NBA Basketball Sports News in Philippines: June 2012

Saturday, June 30, 2012

NBA News 2012: Wolves want Pau Gasol

LOS ANGELES, CA - NOVEMBER 09: Darko Milicic #31 of the Minnesota Timberwolves embraces Pau Gasol #16 of the Los Angeles Lakers after their game at Staples Center on November 9, 2010 in Los Angeles, California. The Lakers won 99-94. (Image credit: Getty Images via @daylife)
The Minnesota Timberwolves are trying hard to land Pau Gasol.

If they have to part with the highest draft choice in franchise history after just one season, the Wolves appear ready to do it.

That much became clear leading up to the NBA draft on Thursday night, when Minnesota offered Derrick Williams in hopes of landing the second pick from the Charlotte Bobcats to help get Gasol from the Los Angeles Lakers, two people with knowledge of the discussions told The Associated Press.

The people requested anonymity because the talks were meant to remain private. The deal never came together before the draft began, and the Bobcats stayed at No. 2 and took Kentucky forward Michael Kidd-Gilchrist.

The Timberwolves are expected to continue their pursuit of Gasol in hopes of putting him with fellow Spaniard Ricky Rubio and Kevin Love on a revamped roster aimed at returning the team to the playoffs for the first time since 2004.

The Wolves' interest in Gasol long has been rumored, with the highly skilled big man considered an ideal fit for coach Rick Adelman's corner offense, and the kind of playoff-tested veteran needed on one of the youngest rosters in the NBA. He's close friends with Rubio, the Wolves' superb young point guard who is recovering from a torn ACL and hopes to be ready early next season.

Gasol has teamed with Kobe Bryant to win two titles in Los Angeles, but always seemed to catch the brunt of the criticism when things went wrong.

That happened again this year when he averaged just 12.5 points along with 9.5 rebounds in the playoffs, and the Lakers were eliminated in the second round by the younger, quicker Oklahoma City Thunder. He often appeared to get lost in the shuffle while Bryant and Andrew Bynum got most of the touches on offense.

Gasol was the subject of trade rumors all season, starting before it began when commissioner David Stern, operating as owner of the New Orleans Hornets, nixed a deal that would have sent Gasol to Houston as part of a package for Chris Paul to the Lakers.

"It has been a crazy year and a lot to deal with. ... Unfortunately, we had tough losses and things didn't really go our way for the most part," the four-time All-Star said at the end of the season. "You just have to regroup and digest this loss and this season, and learn from it and move on."

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/8113368/report-minnesota-timberwolves-made-run-want-pau-gasol

NBA News 2012: NBA Agrees To Compromise on Bird Rights

English: Chauncey Billups (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
The NBA announced today that it has reached a settlement agreement with the NBA Players Association of the recent arbitration proceeding filed on behalf of Chauncey Billups, J.J. Hickson, Jeremy Lin and Steve Novak.

Under the settlement, the union agreed to limit the scope of the ruling by arbitrator Kenneth Dam in exchange for the league’s agreement to drop its appeal. The rule will now be that players who are claimed from waivers will have the same “Early Bird” rights as if they had been traded, but will not have full “Bird” rights unless they are claimed through the league’s amnesty procedure.

Below are the players on whose behalf the arbitration proceeding was brought and their status when free agency opens on July 1:

Chauncey Billups Bird
J.J. Hickson Bird
Jeremy Lin Early Bird
Steve Novak Early Bird

http://www.hoopsworld.com/nba-agrees-to-compromise-on-bird-rights

Friday, June 29, 2012

NBA News 2012: Lakers Tried To Trade Into First Round For Sullinger Or Perry Jones

English: Jared Sullinger at the 2010 Nike Hoop Summit (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
The Lakers made several attempts to move into the first round in Thursday's draft, targeting both Jared Sullinger and Perry Jones III.

Both players fell further than many anticipated and were selected by the Celtics and Thunder respectively.

"To get into the first round, it's not that easy to do without pledging substantial assets," Mitch Kupchak said. "To some degree, it was a challenge to look for something that was fair to do."

The Cavaliers owned the Lakers' first round pick, which was used on Jared Cunningham in a prearranged trade with Dallas. Jones would have been picked by the Lakers had they retained it.

http://basketball.realgm.com/wiretap/221877/Lakers_Tried_To_Trade_Into_First_Round_For_Sullinger_Or_Perry_Jones

NBA News 2012: Kentucky sets record with 6 players drafted

Kentucky (Photo credit: lalunablanca)
The second round of Thursday’s NBA draft brought Kentucky a record for most players drafted in the first two rounds, but it was mostly about the foreign players, who were noticeably absent in the first round.

