With only a few minutes remaining, they have just over 60 points. With their own scoring troubles, the Bulls certainly didn’t need to give the Heat any help.

But early in the 4th quarter, Marquis Teague scored on his own basket. He was trying to break up a pass, and the ball deflected all the way into his own hoop.

(Thanks to @shighkinNBA for the video)

After the game, Mohammed took to Twitter to apologize for his actions.

Sorry for my overreaction & being ejected. I blacked out & just reacted after I was pushed down. I’m happy it only resulted w/ a push

— Nazr Mohammed (@NazrMohammed) May 11, 2013

For the kids who were watching… That not the way to react on the basketball court.

— Nazr Mohammed (@NazrMohammed) May 11, 2013

Hopefully if I’m in the same situation again I will control my emotions but u never know what ur instincts will do. #SeeRed

— Nazr Mohammed (@NazrMohammed) May 11, 2013

 

It was a bizarre foul from Mohammed that started the whole altercation in the first place. It wasn’t the first ejection we’ve seen in this series, and there’s a decent chance it won’t be the last.

Game 4 will be Monday at 7PM Est. as the Heat look to take a 3-1 series lead.

Early in the 2nd quarter, with the Bulls holding a 31-28 lead, Nazr Mohammed for some reason decided to foul LeBron James as he crossed half-court. James took offense to the rough foul and tossed Mohammed to the ground.

Referee Joey Crawford immediately assessed LeBron a technical foul. As that was happening, Mohammed, frustrated by being tossed aside by LeBron, got up and shoved LeBron to the ground.

Mohammed was ejected for the shove, leaving the Bulls even more shorthanded than they already are.

Yes, Nate Robinson. It was another impressive performance this postseason from undersized guard. He finished with 27 points (8-16 FG) and 9 assists, including the last 7 points of the game as the Bulls knocked off the Heat 93-86.

Here, Robinson drives to the rim for the basket that sealed the victory. (Thanks to @HPBasketball for the video)

Jack Maloney (@jmaloney9) – LeBron James

What is there to say that hasn’t already been said. LeBron James just submitted one of the greatest regular season performances of all time. He averaged nearly 27 points, 7 assists and 8 rebounds a night while shooting 56% and leading the Miami Heat to a 66-16 record. He was a dominant force on both ends of the floor and has developed into an amazingly efficient (and at times completely unstoppable) offensive player. He is the best player in the game by far, and this season’s clear choice for MVP.

Apr 25, 2013; Milwaukee, WI, USA; Miami Heat forward LeBron James (6) during game three of the first round of the 2013 NBA playoffs against the Milwaukee Bucks at BMO Harris Bradley Center. Miami won 104-91. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

Reece Hooker (@ReeceJHooker) – LeBron James

The question for this award isn’t how LeBron James’ season stacks up against his contemporaries, but where it sits in terms of all-time. The King, barring the miraculous or exorbitant bribery from Dan Gilbert, will capture his 4th MVP award at the end of the season joining some pretty esteemed company – Bill Russell, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Michael Jordan. Now he’s matched their individual accolades, it’s time for him to make up ground in the rings count.

Quentin Haynes (@Haynesenburg) – LeBron James

No question.

Vijay Shravah  - LeBron James

In a year we expected the likes of Kevin Durant to close the gap between him and the league’s best player, LBJ has widened that gap considerably.  Not only are the Heat having a franchise-best year, but LeBron is having an absolutely spectacular season.  Of all the awards, this is the biggest no-brainer.

Sonny Giuliano (@SonnyCG) – LeBron James

Choosing the MVP of the league this year is like solving a math problem that only has one correct answer. You can show all the work you want, but if you don’t somehow come up with that exact answer then you’re wrong and not receiving any credit. The MVP is LeBron James, it can only be LeBron James, and anyone who doesn’t select LeBron James as their MVP clearly doesn’t care about their credibility taking a massive hit. LeBron’s 2012-13 regular season was a tour de force that doubled as the greatest I’ve ever seen in my 21 years of existence. Over the years he has addressed every single perceived weakness about his game and become the most complete player in basketball history as a result. He’s the Most Valuable Player by a wide margin.

The Heat were led in the scoring department by Dwyane Wade, who finished with 21 points on 8-14 shooting. 2 of those points came mid-way through the 3rd quarter, as Wade slammed home a missed jump shot by Mario Chalmers.

It was an incredible burst of athleticism combined with exquisite timing.

Mar 20, 2013; Cleveland, OH, USA; Miami Heat small forward LeBron James (6) walks to the bench during a timeout in the second quarter against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Quicken Loans Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports

Miami Heat:

Biggest Strength: LeBron James. There’s not much to say here that hasn’t already been said. At this point, James is nearly unstoppable. The consensus MVP just finished arguably the most impressive regular season in history. He has become devastatingly efficient on the offensive end, shooting 56% from the field and 40% from three. He also leads the Heat in both rebounding and assists. And the scary thing for the Bucks is that as LeBron showed last year in Game 6 of the ECF, he can turn things up a level in the playoffs.

