The Decision II > The Decision

So I wrote this before LeBron James is coming back to Cleveland. I am going to attempt to write a blog post about LeBron heading back to the Cavs before I head out to Eau Claire. We are under the gun here at SnoTap. Either that, or I will write one up for Saturday. This is more about the process to get here.  

I expected to have a LeBron James blog post up this morning talking about if he decided to stay with Miami, or if he came back to the city whom once loved him. But we have nothing. No one knows anything going on right now. There are so many people on the phone trying to figure out what could be the choice by The King. We are in the same spot we were in last night which for some is incredibly frustrating. The decision is likely coming today but who knows it might continue until the weekend is over. All I know is this has been much funner than the first decision.  (As you can see this becomes irrelevant.)

Some people might be tired of seeing all of the ridiculous theories behind why LeBron is either going to Miami or coming back to Cleveland. I love every minute of it. The whole thing is fascinating to watch unfold like one big puzzle. Twitter has become a playground where rumors can fly like crazy. Fake Twitter accounts all over the place trying to spread rumors in hopes to dupe big name reporters from ESPN And Yahoo!. The new thing was linking or retweeting old links about LeBron and both cities. All of it is pretty hilarious. This time around with James it is met with great humor. I really enjoy it this time around, and much of it has to do with the beauty of social media.

In the first round of The Decision, social media hadn't really been running at full throttle. Twitter was just starting to get going as LeBron made up his mind. I believe I had just became 'Chuck's Corner's' on Twitter at this point. Further, I wrote several articles killing James for moving on to Miami. It was a little unnecessary honestly looking back on all of it, and a month after LeBron leaving, Sports News on Tap was born.  Social media made this time around so much more fun because it is a topic we are talking about non-stop. At times it is a little exhausting, but the enjoyment of having the same conversation with a boatload of people is tremendous. July is a boring month for sports. When LeBron chooses his team, and the World Cup is over, sports will be just baseball until August. I love baseball, but it is much more fun to have multiple topics to talk about honestly.

There is not as much criticism of LeBron unless you write the hottest take possible at the Denver Post, but I digress. No one really cares where James goes outside of Miami and Cleveland fans. Mitch Pratt, my podcast co-host, asked me "Where do you want LeBron to go?"  And I said, "Honestly, I don't give a shit." This is fun either way. Because LeBron either becomes a villain again by coming back to Miami reigniting the fire between Cleveland fans and LeBron. Or LeBron comes back to Cleveland with everyone welcoming back to the city he once spurned and it becomes one of the greatest yet weirdest sports story in a American history. As a blogger, you root for Cleveland due to the storylines being endless with LeBron rejoining the Cavaliers.

Waiting on LeBron is a fun thing, and we all know he will pick his next team while I drive up to Eau Claire this afternoon because that's my luck.

Charlie. 

Cleveland Clears The Way For LeBron

LeBron James made the month of July about himself again like he did in 2010. James went from being a guy whose going to opt-out to make more money and stay in Miami to he might end up either playing for Miami again or a return to Cleveland. The latter became much more of a possibility on Wednesday morning when Cleveland cleared cap space by trading away Jarrett Jack and Marcus Thornton to Brooklyn and Boston in a three-team deal to pave the way for max money for James. Cleveland is either welcoming their King back or getting hurt again although this time the pain for them shouldn't be the same. 

There is a real chance LeBron comes back to the city where it all began. The city is alive right now with sports due to Johnny Manziel and the up and coming Browns plus Cavaliers have a young nucleus ready to make the playoffs. LeBron joining the fray would put Cleveland in the epicenter of all sports, and all fans of James rejoicing they can wear their 23 Cleveland jerseys again. It is hard to get into the mindset of Cavs fans right now, but you have to think people are writing on walls or computers 'I will not get excited about LeBron James' 'I will not get excited about LeBron James.' I mean there is no way this fan base is going to burned again, right? 

If it were me, I would lie in the weeds, read as little as possible and try to believe that this isn't a reality until we see James holding up a jersey next to Dan Gilbert and Kyrie Irving. There is a chance right now, but in no way should Cleveland fans get excited. What's cool about this whole free agent saga is the Cavs pushed their chips in. They didn't pussyfoot around this thing, and instead cleared out money to attempt to sign LeBron to a big deal. Why the hell not? Let's go for it, that has to fire you up as a fan whether LeBron comes back to Cleveland or not. At least, they aren't resting on their laurels here because they know they cannot. 

The great thing about this whole thing is Cleveland has a ton of money to spend if LeBron decides to stay put in South Beach. Rumors are Trevor Ariza will be the play whom could be a good option for them to add a wing to this team plus a little veteran leadership and a guy whose excelled with a strong point guard. They could also make a slight run at Pau Gasol. They have some young big men inside, but why not at least see what Pau's interest would be in playing with a bunch of young players? It wouldn't hurt. They have money to blow if LeBron becomes unavailable.  The fact of the matter, Cleveland's risk is a good one because having all of that money is not a bad thing. Losing Jack is not the worst thing in the world, he didn't fit in with the Cavs system. This was a solid move by them, and if people are calling it dangerous play or anything like that is completely wrong. 

The other thing about not getting LeBron is this team is still on pace to be a good one with Irving, Andrew Wiggins, Anthony Bennett, Tristan Thompson and Dion Waiters. The last one might be a stretch, but that's a solid young core for the future especially in the Eastern Conference. It is not like LeBron is the savior in this situation. I do not think this is too much of a reach to say Cleveland could be a deep playoff contender in the next couple of years as Irving heads into his prime including the other two coming near it as well. Cleveland will be a fun time with or without LeBron. 

The biggest question if LeBron comes back, do we have a video of 'Coming Home' or 'Cleveland is My City?' I am available to make either one, just ask.

Charlie. 

Tapping The Keg Podcast Episode 95

After a week hiatus, Charlie and Mitch are back with another edition of Tapping The Keg podcast. We talk about all things Milwaukee Bucks for the first 15 to 20 minutes of the podcast going over Jason Kidd's hiring plus Jabari Parker and Summer League. Next, it moves to NBA Free Agency talking about LeBron James and whether he will go to Cleveland or Miami. Continuing on, we try to calm everyone down about the Milwaukee Brewers recent skid. It finishes with a little World Cup and Johnny Manziel talk.

Granger & McBob Added to Heat's Bench Arsenal

The uncertainty of LeBron James' home in the Fall has been the talk of the sports world right now. James is involved with almost every possible headline imaginable right now. The few teams after James are doing anything they can to lure him in. Miami Heat made the first real offseason moves for them signing Danny Granger and Josh McRoberts in hopes to attract everyone back to Miami to make a run for a fifth straight Finals appearance.  Who knows what Granger has left in the tank, but McRoberts is an upgrade in the front court.

It is crazy to think in 2010 and 2012, Granger played on FIBA World Championships for Team USA. He used to be the man around these parts as one of the more underrated players in basketball. Granger started battling knee injuries and became of a shell of himself leading to Indiana getting rid of him mid-season. He finished the season with the Los Angeles Clippers yielding decent results only averaging about eight points a game. Granger hasn't seen a double-digit scoring average since 2011-2012 season. It also has something to do with the fact he has only played in 46 games the last two seasons due to knee problems.

