By: Pedro Heizer

It’s been a while since Heat fans watched Dwyane Wade take over an NBA playoff game.

At 31, it looks like father time has finally caught up with Wade, who staggered during Miami’s championship run last spring and wasn’t called upon to carry the Heat in any of their conference finals or Finals games, LeBron took care of all that.

You have to go all the way back to Games 4-6 of Miami’s 2012 second-round series against the Pacers to find a playoff stretch when Wade looked like Wade.

The peak was a 41-point, 10-rebound performance in the series-clinching sixth game at Indiana, the kind of masterful piece of work that only Wade is capable of.

Since then, looks like it’s been downhill for the former NBA Scoring Champion.

Wade, a former Finals MVP, has only one game during the entire 2013 playoffs in which he scored more than 20 points, and that came on a 21-point, seven-rebound performance in game two the opening round of the playoffs against the Milwaukee Bucks.

Wade is also averaging a playoff career low in points per game, averaging a mere 13 points. There used to be times where Wade would average 13 points per quarter.

It’s no surprise Wade’s knees have been bothering him.  In fact, Wade explained to the media the kind of adjustment he’s doing to his knee in order to make it bearable to play… And to be honest, it sounds more gruesome than encouraging.

In describing one of the treatment he’s undergoing for three bone bruises that surround his kneecap, Wade said trainers try to “move the kneecap so it doesn’t rub,” and then tape it in place. That’s some Terminator stuff, and it doesn’t bode well for a Miami team that will someday soon need Wade to be Wade.

Wade showed us in game five versus the Bulls that he is still capable of taking over a game and putting a team on his back, Wade had a blocked shot, defensive rebound, offensive rebound and putback slam — all in a late 45-second span — to help Miami secure their spot in the Eastern Conference Finals for the third straight year.

But Miami will need that from their captain on a regular basis as the defending NBA Champions get set to face the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference Finals.

Averaging 12.6 points per game like in the second round versus the Bulls will not cut it versus a team who is hungry and ready for revenge.

Wade will have the assignment to guard Lance Stephenson, yes the same Stephenson who was caught on camera giving James the choke sign during the playoffs.

Wade has the advantage in the experience category; however, Stephenson has two healthy knees.

Stephenson was spectacular in Indiana’s Game 7 win against the New York Knicks, with 25 points on just 13 shots, plus 10 rebounds.

However, even with a banged up knee, Wade edges Stephenson on every statistical category in the 2013 playoffs but one, rebounding.

It is clear Wade is capable of being the player Miami needs, a player who can play without the ball, create (and make) shots, and defend. Wade just needs to be healthy enough where he is not a liability on the floor.

He’s not injured to the point of being out, but he’s not healthy, either. He is the very definition of “banged up.”

Wade is known for listening to critics and coming back even stronger than ever, his whole life he has been about doubt, it’s the driving force behind Dwyane Wade; fall seven times, get up eight.

The post Miami will need Dwyane Wade if they want to Beat Indiana appeared first on The World Champion Crank Up The HEAT.

By: Steven Rawnsley

This series will be a dogfight.  The Pacers are a better version of the Chicago Bulls with all of their injuries.  The one thing the Heat struggle with the most is just the Pacers strength, size.

The Pacers have one of the best power forward and center combinations in the league.  At times in the playoffs the Pacers best offense has been a missed shot because of the Roy Hibbert and David West duo.  The Pacers are leading the playoffs in rebounding differential, at a plus 9.8 boards a game.  The team 2^nd in this stat was Golden State at a plus 4.3, and then nobody has more than a +2.

Combined, this combination has shot 47.1% from the field.  The rest of the team has shot 39.7% from the field.  Make no mistake about it.  The Pacers want to go big.  With the starting lineups the Pacers can dictate the matchups.  David West should be able to guard Chris Bosh well, and Haslem is not much of a threat offensively, so Hibbert can help off of him a lot, and clog up the paint like he did against the Knicks.

Paul George has a very similar build to Luol Deng, and PG made the all-NBA defensive 2^nd team, and Deng is known as one of the better defenders against LeBron.  Nobody can shut down LeBron, but PG is the perfect defender to at least make LeBron work for his baskets.