The national champion Wildcats had four players taken in the first round, then guard Doron Lamb was taken by the Bucks with the 12th pick of the second round and forward Darius Miller was selected four picks later by the New Orleans Hornets. That gave Kentucky six players taken in the two-round draft.

Only UNLV in 1977 had as many as six players taken in the draft, and the Runnin’ Rebels had only two players taken in the first two rounds of that 1977 draft, which included seven rounds of selections.

In the past three years, Kentucky had had 15 players drafted, including 10 in the first round.

Coach John Calipari acknowledged the showing in the draft helps recruiting.

“I don’t know what else you can add to our recruiting,” he told the Lexington Herald-Leader. “I just want to know, ‘How did you beat us on a kid?’”

The trend toward drafting foreign players hit a lull this year. The first foreign player was not taken until the 20th pick of the first round (Evan Fournier of France, to the Nuggets), and that’s the latest a player who did not attend an American college or high school was taken since 1995, when every player drafted in the first round attended an American college or high school.

http://www.hoopsworld.com/nba-draft-round-2-kentucky-sets-record-with-six-players-drafted

Thursday, June 28, 2012

NBA News 2012: Nets get Tyshawn Taylor

English: Tyshawn Taylor (Photo credit: Wikipedia)The Brooklyn Nets acquired the draft rights to Tyshawn Taylor after he was selected 41st overall by Portland, in exchange for cash considerations, ESPN.com.

Taylor, a guard out of Kansas, averaged 17.3 points and 4.8 assists per game.

Also, the Sacramento Kings traded the 36th pick to the Indiana Pacers for cash. The Kings picked Orlando Johnson for the Pacers.

The 76ers sent the 54th pick to Brooklyn for cash, ESPN.com reported. The Sixers drafted Tornike Shengelia for the Nets.

Finally, The Los Angeles Lakers bought the 55th pick from Dallas, ESPN.com reported. Picking for the Lakers, the Mavericks selected Darius Johnson-Odom of Marquette.

http://www.hoopsworld.com/draft-day-trades-nets-get-tyshawn-taylor

Wednesday, June 27, 2012

NBA News 2012: Rockets Trade Dalembert To Bucks

Houston Rockets logo (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
The Rockets have moved up in the draft and now own the No. 12, 16 and 18 picks.

Houston has swapped the 14th pick for the 12th pick with the Bucks while also sending Samuel Dalembert to Milwaukee. The Rockets will receive Jon Leuer, Jon Brockman and Shaun Livingston in addition to the No. 12 pick.

The Rockets could save $4.7 million from their cap if Livingston and Leuer are waived, but a source contends they plan to keep both players.

http://basketball.realgm.com/wiretap/221777/Rockets_Trade_Dalembert_To_Bucks_Swap_No_14_Pick_For_No_12

Tuesday, June 26, 2012

NBA News 2012: Brandon Roy's top suitors

Brandon Roy during Draft Week 2006. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
As ex-Portland Trail Blazer Brandon Roy plans his comeback to the NBA, the Chicago Bulls, Dallas Mavericks, Indiana Pacers and Minnesota Timberwolves have emerged as serious suitors to sign the former All-Star guard, league sources told Yahoo! Sports.

Roy's recovery from chronic knee problems has been recently spurred by undergoing the platelet rich plasma therapy procedure that Lakers star Kobe Bryant popularized with NBA players, sources said. The blood spinning procedure gave profound relief to the knees of Bryant, Tracy McGrady and baseball star Alex Rodriguez.

The Golden State Warriors have also expressed strong interest with Roy. The Warriors' general manager, Bob Myers, was Roy's agent with the Wasserman Media Group.

After Portland doctors pushed Roy to stop playing in 2011, the Blazers used the league's new amnesty provision to pay him the remaining $63 million on his contract and made Roy a free agent. He's been working out for several months and planning a return.

Pacers executive Kevin Pritchard made a draft day deal for Roy in 2006 as Blazers GM, and his relationship could play a pivotal part in Indiana's recruitment of Roy, sources said. Roy trusts Pritchard, and values the fact that he brought him to Portland. Nevertheless, Roy hasn't begun the process of narrowing his list of possibilities. After Thursday's draft, more teams could express interest in him.

