourth. That’s what I do. I don’t care if I miss it or if I make it. I believe in myself. I really don’t care what people say on the outside or how many points I post in the fourth or what big players have done in the past. All I do is worry about myself. I’m going to keep doing what I do. I’ve got 100 percent confidence in myself that I can do it, and when the fourth quarter comes around next time, I’m going to be as aggressive as I can.”

The Big 3 of Miami have been to the NBA Finals twice in the last two years. This year, the team is trying to quiet their critics after they folded in 2011. Dwyane Wade said that the team, and especially Lebron James, have matured a lot since last season.

Wade said:

“He’s a totally different player,’ Dwyane Wade said. ‘Obviously up until The Finals last year he was having an amazing playoffs. He had a game (Game 3 of the Finals) where he struggled and he kind of let that get into his mind a little bit, and he was thinking too much. Now he’s playing, he’s on attack, and being very aggressive. When he puts his head down to go to the rim, you have no other choice but to foul him or he’s going to finish…. He’s playing aggressive, and that’s the difference obviously from last year to this year, and the difference in our team.’”

Chris Bosh reiterated that sentiment, saying that the Miami Heat are trying to erase the pain of the 2011 NBA Finals.

Bosh said:

“Every day we remind ourselves. We think of that pain we experienced last year. We carry that pain with us.”

OKC’s Big Three have their first chance to prove themselves in the NBA Finals. Russell Westbrook, who had a mediocre game three, said that the team just has to keep playing their game.

Westbrook said:

“I’m not making no adjustments. Regardless of what anybody says or regardless of what you guys say about how I play, it doesn’t matter. You know, I’m going to play my game regardless of what happens. I’m going to go out and give 110 percent, and try to find a way to help us win the game.”

Derek Fisher, who is Westbrook’s backup, said that Westbrook is right to trust his instincts.

Fisher said:

“We all have to, I think, play a smarter game than what we played in particular in Game 2. But Russell is a phenomenal talent, and he just has to trust his instincts, play his game. But that same focus goes for all of us, Russell, Kevin, James. If there’s two people covering you, somebody else is open, make the pass, and that guy will make the play.”

The 2012 NBA Finals continue tonight at 8 p.m. CST. Who do you think will win game four?

2012 NBA Finals: Quotes Before Game Four is a post from: The Inquisitr

Metta World Peace has a hard time living up to his new name, especially when it comes to dissing Thunder forward James Harden.

Last time World Peace (formerly known as Ron Artest) was given a seven-game suspension for blasting Harden in the head with his elbow, but it seems that suspension has done little to deter him from trashing Harden, at least on Twitter, according to
The Washington Post.

Sunday’s Game 3 of the NBA Finals saw Harden’s continued issues, failing to score in the double digits. With his team down by three points at 16 seconds left in the game, Harden was called for a blocking foul after he got in the way of LeBron James roughly 30 feet away from the basket, according to Yahoo News.

Ultimately, the Thunder saw a loss to the Miami heat by 91-85. Immediately after the play, Metta World Peace tweeted, “No brain All beard,” a referral to the bad play and Harden’s noticeable facial hair.

The Huffington Post reports that soon after the comment, World Peace predicted that Harden will make a big shot later on in the series. He tweeted soon after, “Harden will hit a big shot right now Watch out.“

Looking back on his own plays, however, The L.A. Lakers player has no room to talk, especially his play against the New Orleans Hornets, which was almost the Lakers’ undoing. The horrific inbound pass caused the announcer to note that it was the worst play he ever saw in basketball.

Yahoo News points out, however, that Metta World Peace is complicated, and can go from a heckler who disses other players to someone worthy of the league’s citizenship award in a matter of minutes.

Metta World Peace Slams James Harden On Twitter After NBA Game 3 Foul is a post from: The Inquisitr

Lebron James had 29 points and 14 rebounds to help the Miami Heat take a 2-1 series lead over the Oklahoma City Thunder in the NBA Finals on Sunday night.

James and the Heat are now only 2 games away from erasing the sting of last years disappointment after a 91-85 win over the Thunder at American Airlines Arena.

“We carry that pain with us,” the Heat’s Chris Bosh said regarding last years loss to the Dallas Mavericks.

“We think about it every day and that really helps us to succeed in this series.”

As reported by ESPN, James had his best Finals performances in games 1 and 2 of this series, topping 30 points both times. He fell short of that mark in game 3, but was able to reach the 20 point mark for the 20th time in the postseason, putting him only 2 shy of Dwayne Wade’s franchise record that was set in the 2006 postseason.