Dwyane Wade has struggled at times in the playoffs.  He is still a great player, but his days of being a superstar are over.  On the other hand, nobody has ever questioned Lance Stephenson’s athletic ability.  DWade might have a very tough time offensively driving against Stephenson, which has always been Wade’s biggest weapon.  The Pacers have the pieces to matchup with Miami’s big three.

However, where the Heat have an advantage is when they Heat go small.  The Ray Allen addition is huge in this series.  Last year the Heat ended games with Battier usually on the floor.  Even in Battier’s prime he wasn’t a guy that dictated matchups.  His game has always been about the doing the small things, or intangibles.  Now, Ray Allen has enough scoring or shooting ability to create matchup problems.

Ray Allen still comes off of a lot of screens.  As stated earlier the Pacers want to go big, so with West and Hibbert on the floor, who does West guard if the Heat have their big three in, along with a PG and Allen?  Can West keep LeBron under control?  Can West stay up with Allen coming off screens?  On the other end, LeBron can guard West in the post.

The series will come down to who can dictate the matchups.  While we have seen the return of the big men in these playoffs, this series is a different story.  The Heat have the most versatile player in the league in LeBron.  He can guard any position, and this is where it becomes huge.  While he can play PF with no matchup problems for the Heat, it creates matchup problems for the Pacers, and that is why the Heat will win the series.

The post Eastern Conference Finals Series Preview appeared first on The World Champion Crank Up The HEAT.

By: Matt Blue

Relax, I’m only kidding. But unfortunately the national media isn’t.

What this article is really about is the unprecedented and shameful media coverage being directed at the Miami HEAT coming off a Game 1 loss to Chicago. We are talking about confirmation bias, distortion, fear based tactics and unreasonable assessments coming from bloggers, reporters and attention seeking websites.

You would expect this kind of sensationalism from tabloid publications such as the New York Post or the New York Daily News, not from well-respected news outlets with decent reputations.

Apparently, this is a best of 1 series not a best of 7 series where the first team to 4 wins will advance to the Eastern Conference Finals.

On this site we like to talk about the facts and we actually like to maintain perspective.  After all, this is a HEAT team that had won their last 41 of 44 games and that not too long ago went on a 27 game winning streak.

It’s also not unusual for a defending champion to lose at home in the playoffs. Five of the last ten NBA champions have rapidly started a series with a playoff loss at home. Champions always overcome obstacles and battle through adversity. It happens to the very best. Remember when the HEAT had their backs against the wall last year when they trailed Indiana 2-1, fell 3-2 Boston, and lost the first game of the 2012 NBA Finals?

You can remember when everyone was writing them off by saying that “the formula wasn’t working. The HEAT didn’t have the right chemistry to win a championship.” You can easily recall those proclamations. What is going on right now is actually pretty similar.

The noise is absolutely exacerbating.  However, that’s all it is. It’s all noise, noise and even more noise.

Therefore, it’s basically the HEAT and the city of Miami vs the world’s most illogical buffoons. NBA writers are trying to create an atmosphere of misery around the team. These are individuals that thrive on attention, drama and negativity.

The proper perspective on the HEAT’s game 1 performance would be this.  The HEAT played a terrible game and still almost won. They were still able to give themselves a chance to win.  Even LeBron admitted that they missed a myriad of uncontested shots and they were able to get good looks. Now are you really going to bank on Miami missing open threes and wide open layups in consecutive games?

The fact is they absorbed Chicago’s best punches and kept their poise. History and logic tells us that this will be the worst basketball Miami will play in the entire playoffs. You are talking about the deepest, most talented and the most prideful team in the NBA.

Now Chicago has Miami’s full and undivided attention. So this would be a reasonable analysis if you are covering the HEAT. I think they have done enough to warrant this kind of benefit of the doubt. They are the defending champions.

On the other hand, let’s give credit where credit’s due. Chicago played smart and efficient basketball. They were energized right from the start. They were ready to run through a brick wall. The HEAT is used to getting a team’s best effort. After all, it’s not too hard to get up to play Miami.

