15 comments Bill Simmons Confirms that God Does Indeed Love Cleveland

Remember when Bill Simmons threw a very minor hissy fit on the NBA Countdown set about the Cleveland Cavaliers getting their third #1 overall draft pick in four years? Bill didn't think the Cavaliers deserved another #1 overall pick for mismanaging their team. It turns out he doesn't like that Cleveland gets the #1 overall pick again, but he's perfectly fine with the Cavs signing the NBA's best player. Because after all, he needs to be liked and he can only rail against the Cavs so much before he could start alienating and losing the audience he used to work so hard to get. So while Bill manages to think the Cavs don't deserve another #1 overall pick, he's fine with the team getting LeBron James. Why? Because Bill issues the final proclamation that God loves Cleveland. Bill uses the word "God" loosely because he doesn't want to offend anyone or contradict many of his Simmonsites' idea that he himself is indeed God.

Yeah, I read LeBron James’s classy letter in Sports Illustrated. I believe him.

Rest easy now, LeBron! Bill Simmons believes you. I know this is a load off your conscience.

In the summer of 2010, LeBron handled everything wrong. He knows that now. His hometown turned on him. His former owner excoriated him. Everyone else hated what he did.

No, "everyone" didn't hate what he did. I didn't hate what he did. He chose his team and did it in a poor fashion, but I'm pretty sure Miami Heat fans didn't hate it.

We turned him into a wrestling heel, pushed him to a dark place, affected his personality, planted seeds of doubt that blossomed like a black rose during the 2011 Finals. 

"WE" did this. Not the media, not Bill, but "WE" did this. I hope we are proud of ourselves.

But he never forgot what happened, and deep down, he probably always wanted to atone. When the time arrived this summer, he flipped the script on us.

"US" got the script flipped on us. We did. Consider the script to have been flipped. Hope you can read backwards, planet Earth!

Those four Miami seasons made me sure of one thing: He’s one of the greatest NBA players ever.

Write it down on a tablet, because it's now official. Congratulations on getting your very own chapter in the "Book of Basketball Part 2," LeBron James. You have moved up in Bill's arbitrary rankings.

Add everything up and it’s the best possible story. He’s the conquering hero who came home, and, hopefully, will conquer again.

It’s also not entirely accurate. I think LeBron would have stayed in Miami — for at least one or two more years — if he truly believed he had a chance to keep winning there.

So what about the story isn't accurate? LeBron came home, he stated he wanted to come home and so he did. In fact, Bill said this a couple of paragraphs earlier in this column:

I think he wanted to come home. I think he always wanted to come home.

It turns out now that Bill's own statement isn't entirely accurate. You know what that means, right? WE are wrong about LeBron wanting to come home.

If you think of him like a genius, it makes more sense.

Here's the part where Bill Simmons writes thousands of more words than he has to in order to push out a column and overcomplicate an issue. Simply stating that LeBron chose where he thought he could win doesn't make for a great column, so Bill has to go off on a long tangent about how LeBron is a genius and that's why he chose the Cavaliers over the Heat. Sure, this whole part of the column could be summed up by writing, "LeBron didn't think he had a chance to win long-term in Miami, so he chose to go back to Cleveland," but that doesn't make Bill feel like he's smart and overcomplicate an issue in order to kill space.

He’s smarter about basketball than you and me, and, really, anyone else. He sees things that we can’t see. During that last Miami season, I don’t think he liked what he saw from his teammates. LeBron James wanted to come back to Cleveland, but he also wanted to flee Miami.

I think anyone who saw the NBA Finals understood Wade wasn't exactly at the peak of his career and Bosh is still a very good NBA player, but the Heat had to do better at putting a supporting cast around LeBron. It didn't take a genius to see this. So LeBron is much smarter about basketball than Bill and me, but what I saw from LeBron's teammates were that he had to work hard to carry the team at times. Anyone watching the games could see it wasn't sustainable.

And his brain works like very few brains — not just now, but ever.