“Just trying to make plays,” James said.

“I told you guys, last year I didn’t make enough game-changing plays, and that’s what I kind of pride myself on. I didn’t do that last year in the Finals. I’m just trying to make game-changing plays, and whatever it takes for our team to win, just trying to step up in key moments and be there for my teammates.”

James’ teammates see a clear difference in their star player as they’ve reached the NBA Finals for the second year in a row and are aiming to bring another title back to Miami.

“He was great. He’s been great for us all playoffs,” Heat forward Udonis Haslem said.

“I don’t know if he looks up at the clock or score sheet, but he knows when we need him to make big plays and come through for us, and he comes through.”

Kevin Durant and the Thunder will have a chance to even the series Tuesday night for Game 4 in Miami.

Miami Heat Take 2-1 Series Lead Over Oklahoma City Thunder is a post from: The Inquisitr

As the Miami Heat prepare for Game 2 of the NBA finals against the Oklahoma City Thunder the team has chosen to remain noncommittal regarding the status of All-Star forward Chris Bosh.

Bosh for his part has remained abused by all the talk of his playing status, noting on Wednesday afternoon:

“I didn’t know it was such a big deal, the starting thing. I just thought people were happy to see me out there.”

Chris Bosh started every game he played in during the regular season and led the Miami Heat through an aggressive playoff run before suffering an abdominal injury during the Eastern Conference semifinals. After a nine-game absence Bosh came off the bench in four games.

During Tuesday’s loss to the City Thunder Bosh played for 34 minutes while grabbing 10 points and five rebounds.

Turning a bit more serious about his goals for Thursday Bosh told ESPN

“I’m a glass is half-full kind of guy. I always look at whatever position I’m, I’m like, ‘This is the best position to be in right now.’ It doesn’t matter to me.”

The Miami Heat were simply outplayed on Tuesday night when Kevin Durant kicked up his game for 36 points while Dwayne Wade failed to impress.

LeBron James has proven throughout the Miami Heat’s playoff run that he can step up when he’s needed most, after coming off a 30 point game I wouldn’t be surprised to see bigger numbers from LeBron which in turn could fire the Miami’s lineup of All-Star players who remained unremarkable in Game 1 of the NBA Finals.

Miami Heat Remain Noncommittal On Chris Bosh Starter Status is a post from: The Inquisitr

After seven games, the Miami Heat have won their way into the 2012 NBA Finals. Lebron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh will go up against Kevin Durant and the OKC Thunder. The best of seven series starts tomorrow, June 12th, in Oklahoma City.

Both teams were ranked at number two heading into the playoffs but Durant and the Thunder will have home court advantage. The first two games will be played in Oklahoma City. The next three will be played in Miami. The series returns, if necessary, to OKC for game six and seven.

Here’s the 2012 NBA finals schedule. (Game 5, 6, and 7 if needed. All times for EST.)

• Game 1 – Miami at Oklahoma City, 9:00 p.m., Tuesday, June 12
• Game 2 – Miami at Oklahoma City, 9:00 p.m., Thursday, June 14
• Game 3 – Oklahoma City at Miami, 8:00 p.m., Sunday, June 17
• Game 4 – Oklahoma City at Miami, 9:00 p.m., Tuesday, June 19
• Game 5 – Oklahoma City at Miami, 9:00 p.m., Thursday, June 21
• Game 6 – Miami at Oklahoma City, 8:00 p.m., Sunday, June 24
• Game 7 – Miami at Oklahoma City, 9:00 p.m., Tuesday, June 26

The 2012 NBA Finals will air on ABC. You may also be able to watch the game on ESPN 3 (but depending on your location the game may be blacked out.)

Are you going to watch the finals? Who do you think will win? The Miami Heat of the OKC Thunder?

Lebron James silenced some of his critics with his performance during game 6 and 7 against the Boston Celtics. But James, as well as the super-team of James, Wade, and Bosh, have yet to win a title. Of course, Durant and the Thunder haven’t won a championship either.

So who will win the NBA finals?

2012 NBA Finals Schedule: Miami Heat Vs. OKC Thunder Starts Tuesday Night is a post from: The Inquisitr

LeBron James, Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh proved why their called the “big three” on Saturday when they outscored the Boston Celtics 28-15 in the fourth quarter of their Game 7 playoff match, a victory that advances the Miami Heat once again to the NBA’s biggest stage.