Player To Watch: Once again, LeBron James. After finally winning that elusive championship last year, he came back with a truly dominant regular season. LeBron has reached the point where every time he plays it is must watch TV just to see what he’ll do next. No matter how quickly this series is over (and it’ll probably be over pretty quick) LeBron will give us a number of memorable plays. Whether they’re high-flying alley oops, crisp passes, or a big chase down block, you’ll just have to tune in and see. The chance to watch the greatest player of this generation should never be passed up.

Mar 15, 2013; Milwaukee, WI, USA; Milwaukee Bucks guard Monta Ellis (11) drives for the basket against Miami Heat forward LeBron James (6) at the Bradley Center. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports

Milwaukee Bucks:

Biggest Strength: Rebounding. If there is any area the Bucks might have an advantage on the Heat, it would be on the glass. The Bucks aren’t winning this series, (sorry Bucks fans) but if they want any chance at stealing a game or two, they absolutely need to rebound well. Their advantage on the glass is nowhere near as big as it might look at first glance. The Bucks may have grabbed an average of 5 rebounds a game more than the Heat, but there is more to look at than just how many rebounds a team got. The two teams had nearly identical rebound percentages. (The percent of how many available rebounds your team corralled.) This is the only aspect of the game that the Bucks have a chance to win, and its vital they do so. LARRY SANDERS! will rebound, but he needs help, especially from Ersan Ilyasova and the guards.

Player To Watch: Monta Ellis. Monta Ellis thinks he has it all, and he’ll need to if the Bucks want to steal a few games. Ellis might be an infuriating player, especially for the analytics crowd because of his shot selection, but he’s certainly fun to watch. On any night, Ellis is capable of going for 40. (Even if it takes him 25 or 30 shots to get there.) In the last few months, his assist numbers have also been very good. It should be fun to watch Ellis in his first playoff series since 2006-2007 with Golden State.

Prediction: Heat in 5. This isn’t a question of who will win, rather how fast the Heat will be able to dispatch the Bucks. (Sorry Brandon Jennings.) While I certainly wouldn’t be surprised by a Heat sweep, I think the Bucks will be able to sneak out one game at home. The Bucks are just overmatched here, and the Heat will shortly be on their way to continue their title defense.

Mar 27, 2013; Chicago, IL, USA; Miami Heat small forward LeBron James (6) and point guard Mario Chalmers (15) and shooting guard Dwyane Wade (3) during the second half against the Chicago Bulls at the United Center. The Bulls beat the Heat 101-97. Mandatory Credit: Rob Grabowski-USA TODAY Sports

In case you missed it, this NBA regular season is REALLY close to its conclusion. That’s right. Believe it or not, there are only 15 days until the playoffs start. Sneaks up on you, doesn’t it? Once April 20^th hits, basketball fans will only care about who wins 16 games first. That’s all that matters. But let’s be real, the regular season isn’t just a five and a half month waste of time. It’s a five and a half month odyssey that produces a bulk of storylines and a fair amount of winners and losers of its own before we even get to the winning and losing that casual fans will remember.

In case you missed it, I’m not a casual fan. I’m weird. I’m a certified basketball nerd who follows the NBA like it’s my religion, and this benefits my life in no specific way whatsoever, other than allowing me to discuss the winners and losers of the NBA regular season with close to complete confidence in what I’m saying. On that note…

WINNER: LeBron James
We might as well get the most obvious winner of the season out of the way right off the bat. I’m keeping this section short since next week I’ll breaking down my extended MVP ballot, and a large part of that will consist of semi-biased, although completely warranted gushing about the greatest overall basketball player in the last decade or so, who happens to be in the midst of perhaps his finest season of his career. Just know that if the Heat close this season out with a title (still a while down the road, but it doesn’t seem totally out of the question to assume it might happen), LeBron will take a major leap forward in the “Greatest of All-Time” discussion thanks to back to back titles, and a regular season for the ages.

Apr 2, 2013; Miami, FL, USA; Miami Heat shooting guard Dwyane Wade (left) and teammate small forward LeBron James (right) react during the first half against the New York Knicks at American Airlines Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

LOSER: Dwyane Wade
You’re probably wondering why Dwyane Wade would be considered a loser of this season, when conventional standards wouldn’t justify that at all. He has been a vital part of the best team in the Eastern Conference, put up extremely good numbers all year long, and could very well end up a top 25 player ever by the end of his career… but nobody is noticing. Dwyane Wade is making just a tad over $17 million this season playing in the sunshine state, but doesn’t need to spend a single penny on sunscreen… you know, because he’s spending so much time in LeBron James’ shadow. Word play at its very finest. Speaking of guys being in LeBron’s shadow…

LOSER: Kevin Durant
28 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists, 50-40-90 club… and he’s a distant second in the MVP race. No need for sunscreen in Oklahoma City either.

