LeBron And Wade Take Turns Beating On The Reeling Celtics

We think we should remind everyone: LeBron James and Dwyane Wade play on the same team. They play on the same team. On a night where Boston was playing for more than just a split, they fought the way we knew they would. But it wasn’t enough. You could feel the tension all night. It felt like Boston was teetering on the brink, one run away from a complete breakdown. Wade (28 points, eight rebounds) in the first half and then LeBron (35 points) in the second helped finally end it, James being the catalyst for a huge fourth-quarter run in the Heat’s 102-91 Game 2 win. Tied at 80 midway through the fourth, a Mario Chalmers three-pointer began a 14-0 Miami spurt. While Big Baby was missing layups, LeBron was hitting impossible shots. Boston didn’t score again until it was already over … The Cs had a great first quarter. The bench was producing, Boston was making the extra pass and they were working the Heat on defense. Despite all that, the Heat were still up one. Miami just recovers so quickly on defense. Doc Rivers called them the “Deion Sanders Defense.” You might think you’re open, but you never really are. The Celtics couldn’t find any openings … Near the end of the half, Wade got an outlet pass and was ready to pull up for a three. But then he noticed Garnett was the only one back and two-stepped KG towards vacation. It was so bad that Garnett did a 360. Moments later, Wade sized Ray Allen up and used a crossover to put the three-point king on his face while wetting the three. Boston probably felt like Raymond from White Men Can’t Jump, so embarrassed that they wanted to go grab their gun … After Wade dominated the first half, LeBron stepped up in the third, scoring 10-straight points during a crucial point when Boston made a run … Paul Pierce had to go into the locker room in the first quarter with a foot injury, and then Ray Allen did the same in the third after colliding with LeBron. Then you have Rajon Rondo (20 points, 12 assists) sprawled out on the sidelines stretching his back. Shaq doesn’t ever leave the trainer’s room. Before you know it, Blue Cross Blue Shield will be sponsoring the Celtics. What’s next? Doc Rivers blows out his windpipe and Lawrence Frank has to take over? … We nearly spat out our dinner when Craig Sager made his debut last night. He looked like Malibu’s Most Wanted with that yellow jacket. Or a toucan …

Oklahoma City was not about to get punk’d for a second time. Russell Westbrook (24 points) and Kevin Durant (26 points) were doing their thing. But it was James Harden (21 points) and Eric Maynor (15 points) who made all the difference in OKC’s 111-102 Game 2 win. Memphis hung around for much of the second half until the Thunder finally put them away early in the fourth quarter, a couple of Maynor threes pushing the lead up above 20. All night long, the Grizzlies’ guards left VCU’s finest and he continuously made them pay. Memphis, we can’t be mad at you though. Maynor normally scores…um, he normally never scores. With Harden, you knew a big night was coming from the minute he checked in. Mr. T rumbled his way to 11 free-throw attempts off the bench … Can we please stop describing Harden as having an old-man’s game? Nothing about slashing, double-pump finishes and big free-throw totals screams old. The beard blinds us all … For the first time this entire postseason, Marc Gasol (13 points, 10 rebounds, five blocks) and Zach Randolph (15 points, nine rebounds) didn’t dominate the mosh pit. Neither one was that much of a factor; Z-Bo seemed more concerned with testing his manhood against Kendrick Perkins on nearly every trip in the second half. We’ve been persuaded in the playoffs by Randolph’s moonshots and a run of good chemistry, but Memphis’ Achilles’ heel was their offense this year. At times, they’ve struggled to score. And last night, it hit them at the worst time, scoring just 17 points in the first quarter to fall behind by double digits, a lead that the Thunder never relinquished. If it wasn’t for Mike Conley‘s shooting (24 points, eight dimes) and O.J. Mayo‘s scoring (all 16 of his points in the second half), Memphis would’ve lost by at least 20 … Every time we hear Memphis coach Lionel Hollins talk in one of those end-of-quarter interviews, we think we’re listening to Shaft. Kinda funny considering the team he coaches is the opposite of smooth … If you want the definition of awesome, then we hoped you caught Derrick Rose‘s MVP acceptance speech. In an era of politically-correct answers and premeditated statements, Rose came off as genuinely touched and happy, not for himself but for his family and what this meant to them. He spoke from he heart. It’s stuff like that where you realize people aren’t lying when they say he’s one of the realest, and most humble superstars out there … We’re out like Chuck rapping.