Granger really did nothing for Los Angeles when it came playoff time. He did not see many minutes only playing about 10 a game and averaging a meager two points in 13 playoff games. My guess is Miami hopes he can become what Rashard Lewis brought to the table last season, and be a guy to stand around the 3-point line to be a kick out man. Granger is an upgrade from Lewis in my honest opinion, and you never really know if he was healthy at all last season. Not saying he could reach double-digits again in scoring rather he might have more of an impact now a full season behind his knee problems.

For Josh McRoberts, he bounced around the league after being drafted in the second round by Portland in 2007. He might resemble a member of Mumford and Sons, but McRoberts can bring an edge to this Heat team they were missing a little bit last season. Chris Andersen and Udonis Haslem are guys not to screw with, but Haslem is past his prime losing impact every minute. McRoberts is going to fill the void of Haslem and become their first low-post off-the-bench talent in quite some time. Further, Basketball Reference compares players using a variety of metrics and McRoberts numbers are second to Birdman.  It is not out of the realm of possibilities to see McRoberts get a couple starts as well if Erik Spoelstra decides to go with a small lineup.

Last year, Charlotte Hornets gave McRoberts a chance to start and for the most part, he made sure to keep himself there. He averaged over four assists a game, the highest total for him in his entire career. He averaged about eight points a game, and revived his 3-point shooting which ended up at 36 percent.  McRoberts didn't show it much last season likely due to Al Jefferson, but he can grab rebounds. He has been over 15 percent for his entire career minus last season when it comes to Defensive Rebound Percentage. I expect the number to move higher next season.

The jury is still out on whether the Big Three will be back, but Miami definitely got better on their bench with the two moves to ink McRoberts and Granger. Now, they just need to convince their superstars to re-up with the team.

Charlie.

NBA Free Agency Frenzy Fun

Everyone thought there was a chance the NBA Free Agency season could be a little wild if things broke the right way. Some believed people were making too big of a deal of free agency, and everyone will be back with their teams from last season. Things are getting extremely hairy right now, and it starts with Carmelo Anthony and LeBron James. Nothing will happen in the Free Agent market until these two players are signed.  There is some thoughts that we will learn where Melo will go today, but LeBron could take one or two weeks to decide his fate. This is a fascinating time in the NBA.

People talk all the time about how the National Football League is a 24/7, no days off sort of season. Granted, some of that is blowing things way out of proportion like Johnny Manziel having a rolled up 20 in a Las Vegas bathroom, and no, I didn't realize I made a cocaine joke there. NBA has become a 24/7 league without question. There is no sleep right now with their league, and honestly, it has been that way since the first time we went through LeBron's free agency yet this is the first time people are coming to this realization.

This isn't a blog post to tell you what will happen with Carmelo or LeBron. I have no idea. I am not Brian Windhorst nor am I a fake Adrian Wojnarowski Twitter account. In fact, Melo might have a team while this blog post goes up this afternoon. This is more a blog to recognize the craziness that is this free agency period with all sorts of moves to be made.  A couple weeks ago, I called people 'suckers' for thinking LeBron would go to somewhere else than Miami, but now it seems like I was the sucker for thinking James returning to Miami was a #DoneDeal. Good for LeBron taking a look around and smelling the flowers elsewhere instead of settling. I respect the hell out of James not listening to anyone about loyalty or anything of that nature.

There are rumors coming through every day. Woj came out with something this morning that LeBron's agent wants him to move back to Cleveland. There will be some new rumor by the time I post this blog, but that's the beauty of this whole thing. Agents and people close to these players leak shit all over the place to get headlines. ESPN had 'sources' lining up their top headlines these days. There is nothing wrong with these sorts of stories. I realize it bothers people when they see 'sources' all over the place, but the fact of the matter, this is how things are in modern journalism. All of these people realize they can be faceless creatures and say whatever the hell they feel about their client. When ESPN, Yahoo! FOX Sports and others have went the route of sources being a legit way to publish a story, there is no coming back from it even if this method pisses people off.

The best thing about all of this in the post-Decision era is people not believing every story that's out there. When the sources thing got going in the first couple years of Twitter's peak, people started assuming that everything out there was concrete, it really hurt this whole thing. It led to massive assumptions about all things about free agency almost diluting the whole thing. Now, it has become a proceed with caution way to do free agency and not make any sorts of assumptions about anything. People now wait and see what happens with NBA Free Agency before rushing to conclusions which makes things much more fun.  

The best part about this whole thing is free agency rumors will be just as strong for the next two seasons if Russell Westbrook doesn't get extended and Kevin Love ends up not getting traded at all making him unrestricted as well. Furthermore if Kevin Durant decides he wants to test the waters in 2016, things become even more interesting with the free agent season. This isn't dying by any means in the next couple of years. NBA becoming a 24/7 sport is a big reason why this is the number two sport in America right now.

-Charlie.

LeBron's Opt-Out is a Smart, Calculated Decision

A typhoon hit Twitter on Tuesday morning when ESPN had a story saying LeBron James opted out of his contract with the Miami Heat making him an unrestricted free agent. This led to people vomiting overreactions all over Twitter with Photoshop pictures of LeBron playing for different teams as well as wondering how things will all fit. This is the silly season right now about James. He is only becoming a free agent to rework a contract to bring in some high level free agents.  LeBron does have some options outside of Miami, and some team could sweep in with a Godfather offer yet it seems like Miami is still the destination.

 With how the Big Three is structured right now, Miami cannot really afford to get a big-name free agent. They still probably couldn't get a Carmelo Anthony, but if things were structured the right way, they could make a run at a Kyle Lowry which would be a massive upgrade to Mario Chalmers and Norris Cole. The reason LeBron wants to do this in order to have all the options on the table, and he wants control of the roster which is something James deserves at this time of his career. If you call him selfish, remember Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan both did similar things. 

If somebody thinks this is classic LeBron and immediately believes he will leave for another team is a downright sucker. They are the same people whom link out clearly fake stories at least once a month. Sure, it is fun to live in dream world thinking James is coming to your team, but at the same time, it is definitely overreaching to make those sort of assumptions unless a reporter gives you a nugget that might make you think otherwise. Until then, it should be understood LeBron is opting out only to give Miami more choices in the upcoming offseason.  Sorry for being the wet blanket in the situation, but that's how things are going to work until we know for certain LeBron will make a move other than Miami. 

We might never know though which is the problem with all of this drama. James' wife Savannah posted an Instagram photo of the State of Ohio which is going to get blown up even more given it happened only a couple days ago. I can almost guarantee there will be a story coming out whether it be Yahoo! or ESPN will have a story about the dissension between Pat Riley and James which will lead everyone to think LeBron might head out. The only real thing where you could point to LeBron leaving would be if Dwyane Wade decides to bypass his option and play out the final two years of his contract at 41 million dollars, an insane amount of money for the player Wade is right now. 

