Tag: LeBron James

10 days to circle on the NBA schedule

We’ve done without NBA action since the stunning Finals series where Dirk Nowitzki and the Dallas Mavericks made LeBron James and “the Heatles” look ordinary back in June.

It’s been a long time. One of the best presents for all of Spurs Nation under our collective Christmas trees will be the return of NBA action again.

Here are 10 red-letter dates to circle of key games across the league. We can all hardly wait.

  • Dec. 25 — Christmas Day and the NBA is always a special time. But this with being opening day and the delicious matchup of Miami at Dallas, it should be even more interesting. Toss in the fact that James and the Heat will be watching the Mavericks raise their championship banner and it should be a fantastic return for the league.
  • Dec. 29 — Dallas makes its first visit of the season to Oklahoma City in a rematch of the Western Finals. We’ll see how much closer Kevin Durant and Co. are to toppling the defending champions.
  • Jan. 10 — The best playoff game last season came when Oklahoma City overcame Memphis in an classically exhausting triple-overtime Game 4 victory. We’ll see if Lionel Hollins can get the Thunder in regulation this time around with Rudy Gay finally healthy.
  • Jan. 16 — Two brawls occurred last season when the Lakers and Dallas tangled. And you’ve got to know that the Lakers’ unceremonious playoff departure stuck with Kobe Bryant during thousands of practice jumpers over the summer.
  • Jan. 28 — Jimmermania returns to wild and crazy Utah when Jimmer Fredette and Sacramento visits the Jazz.
  • Feb. 5 — Most of the nation will be waiting for Super Bowl XLVI later in the day. But Memphis’ trip to Boston earlier in the day will provide a tantalizing appetizer on America’s biggest sports day.
  • Feb. 8 — The season is six weeks old before Sunshine State rivals Miami and Orlando meet in the regular season. Stan Van Gundy always has his team ready to play the Heat. But will he have Dwight Howard this time around?  
  • March 4 — Miami’s trip to the Lakers will prove why the best basketball being played on NCAA Selection Sunday clearly is in the NBA.
  • March 11 — The Lakers-Celtics rivalry has endured through three generations of players. And it’s as bitter as ever now, as will be evidenced in this game at the Staples Center.
  • April 11 — The Spurs will have played everybody else in the league before finally stirring up hostilities with the Lakers for the first time with only 16 days left in the season. It will be their first of three games in nine days with Bryant’s team in a prelude to what could be a playoff opponent for the Silver and Black.  

Free agents could flock to the Heat

After coming close to the NBA championship last season, Miami fell agonizingly short against Dallas last season.

It appears that several  key free agents are interested in joining the Heat to help them get back and win this time.

Miami has several appealing qualities that are hard for other teams to match. The chance to play with LeBron James and Dwyane Wade is the biggest. But warm weather, no income tax and a vibrant city to live in also add to the appeal of playing for them.

The South Florida Sun-Sentinel reports the Heat from center Samuel Dalembert and Shane Battier and are already talking with Caron Butler.

All three of those players would provide Miami with a sizable upgrade at their positions. The Heat likely will have only a $5 million mid-level exception to offer any of them. Dalembert should receive higher offers with other teams.  And Battier and Butler would facing the rather daunting ego shot of having to play behind James in the Heat’s rotation.

But having a chance at a championship can make some players perhaps think the unthinkable and accept less money.

Particularly if the chance to regularly party on South Beach is factored into the equation.

Hey LeBron, could you please stay away from us?

Maybe next time a college football coach hears that LeBron James wants to attend his game, he might want to respectfully decline.

James and his posse continued to bring bad luck after their visit Saturday to Oregon, where the Ducks needed a victory to remain in the hunt for a Bowl Championship Series title game berth.

Instead, USC notched a stunning 38-35 victory to knock the Ducks out of the national championship game hunt. Among those on the sideline to watch the upset were Nike endorsers James, Carmelo Anthony, Chris Paul and Dwyane Wade.

For those of you counting at home, here are some of James’ “black cat” moments in recent months.

  • He predicts the Heat will win multiple NBA championships. In his first attempt, he shrinks miserably in the fourth quarter of several games during a six-game NBA Finals loss to Dallas.
  • He extends a pre-sponsorship deal with Ohio State, a school he likely would have attended if he didn’t jump straight to the NBA. The Buckeyes endure the biggest scandal in the school’s athletic history as Jim Tressel departs.
  • A similar deal is announced with Miami, shortly before the Hurricanes endure an embarrassing scandal involving prostitutes and rampant NCAA violations. The Hurricanes won’t play in a bowl game this season, among other upcoming sanctions.
  • He joins with a group including the Boston Red Sox ownership to buy the Liverpool FC soccer team. Shortly afterwards, the Red Sox endure one of the most noteworthy collapses in baseball history complete with a fried chicken scandal to boot as they fail to make the playoffs. Both the manager and general manager leave the franchise in the wake of the collapse.

Thanks, LeBron. Why don’t you just stay away.