Roy played five often fabulous seasons for the Blazers, where he became a two-time All-Star and one of the NBA's best and most popular young players. The chronic knee injuries started to take a toll in his final two seasons, and Roy struggled to play 47 games in the 2010-11 season before Portland used the amnesty clause after the lockout. In his five seasons, Roy averaged 19 points per game.

Several teams could be willing to use their full-mid level exception for Roy, sources said. 1500-AM Radio in Minneapolis reported that the Wolves were prepared to make Roy a two-year contract offer.

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/nba--brandon-roy-s-top-suitors-are-bulls--mavs--pacers-and-t-wolves--sources-say.html;_ylt=AmF0CzqpFNPo9ULdgkL5Eiy8vLYF

Monday, June 25, 2012

NBA News 2012: Robinson, Drummond work out for Bobcats

Primary logo (2004–present) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Thomas Robinson made a quantum leap during his junior year at Kansas.

He spent Friday morning trying to convince the Charlotte Bobcats that he has even more upside.

Robinson and Connecticut's Andre Drummond worked out for the Bobcats as part of Charlotte's evaluations for the June 28 NBA draft.

The Bobcats own the second pick and are considering several options on the assumption that New Orleans will select Kentucky's Anthony Davis at No. 1.

''I feel I have potential to develop even more as a player,'' Robinson said. ''I still have a high ceiling. I feel I'm nowhere near complete as a player, so I think I have more upside than people think.''

Robinson, at 6-9, and the 6-10 Drummond represent intriguing options should the Bobcats decide to take a big man with the No. 2 pick. Earlier this week the team worked out guard Bradley Beal of Florida and small forwards Michael Kidd-Gilchrist of Kentucky and Harrison Barnes of North Carolina.

Robinson, who played in the shadows of Cole Aldrich and Marcus and Markieff Morris during his first two years at Kansas, blossomed as a junior this past season, averaging 17.7 points and 11.9 rebounds. He led the nation with 27 double-doubles and was a first-team AP All-American.

Bobcats officials, including owner Michael Jordan and new coach Mike Dunlap, declined to comment after the workout. But NBA scouts in general like Robinson's explosiveness, his motor, and his rebounding ability.

''I'm a little better off the dribble than people think,'' Robinson said. ''My shot has gotten a lot better since the season was over. I'm learning how to read the defense better than I ever did before, so I'm just learning a different pace of the game and it's helping me.''

The Bobcats have four power forwards on the roster: Tyrus Thomas, Eduardo Najera, D.J. White and Derrick Brown.

''I like (the Bobcats') potential,'' said Robinson, who has also worked out for Cleveland and Washington. ''They've got a young point guard in Kemba (Walker) and also a bunch of young players surrounding him. I think they just need a couple more players to get over the hump and I would like to be one of those players. I think I would fit in perfect because the up-tempo game fits me perfect and I can also play in the halfcourt.''

Drummond averaged 10 points, 7.6 rebounds and 2.7 blocked shots as a freshman for the Huskies.

NBA scouts love his size, strength, length, agility and ability to run the floor, but have concerns about his offensive skills.

He would clearly fill a position of need for the Bobcats, who have only two centers under contract in Byron Mullens and DeSagana Diop.

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/drummond-robinson-bobcats-161311128--nba.html;_ylt=ApFLznoKbRzTpUaEzrkkdvq8vLYF

Sunday, June 24, 2012

NBA News 2012: Bird rights ruling

Larry Bird's photo at Conseco Fieldhouse, Indianapolis (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
In a surprise ruling on Friday, New York Knicks' Jeremy Lin and Steve Novak, Los Angeles Clippers' Chauncey Billups and Portland Trail Blazers' J.J. Hickson secured Bird and early Bird rights in a hearing between the NBA Players Association and the league.

The decision was made by arbitrator Kenneth Dam, who affirmed that players claimed off waivers are able to retain their valuable Bird and early Bird rights when they become free agents. That means that if Lin, Billups, Novak and Hickson re-sign, their teams can go over the salary cap. The Celtics were the first team to use this exception, re-signing former star Larry Bird to go over the cap.

All four players were waived this season and claimed by other teams. They will become free agents July 1.

In addition, future players claimed off waivers likewise will benefit from Friday's ruling.

The NBA said it would appeal Friday's ruling. The players' association believes the appeal from the league will not be resolved by July 1, the start of free agency.

"The NBA is entitled under the CBA to file an appeal, and we will respond accordingly. We don't think any such appeal has merit, and we are confident that the decision will stand and these players will benefit from it, whether it's through an expedited appeal process or a negotiated resolution," said Ron Klempner, deputy general counsel of the players' union.