LeBron will probably not do this but what if he wanted Wade off his roster which would then allow Miami to make a realistic push at Melo?  I mean it would be like Shawn Michaels superkicking Marty Jannetty through a glass window because it would be the ultimate heel move by James. More so than what he did at The Decision. Wade is the stalwart of the Miami roster, and if James would run him out of town,  I am not certain how people would react to something like it. Let's be honest, Wade is not a second banana anymore on a playoff roster. He could be a star on some teams in the lottery, but right now, Wade is half the player of what he was when LeBron first made the decision to be a member of the Heat.

This is only the beginning with James and the Miami saga. It will get ridiculous and there will be rumors, but 2010 was a fun summer with this nonsense, why not run it back for another time? 

Charlie.   

LeBron & Shaq: A Closer Comparison Than Anyone Thinks

Miami Heat's superstar LeBron James has a major decision to make this offseason. He could opt out of his contract and try to get a restructured deal with his current team or move on to another team. Many people believe if James leaves Miami, he will get absolutely crushed by the media, and people will criticize LeBron of being a front-runner, not wanting to face a challenge. Personally, LeBron wants to win as many championships as possible.  Shaquille O'Neal was the first modern day player to do this begging the question, "Why aren't more people comparing LeBron's career arc to Shaquille O'Neal? If LeBron decides to leave, their arcs become eerily similar.

Obviously, people do not compare LeBron and Shaq because they are two very different players. LeBron doesn't play in the post like O'Neal, and Shaq is the interior player of this generation where James will be known as the wing player of the generation. It is so easy to compare James to Michael Jordan or Kobe Bryant because they play the same position. Although if we go through what happened in their careers, James is much more comparable to what O'Neal through his career. Shaq was never considered a front-runner, why should James?

Maybe it is the hatred and disdain of James which causes it, but Shaq should have gotten the same sort of criticism. If anything, O'Neal's antics were far worse than anything James did so far in his career. Shaq forced his way out of Orlando and Los Angeles because he fractured relationship with guards, Anfernee Hardaway and Kobe Bryant. James might decide to leave when his contract is up, isn't that his given right as a professional athlete?  It is not like LeBron is napalming the entire franchise before he leaves the franchise. LeBron is moving on to see what's next for him.

What's weird about comparing the early arcs of Shaq and LeBron is with O'Neal, he left Orlando after four years while James left Cleveland after seven. O'Neal moved coasts from Los Angeles to Miami after seven years and if James decides to leave, it will be four years. Therefore by their eleventh year, both players were on their third franchise if James heads out of South Beach. There are a lot of different options for LeBron including a return visit to Cleveland, Los Angeles Clippers or Houston Rockets are probably all on the table for The King. It would add to the eeriness if LeBron chose Los Angeles making the arcs of him and O'Neal even more similar.

Personally, I think it is a 50/50 thing whether James leaves or not. People will obviously hammer LeBron for his choice if it is not with Miami. There will probably be a jersey burning like what happened in Cleveland. But at the end of the day, what people have to realize is this has happened before with the best player in the league. No one was better than O'Neal after Jordan left the league, and he bounced all over the league. We really shouldn't make a big deal about James leaving but it will inevitably happen given all of the different media outlets ready to pounce on James.

Charlie.

Spurs Make It Five Championships in Dominating Form

San Antonio Spurs are one of the best franchises in sports. They had won four championships in 14 years as well as a duration of great seasons as well. San Antonio captured their fifth championship beating Miami Heat in five games in a blowout fashion for the last three of them. San Antonio won with a pure team effort with beautiful passing and always finding the open man. The way the Spurs put Miami to sleep was extremely impressive.

Kawhi Leonard is one of the youngest players to win NBA Finals MVP. Leonard, the soft-spoken assassin, dominated the series with his enhanced scoring and defense of LeBron James. He was a worthy candidate to take home the MVP award due to the series changing when Leonard started taking over on the offensive end. In the last three games, Leonard averaged 23.6 points a game with 9.3 rebounds shooting a stunning 68 percent from the field. Kawhi took total control of his series looking like the star people thought he could in the future. He had three big games vaulting him into another echelon of players whether the quiet Leonard likes it or not.  Although it might not be fair to him.

People might have forgotten Leonard averaged 12 points with six rebounds a game for the season. Leonard did not have an All-Star season by any means. He looked like an All-Star in the last three games but will this immediately correlate into him being a consistent All-Star?  The jury is still out. Leonard is still a young player with a developing offense game. The expectations for Kawhi will be sky high, but in reality, we need to take a step back in thinking about him as a premier player in the league. He is a good one, and Leonard has the skill set to be a great yet at this point of his career, we need to take it day by day instead of making rash overreactions about him.

Many people including yours truly believe Duncan has reached the end of the road. Not many athletes can retire on top like Duncan will be able to if he decides to retire. This would almost be a mic drop for Duncan's career letting people know he is one of the best to ever play the game. The question is what if Duncan and the Spurs decide to run it back for another year? San Antonio could be contenders for the title again next season if most of the team comes back. Patty Mills will likely be elsewhere, same could be the case for Matt Bonner. Sure, they will have battle in the West with Oklahoma City, Los Angeles Clippers, Golden State and Houston, but San Antonio is still on the iron throne. If one of these teams want to take control, they need to beat San Antonio first.

This is the dream scenario for the LeBron haters.  People will point to LeBron James being 2-3 in NBA Finals, but there is a definite flaw with that record. First of all, like quarterback wins, it is completely stupid to judge a player's NBA Finals as an indication of what he is as a basketball player.  LeBron lost his first Finals appearance playing with a gang of nobodies against San Antonio's team in their prime. The lost to Dallas is really the only surprise out of those five honestly. For perspective, Magic Johnson went 5-4 in his NBA Finals career and lost the last two of his career. LeBron will get back to the Finals at least one more time whether it is with Miami or not. The only time the Finals things becomes a discussion is if he doesn't win one ever again.

NBA season is over in a quick instant, but what a season. I keep saying there is no hotter sport than the game of basketball. Sure, NFL might be king, but the Internet is dominated by the NBA. It will only continue as they are many things to watch in the upcoming offseason.

Charlie.

Charlie & Adam Email About NBA Finals

So this is late and long, but Adam Hatlak and Charlie Tritschler emailed about the NBA Finals plus what could be next for San Antonio and Miami after a stunning Game 4. 

Charlie Tritschler  
Truth be told, I have no idea where to start with this one. We are four games into the NBA Finals and the Spurs are absolutely dominating. It reminds me a bit of 2004 NBA Finals when Detroit Pistons came in and housed the Lakers in five. Granted, Spurs were not as big of underdogs as the Pistons yet it was the last time we saw a true team effort take a title.

My first question for you Adam is where do we put Kawhi Leonard in the echelon of great players? It would probably be an overreaction to say he made 'the leap' because he had two great games. But he definitely will have more eyes on him? The expectation should be he's an All-Star next year. I also think he will be the main reason why Pop will coach for at least five more years.