WINNER: Erik Spoelstra
30 years ago it was a common belief that you needed a dominant big man to win a title in the NBA. Today, the best team in the NBA puts five players around the perimeter, plays without a center, and posts up their shooting guard and small forward more than their power forwards and centers. Erik Spoelstra could be called a basketball innovator. And to think he was one loss away from being fired last spring until LeBron walked into the TD Garden and killed the Celtics.

LOSER: Fired Coaches
Happy trails to Mike Brown, Avery Johnson, Alvin Gentry, and Scott Skiles, who were all relieved of their duties within the season, even though three of their respective teams will probably end up in the playoffs. The bright side for Mike Brown and Avery Johnson is they have ESPN experience. The bright side for all four guys is there will surely be teams that would be more than willing to hire any of them within the next couple of years, because some teams are just that desperate.

WINNER: Dwight Howard
Congratulations Dwight! You’ve come a long way, and it surely has been a bumpy road, but you’re no longer the biggest diva and piece of crap in the NBA. That title belongs to Andrew Bynum/Frederick Douglass/Pete Weber, or whoever he wants to pretend to be. I’ve already gone out on a limb on Twitter, and I’ll say it again here so everybody knows that I mean business; I don’t think Andrew Bynum will ever play another game in the NBA again… in part because of two chronically bad knees, but also because he does stupid things like going bowling while he is rehabbing said bad knees. So let me raise the question, who lucks out more than Dwight in this situation? Nobody! His biggest competition at the center position in the league has chronically bad knees, and a beyond questionable motor and desire to play basketball for a living.

LOSER: Philadelphia 76ers
Let’s break this down: On August 10^th Philadelphia traded away Andre Iguodala, Nikola Vucevic and Mo Harkless, and in return got Andrew Bynum and Jason Richardson. Andrew Bynum was coming off his best season, Jason Richardson would seemingly be a nice complementary piece to the Bynum/Holiday duo, Andre Iguodala needed a change of scenery, and nobody even knew who Nikola Vucevic and Mo Harkless were. All the way around, that trade made sense on paper, especially since Philadelphia wasn’t going to contend for the title with the team they had in place. But the funny thing is, NBA games aren’t played on paper. On paper we didn’t take into account that chances were, Andrew Bynum wasn’t going to be able to play a full season, or even one game. On paper it didn’t necessarily say that Jason Richardson was past his prime, and would only play 33 games himself. That paper certainly didn’t say that Nikola Vucevic was going to be a double-double machine. All that metaphorical paper said was Philadelphia could challenge in the Eastern Conference because of this trade. Not quite.

WINNER: Houston Rockets
Here is an example of a trade that did work out exactly how it looked like it should on paper. When Oklahoma City and James Harden couldn’t come to terms on a contract extension before the season started, Houston was more than willing to ship over whoever they needed to in order to bring in James Harden, his massive beard, and his potential to be one of the ten best players in the league. You could say that both teams won this trade: Oklahoma City has the 2^nd best record in the Western Conference, Kevin Martin has had a nice season coming in off the bench, and the Thunder don’t need to worry about giving a third player a max contract. But let’s be real, if this trade doesn’t go down Houston wouldn’t be close to sniffing the playoffs even if the playoffs were covered in Icy Hot, and Oklahoma City’s upside could only be higher than it is right now.

LOSER: Danny Granger
If Danny Granger was a lost puppy and the Pacers were his owner, would they have already taken down the posters they put up around town, or would they leave them up for a while? If I had to guess, I’d say they took them down and already found a new puppy (Paul George).

WINNER: FGCU
Come on, I had to show some love for my school somewhere on The Skyhook. The Florida Gulf Coast University Eagles improbable run to the Sweet Sixteen prompted a whole bunch of school spirit, more bandwagon fans than you could imagine, the unofficial renaming of Fort Myers to Dunk City, and even a very well-received piece on what it’s like to be a student at FGCUas our basketball program ascends.  Check it out!

Mar 31, 2013; San Antonio, TX, USA; San Antonio Spurs forward Tim Duncan (21) reacts during the second half against the Miami Heat at the AT

LOSER: Father Time
Father Time is undefeated, and will remain undefeated for the rest of eternity unless we find the spring water that the people were drinking in Tuck Everlasting or everybody goes to Germany like Kobe did. But this year Pops Time took a nasty right hook to the jaw in the form of great seasons from Kobe Bryant (27 points, 5.5 rebounds, 6 assists, 46% shooting, 17^th season) and Tim Duncan (17.4 points, 10 rebounds, 2.6 blocks, 50% shooting, 16^th season), a very good season from Paul Pierce (18.8 points, 6.5 rebounds, 4.8 assists, 43% shooting, 15^th season), good seasons from Dirk Nowitzki (17.3 points, 6.9 rebounds, 48% shooting, 15^th season), Kevin Garnett (14.9 points, 7.8 rebounds, 49% shooting, 18^th season), and Ray Allen (10.8 points, 46% shooting, 17^th season), and varying contributions from Vince Carter, Jason Kidd, Jason Terry, Andre Miller, Antawn Jamison, and Steve Nash, all of whom are at least 35 years old.