Chicago is a team that believes they can beat anybody. Head coach Tom Thibodeau always emphasizes that they have enough to win. He has established himself as one of the league’s best coaches. So it’s obvious that the HEAT has their work cut out for them. But they have been through this before. This is nothing new to them.

While this type of hyperbolic madness and hysteria is nothing new for the HEAT’s most belligerent critics.

The post Heat Fall to Bulls in Game One, Time to Panic appeared first on The World Champion Crank Up The HEAT.

By: Matt Blue

Have you ever asked yourself why Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony always seems to get a free pass, while LeBron James always seems to be playing under a microscope? The fact is, even though Carmelo Anthony and LeBron James were both drafted the same year; Melo has advanced only as far as the second round in his 11 year career. Now can you imagine if LeBron James had only been as far as the second round in his playing career? The ridicule and the scrutiny would be relentless and constant.

The expectations placed on LeBron James are completely unfair and outlandish. Yes he is the best player in the NBA and yes he will go down as one of the greatest players to ever play the game. But why is LeBron held to a different standard compared to Melo or anyone else?

The truth is, public perception can be a strange thing. If you visit any blog, NBA Facebook page, or comment thread, you will see the vulgar hatred and the unprecedented ridicule constantly being directed at LeBron. The bottom-line is, LeBron should be admired and respect based on what he has accomplished on the basketball court.

The funny thing is many basketball fans and commentators used to give him a hard time for not having a championship. And now he has that elusive ring. So why is there such a stark difference in perception and popularity between the two players?

Is it that Carmelo Anthony plays on the world’s biggest stage and LeBron plays in South Beach? That quite possibly could be the reason. But the most plausible theory is that many fans and pundits still haven’t recovered from the public relations nightmare that was “The Decision”. It’s funny how society can easily forgive athletes for murder, rape and dog abuse. But an athlete who made a mistake in judgment by participating in a TV special that had unbelievable ratings nonetheless, can’t be forgiven?

Carmelo Anthony never did a “Decision Special”. The fact that he alienated an entire fan base in Denver by practically forcing the Nuggets organization’s hand is now ancient history. The unprofessionalism and selfishness that he portrayed while with Denver was deeply disturbing.

Did LeBron handle himself in a similar manner in Cleveland?  Nope. LeBron honored his contract and he never complained about the roster or about having to carry a subpar team on a nightly basis. He dedicated his heart and soul to the city and to the team.

But LeBron did a “Decision Special on ESPN”. Talk about an unforgivable crime against humanity right?

So is this the only thing that separates the two players as far as popularity and public image is concerned? It sure seems like it. Believe it or not, Anthony even passed LeBron in jersey sales. Now, there is no denying the fact that Anthony is a very gifted player. Anthony is an absolute scoring machine averaging 23.9 points per game this past season.

However, there is no way he should have more jersey sales than the best all-around player in the entire league. Do I have to remind you of the type of season LeBron had last year? Well I will anyways.  He won an Olympic Gold medal, an NBA championship, an NBA Finals MVP award, an NBA regular season MVP award all in the same year. While this year, he has orchestrated an historical 27 game winning streak and he led his team to the best record in the NBA. Also, he just won another league MVP award.

But it just doesn’t seem to matter to certain fans. The fact is, regardless of what LeBron continues to accomplish in his career as far as records, stats and championships are concerned; he will never please his unrelenting and unreasonable critics. That is just the cold hard truth. Conversely, Melo knocks down a three in the Garden and he is praised and beloved. He could go his entire career without even sniffing the NBA Finals and he will still be regarded as an elite talent. However, when LeBron comes up short, he is labeled as a choke artist. Talk about a serious double standard.

But nothing is going to change.  LeBron and Melo will continue to be evaluated differently and held to completely different standards all because of one Decision Special announcement on ESPN. That is pretty unfathomable for the unbiased NBA observer to understand. Because trying to understand the rationale of a LeBron hater is like trying to understand the mindset of a patient in a mental ward.

The post LeBron James vs Carmelo Anthony appeared first on The World Champion Crank Up The HEAT.