Adam Hatlak 

I'm honestly not getting too excited about the Leonard "jump", I mean, isn't this who we thought he was? I thought he made a jump last finals as a player who COULD do this, but not a guy who was ready for night in and night out dominance. I think that is still the case. Coming in, I thought he was an excellent defensive player, that was continuing to make strides on offense. He didn't have a great start to the series, but has played really well the last two games. We forgot about him during the season and the beginning of the playoffs because he's a quiet guy, and plays for the Spurs, but I honestly don't think my opinion on him has changed that much.

Now, I'm concerned that sounds like I don't like Kawhi, which couldn't be further from the truth, he's fun to watch, plays hard, and impacts the game significantly on both sides of the ball. I saw the article by Tom Ziller about Leonard deserving more credit for his development than the Spurs, which is true, but the fact he was able to develop in a system instead of having to be "The Man" right away helped him. If the Kings had taken him, he'd be forced to play outside of his game to start. He's going to keep growing in the Spurs ball movement focused offense.

I'm not a fan of overreactions to one or two games, but it seems obvious that the type of games that have been on display in the Finals will alter both teams' off season plans. Do you think a Finals win means retirement for the Spurs players? Will they all go together, or separate? Let's ignore the Melo story line for right now, but what are the Heat going to do to fix this?

Charlie Tritschler 

You're right. It was one of those situations where Leonard fell into the perfect spot. No pressure and allowed his game to build like his 3-point shooting. He shot 29 percent at San Diego State, and in his first three years with the Spurs, he shoots around 37 percent. That's not San Antonio driven, that's more Leonard making himself a better player. I have a feeling he will only get better.

I have a feeling Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili will ride off into the sunset if the Spurs win. Duncan has nothing left to prove, added his fifth ring, will only be the third player to win a ring in three decades. He can retire on top, something very rare for a player to do. Ginobili would also get similar satisfactions and with how his body has taken a toll over the years, it makes sense. This would also make San Antonio an interesting team this weekend.

Miami is screwed. Dwyane Wade is going to stay on his player option meaning he will be there another year which is terrible for the team. Chris Bosh might opt-out if he is smart. I know he loves Miami but you gotta think about being a good second banana to a team or the headliner. Imagine if he went to Dallas or Golden State? Even Houston for that matter. LeBron is the million dollar question. A part of me thinks he will opt-out causing everyone to freak out, but then he at least gives him a chance to explore his options. I don't know if it all blows up, but it could get real interesting.

Back to the Finals... Even though he will not win the NBA Finals MVP, is it fair to say Boris Diaw is the second or third-best player on San Antonio's team right now?

Adam Hatlak 

I think you're right on the Spurs off season, Duncan and Ginobili can go out on top, as well as getting rid of the demons from last year's collapse. I think Pop might follow them out the door as well, but he might hang around with Parker.

Is Wade a max player anymore? I tend to think not, he took off a bunch of time during the regular season, and isn't consistent enough right now to carry a team. I tend to view a max player as a guy who can bring his team to the playoffs as the number one option, and I don't think Wade fits that bill anymore. James isn't going anywhere, he's in a destination city now, and can tell players to come play with him. I really don't think he will leave, but I think this team will look different next year. Battier, Chalmers, and Allen could all be gone next year, it might get ugly.

I don't think it's fair to say that Diaw is the second or third BEST player on San Antonio's team. If I were listing best players, it would look like Duncan, Parker, Leonard, Ginobili, Diaw. No doubt, Diaw is incredibly important to what the Spurs do, and presents a terrible matchup for Miami, but I don't think that makes him one of the best players. He could be considered for MVP of this series, though, and that's an incredible thought for a player who was once cut by the Bobcats.

Flash forward to a week from now, (June 20th would be the day of a game 7 if it happens) and miraculously the Heat have won two in a row to force a game 7 in this hypothetical, how would they do it?

Charlie Tritschler 

I disagree about Pop. I mean he is 65 years old, but with Parker and Leonard as his key cogs, it is not unreasonable to think he couldn't get a sixth title with those guys in the next five years. I don't see him coaching into his seventies, but who the hell knows with him. He seems like a 'by my own rules kind of guy.' 

He isn't but Wade wants a max deal. He has said publicly in his mind, he is still a max player. Now, he was TERRIBLE in Game 4 and really hasn't played well for most of the Finals. I don't think he is a number two on most teams in the league right now with his knee problems honestly. He cannot be taking seriously. But with all those players gone, they could reload with younger, more efficient bench players. What if they added Kyle Lowry as a starter with Trevor Ariza and Rodney Stuckey to their bench (All unrestricted free agents) with the Big 3, isn't that a scarier team than what they have right now?

Okay, maybe I overreacted there, but Boris is playing his ass off right now. It finally showed up a little more in the box score with eight points, nine rebounds and nine assists. I think he has been one of the most valuable guys on this team and a big reason it is 3-1.

The way the Heat get to Game 7 is actually pretty simple... They win Game 5. In an arena that will be jacked for the Spurs, Miami finds a way to kill their will would be massive. They also need more Chris Bosh. He added only 21 points in the last two games after back-to-back 18 point games in the first two. He needs to be part of the offense early on as that seems to be the key to unlock Bosh's scoring.

Adam Hatlak 

I think the title window closes for the Spurs when Duncan retires. They will still be good, but I don't think they will be able to win the loaded Western Conference. The Clippers, Thunder, Rockets, and Warriors are all on the way up still, and a Duncan-less Spurs would slip just enough in my opinion to not be contenders anymore. It's going to be too difficult for them to acquire a top-notch interior presence to replace Duncan. I doubt they will fall off a cliff like other teams do when they fall from contention, but the title window will close.

Ariza, Stuckey, and Lowry would make that team better, but I'm guessing Lowry will go for the team that offers him the most money, and that won't be Miami. Just like the Heat's first title run, the key, in my opinion, is Wade. LeBron took over the team when they finally won their first ring, but part of that was Wade realizing James was a better player. If Wade realizes again that the team can't be a dynasty with him at a max deal, and accepts a lesser role, the Heat can obviously reload right away. If Wade demands max money, something that nobody should fault him if he does, it will be tough for this team to fulfill their absolute potential. I could see them adding a big man Spencer Hawes or Jordan Hill, a wing who can defend and shoot, Ariza would be great if they can make it, and a point guard, would Patty Mills or Nate Robinson be the bench energy they need?

If the Heat are going to win any games, they need the Big Three to be the Big Three. The Spurs have out played them, no doubt about it, but Miami was built to have three players dominate with the role players doing specific jobs. Currently, only LeBron is dominant night in and night out. They need more help.

How long does this series go?

Charlie Tritschler 

You're probably right. They really cannot replace Duncan and Ginobili's production that quickly, but if Pop does stay, he is still the best coach in the Western Conference without question. If they get three good years, I could see San Antonio making some improbable run because of Pop and Kawhi is a next level player. They will be a perennial playoff team, but yes, the West will only get better with the Kings and Pelicans nipping at the heels as well.