Lin and Novak will enter the 2012-13 free agency period with early Bird rights, meaning that they can be re-signed for 175 percent of their salary the previous season or the NBA average salary, whichever is greater.

Billups and Hickson will have Bird rights, meaning they can be re-signed up to the maximum salary.

"Bird and early Bird rights are the lynchpin of our Soft Cap system, and we're pleased that Professor Dam recognized that a player does not forfeit these important rights unless he makes an affirmative decision to sign with a new team as a free agent," NBPA executive director Billy Hunter said in a statement released by the players' union. "Players fought hard for a Collective Bargaining Agreement that allows maximum flexibility for free-agent players while also permitting teams to retain their core free agents, and today's decision affirms both of these important principles."

The ruling is especially huge for the Knicks. They can now retain Lin, Novak and Landry Fields at up to $5 million each and then sign an additional player at $3 million or less with their mid-level exception. The Knicks will likely be in the market for a seasoned veteran point guard. The ruling is one step toward creating enough space to go after a player such as Steve Nash, Jason Kidd, Andre Miller or Raymond Felton.

http://espn.go.com/new-york/nba/story/_/id/8085646/ruling-gives-jeremy-lin-chauncey-billups-bird-rights-affects-cap

NBA News 2012: James Harden expects to stay in OKC

English: James Harden, a player for the Oklahoma City Thunder at ARCO Arena. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
The reigning Sixth Man of the Year says he doesn't plan to be coming off anyone's bench but Oklahoma City's.

James Harden said Saturday that he "loves it" with the Thunder and expects a contract extension to be worked out between his agent and Oklahoma City general manager Sam Presti.

"They'll do a pretty good job of working it out," Harden said. "I'm focused on several other things right now. But when the time is (right), they'll figure it out and it'll be done."

In his third season, Harden averaged 16.8 points, 4.1 rebounds and 3.7 assists while coming off the bench for the Western Conference champions and proved to be a key piece for the young and talented Thunder.

Harden, 22, said he recognizes the Thunder are in a good place, as Oklahoma City features a nucleus of 23-year-old Kevin Durant who won the league's scoring title and 23-year-old point guard Russell Westbrook.

"This team is like a family," Harden said. "Like, we're really brothers. We hang out most of the time every single day. You won't find any other team like this. I love it here."

As of July 1, Harden, along with Serge Ibaka and Eric Maynor, will become eligible to negotiate extensions to their rookie deals. The Thunder already have signed Durant and Westbrook to long-term deals and some wonder if Oklahoma City will be able to keep all of its talent together. Harden, however, cites the unique togetherness of the team as a reason why he might take less money to stay in OKC.

"This is something special here," Harden said. "A dynasty is being built here. So we're winning, we're having fun and we're brothers. The other stuff, you can't buy it."

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/8089834/james-harden-oklahoma-city-thunder-says-expects-sign-extension

Friday, June 22, 2012

NBA News 2012: Durant, Thunder still right on time

English: Kevin Durant of the Oklahoma City Thunders at ARCO Arena. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Kevin Durant was not just happy to make it to his first NBA Finals. He wanted to win, as he made abundantly clear after it was all over. He had done the things champions do. He had not just worked incredibly hard in the lockout, but rallied his teammates to do the same. He had embraced the NBA's smallest market. He had resolutely not caved to media pressure to criticize his teammate Russell Westbrook for shooting too much. He had stared down the barrel of an 0-2 hole against the formidable San Antonio Spurs. He had put up huge playoff numbers -- 28.3 points, 7.2 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 1.2 blocks, 1.7 steals, 52 percent field goal shooting, 37 percent 3-point shooting, 86 percent from the line -- befitting the best scorer in basketball.

And it did not end, as he had intended, with a ring.

Durant says he was surprised how emotional Game 5's 121-106 loss to the Miami Heat made him. He said he could even see real strain in the faces of his parents. And he says he will take that experience and change … just about nothing.

And that's exactly how it should be.

"Whether we would have won or lost," Durant said, "I was going to come back this summer, everybody was going to come back this summer, and work extremely hard, win or lose."

Music to the ears of anyone who wants to see the Oklahoma City Thunder win -- because when you have things working like they are working in Oklahoma City, it's not about how mighty an improvement you can make to open the championship window. The window is wide open. Now it's about how long it can stay that way, how many consecutive days you can keep doing the right thing.

Just keeping it together, for these Thunder, will be enough, and Durant isn't making the slightest hints about flipping the script.