Bill is really, really overcomplicating things here. Cleveland had a good, young core on their rookie contracts, while Miami was getting older. LeBron chose to take a step back rather than ride out his time in Miami and hope they could put a good team around him. 

Do you think Michael Jordan was a genius?”

I asked Doug Collins that question during the 2014 NBA Finals, on the afternoon of Game 3, hours before San Antonio transformed into some crazy hybrid of Russell’s Celtics, Walton’s Blazers and Bradley’s Knicks. We were eating lunch at our hotel’s pool, flanked by the radiantly blue ocean off Brickell Key, talking hoops, because that’s what you do when you’re around Doug.

Ah yes, it is the "Stories about the NBA Countdown Crew" section of Bill's column. It has become a staple along with "Throw up a YouTube video to kill space" and "Here's a Half-Assed Theory" whenever Bill writes a column.

The man has enough stories for three books, but too much respect for the game, and for the relationships he has cultivated over the years, to ever actually write one.

Meanwhile Bill doesn't give a shit about the game or his relationships, he just wants money and fame, which is why he was going to write a book with Steve Nash about his time in the NBA. I'm not blaming him. Money is great. Just pointing this out.

Fourteen years later, he started coaching Michael Jordan — someone who collected more ripped-out hearts than anyone. Do you think Michael Jordan was a genius? I barely got the words out of my mouth.

And Bill had not spoken for a full ten minutes, so he was really pissed off Doug Collins barely let him finish the sentence.

“Oh yes,” Collins said. “There’s no question.”

What did Bill expect Collins to say? "No, Jordan was a dumbass"?

If he sensed that a particular teammate would fail him, he’d gesture to Collins to remove that person from the game. All these years later, Collins delights in imitating how Jordan did it — by making eye contact with his coach, glancing toward the offending teammate, then unleashing one of those “Get him the F out of here” grimaces. Almost always, his instincts were right.

Of course prior to Michael Jordan being the super-winner that he ended up being, teammates found this behavior annoying and there was a book called "The Jordan Rules" by Sam Smith that detailed how Jordan would often try to fight and mentally tear down his teammates. So while Jordan's instincts were right, he wasn't quite the genius under Doug Collins he is played up to be.

Michael Jordan was an excellent basketball player who had a feel for how to play the game and was a genius in terms of understanding basketball. He had the experience, instincts and the knowledge required to be considered a genius in his field of sport. Great basketball players (or anyone who is an expert in his respective field) are geniuses compared to others who play the game of basketball that aren't professionals (or an expert in his/her respective field).

Of course, the greatest sequence of Jordan’s career didn’t involve teammates: Game 6 of the 1998 Finals, 41.9 seconds remaining, Chicago trailing by three. Pippen inbounded the ball at half court, and after that, nobody on Chicago touched it again. Jordan ripped through Utah’s defense for a floating layup, swiped the ball from Karl Malone like he was snatching a purse, then drained the title-winning jumper in Bryon Russell’s mug. It wasn’t just the storybook ending that made it so unforgettable, or even Jordan’s incomparable brilliance, but how premeditated everything seemed. There was something genuinely spooky about it.

It's like Jordan was intentionally trying to score points in order to win the game and he was attempting to score these points as quickly as possible because there was less than a minute left in the contest. It's eerie how Jordan knew the Bulls were losing and his team had to score points at a faster pace. Was Jordan's ability to score points based on the premeditated decision to win the game or is there something innate in him that encourages him to win games during the NBA Finals?

I watched Jordan play in person, many times, at various stages of his career. 

But never from the makeshift NBA Countdown set with the small television, so Bill never really WATCHED Jordan play in person.

when the Bulls occasionally rolled through Boston and eviscerated the carcass of Celtic Pride. One particular night, we turned on the locals and started cheering what we were watching. It didn’t happen because we were selling out, but because we had witnessed a special kind of greatness during the Bird Era. We knew what it meant. We knew how fragile it was. We missed seeing it.