Yeah that's probably a little ambitious by me, but I like where you headed with this one. Hill or Hawes would be a great option for Miami giving them some size and Patty Mills whom I love as a player and think could be a starter on some teams. Nate would be a fun one because I think he would add more character to this team and could be a valued bench player.

I think it ends Sunday. I really cannot see Miami bouncing back from two blowouts and finding a way to win on Sunday. What do you think.

Adam Hatlak 

I think San Antonio finishes them off in 5. Most series, I'd say that the Spurs are due for a drop off, but I think you're right, after how the series ended last year, I can't see the Spurs letting up. I expect a big game from LeBron, and one of Wade/Bosh, but I don't think all three will put it together.

Charlie & Adam 

Manufactured Melo to Miami Story

In sports, politics and entertainment where rumors run rampant, there are always those rumors which hang out there. Like everyone knows the rumor, but no one really runs with it.  Sometimes, they don't run with it because there isn't enough evidence for it to be fact. Other times, it realistically could happen, but the chances of it are so unlikely. Honestly, the rumor of Carmelo Anthony headed to the Miami Heat is a combination of both. People like to dream every now and again, and this is what happening with the discussion about Carmelo to Miami.

Never say never, but this feels like a 10 percent chance of something like this actually happening this offseason. It might be less than that. Carmelo doesn't feel like the type of player whom would be okay with being the second or third banana on a team. Sure, he could win a championship, but it always seemed like Melo wanted to do it his own way. Granted, this was the same sort of stuff written about LeBron James when he ended up joining up with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. But Melo really wants to share the ball that much? It is hard to see it happening truthfully.  

The other part of it as The Big Lead's Jason McIntyre pointed out, the best contract offer Miami can put on the table is four years and 48 million dollars.  That's all.  Melo would probably be taking at least a 50 percent pay cut to play for the Heat. Are you sure he is going to do that all for the chance at a championship?  Charles Barkley and Karl Malone did those sort of things at the end of their careers to get a ring. Gary Payton did the same thing as well multiple times, and Reggie Miller said on Dan Patrick this week had the Boston Celtics called in June at the tail end of his career, he would have too. If Carmelo is still ringless by his 15th year in the league, I could see him joining a superteam, but not in the prime of his career for 50 percent of the cost (The obvious juggernaut at this time 15 years down the road will be the Milwaukee Bucks). 

For the sake of the blog post, if Melo did end up in Miami, I think it could be a situation where too many cooks in the kitchen. While I understand this was the concern when the Big Three formed together years ago, it feels a lot like the 2004 Los Angeles Lakers team. They added Karl Malone and Gary Payton leading people to believe this team would be unstoppable with Kobe Bryant and Shaquile O'Neal. This Laker team still ended up in the NBA Finals before getting housed by the Detroit Pistons, but they fractured all sorts of relationships leading Shaq to Miami. That's what I feel would happen. One or two guys would out after a year because there were way too many alphas in Miami. 

This is one of those stories that the media will keep pushing for the next month until Anthony signs with a team. The NBA is probably praying to everything holy that this doesn't happen because there is little parody in the league right now, and Miami adding Melo would only make matters worse.  

Charlie. 

Tapping The Keg Podcast Episode 92

Charlie and Mitch's usual Wednesday podcast for your listening ears where we start by talking about how we would handle being in Brazil for the World Cup. Next, we talk about Milwaukee Brewers with Marco Estrada's struggles and Scooter Gennett moving to the leadoff spot. NBA Finals talk looking at Kawhi Leonard, and why this series hasn't swung. Some NBA Draft talk with the Milwaukee Bucks working players out along with general topics about Donald Sterling and California Chrome. We finish with a preview the World Cup looking at the United States chances along with talking about each individual groups to the best of our abilities.

Charlie.

NBA Finals Recap: Kawhi's Masterpiece in Miami

San Antonio and Miami have played two evenly matched games therefore the expectation at South Beach
was another close battle between the two teams. It didn't happen as the Spurs got off to a blazing hot start with 41 points in the first quarter and 71 points in the first half.  It was something legends were made of, and no matter what happens for the rest of the series, San Antonio will be remembered for their blazing first half performance. Kawhi Leonard had a career-defining performance along with Boris Diaw's incredible non-box score telling run and Miami's need to make a change with Mario Chalmers.

San Antonio's hot start highlighted by Leonard having 18 points in the first half which was his total for the first two games of the NBA Finals. He had a great deal of confidence in his shot especially from beyond the arc. Leonard developed an average 3-point shot after being an abysmal distance shooter in college. He shot around 37 percent for the first three years of his career and is currently shooting around 40 percent for the 2014 playoffs. Leonard hit three big 3-pointers being a major factor in the Spurs having 41 points in the first quarter, the same total as the Chicago Bulls at halftime in their Game 5 loss against Washington. Leonard being an offensive factor for San Antonio makes this team truly dangerous.

Does this game make us think differently about what Kawhi could be in the future?  Many people believe Leonard will be a star in this league given time and more work on his offensive game. It really did felt like we saw Leonard's career make a shift. There are the random nights whether it be in the NBA Finals or a random Wednesday night where a player gets 25 points or more, and we think nothing of it although this time, it seemed like Leonard made a turn. It might not be as large as others think this morning, but Leonard knows with confidence he can get shots up in a variety of ways on the basketball court. A confidence player on the court is a scary thing, and if Leonard makes a baby leap in these Finals, everyone is in big trouble.

One of the MVP's of the Spurs team thus far through three games is Boris Diaw. The numbers do not show up on the stat sheet as Diaw has 18 total points, but big Boris has a combined PER of +101 in the first three games. If you look up 'glue guy' in the NBA dictionary, Diaw is probably pictured somewhere. He is the quintessential glue guy for this Spurs team right now. He is playing a high level of basketball doing all sorts of little things on the court plus adding double-digits rebounds in two of the first three games of the NBA Finals thus far. The fact Diaw can challenge LeBron James on the defensive end is always incredible to watch. Diaw is a major benefactor as to why San Antonio is up 2-1 in this series.

As for Miami, their defense was a concern before the Finals even started, but now, people are hitting the panic button after the Heat giving up 71 points in the first half and 111 for the game. It is not ideal for the Heat, but when a team shoots 60 percent, it is not as much an indication on the opposing team's defense rather a hot shooting team. San Antonio couldn't miss shooting nearly 90 percent in the first 15 minutes of the game plus add they made nine threes, it was just one of those nights. There shouldn't be an assumption that Miami's defensive is suddenly weak. Miami's defensive effort will be much better on Thursday evening.

Their bigger concern should be Mario Chalmers. He is not a good player right now. The fact he is a starting point guard in the NBA Finals is offensive. He was a much better player last season, and clearly, he is mired in some sort of slump. Chalmers had an opportunity to knock down a big three from the corner to blow the roof of the American Airlines Center, and he clanked it in tremendous fashion. Chalmers has a combined 10 points for the first three games of the NBA Finals. That's putrid. He doesn't need to score eleven points per game, but he really needs to be more a factor on the offensive end. Norris Cole seems like a better option at this point for Miami. It will be interesting to see if Chalmers' time goes down in the coming games.