The Heat advanced on a strong 31 point showing by LeBron James who also picked up 12 rebounds while Chris Bosh hit the most 3-pointers in a single game of his career. Adding to the teams victory was 23 points from Wade, 19 Bosh and 12 for Shane Battier.

The Miami Heat also managed to break a streak they were happy to leave behind, the team had not won a Game 7 victory in the NBA playoffs since Wade’s rookie season in 2004.

For Boston Rajon Rondon pulled down 22 points, 14 assists and 10 rebounds while Paul Pierce added 19 points.

After the Game 7 loss Rondo said of the Heat:

“Give them credit. They spread the points out as a team tonight. Give them credit. They played great tonight as a team and we just came up short.”

Following the match Alonzo Mourning told the heated up Miami crowd, “We still got a lot of work to do” while Heat owner Micky Arison added that it has been a “roller-coaster ride.”

The victory didn’t come easy for the Miami heat who were down by seven at the half before going on an 8-0 run to tie the game at 59-59 on a Wade jumper. By the end of the game there were six lead changes and five ties by the last seven minutes of the third quarter before the fourth quarter started on a 73-73 split.

In the fourth quarter one 13 minute time span witnessed 46 possessions as neither team led by more than two points until Bosh hit a third 3-pointer with 7:17 left and the Miami Heat eventually used that momentum to run away with the lead and ultimately the victory.

Miami Heat Dominates Celtics In Game 7, Next Stop NBA Finals is a post from: The Inquisitr

The Oklahoma City Thunder earned their ticket to the 2012 NBA finals Wednesday night after a brilliant second-half comeback led by All-Star forward Kevin Durant.

In the contest, Durant tallied up 34 points, 14 rebounds and played all 48 minutes of regulation as the Thunder defeated the San Antonio Spurs 107-99 in Game 6 of the Western Conference Finals.

“(An) amazing moment for him to play like this in this moment, in this setting. I wasn’t going to take him out,” Oklahoma City head coach Scott Brooks said of Durant’s sensational night.

Russell Westbrook added 25 points and James Harden chipped in with 16 points off the bench for the Thunder, which will face either Boston or Miami in Game 1 of the NBA finals starting next Tuesday night.

The Spurs, who once controlled the series after taking first two games, seemed poised to force a Game 7 after racing to a 18-point lead in the second half.

Unsurprisingly though, the Thunder came up with another huge third quarter as the high-scoring group of youngsters started to find their shooting touch in the second half. Powered by 32 third quarter points, Oklahoma City opened the final quarter with an 81-80 lead and kept applying pressure on the Spurs till the final buzzer sounded.

“It is very disappointing. I thought this was our time to get back to the finals and push for another championship,” said four-time NBA champ Tim Duncan, who had 25 points and 14 rebounds.

Tony Parker also added 29 points and 12 assists for San Antonio, but only eight of the points and two assists came in the second half.

In the game’s closing seconds, ABC reports that Durant grabbed the final rebound, dribbled the ball across half court and pumped his fist in celebration with the sold out crowd.

“I never want to take those moments for granted,” Kevin Durant said after the contest. “I know it’s just one step closer to our dreams, but it felt good.”

The Oklahoma City Thunder will play for the NBA title for the first time since 1996, when it was in Seattle.

The Thunder vs Spurs Game 6 Western Conference Finals highlights can be seen in the video below:

Kevin Durant, Oklahoma City Thunder Advance to 2012 NBA Finals [Video] is a post from: The Inquisitr

With the Cavaliers going down valiantly to the Orlando Magic, it’s NBA Finals time, and that means a made scramble by fans to get NBA Finals Tickets.

The NBA Finals are being held at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, with a capacity of just under 19,000 people. Tickets went on sale at between $250 and $20,000, and at the time of writing were selling extremely fast (only a handful remained for the first game.)

Buying NBA Finals Tickets

You can try directly with your local ticket seller, although many won’t be able to help once tickets sell out. Try online for availability first. If you are too late, trying second hand markets. eBay offers buyer protection through Paypal, making it a safer bet than some other sites. At the time of writing this post, a range of NBA Finals tickets were available on ebay: see the widget following for the best prices.

If you can’t get a ticket (or simply can’t afford one) we’ll have details later this week on the best places to watch NBA Finals series online.

NBA Finals Tickets 2009 prices:

NBA Finals tickets 2009: latest prices, where to buy is a post from: The Inquisitr