Columnists
NBA playoffs 2012
Dwayne Wade and his mother Jolinda have traded roles a few times lately. He will sit proudly at the front of the congregation in her church. She has had her proud moments watching her son play basketball.
Dwayne plays for the Miami Heat, now in a battle with the Boston Celtics for the eastern crown of the National Basketball Association. He and his friend LeBron James are together the very best tandem in basketball.
Jolinda is the main pastor at the church. Dwayne contributed $2 million to construct the building. Her story is truly remarkable, as she has risen from the depths of heroin and cocaine addiction to become a beacon for many lost souls in her congregation.
Dwayne is now in a position to help his team to the NBA championship. There is one other main character on the Heat, currently on the injured list. His name is Chris Bosh, and he used to play for the Toronto Raptors. As I am sure you remember, a couple of years ago, Bosh and James headed to Miami to play with Wade. Together, they were going to beat all comers, instantly. Such was not the case.
They now are in a position to accomplish that goal, without Bosh’s help. He has played well this year, but is not a necessary cog in the wheel. Wade and James will get the job done without Bosh’s assistance.
The San Antonio Spurs and the Oklahoma City Thunder are battling it out for the western championship. The Thunder are led by Kevin Durant, also one of the top players in the NBA. The Spurs are long in the tooth, relying on Tim Duncan to show the way.
Bosh may play before the season wraps up. ESPN.com reported that he is practising, but not always with the full team in a hard workout. Team President Pat Riley is keeping a close eye on the big fellow as he goes through his paces. Coach Erik Spoelstra commented, regarding Bosh’s return: “I’m not even preparing for that right now. I’m preparing for who we have in the gym. Our focus is Monday. That’s all that any of our guys should be focused on.”
The Monday focus worked out quite well for the Heat, as they crushed the Celtics in game one of the best-of-seven series. Le- Bron had 32 points and 13 rebounds. Both he and Wade had seven assists. Rajon Rondo missed nine layups, and went 8 for 20 for the Celtics.
The other two top players for the Celtics, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen, are playing through injuries. Kevin Garnett did score 23 points, but seems to be the only option for Rondo when he gets in trouble.
Garnett is in his sixteenth season in the NBA, having jumped from his Illinois high school directly into the league. Ray Allen has been there for 15 years, and Paul Pierce for 11. There is no doubt that fatigue will be a factor in this series.
This has been a shortened season, due to the work stoppage. Players agreed to play too many games in too short a time frame. There is wear and tear on every player at this time. There will be more serious injuries through these playoffs.
The Heat are positioned as well as any of the four teams to win the big one. LeBron has three league MVP titles to his name. He is there to win the league championship. He is the only three-time MVP without a league crown. The others in the club: Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, and Kobie Bryant. They all had hoisted the championship trophy. Mr. James wants to wear that belt. In a couple of weeks, we will have the answer.
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