"I wouldn't want to play with anybody else," he says. "I wouldn't want to play for any other city. I'm just blessed to be part of this organization, and hopefully we can get back."

A scene that says a lot about the Thunder franchise: In the hotel gym the other day, a player was being coached -- loudly, boisterously, and with much loving attention -- through a workout. He didn't have one member of the Thunder training staff working with him, he had three. After all, it's the middle of the NBA Finals.

But here's the thing: The player was backup point guard Eric Maynor, who isn't set to play again until late summer after missing all but nine games of the season with a torn ACL. Even a player who didn't matter at all to the Finals was a huge priority in the Finals.

Maynor, who played 22 games with the Utah Jazz before joining the Thunder midway through his rookie season, says he can't imagine why anyone would ever want to play for another team, this being one that really cares about him as a person more than getting a win.

Who'd want to change that?

"Aggressively boring."

That's the phrase that has been rolling around in my head as the Finals coaches, Miami's Erik Spoelstra and Oklahoma City's Scott Brooks, meet the media day after day.

Russell Westbrook has been about as electric as a player can be in these Finals -- a walking storyline. Watch him fly around the court with an invisible jetpack, embarrassing all who would defend him. Watch him make critical errors, embarrassing himself. They say LeBron is "Hollywood as hell," but this guy is all plot.

And yet, to any question about Westbrook, Brooks rolls into a canned ham of a story about how he loves Russell, how Russell never misses a practice and about how the team would never be where it is without him.

Brooks and Spoelstra are as quotable as monks, and it goes beyond not wanting to provide bulletin board material to the other team.

By and large, what both coaches have to say is what Durant is already living: Do the right thing, even when it seems like the wrong thing. Eventually you'll probably get good results.

http://espn.go.com/blog/truehoop/post/_/id/46332/durant-thunder-still-right-on-time

NBA News 2012: LeBron James, Heat dominate Thunder to win NBA championship

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - JUNE 12: Serge Ibaka #9 of the Oklahoma City Thunder and LeBron James #6 of the Miami Heat go after the opening jump ball in Game One of the 2012 NBA Finals at Chesapeake Energy Arena on June 12, 2012 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. (Image credit: Getty Images via @daylife)
Music blared and confetti fell, the only celebration LeBron James really wanted in Miami.

Not that one two summers ago, the welcoming rally where he boasted of multiple titles, perhaps without realizing how hard it would be to win just one.

He dreamed of this moment, with teammates surrounding him and the NBA championship trophy beside him.

"You know, my dream has become a reality now, and it's the best feeling I ever had," James said.

James had 26 points, 11 rebounds and 13 assists, leading the Miami Heat in a 121-106 rout of the Oklahoma City Thunder on Thursday night to win the NBA Finals in five games.

Ripped and ridiculed for the way he announced he was leaving Cleveland and taking his talents to South Beach, it's all worth it now for James.

Best player in the game. Best team in the league.

And now, NBA champion.

"I'm happy now that eight years later, nine years later since I've been drafted, that I can finally say that I'm a champion, and I did it the right way," James said. "I didn't shortcut anything. You know, I put a lot of hard work and dedication in it, and hard work pays off. It's a great moment for myself."

And for his teammates, who watched the Dallas Mavericks celebrate on their floor last year.

James left the game along with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh for good with 3:01 remaining for a round of hugs and the start for a party he's been waiting for since arriving in the NBA out of high school as the No. 1 pick of the 2003 draft. James hopped up and down in the final minutes, shared a long hug with opponent Kevin Durant, and then soaked in the "MVP! MVP! chants during the raucous postgame.

"I wanted to become a champion someday," James said. "I didn't know exactly when it would happen, but I put in a lot of hard work."

He was a choker last year, the guy who came up small in the fourth quarter, mocked for "shrinking" in the moment while playing with what he called "hatred" in trying to prove his critics wrong.

He came to Miami seeking an easier road to the finals but found it tougher than he expected, the Heat coming up empty last year and nearly getting knocked out in the Eastern Conference finals this time by Boston. Facing elimination there, James poured in 45 points on the road to force a Game 7 and the Heat won it at home.

"It was the hardest thing I've ever done as a basketball player," James said. "You just put a lot of hard work into it and you hope that one day it will pay off for you."