If you think about this, this series could be 3-0. San Antonio had control of Game 2 until they clanked four straight free throws in the fourth quarter along with other misfortunes. Additionally, Miami doesn't want to get blown out on their home court therefore the expectation is a spirited response from the defending champs.

Charlie.

NBA Finals Recap: LeBron & Bosh Shush San Antonio and Take Game 2

Miami Heat did not want to head back to South Beach trailing 2-0 in the series. That's not the Miami way in recent years. Miami hasn't lost back-to-back playoff games since the Eastern Conference Finals in 2012 when Boston took three straight games. The Heat got a primetime performance from LeBron James, Chris Bosh proving why he is one of the best second banana and how San Antonio squandered this game away in multiple ways.

Everyone took shots at The King after Thursday's night game where James left the game early with cramps brought on by AT&T Center's air conditioning going out mid-game. People loved to laugh at James because he is an easy target, and people love to pick on him. James heard all of shots and took full control of this game in the second half. He ended with 35 points and 10 rebounds. LeBron put on a complete clinic for anyone whom dared to give him a hard time about his cramping issues. He looked on another level than everyone else in that gym. When you get that LeBron, the only one whom can stop him is James himself.

James' night is more impressive considering he began the game missing three of his first four shots with only two points in the first. James would only miss five shots the rest of the game. He did in all different ways as well. Sometimes, we see LeBron take it to the lane and earn most of his points from the free throw. Not Sunday night as he made three 3-pointers in the second half along with other mid-range jumpers. James had the whole arsenal working on Sunday. If LeBron could be like Stone Cold Steve Austin and hold up middle fingers to the crowd, he would have easily have done it after this game. Solid way to bounce back from Game 1.  

Chris Bosh gets hated on so much by the NBA community. It is due to his antics and demeanor, but for a long time, people didn't take him seriously as a basketball player. Rather a player just coming along for the ride. This season, Bosh has been much more of the second option when LeBron has needed him. Even though James had a Hall of Fame-like performance, Bosh came up with the two biggest plays in the fourth quarter. Bosh drilled a big three in the corner like he has done all season with Miami. The Big Shot Bosh nickname rang true on Sunday night. Additionally, Bosh took Tim Duncan on the dribble causing Duncan to stumble with Miami's final possession leading to an easy dagger lay-up by Dwyane Wade ensuring Miami's victory. 

San Antonio has to be kicking themselves today though. They could have easily be up 2-0. Spurs put Miami on the ropes multiple times throughout the game but couldn't deliver the knockout punch at any point of the game. There were a couple times in the first half where San Antonio could have really push the lead out, but they would have a turnover or a couple missed shots like Miami stay in the game. Probably their biggest undoing was in the middle of the fourth quarter, San Antonio was up 87-85. Mario Chalmers would get called for a flagrant foul giving Tony Parker two free throws which he both missed and the following possession, Duncan missed two free throws as well. Naturally, LeBron hits a three on the following Duncan's two clanked throws.  If the Spurs make all four, they are up six with not much time left and take advantage of the quarter.  If Miami wins the series, we could point to the Spurs inability to close the door on Sunday. 

The series head to Miami where the Heat haven't lost all playoffs. James handled responding to the haters about the cramps and the target on Sunday. Now, he will have a chance to take control of this series. Something tells me he will not miss out on the opportunity. 

Charlie. 

NBA Finals Recap: LeBron Overheats as Spurs' Offense Shreds Miami

Usually when people are rushing to question Miami Heat's superstar LeBron James, they usually wait until after Game 3 or Game 4 when James has a bad game leading to Miami losing a game in the series. People come out with their pitchforks, and those whom have hated James in his Cleveland days can come back to roost for a day in the sun. These people arose like zombies in The Walking Dead after Thursday's Game 1 when LeBron couldn't play the fourth quarter as he battled through cramps brought on by AT&T Center losing air conditioning. Toughness has been put into question as the Spurs took Game 1 winning 110-95, but hopefully, people realized how bad of a game the Heat played sans the issues with James. 

The national media will ignore San Antonio winning because James cramping up is the bigger story. People forget this is a problem that's plagued LeBron for his entire career. For whatever reason, the training regime James has before the game leads to him cramping up more so than other NBA athletes. It is like the kryptonite for James' Superman abilities. Cramps are the one thing where it reminds LeBron that he is actually human and not superhuman. Most of the people questioning James' toughness are the same people whom rode the bench throughout high school watching their friends dominate games. Cramps aren't something to pass over. If he couldn't play through another injury, maybe we are having a different conversation. 

There are others having the opinion or the hot take if you will of 'I understand cramps are serious business, but I hate LeBron's theatrics.'  Fine, you want to made LeBron needed some help getting to the bench, or he looked like an assassination attempt happened after James scored a basket in his only possession in the fourth quarter. That's a weird thing to be generally mad about honestly. Let's be clear, most NBA players are overdramatic about nearly everything. Look at Tim Duncan, one of the most beloved players in the league, he is one of the biggest whiners in the NBA, but doesn't get called out for it anymore because it is uncool to make fun of a legend like Duncan. Dwyane Wade is a historical flopper. Also if LeBron acted casual about his injury, would people criticize him even more and say 'He's not really that hurt.'  It is a no-win situation for the best in the NBA. 

But enough with LeBron, people are ignoring the fact San Antonio completely outworked Miami throughout the game especially in the fourth quarter. San Antonio shot  90 percent from the field and played completely out of their mind in the final period. Danny Green caught fire late having 13 points in the fourth quarter including three 3-pointers which helped the Spurs pull away from the Heat.  Green is a microwave-type player. If he heats up, the opposing team is in trouble. There is a chance we might have a straight repeat of what happened in 2013 with Green. Duncan also had a Throwback Thursday-like game with 21 points, 10 rebounds and shooting 90 percent from the field. 

We saw the redemption of Manu Ginobili shine bright as he sparked the Spurs earlier with an impressive 16 points, eleven assists and five rebounds.  If Ginobili is playing at this high of a level, the Spurs become very hard to beat especially when Tony Parker is delivering 19 points as well. If you want to point to an ideal game for San Antonio, this would be it minus the turnovers. They had all of their major players get involved with the scoring and found a way to put Miami in a stranglehold by the fourth quarter.  The fact they won by double-digits and turned the ball over 23 times should terrify Heat fans. No matter what happened with LeBron, the Spurs offense looks unbeatable last night. 

After Game 5 against Indiana, everyone expected LeBron to come up with an iconic game. It didn't happen even though it was an ass-kicking victory. This might be the time where you see LeBron come out with 45 points, 15 rebounds and 12 assists. He knows what everyone is saying about him and knows this will be a time for him to prove everyone else wrong. But that kind of game from James will become useless if the Heat defense cannot stop the Spurs. 

Charlie.