Hey, it's a story about the Celtics and their fans. Remember when this column was about LeBron James coming back to Cleveland? As usual, every Bill Simmons column about the NBA is really about the Boston Celtics and their fans. In this case, it's not that the Celtics fans were selling out, it's just they are so much smarter than any other NBA fans only they could appreciate the greatness that was Michael Jordan. No other fans understood what it meant to see greatness because they didn't go through the Bird Era. Could Bill be more insufferable?

Pippen moved like Michael, saw the court like Michael, jumped passing lanes like Michael and blended with Michael’s game like a non-identical twin. It was crazy. I will never forget watching it for the rest of my life. Bird and Magic were genuises, too, but shit, they never figured out how to replicate themselves.

Yes, but shit, Bird and Magic didn't replicate themselves like Jordan did. Probably because there aren't too many 6'9" point guards out there nor are there basketball players with the high basketball IQ that Bird had. But Pippen was a replicant of Michael Jordan. The same thing, no differences, as long as you don't count all the differences between them.

For that reason and many others, I am never seeing a better basketball player than Michael Jordan.

I mean, shit, he replicated himself and all. That's some high-end science stuff right there.

“I was there,” Doug Collins will tell you. “We need to stop comparing people to Michael. We are NEVER seeing that again.”

Bill Simmons will now indeed start comparing LeBron to Jordan by stating they are both geniuses. Not basketball geniuses, but just geniuses overall.

From December 1990 through the 1998 Finals, not including his baseball sabbatical, the Chicago Bulls never lost three straight games with Jordan. Given the unforgiving NBA schedule, nonstop travel and general wear and tear, that’s basically impossible. But it happened. The man hated losing THAT much. Either he brought the best out of a teammate or he dumped that teammate like a showrunner killing off a struggling character. 

This doesn't make him a genius. It makes him a very good basketball player who brought out the best in his teammates. Intelligence doesn't translate to winning games or else the Ivy League would have won quite a few NCAA Tournament titles over the last 20 years.

Still, that was an exclusive genius — Jordan couldn’t transfer those gifts to others, with Pippen the lone exception.

Yeah, but Jordan replicated himself through Pippen. It wasn't a direct translation of skills but a replication of skills. It's a totally different scientific process.

Bird and Magic went the other way — if they made their teammates better, it gave them a better chance to win. Like Jordan, they were basketball savants who possessed a supernatural feel for what should happen collectively on every play, as if they had already studied the play’s blueprint and come up with a plan of attack.

Yeah, Larry Bird was great. Unfortunately this article is about LeBron James, so maybe we should either write about LeBron James or get to the fucking point quickly. Sound good?

Bird’s first Celtics coach, Bill Fitch, affectionately nicknamed Bird “Kodak,” explaining to a writer that Bird’s “mind is constantly taking pictures of the whole court.” You could have said that about Magic, too. That’s what made them such devastating passers; they always knew where every teammate would be.

Yep, Bird and Magic were great. Of course it's easy to trust your teammates and make them better when you have teammates you can trust to be in the right spot at the right time. Kareem, Robert Parish, Kevin McHale, James Worthy, Danny Ainge, Dennis Johnson, Bill Walton, Michael Cooper, and Mychal Thompson could be counted on to be on the right spot at the right time. Luc Longley, Will Perdue, and Craig Hodges? Not quite as much. It's almost like there are different methods to achieve the goal of winning, but that can't be true, can it? How could Bill waste space if his point was capable of being made in just a few sentences?

Bird learned how to fully harness “it” during the 1984-85 season; for Magic, “it” didn’t happen until two seasons later. And here’s what “it” is. Each guy could assess any basketball game — in the moment, on the fly — and determine exactly what his team needed.

It's halfway through this article and Bill still hasn't gotten to the point about LeBron James and why God loves Cleveland. He is so out of ideas that even when he is inspired to write a column, he is only inspired to write a short column and has to fill the rest of the column in with rambling around about topics ancillary to his intended topic.

That seems simple, right? It’s impossible.

You need to understand every strength and weakness of your teammates.

You need to realize that you can’t dominate every game, that your teammates have to shine occasionally — if only because it enables them and allows you to count on them later. You can make that concession because you know, deep down, that you can take over whenever you want.