WINNER: Western Conference
A lot is at stake during the next week and a half in the NBA. Imagine this: If the Lakers manage to sneak into that 8 seed in the Western Conference (my personal belief is they will), we could potentially be treated with seven straight Western Conference playoff series’ that at the very least will be legitimately interesting from a hype standpoint. Just check out the 1^st round matchups and imagine the possibilities of where this wild ride could lead us:

Spurs/Lakers: One last Duncan/Kobe battle. Sign me up as many times as possible. If you can only sign up once, I’ll use aliases.
Clippers/Grizzlies: Rematch of the 7 game 1^st round series they played last year that saw the Clippers prevailing on the road in game seven.
Nuggets/Warriors: Two very fast, young, and talented teams + Stephen Curry = A playoff series I would thoroughly enjoy watching.
Thunder/Rockets: This has to happen. If there is such a thing as basketball Gods (I believe that there is), they will make sure James Harden plays the Thunder, and delivers at least one “Screw You Guys, I’m The Best Guy Out Here” performances.

LOSER: Eastern Conference
A legitimate question that was posed in a podcast I recently held with my cousin and a friend of mine from New York: If the Eastern Conference put together a team of All-Stars (all players must be healthy right now), could they beat Miami in a seven game series? Common sense would say yes, with the amount of depth they could put on that roster, even with guys like Rajon Rondo, Derrick Rose, Joakim Noah, Anderson Varejao, Danny Granger not available, they should win… but the fact that all three of us has to think pretty hard about it shows how far ahead of everyone else in the Eastern Conference Miami is.

WINNER: NBA
The NBA will always be the ultimate winner at the end of the day. We all watch it, we all speculate about it, and we all love it… no matter how things go down during the season.

Mar 25, 2013; Orlando, FL, USA; Miami Heat center Chris Bosh (1) sits on the bench during the third quarter at Amway Center. Miami defeated Orlando 108-94. Mandatory Credit: Douglas Jones-USA TODAY Sports

Disappointing news in the NBA world today, as we learned the home of the Miami Heat’s Chris Bosh was burglarized late last night.

According to a report from NBC News Miami, the incident occurred while Bosh was celebrating his birthday.

“Miami Heat player Chris Bosh and his wife returned home from his 29th birthday party to find they had been robbed of $340,000 worth of jewelry and purses, but his 2012 NBA Championship ring was left untouched, Miami Beach Police said Thursday.”

“When the Boshes got home they realized their closet had been ransacked, police said. No one who was home heard anything, and apparently the thieves handpicked the items they were stealing, police said.”

Having your home burglarized and your sense of security shattered is something no one should have to deal with, NBA player or not. The good news is that no one was hurt in the incident.

Post-game, the MVP fancy couldn’t help but comment on the situation, telling reporters: “It’s been happening all year, and I’ve been able to keep my cool and tell [Erik Spoelstra], ‘let’s not worry about it’. But it is getting to me a little bit. Every time I try to defend myself, I’ve got to face the consequences of a flagrant or a technical foul or whatever the case may be. It’s tough. It’s very tough.”

Ainge, a two-time NBA champion with the Boston Celtics during his playing career, discussed the situation with Boston radio station WEEI following the comments. Ainge disagreed with LeBron’s assessment of the situation and backed the referees on both counts, in allowing the hard fouls from Gibson and Hinrich and also calling the flagrant foul for the shot on Boozer. However, Ainge made sure his comments hit home by adding, “I think that it’s almost embarrassing that LeBron would complain about officiating.”

Not a man to let his players go defenseless, Heat President Pat Riley released a brutal statement through the team to officially respond to Ainge. “Danny Ainge needs to shut the f— up and manage his own team. He was the biggest whiner going when he was playing and I know that because I coached against him.”

Riley coached the legendary ‘Showtime Lakers’ through the eighties while Ainge was a part of the famous Celtics team led by Larry Bid, a decade-long rivalry that is now carved into NBA folklore. While it has since subsided, I’m sure Riley was especially provoked by Ainge’s comments because he was a Celtic. The Celtics have been tormentors for Riley since he left the Lakers, with the Heat and Celtics locking horns in some intense battles since Riley brought together Miami’s Big 3.

Ainge has since moved to distance himself from a beef, stating “I think we were both right,” and conceded he was a frequent complainer during his playing days, and also agreed he should manage his own team. However, if the preceding Lil Wayne/Pusha-T feud has taught us anything about modern day beef, this isn’t the end of it. Following the exchange of words, both will proceed to downplay it, and then make passive-aggressive allusions to each other in their upcoming songs. Prepare to see Danny Ainge go off on his upcoming single, with featuring vocals from The-Dream.