SnoTap NBA Finals Preview: 15 Dollar NBA Finals Challenge

The Internet is in a complete tizzy over the 15 dollar game or the 25 dollar game or the 20 dollars and shut the hell up about it. Anyways, it is a cool concept, but my goodness, it is dominating my Twitter feed for the last week. I am pretty sure the trend is over, but a few people will try to run it back like the people doing 'Gangnam Style' videos two months after the trend already begun. But we are going to do it for the only time on SnoTap as we utilize it for the NBA Finals preview.

Five dollar players will be the ones with the most valuable to either San Antonio Spurs or Miami Heat winning the Larry O'Brien trophy. From there, we will look at other players working our way down.

Five Dollars
LeBron James - This is the obvious first choice. LeBron had a fairly good NBA Finals against the Spurs. Granted, Kawhi Leonard is a year older which could be a factor into wondering how good James will be this June. For reference, he had two triple-doubles and three games with 30 points or more. Although in the two games against San Antonio this year, James struggled mightily with under 20 points and poor shooting in both games.

Kawhi Leonard - I think he is the most important player on the Spurs roster. Say he holds LeBron to under 23 points a game for the series and the Spurs win plus Kawhi ends up averaging around 15 points a game. He would easily be the Most Valuable Player of the Finals. Leonard had some big games down the stretch in last year's NBA Finals and if he is more assertive on the offensive end, he could do some big things in this series.

Chris Bosh - This is the player to watch in the series. Bosh has been coming on hot of late. He had three straight games with 20 points or more plus he is shooting 57.5 percent from the field in those three games. Bosh is red hot. He is also rebounding which is something I was highly critical of him in the past. He grabbed eight and 10 boards in the last two games. Don't be shocked if he is the NBA Finals MVP if Miami takes their third straight title.

Tony Parker - The health of Tony Parker is a major concern. He says it will be all good, but one tweak could disable him from being a factor in this series. He hurt his ankle recently and hurt a hamstring earlier on in the playoffs as well. If he is 100 percent, Parker is a huge game-changer. Not one player on the Heat can really guard him. Maybe Dwyane Wade is the only answer, but he has definitely lost a step in his defense.

Four Dollars 
Tim Duncan - The last two games have been great for Duncan with double-doubles in both games as well Duncan scoring 19 and 22 points. The rebounding numbers were vast improvements from where he was after the Portland series. Duncan has some demons looming with him missing bunnies in the late game. Biggest thing for him is if there is a close Game 1 or Game 2, Duncan needs to hit a couple of those late and get the confidence back. Because if Duncan misses them again, the demons could return.

Dwyane Wade - Everyone talking about Miami to win the series are saying Wade will be the difference given his health is much better than it was last season. I don't disagree, but I don't know if he will be as effective as people believe him to be this series. Wade will have his moment though at some point whether it is a big game-winning basket or an iconic game like Game 4 last season.

Manu Ginobili - Many people are talking about how this is a redemption series for Duncan, but it is more so for Ginobili. He struggled mightily besides Game 5 and Game 7 last season. Granted, Ginobili came up big when it mattered the most, but he has something to prove in this series. A part of me feels Ginobili will come up huge for the Spurs at some point. He is having a real solid playoffs including probably being the difference maker against Oklahoma City.

Rashard Lewis - This might be an overreaction to Lewis' Game 5 and Game 6 performances, but you cannot overlook what he did in the last two games. He had 18 points with Game 5 and added 13 in the Game 6 win. If Lewis can basically be Sam Perkins for this team and just drill corner threes, huge addition for this team's offense. He also could spend the whole time on the bench and I wonder why I am wearing this f---ing shirt.

Boris Diaw - Big Game Boris???  He tends to come up big when San Antonio needs him the most. Diaw could be a true factor battling Miami's small lineup. The likely assumption is he will play a heavy (no pun intended) role into the Spurs offense with likely him playing at the four with Duncan at the five. Diaw should add something to the Spurs offense.

Three Dollars 
Ray Allen - Every now and again, you will have 'Ray Allen Game.' They do not come often, but all the sudden, Allen hits a huge three in the waning moments of the game. He is completely lethal and terrifying to be out there on the court late in games. Ray isn't giving you 10 a game, but he will give a big three somewhere in this season.

Tiago Splitter - I know a lot of people are saying Tiago will not get much run because of the Spurs small lineup. I would disagree. San Antonio could put him with the small lineup forcing LeBron to play more in the post and hopefully draw fouls on him. Splitter might not score points or pull down a ton of rebounds, but his size could pay off for San Antonio.

Chris Andersen - He could be more valuable than this guarding Tim Duncan and the other big men in this series. They also need Andersen to be healthy because if he is absent from the series, San Antonio can have their way in the paint.

Danny Green - I really do believe there will be one game where Green comes out of nowhere and has five or more threes leading the Spurs. He had a huge stretch through Game 2-4 last season where everybody couldn't stop talking about him. Green did it one time against Oklahoma City, and I doubt he will be a ghost in this series.

Two Dollars 
Mario Chalmers - He has not reached double-digits in scoring since Game 2 of the Brooklyn series, but he will still play a part in this series. If Chalmers can take advantage of Parker not being 100 percent, he could contribute to this offense plus the defense on Parker will be vital. Worth noting he had games of 19, 14 and 20 points against San Antonio last Finals.

Matt Bonner - He started the last two games for San Antonio against Oklahoma City. Will the trend continue?  It doesn't sound promising looking at 2013 NBA Finals as he only played in garbage time in Game two through four.

One Dollar  
Norris Cole - Every now and again, Norris steps up in a big way. He bails the Heat out off the bench from time to time.

Patty Mills - I believe in Patty Mills. I think Gregg Popovich doesn't trust him enough, but have a feeling weird feeling there will be a night where NBA Twitter is using Patty's name in all caps.

Prediction
Heart says Spurs in 7, head says Heat in 6. I really don't know. It is so damn close. Let's go with Miami wining in six games.

Charlie.

Tapping The Keg Podcast Episode 91

Tapping The Keg rolls on for another week of Tapping The Keg podcast. Charlie and Mitch cover a bevy of topics in about 45 minutes.  Surprising since there wasn't much to talk about this week. We talk about the Minnesota bar whom will give you free beer if you invest 1,000 dollars. Mitch and Charlie then preview the NBA Finals breaking down different storylines like Tony Parker's health, Miami's defense and if Spurs will be 'gutted' if they win the title. We talk a bit about the Stanley Cup Final talking Kings-Rangers talking more about ratings and storylines versus the actual analysis. It moves to some Brewers talk looking at Aramis Ramirez coming back, Yovani Gallardo's recent struggles and the possibility of Kendrys Morales. A little Bucks talk about the Antetekounmpo brothers and California Chrome finishes us off.

Spurs-Heat: The Rematch We All Deserve.