You need to be so good, so talented, so ridiculously dominant, that you don’t even think about it anymore. It’s almost like breathing.

And you need to embrace the performance aspects of what you’re doing.

You’re not just playing basketball anymore. You’re an artist. You’re creating something that you want people to remember. Every arena is filled with people who may not have seen you before. On the road, you love silence. That’s your favorite sound. You want to hear cheering and yelling, you want to hear the panic, and then, you want nothing. Just a sound vacuum other than your teammates yelling and screaming. You want them dejectedly filing out of their arena, feeling like someone just hit them with a wrecking ball. You want them muttering that you’re the best player they ever saw, and that they have absolutely no idea how to stop you. That’s your goal on the road.

I include this portion of the column because I want you, the reader of this blog, to know what I have to wade through when covering a Bill Simmons column. If you are not reading the column I link, then you are probably a smart person. That's my point. This is just a bunch of space killer.

Collins told me a fantastic Bird story once.

I ask this despite the fact this column should obviously be about Larry Bird since it is about Larry Bird, but has Doug Collins ever told you a fantastic LeBron James story? If so, I think it would fit in this column supposedly about why God loves Cleveland in regard to LeBron James signing with the Cavaliers as a free agent.

In Chicago, Bird was feeling ornery because the Bulls had screwed up his complimentary tickets. He noticed Collins on the sideline, complained about the tickets and asked him what the “house record” was. Then he vowed to break it. Uh-oh. 

I'm guessing Bill models his childish temper tantrums over fairly irrelevant matters after Larry Bird as well.

You don’t get the nickname “Larry Legend” because of Game 7s, you get it because you brought it on those random November nights in Chicago because someone messed up your tickets. That’s a very specific kind of art, a genius crafting his performance with anger and competitive drive. That’s the final level of basketball. And when you get there, it’s not just about titles anymore.

(Falls asleep at the keyboard realizing it's over halfway through this column and Bill is still introducing the topic)

So what about this? What if LeBron James cared about making everything right in Ohio … but he also cared about protecting his ceiling as an artist? He couldn’t create what he wanted to create in Miami.

The replication machine that Michael Jordan used to replicate himself is only available in the Midwest, so obviously LeBron had to go back to Cleveland to take advantage of this. LeBron is an artist and the only cure for improving his portraits was finding more talented brushes.

This had quietly become 2009 and 2010 all over again — LeBron stuck on the wrong team, with the wrong teammates, being asked to do too much like he has been throughout his career.

This had not quietly happened. In fact, Bill wrote article (after the season was over, granted) about how Wade was declining and Bosh was becoming Sam Perkins. I think anyone who viewed the NBA Finals saw the burden being placed on LeBron. If he didn't perform well, the Heat struggled.

During Game 5 of the 2014 Finals, something happened that few people noticed because San Antonio played so wonderfully. Trailing by seven after halftime, LeBron came out for the third quarter and wouldn’t shoot. Every pass was sent with a little extra zip, as if he were telling Micky Arison and Pat Riley, here’s the team you stuck me with.

I'm going to need a chart explaining when it is fine for LeBron James to start giving up on his team. When he was with the Cavaliers and mailed in a playoff game then he was a bad person who only cared about himself, but when he's mailing it in while playing for the Heat, he's just sending a message to management that he needs better teammates...despite the fact he went to Miami from Cleveland originally for the reason that he would have better teammates. So please, I need the chart showing when LeBron is being an asshole by not playing up to his ability or when he is justified to not play up to his ability in order to prove a point.

Watching it in person, you could tell he was tired and pissed, but you couldn’t tell if it was because the season was slipping away … or because of something deeper. 

I love this "watching it in person" crap Bill throws in now that he is on NBA Countdown. Funny how he sees things that no one else can see because he's watching the game in person. Of course, this doesn't mean his observations about the NBA, as seen through the television over his previous 40 years are any less insightful of course. He's still preaching the truthful gospel when he can't attend a game, but he wants his readers to give extra weight to the observations he makes while watching a game in person. Because, he's there. 