This time, with a chance to clinch, the Heat took control in the second quarter, briefly lost it and blew the game open again in the third behind their role players, James content to pass to wide-open 3-point shooters while the Thunder focused all their attention on him.

http://scores.espn.go.com/nba/recap?gameId=320621014

Thursday, June 21, 2012

NBA News 2012: Ainge says Garnett considering retirement

Boston Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge spoke with free-agent center center Kevin Garnett last week, though Ainge said Garnett hasn't made a decision on his future.

Garnett, 36, is pondering retirement despite finishing strongly in his 17th season. He needs time to reflect, putting Boston's offseason plans in an uncertain state.

"Kevin and I had a good conversation last week and the conversation was mostly on how he needs time before he makes that decision," Ainge told Boston sports radio station WEEI-93.7 FM. "I think we'll talk within the next week, but I'm not so sure that's a decision day for him. He may want to wait and see what sort of team we have. I'm not sure.

"I know that he wants to come back. I know he likes Boston, and I know he loves playing for (coach) Doc (Rivers). He loves everything about the team and the city and so forth. I think that his decision will be, 'Do I really want to play? Or do I not want to play.'"

The longer Garnett delays, the more difficult Boston's situation becomes, with the NBA draft later this month and cap space allocated in holds for Garnett and Ray Allen when free agency opens in early July.

"It is complicated and the timing is complicated. Juggling all these different scenarios is difficult," Ainge said. "But the reality is that, on July 1, Kevin Garnett is on our books for $21 million until we either sign him to a new contract, or renounce him, which means we can't re-sign him. Otherwise, it really limits our cap space."

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/nba-roundup-ainge-says-garnett-225009321--nba.html

NBA News 2012: Champs! James' triple-double lifts Heat to title

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - JANUARY 30: Forward LeBron James #6 talks with Dwyane Wade #3 and Chris Bosh #1 of the Miami Heat during play against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Ford Center on January 30, 2011 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. (Image credit: Getty Images via @daylife)
Best player in the game. Best team in the league.

LeBron James has found it all since taking his talents to South Beach two summers ago.

Add NBA champion to the list.

''Happiest day of my life,'' he said.

James had 26 points, 11 rebounds and 13 assists, leading the Heat in a 121-106 rout of the Oklahoma City Thunder on Thursday night to win the NBA Finals in five games.

All that was left was a celebration nine years in the making.

''It means everything,'' James said moments after the win, moments before being named the playoffs MVP to go along with his regular-season award. ''I made a difficult decision to leave Cleveland but I understood what my future was about ... I knew we had a bright future (in Miami). This is a dream come true for me. This is definitely when it pays off.''

James left the game along with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh for good with 3:01 remaining for a round of hugs and the start for a celebration he's been waiting for since arriving in the NBA out of high school as the No. 1 pick of the 2003 draft. James hopped up and down in the final minutes, shared a long hug with opponent Kevin Durant, and then smiled as he watched the confetti rain down from the rafters.

''It's about damn time. It's about damn time,'' James said.

The Heat took control in the second quarter, briefly lost it and blew the game open again in the third behind their role players, James content to pass to wide-open 3-point shooters while the Thunder focused all their attention on him.

The disappointment of losing to Dallas in six games a year ago vanished in a blowout of the demoralized Thunder, who got 32 points and 11 rebounds from Durant.

Bosh and Wade, the other members of the Big Three who sat alongside James as he promised titles at his Miami welcoming party two summers ago, both had strong games. Bosh, who broke down in tears as the Heat left their own court after losing Game 6 last year, finished with 24 points and Wade scored 20. The Heat also got a huge boost from Mike Miller, who made seven 3-pointers and scored 23 points.

That all made it easier for James, the most heavily scrutinized player in the league since his departure from Cleveland, when he announced he was ''taking his talents to South Beach'' on a TV special called ''The Decision'' that was criticized everywhere from talk shows and water coolers straight to the commissioner's office. James has said he wishes he handled things differently, but few who watched the Cavaliers fail to assemble championship talent around him could have argued with his desire to depart.

He found in Miami a team where he never had to do it alone, though he reminded everyone during this sensational postseason run that he still could when necessary. He got support whenever he needed it in this series, from Shane Battier's 17 points in Game 2 to Mario Chalmers' 25 in Game 4.

In the clincher it was Miller, banged-up from so many injuries that he limped from the bench to scorer's table when he checked in. He made his fourth 3-pointer of the half right before James' fast-break basket capped a 15-2 run that extended Miami's lead to 53-36 with 4:42 remaining in the first half.

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/heat-lead-thunder-59-49-022516449--nba.html;_ylt=AjDmeCADhZg.eSL3Sk6c3405nYcB

Saturday, June 30, 2012

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