As the NBA season’s picture cleared up in the months of March and April, it felt like we were due for the Miami Heat and San Antonio Spurs to run it back one more time in the NBA Finals. It is like seeing a great match at Wrestlemania and need to see a rematch in one of the lesser Pay-Per-Views the following month.  Both teams turned the rematch into a reality this weekend with Miami’s blowout win against the Pacers and San Antonio holding on in overtime despite not having Tony Parker to put away the Thunder. We will have another rematch, and I don’t think many people are complaining about it.

Even before Miami and Indiana tipped off, it felt like a foregone conclusion the Heat would win the game on Friday night. That's usually not the case when Game 6 happen in sports, but the series felt over.  That's really weird to explain after seeing Indiana winning in Game 5 with Paul George scoring 37 points. Heat looked the strongest they have been all series dashing Indiana's dreams from the get-go. Miami led by 26 points at halftime allowing Heat fans to start the party early. No one really had a memorable game rather Miami had all their players contribute in a major way with both LeBron James and Chris Bosh adding 25 points ensuring this series was not headed back to Indiana. One team took its place in the Finals and would their opponent join them after Saturday?

The answer is yes. San Antonio lost Tony Parker for the second half of the game, but the Spurs willed their way to victory. The game went back and forth for all four quarters delivering the first great game in this series. It appeared like the Spurs were going to put away Oklahoma City in the fourth quarter as they had a 10 point lead. But Russell Westbrook helped get the Thunder back into the game with his strong play late sending this game to overtime. Manu Ginobili had a bad night going 4/14 from the field, but he hit the biggest shots of the game with a big 3-pointer putting San Antonio ahead late in regulation plus added big free throws down the stretch. Tim Duncan also had a throwback game with a 19 points and 15 rebounds performance.

The stage is set for a Finals rematch. There are some pieces missing from the last time plus the series will begin in San Antonio. Duncan and Gregg Popovich will attempt to win their five NBA title, and win a title 15 years later after their first one. We will talk later this week, but it feels like either way, one of these two might be done with basketball after this season.  As for Miami, they could have the first three-peat since the early 2000's Los Angeles Lakers. The whole promise of 'Not one, not two, not three' would start to become more of a reality instead of laughing it off like we did when James uttered that famous phrase. Plus the whole discussion of how we perceive each team if and when they lose because there are some interesting storylines there as well.

Rematches aren't always the best thing for the professional sports product, but right now, this is one of the best things going in sports. Happy we will get to see LeBron against San Antonio at least one more time.

Charlie. 

Paul George Pushes Pacers Past Heat to Avoid Elimination

Indiana Pacers' collective backs were up against the well. They faced elimination last night at Bankers Life Fieldhouse as Miami Heat could have ended the trilogy between the two teams with an emphatic whimper. But Pacers would not be deny as they won 93-90 with a strong second half from Paul George, propelling the team for a return to South Beach and try to force an inexplicable Game 7.  There was much to go over from this game ranging from the favorable whistle, Lance being Lance to the final non-shot by LeBron James.

Indiana needed its superstar to be great, and George did exactly that in the second half with 33 of his 37 points coming in the final two quarters. He made 15 field goal attempts with five of them coming from 3-point range. If you take out the nine missed threes from George's stat line, he made 15 of 20 baskets from the field making it a more impressive stat line. He looked in full control for the first time in the series. It showed the importance of LeBron James in foul trouble because George was able to take control of his basketball game with The King spending much of the time on the bench. It also nice to see a player back up his talk after George's bizarre Game 4 comments, it seemed like he had a purpose out on the basketball court. Curious to see how he carries it over to Game 6 on Friday night.

You never want to be 'that person' in the group whom blames everything on the officials, but man, it sure did look like the zebras did their best to help Indiana.  At one point, Grantland's Bill Simmons points out Miami had 19 fouls to Indiana's 10. What exactly happened?  LeBron is definitely not known for getting fouls called against him. Personally, I believe LeBron should average around four fouls a game leading to him fouling out more often, but the league is selective on when to call fouls on Bron. Maybe he put himself in consistently bad situations allowing for fouls to be called or maybe the officials listened to George's $25,000 complaints after Game 4. The whistle against James had much to do with him struggling last night going 2/10 from the field with seven points. LeBron never got into a rhythm affecting how he played last night.

Lance Stephenson continued to be the pest of the playoff after blowing in LeBron's ear and jumping into the huddle between a couple Heat players. He is baseball's version of Manny Ramirez.  There should be just Lance headlines because he is the only capable of pulling some of this shit. He picked up a 10,000 dollar fine for flopping last night in addition to the antics above. I do think wherever Lance goes this offseason because it will not be Indiana, we need to keep him in whatever conference LeBron is in so we can get at least three or four games of this plus a playoff series. Odds LeBron punches Lance next season are pretty high. Just needs to happen once.

Speaking of James, much criticism has come from James deciding not to take the layup at the rim. Those are the closest LeBron hate squad jumping on every mistake he makes in life. A couple things worth noting as to why James likely gave up the shot to Chris Bosh in the corner. One, LeBron had five fouls. They go to overtime and James fouls out, it is curtains for the Heat plus extra five minutes spent playing Game 5.  Two, Bosh has hit those shots all year. ESPN's Bomani Jones nicknamed him Big Shot Bosh because he found a way to hit late-game jumpers. Granted, Bosh's shot wasn't the greatest yet still, not a terrible decision. If you buy into the old adage, 'Play for overtime at home, win on the road', James tried to do exactly that on Wednesday night.

If anyone thinks this series is going the full seven, they are either a perpetual drunk or a Pacers homer because LeBron is ending this thing on Friday night. We are in store for an iconic James performance on Friday night and I hope Lance is ready for it along with his other Pacer teammates.

Charlie.

Tapping The Keg Podcast Episode 90

Tapping The Keg set for another edition with your two lovely hosts, Charlie and Mitch. Kind of a slow week, but we find a way to get 45 minutes of pure listening joy out of this one. We begin the podcast talking about your Brewers drinking team and what guys would be the most fun to go out with. It continues with a discussion about the hot Brewer hitting in the last week with a little All-Star talk as well. We move on to talk NBA Playoffs looking at both Spurs-Thunder and Heat-Pacers which are both headed for at least six games. The discussion continues with talk about the Bucks as Marc Lasry and Wesley Edens will be hanging with the common folk tonight plus why Mitch wants new jerseys. It finishes with the ridiculousness of criticizing Johnny Manziel.

Charlie.

STOD: Lance's Ear Blow & Doug Collins - Birdman Fan

Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals saw the Indiana Pacers stave off elimination by beating Miami Heat forcing a Game 6. We will have more on the game later this afternoon. But this morning, we are hear to talk about Lance Stephenson blowing into LeBron's ear, and Doug Collins needing to put out a rap album. I don't know why Lance thought it was funny or getting in LeBron's head by blowing in his ear, but here we are. Ears are a weird body part. Obviously, we need them for hearing, but a lot of pressure points around them as well.  ESPN's Doug Collins set out to prove he is not the old man in the booth. ESPN's Jalen Rose hits us with the birdcall then Collins asks 'What happened to that boy.'  Street cred on a 100 million trillion, Doug. (h/t Reddit NBA & SPR)