Midway through the fourth quarter, trailing by 18, he missed a 3 and didn’t even run back on defense. The man was totally spent, mentally and physically. He had given everything he could give.

If LeBron didn't run back on defense when he was with Cleveland then he was a quitter who had given up on his teammates. In this situation with the Heat, he was completely justified. He was just spent, not being an asshole.

When he signed with Miami in 2010, I wrote that LeBron copped out, that he joined forces with Wade over doing the honorable thing and trying to defeat him. But the more I watched LeBron and the more stories I read about him, the more I wondered if something more organic had driven that decision.

You are going to love this. Rather than just write, "I was wrong" like any normal, non-ego driven writer who can't stand the thought of being wrong would do, Bill throws another half-assed theory out there to cover up for his original half-assed theory that was eventually proven incorrect. Bill wasn't wrong, he just wasn't as right as he is now.

What if LeBron was a genius like Bird and Magic?

What if he KNEW he was a genius?

I never thought about that, mostly because I don't make things up and then believe I discovered something deeper than I really have in overcomplicating an issue, but I didn't think of this. What if LeBron James knew he was a genius? What if he had never told anyone this, but he KNEW he was one of the great NBA players of all-time. How did "we" not see that LeBron James is good at basketball?

What if he was searching for some basketball version of the Holy Grail, some higher state of being, a level of basketball that he couldn’t find in Cleveland?

You mean like win an NBA Title? That's exactly why LeBron left Cleveland, to win an NBA Title. So there is no "what if" in this situation. It was pretty standard knowledge that LeBron left to find something he didn't think he could find in Cleveland. As usual, Bill overcomplicates an issue in order to confuse his lemming-like readers into believing he is saying something of substance that has any originality.

What if those nights during that first season when Wade (still at the peak of his powers) and LeBron (hitting his prime of primes) would take off after a rebound and unleash the most devastating two-on-one fast breaks we’ve ever seen in our lives … what if THAT was what LeBron really cared about, just playing hoops with someone who saw the game the way he did?

Oh my gentle Jesus. This is exactly why LeBron left Cleveland. He left to play with talented players who he believed could win him the NBA Title he so desperately wanted to win. He played with Bosh and Wade on the Olympic team and thought they would be a good fit together.

I think Bill Simmons truly believes he is spitting out some sort of knowledge here, but he's simply summarizing in more hyperbolic words why LeBron left Cleveland to go to Miami in the first place. He wanted to play with guys who saw the game the way he did so they could complement each other. I mean, this is really, really basic information, no matter how much Bill tries to pretend it isn't.

We never talk about his brain enough. Somehow we talk about everything else, but not that.

Maybe "we" should talk about his brain more while "we" are on national television talking about LeBron James. I know "we" always forget.

Bill's use of "us," "we", and any other term used to lump a large group of people together is annoying. There's no way getting around it. Stop using words in the plural in order to throw an entire group of people together like they all have the same thought that you do.

He’s the most criticized basketball star since Wilt Chamberlain, blessed and cursed by his immense physical advantages. Maybe that’s what happens when you blend the best of Magic, Mailman and Scottie into one frightening 270-pound package, only if that human had an unstoppable motor and Bird’s DNA.

There is no Scottie Pippen, just the replicant clone of Michael Jordan. Remember?

But you know what he can’t do? Play basketball at an insanely high level without the right teammates.

He has this in common with EVERY OTHER NBA PLAYER FROM THE PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE.

At this point, his résumé is unassailable: He could retire tomorrow as one of the best seven players ever.

I can't wait for the 5000 word essay from Bill on where LeBron is on his Pyramid of Basketball or whatever the hell that thing was in his "Book of Basketball."

I'm kidding of course. I can wait.

We always point to his physical gifts, but none other than Paul George recently called him the league’s smartest player. Think about THAT for a second.

You are going to have to give me a few hours. I have a small brain that hasn't watched an NBA game with the NBA Countdown crew, so I can't process information as quickly as you can.