Alternatively, I’d be happy to see Doc Rivers’ proposal go into action. The Boston coach told reporters. “I think it’s funny. Very interesting. I think it’s cool. They should duke it out.” While both men are known more for their work on the basketball court, I’d be very keen to see them square off the boxing ring. Personally, I’d take Pat Riley in a split decision.

After falling down by 27 points at one point in the 3rd quarter, the Heat stormed back to eventually win 98-95 and extend their streak to 24 games.

A scary moment took place early in the 4th quarter, however, as a fan rushed onto the court. He appeared to be a LeBron fan, wearing a shirt with a message saying “We miss you.” While it appears he had no malicious intents, (LeBron even gave him a high five) it was still disconcerting to everyone watching.

Behind big performances from Nikola Vucevic and Jameer Nelson, the Orlando Magic battled back to take a 96-95 lead with 12 seconds left.

Unfortunately for them, the Heat have LeBron James. James drove the lane, and simply overpowered DeQuan Jones as he put home a lefty lay-up to give the Heat a 97-96 victory. The Heat now have a 16 game win streak, the longest in franchise history.

Allen used his off hand to push Barea away while Barea was guarding him. This upset Barea, who charged at Allen and knocked him hard to the ground.

Barea was assessed a flagrant 2 foul and ejected from the game.

Check out a .gif of the even below. (H/T to @cjzero)

After cutting to the basket, LeBron soared through the air and caught a pass with one-hand, before throwing down a powerful dunk.

Mar 1, 2013; Miami, FL, USA; Miami Heat small forward LeBron James (6) reacts during the second half against the Memphis Grizzlies at the American Airline Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

I have never claimed to be an expert. I’m just a basketball fan who cares way too much for his own good. That’s why I allow myself to not only have rooting interests in the game, and make them pretty well known. I’ve always been vocal about my love for LeBron James and Stephen Curry, never-ending worry about the Boston Celtics, and incredible frustration about the fact that Dwight Howard isn’t universally despised by basketball fans. I like to think that even though I am far from afraid to voice my opinions, those opinions never cloud my judgment when I evaluate what is going on in the NBA.

The Miami Heat have not lost in one month. That is what’s going on in the NBA right now. They’ve collected thirteen straight wins thanks to a truly historic stretch of basketball by LeBron James, the best stretch of the season by Dwyane Wade, and a number of other timely contributions from a supporting cast that sometimes seems a little overqualified to be considered just a supporting cast. In the midst of this, the Heat have accomplished something that goes beyond the box scores. They’ve shed that elusive villain tag that so many people placed on them in the summer of 2010. They’ve become the loveable Goliath of the NBA in part because of amazing singular talent, breath-taking fast breaks, and on-court team chemistry that occasionally seems to be far ahead of any other team in the league. But this transformation from heel to face goes beyond the collective success on the court.

After the Indiana Pacers handled the Heat in game three of the Eastern Conference semis last year I wrote a scathing piece about how much I disliked the Heat. It was fueled by the loss, but there was definitely some resentment towards the team that never quite seemed like the team I was used to watching LeBron James play for in Cleveland the previous few seasons. It was LeBron and a group of misfits running teams out of the gym and laughing, dancing, and taking family photos while doing it. You knew they loved playing together. It was close to two full seasons together, and I wasn’t getting the impression that was ever going to happen with the Miami Heat. The rest is history.

Feb 23, 2013; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Miami Heat forward LeBron James (6) and guard Dwyane Wade (3) enjoy the game from the bench late in the fourth quarter against the Philadelphia 76ers at the Wells Fargo Center. The Heat defeated the Sixers 114-90. Mandatory Credit: Howard Smith-USA TODAY Sports

LeBron took his game to another level for the next fifteen games, Dwyane Wade transformed into Robin (What’s up Skip?), and everything else fell into place. The pressure was off after the first ring came, and this year it’s glaringly obvious that the Heat are playing with a different mentality than ever before. The Heat are playing like a team that knows they can take their game to another level when need be. The tenseness and constant discussion of “Who’s taking the last shot?” is long gone. Even when that late game situation presents itself, it seems like it is solved organically rather than through a long and constant struggle in the huddle and in the media afterwards. They’ve got a title under their belt; they don’t need to answer to the media.

For the first time in two years, I see this Heat team the same way I saw those Cavaliers teams in the past. LeBron is LeBron. He’s the most talented basketball player in the last twenty years, the best athlete in the history of basketball, and has mentally mastered the game like so few have before him. Dwyane Wade has gone from a player I legitimately disliked, to a player I love to hate and hate to love. He’s the most overqualified “Robin” in the league. In that same breath, Chris Bosh is the most overqualified third wheel, and the best photo bomber in the league. The rest of the fifteen man roster falls into place just as the remaining fourteen did back in Cleveland. They do the dirty work, hit open threes, and give their best impressions of college cheerleaders when they are sitting on the bench. But like I said, the Heat transformation into the likeable winners has been an off the court endeavor as well.