Then Bill re-writes the LeBron "I'm Coming Home" magazine article with the "I'm a genius" bullshit and it's as bad as you can imagine. In fact, it ends like this:

I want to use all of my skills. I am Magic and Larry and Barkley and Malone in the same body. I am an artist. That’s what I am.

Apparently LeBron writes like he's Popeye.

I have caught LeBron in person maybe 50 times.

(Bengoodfella dies, his life now complete knowing how many times Bill has caught LeBron in person)

My favorite night happened in Game 4 of this year’s Eastern Conference finals against Indiana, right after Lance Stephenson stupidly challenged him. LeBron said he didn’t take Lance’s buffoonery personally, only we knew that he did.

Oh, "we" totally knew.

His numbers weren’t mind-blowing: just 29 points and nine rebounds through three quarters. But he dominated the proceedings in every conceivable way. You never forgot he was out there, not for a second. He made the correct basketball decision every time, even something as simple as “I should push the pace right here” or “I’m just gonna assume that Norris Cole is in the left corner even if I can’t see him, so I’m going to throw a 50-foot pass over my head to that spot and hope he catches it.”

LeBron had two turnovers so it seems he didn't make the correct basketball decision every time. Sorry, hyperbole on...

During the third quarter, I texted a friend that “this was an all-time non-signature signature game, he’s made like 13 incredible plays.” Almost on cue, the man made two more, including an insane full-court push that finished with a reverse dunk in traffic.

Because Bill KNEW LeBron was having a non-signature signature game. This anecdotal evidence proves it as true. What an all-time non-signature signature observation by Bill Simmons. 

LeBron loves playing at home — loves seeing the arena covered in white,

If LeBron likes to see white in his home arena, he should have signed with Boston then.

He’s been great at basketball for years and years, but now he’d figured out the sport itself. He reached that final level. This was art. This was genius plus performance.

It seems Bill has been hitting those hyperbole classes at ESPN hard lately. This column is the most hyperbolic column I have ever read in my entire life and probably the most hyperbolic column ever written. It's like Bill has reached that final level. His hyperbole is art now. This is bullshit plus space filler.

In an underrated movie called Six Degrees of Separation, Will Smith plays a scam artist who infiltrates the lives of four different wealthy families in Manhattan.

Since this movie is underrated, what is the proper rating for this movie? I'm just wondering. It's based on a Pulitzer Prize winning play, Stockard Channing was nominated for an Oscar for her performance, and it has a 88% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes. I would just like to know how it was underrated or the criteria Bill has used to come to this conclusion.

But as long as LeBron could keep cooking those Will Smith meals, Miami would be fine. Or so we thought. His Game 4 meal was a thing of beauty. He brought out the Magic course, the Jordan course and the Pippen course, even throwing in Bird and Barkley appetizers for good measure.

Charles Barkley doesn't do appetizers. Come on Bill, you know that about Charles. I would think you spend so much time looking up at him and TNT in the NBA pregame show ratings you would have studied Barkley enough to know he does buffets, not appetizers.

Who could have guessed that LeBron had only seven Miami games left? 

There were a few people who guessed.

I thought they were headed for a three-peat. I thought LeBron was never leaving Miami. I couldn’t see the things that he saw.

Well, he is a genius, so...

I watched Game 4 from our NBA Countdown set, sitting on the metal steps, and at one point, I emailed an NBA Entertainment friend asking if their photographer could snap a picture. I thought it could be a cool photo — me wearing a blue suit, surrounded by happy Heat fans dressed in white, the Celtics fan trapped in enemy territory, all of us watching someone at the peak of their powers. I just wanted to have it for 30 years from now. I know that sounds sappy, but that’s how I felt.

The truth is, I didn’t know when this would be happening again. And I still don’t.

Based on this column, it seems this will be happening again this very upcoming 14/15 NBA season. After all, LeBron has:

He’s been great at basketball for years and years, but now he’d figured out the sport itself. He reached that final level. This was art. This was genius plus performance.

LeBron has figured out basketball, so this upcoming season Bill can watch LeBron in Cleveland while he is at the peak of his powers. I mean, right? Isn't that the point of this column? LeBron is a genius and he's figured basketball out. He isn't retiring and isn't on the wrong side of 30, so he still is at the peak of his powers for a few more years. So when NBA Countdown inevitably comes to Cleveland for a playoff game, this moment can happen again.

Magic and Bird were done before I graduated college. Jordan came and went before I turned 30. Duncan, Kobe, Hakeem and Shaq never quite got there — all of them were great, but they were never GREAT. 

Oh man, I'm not even touching this right now other than to say I completely disagree in every way possible. Wasn't it just a few weeks ago that Bill stated if any NBA player could have another player's career that it would be Duncan's career? Now Bill states that Duncan wasn't GREAT. As for Kobe and Shaq, Bill must not remember the late 1990's and early 2000's. Shaq was the dominant force in the NBA.

After him, you’re looking at Anthony Davis — someone with an infinitely better chance of becoming the next Duncan than a basketball genius — and there’s nobody on the immediate horizon. This might be it for a while.

It also helps the Bill Simmons is completely making this "basketball genius" shit up based on subjective criteria that he determines. So it's hard to argue with him too much without turning into a crazy person.

So yeah, I wanted a picture. Shoot me. I was there for Larry. I was there for Magic. I was there for Michael. And I was there for LeBron James. Now he’s bringing his genius back to Cleveland.

And "we" had no idea that LeBron was a basketball genius!

It’s the right move at the right time for the right guy. This will be fun.

So in summary, the Cavaliers don't deserve the #1 overall pick three out of four years because they have mismanaged their roster in Bill's opinion, but they totally deserve to sign the best active NBA player and one of the four basketball geniuses that have ever played in the NBA. It's almost like he makes this stuff up as he goes along. 

2 comments Versatility is Not a New Approach to Building a Team

Today, Ira Winderman asks the question of whether the Heat have built a new blueprint for future NBA teams by winning an NBA title with a versatile team. They have not built a new blueprint for the future, more than they have built a team which would take advantage of the versatility on the roster. I'm not sure the versatility the Heat showed in the playoffs is easy for other teams to replicate. Most NBA teams look for players that are versatile, that hasn't changed and will never change. That's why Magic Johnson was so great because he could play positions point guard through power forward (or even center in a pinch). Scottie Pippen could guard a point guard or a (smaller) power forward. Versatility is key to a team's success. Having the players and payroll structure the Heat have, they had the benefit of versatility and had to take advantage of this versatility to win games. Ira Winderman asks if other teams will try to replicate this success. The answer I give is teams were already trying to acquire versatile players for their roster. It's not an unconventional approach, it is an approach that requires the right type of players.

The NBA Finals are when the template going forward is set.

It's also when a team wins a title using one approach to basketball and less successful teams try to copy this approach. The template is only occasionally repeatable and changes what feels like every year. So the template to an NBA title is never set. Ever.

In recent years that generally has meant either you have to have a big man or you have to have a point guard.

Or you could be the 2011-12 Miami Heat.

If by saying "or you could be the 2011-12 Miami Heat" you mean "a team could have the best player in the NBA who is able to play point guard, shooting guard, small forward, and power forward thereby negating the need for a traditional point guard and his presence on the roster allows roster flexibility." Because that's what the Heat had.

Let's see other teams repeat this with great success. How about you have an All-Star power forward on the roster who is able to play center if necessary by dragging shot blocking centers who don't have much of an offensive game outside of the paint? Sounds great, but it only works well against teams who don't have a scoring threat the center position. How about finding the best player in the NBA who can play power forward and point guard. There's pretty just one of those.

See, the template can work well, but there are a ton of variables that decide the success of the template. Against Kevin Garnett or Roy Hibbert, the idea of Bosh at center didn't/doesn't work as well. Against Perkins/Ibaka? It works better.

Center? They played the season's closing stages without one, Chris Bosh ultimately manning the middle.