The Heat are putting on a show before the game begins by holding their own pseudo dunk contests, much to the dismay of one Skip Bayless, who will grasp at the shortest straws when trying to criticize LeBron James. LeBron, Wade and Miami native James Jones attended a Miami Hurricanes game a few weeks back. And do I even need to mention the Harlem Shake video? I’ve watched it at least 25 times and find something new to laugh at every time I watch it (Check out my evaluation of the Heat Harlem Shake video over at my blog LaterNamed). Is there any doubt LeBron and the rest of the Cavaliers would’ve made a video like this? Not one bit.

This is what I love about this Heat team. They’ve coupled that on the court success with off the court likeability, which is an extremely rare combination to find in professional sports. They’ve won convincingly against the Clippers, ugly against the Grizzlies, and impressively on the road against the Thunder. LeBron James is putting together the best individual season of basketball in 10 years… 20 years… 30 years? And as a team, you can see they are having fun doing it all. What’s not to love?

It’s easy to let your opinion of an athlete or team mess with your perspective about what is going on in the world of sports. But this time, what’s going on in the world of sports is changing my ideas about the Miami Heat. Maybe it’s because of the win streak. Maybe it’s because of the Harlem Shake. Maybe it’s because of the level of mastery LeBron James is at. But I can’t fight this feeling anymore. Finally, I have to call myself a Miami Heat fan.

Jan 14, 2013; Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra reacts to a call during the second half against the Utah Jazz at EnergySolutions Arena. The Jazz won 104-97. Mandatory Credit: Russ Isabella-USA TODAY Sports

Erik Spoelstra has been called a lot of different things during the past three seasons with the Miami Heat – lucky, bad, soon-to-be-fired and a lot of other names we can’t print on a family friendly site. But there’s one title that too often eludes the 42 year old head coach of

 the Miami Heat – a great NBA coach, and perhaps it’s high time to start calling him one because, well, he’s pretty darn great.

It’s understandable how some view the coach as a franchise’s weak point when your on-court personnel includes one of the greatest players to ever set foot on the hardwood, a former Finals MVP and an eight-time NBA All-Star. However, Spoelstra’s done enough with rosters that range from fringe playoff contenders to an elite collection of players to justify his standing as one of the NBA’s better coaches.

Spoelstra has demonstrated versatility in his coaching, taking the reigns in 2008 and successfully integrating rookies Mario Chalmers and Michael Beasley into key parts of the Heat’s rotation. The new-look Heat turned their 18-64 record in 2008 into 42-40 in the span of a mere season, Spoelstra’s first after taking over from Pat Riley. The return of Dwyane Wade, who played an additional 28 games the following season. However, a 34 game turnaround is a remarkable feat no matter how you view it and the Heat went from bottom of the East to the fifth seed in the matter of a season. The Miami Heat are yet to miss the Playoffs under the man they call ‘Spo’, bowing out in the first round for two straight years before the Big Three stormed South Beach.

Erik Spoelstra lacks the playcalling ability of Gregg Popovich, the defensive prowess of Tom Thibodeau or the locker room control of Phil Jackson; but he’s no scrub in any element of the game. Spoelstra’s keen eye for video analysis has been a longtime strength in his coaching, and he manages to pre-plan for matches brilliantly. While his ability to make in-game adjustments down the stretch is at times questionable, he manages to ensure he enters every game with a sound plan that rarely misses anything. Spoelstra’s uncanny genius lies in the creativity between his adjustments.

While his predecessor Pat Riley was known for the subtle changes he’d do between games – moving the placement of his screens or calling a cut at slightly a different angle – Spoelstra has become inventive and uncanny in the brash line-up moves he’ll make between games. During last year’s Finals series with the Oklahoma City Thunder, Spoelstra boldly moved the undersized Chris Bosh to Center – the fourth player to start at Center for Miami’s postseason. The move allowing Shane Battier and Chris Bosh to form a pacey frontcourt that could outrun Oklahoma City’s big duo of Serge Ibaka and Kendrick Perkins. The obvious drawback, of course, was the height that the Heat would sacrifice  By this stage, a move that bold was certain to make or break the series; and Erik Spoelstra came out on top as the Heat took home the title.

Phil Jackson was a coach who was lauded for his ability to make his superstars work in unison to overcome problems at point guard and at times, a lack of depth off of the bench. Jackson is still one of the hottest names in coaching and his potential return to the Lakers at the start of this season stole headlines around the league – his reputation and greatness is undeniable. Spoelstra has worked through two successive campaigns with point guards such as Carlos Arroyo, an ancient Mike Bibby, Norris Cole and Mario Chalmers; hardly the household names rival coaches Scott Brooks and Doc Rivers has had at their disposal. Similarly, Miami’s bench is among the NBA’s worst – 28th to be precise – with their bench chipping in a mere 23 points per game which is almost half league-leading Denver’s 41.5 points off of the pine. Part of Jackson’s legacy is attributed to the record breaking 11 championships he has won, and that’s part of the reason he and Spoelstra are incomparable.

Regardless, the gap between Jackson and Spoelstra isn’t as worlds apart as some believe. Spoelstra has proven he can take bad rosters into the playoffs, and bring good rosters together to make them great. That’s not to say Spoelstra could handle an ego on the level of Kobe or Jordan like Jackson did, or he could lead a team to a championship without the best player on the planet as he’s done with LeBron James; but the time is gone to call Erik Spoelstra a bad coach in the NBA. When he takes the court to coach this Eastern All-Stars this coming weekend, you can be certain that Erik Spoelstra belongs at All-Star weekend just as much as LeBron and KD.

Jan 30, 2013; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Indiana Pacers small forward Paul George (24) stands on the free throw line against the Detroit Pistons during the second half at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. Indiana won 98-79. Mandatory Credit: Pat Lovell-USA TODAY Sports

The Indiana Pacers play a deliberately poised and well, paced style of basketball. There’s just no better word for it. They move the ball around the key thoughtfully, which can be enjoyable to watch, even for those who prefer fast-breaks. But because this team is longer than it is loose, and bruising more than blazing, the movement can also be messy.

For this reason, the Pacers are tough to play, even for the usually scintillating Miami Heat. Their big bodies, who like playing back to the hoop, are always upright and active. In this way, they actually resemble an eighties Pacers team, anchored by opportunistic big men and supported by strong outside shooting. Rik Smits and Reggie Miller would be proud.

The Indiana half court set requires diligence, with the frontline players jostling for position, raising a hand in the low post or foul line extended, while the outside men pass it around, looking for openings and angles. The ball is routinely lobbed in to the likes of David West, whose bulky shoulders and quick jumpers trouble smaller defenders. Otherwise Paul George and Lance Stephenson sink timely long balls. It’s a comprehensive attack.

But what I like most about the Pacers, is that they slow down high octane outfits like Miami, whose alley-ooping, highlight reel approach has infiltrated so many NBA clubs, even when there’s no surprise to it anymore. Sure, it’s lively basketball and gives ESPN and other broadcasters a spectacle, but like the “pistol” offense that’s swept through pro football, how long will it last? Not even the famed Lakers “Showtime” sparkled forever. 

If there’s a style of play that might upend the Heat’s reign, it might be this more methodical, rebounding-centric, down and dirty approach the Pacers are making their own. Their few highlights—maybe a George fade away from the corner, or a West jump hook—are the sorts of plays that lift a coach from his seat more than the crowd. And that’s okay. The strategy works, even if the pinstripes on Indiana’s jerseys are the fanciest thing about them.

So, if the Pacers meet the Heat again in the playoffs, or Chicago, or New York for that matter, they might be grinding contests, but engrossing nonetheless. Indiana present a genuine threat to any of those aforementioned teams because yes, they’re swarming on defense, but also so burly on offense.

While so many other clubs are content to stall on the perimeter and allow one player to create, the Pacers players turn like the parts of a watch. They revel in their size and inside presence, banging wilfully against barreled chests like that of LeBron James. There’s no fear in this Indiana squad: They’re happy to dent egos, and spur conflict. They hustle, switch, set screens, call for lobs, make cuts for unspectacular lay-ups, and shift to an imbalanced formations. They’re not afraid to fumble the ball, scrap around for it in the paint, or throw themselves at the glass. It’s the sort of basketball that will disrupt slicker opponents, and those teams might be better to quit showboating, and start worrying. 

Dec 15, 2012; Miami, FL, USA; A photo of Miami Heat center Chris Bosh is carried through the stands before a game against the Washington Wizards at the American Airlines Arena. Mandatory Credit: Robert Mayer-USA TODAY Sports

Chris Bosh made headlines a week ago when he staked an absolutely ridiculous claim. When asked by FOX Sports Florida about his current Hall of Fame credentials, Bosh had this very interesting thing to say:

“Hell, yeah, of course. I’ve been a Hall of Famer like four years ago. And I say that very serious, though. I’ve talked about it before with my friends.”

First let me preface this by saying that when his career is over, Chris Bosh has a very legitimate shot at the Hall of Fame. His career numbers are tremendously consistent, he’s now an 8-time All-Star (which I still can’t believe), he’s was “the featured guy” for a franchise over a significant number of years and now, he has at least one NBA championship on his resume. All very impressive.

However, Chris Bosh seems to have lost his damn mind.

It was as much the way in which Bosh so nonchalantly delivered his answer, with a strong sense of dismissal toward the question. Like we didn’t already know?

I don’t just have a problem with the way Bosh answered, but the fact that he so arrogantly decided to exaggerate his greatness by saying he’s not only a Hall of Famer today (wrong), but he was four years ago, while struggling to achieve a .500 record with the perenially lowly Toronto Raptors.

But why the significance of “four years ago” Chris? Why four? What does that number even mean? What was happening then? If I remember correctly, he was toiling in irrelevance while trying to lead a Raptors ball club into an 8th seed of the Eastern Conference. Yes, that Eastern Conference.

Does he think at that time, his numbers were simply that incredible? Hell, he just finished his sixth season. His SIXTH! His 6th! That’s a grand total of 439 career games! Unfortunately, he’s irrefutably mistaken. After completing that sixth season, Bosh was sitting at 19.6 points, 9.2 rebounds, 1.2 blocks and 50.1% shooting. Certainly those are very impressive numbers for six full seasons in the NBA, all of them on mediocre-to-bad Raptor teams, but we’re talking about the Hall of Fame here, not simply an All-Star Game appearance.

Would anyone else in their right mind have the balls to say they are a Hall of Fame player after six season? LeBron, Kobe, anyone? Hell, Jordan wouldn’t have even said that, and all those guys breathe confidence like it’s oxygen.

Of course Bosh does now have his one NBA championship to his name, so maybe that’s where this extreme over-confidence is coming from? You’re good Chris, but hell, with this kind of swag, you’re scaring the children!

At least Joe Johnson was kind enough to give us this highlight as a parting gift reminder.

Dec 26, 2012; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Houston Rockets shooting guard James Harden (13) dribbles against the Minnesota Timberwolves during the first quarter at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Greg Smith-USA TODAY Sports

The Miami Heat might be the best team in the NBA, but concerns about their inability to rebound seem valid (they are the league’s second worst rebounding team according to ESPN.com). Hey, that’ll happen when you’re undersized. Has an NBA club ever been more infatuated with players of 6-feet-8-inches? The bottom line is that when you jack up hasty shots and don’t, well, rebound, poor stats follow. Forward Chris Bosh said the team needed to figure out a way to fix the problem. Here’s a suggestion Chris – try rebounding.

Houston Rockets superstar, James Harden, no longer second fiddle in Oklahoma, has taken the league by storm since his relocation. Harden top scored for the Rockets in most of their December games and also dropped 20-plus points in a 14 straight contests (at the time of writing). His beard, too, continues to be the benchmark for NBA facial hair, and has moved past Bill Walton’s werewolf era fuzz on the all-time list.

Like Washington’s politicos, the city’s Wizards face an unnerving precipice, one which could see its entire future fall into disarray. Okay, let’s be honest: the Wiz haven’t cast a good spell since Harry Potter sought the Philosopher’s Stone. And yet, amid all the turmoil, the ineptitude and disgrace, rookie Bradley Beal has been a beacon of hope on The Hill. Beal led all Eastern Conference rookies in scoring (13.4 ppg) and total assists with (41) in December. He also had six games with 15-plus points during the month.

It took an unlikely opponent in the Brooklyn Nets to upend Oklahoma City’s 12-game home winning streak with a recent 110-93 victory. This was, in part, helped by the ejection of a rather conversational Kevin Durant. The other part was a combination of Joe Johnson scoring 33 points, and Deron Williams taking charge with 19 points and 13 assists. Amazing how quickly he’s adjusted to his new coach, isn’t it?

Don’t look now but the Detroit Pistons are motoring, winning five of six en route to a 12-22 overall record (as of January 4). Sure, their record is still woeful, but we’re talking about the Eastern Conference here folks, where a sub-500 record is fashionable, and making consecutive free-throws is cause for All-Star consideration.

Meanwhile, the Boston Celtics are flat out of luck, losing four straight and dropping below .500. Most alarmingly, the Cs have lost each of these game by an average mark of 20 points. Things haven’t been this bad in Beantown since the Celtics 15-win season of 1996-97 on the back of Antoine Walker’s 33% from three-point land. Good times.

Portland Trail Blazers point guard, Damian Lillard, has fast become Rookie of the Year favorite. With the Blazers playing mid-tier ball, it was surprising to see them rattle the New York Knicks at home, let alone beat them. But Lillard is a big reason for that. He’s fearless, and plays an all-around game—scoring, rebounding, passing, you name it. For the Knicks, Amare Stoudemire returned to a standing ovation. He then proceeded to light up Madison Square Garden with 6 points, one rebound and two turnovers. Spike Lee was beside himself.

No round-up would be complete without something about Kobe Bryant. In recent days, the league’s best scorer has called his Los Angeles Laker team “old” and “slow”, and admitted that their Staples Center roomies, the once lowly Clippers, are in the mix for the NBA crown. Kobe even called the Clips, currently among the Western Conference’s elite, “one of the top contenders”. Presumably L.A. reporters are now seeking Bryant’s view on Daniel Day Lewis as an Oscar favorite, and his take on other outrageousness circling the internet.