This isn't really new. Tim Duncan and Kevin Garnett don't consider themselves centers and the Spurs and Boston won games this year with them at the center position. It's easy to have Bosh man the center position when the opposition doesn't have an offensively powerful center. Bosh can make the opposing center a liability on defense by pulling him out on the perimeter and doesn't have to worry as much about holding his own on defense.

Let's see how this strategy works if Bosh had to guard Duncan or Andrew Bynum.

Point guard? Well, you could call Mario Chalmers many things (and Lord knows most of the Heat players did in the midst of games, in most colorful terms), but true point guard is not one of them.

Again, this isn't a template the rest of the NBA can follow unless other NBA teams have found a way to clone LeBron James and his passing skills as a point forward. Both Wade and James can run the point. They are versatile and they aren't many guys like them. It's not a template any more than it shows how tough to defend the Heat can be.

you likely will hear a lot more of what already is emanating from those pre-draft war rooms, "Best player available."

Because that was the approach Pat Riley took in July 2010, when he famously paired LeBron James and Dwyane Wade, players with overlapping skill sets.

Bill Simmons column up where he explains Wade was at 70% during the Finals, which meant the skill sets of James/Wade didn't overlap as much and they weren't in each other's way at times. It makes a bit of sense. You can have players with overlapping skill sets as long as each player knows their role on the roster.

In the cookie-cutter world of center, power forward, small forward, shooting guard and point guard, the Heat rolled with a championship lineup so muddled that it was almost impossible to tell, well, who's on first.

This isn't a template though. The Heat were able to do this because of the matchup they had against the Thunder and because James is capable of guarding multiple positions at a high level. Every single team in the NBA wants to draft an elite player who can defend multiple positions. They don't come around very often.

The Heat had to role with this lineup because the payroll structure of the team was to where they couldn't go sign a "real" center or sign a "real" point guard. They had to go with the guys they had. There's a reason the Heat drafted Dexter Pittman, signed Eddy Curry and drafted Norris Cole. They wanted to find a fit for those positions. When those guys weren't the exact fit required in the NBA Finals, Spolestra and the Heat had to use the versatility of LeBron James to their advantage. The lineup was muddled out of necessity and because of the versatility of the roster.

For years, it had been so much about making pieces fit that the Thunder traded away part of their future for Kendrick Perkins,

Jeff Green wasn't part of the Thunder's future. There is a reason they traded him. The Thunder weren't looking for cookie-cutter players, but simply taking from their strength (scoring) to improve a weakness (play in the middle). I think if you could ask any Thunder fan or executive, they don't regret this trade.

even though Perkins hardly could find a place to fit in this championship series.

Let's remember we just found out Perkins was injured with a torn groin (or something similar that sounds equally as painful). Once the Heat moved to Bosh at center, it became a bad matchup for Perkins. So Perkins hardly finding a place to fit in one playoff series doesn't mean using a "real" center doesn't work as a way to win games, but it means the Heat were able to formulate a lineup which created matchup problems for Perkins.

It is why the Jordan Bulls never veered from the blueprints that force fed Bill Cartwright or Luc Longley into the mix.

That worked out pretty well for them, didn't it?

The Bulls needed a natural center in the lineup to play guys like Patrick Ewing. Horace Grant wasn't an effective center. Again, how did the Heat's muddled lineup work out against Kevin Garnett? Not that well if I recall and Hibbert gave them trouble (albeit without Bosh) in the round previous to that. For Bosh to play center, there has to be the right matchup for the Heat.

Why the Phil Jackson Lakers continually searched for answers at point guard, repeatedly settling for Derek Fisher.

That worked out pretty well for them, didn't it?

The Lakers didn't have a player who could bring the ball up the court and not dominate the ball. The Heat have Wade and James who are great passers and the Lakers didn't have that type of guy on the roster, so they had to have a natural point guard.

Because, as in baseball, the notion was you had to be strong up the middle.

Center and point guard.

And then this.

This is the exception, not the rule. Basketball hasn't changed drastically with the Heat winning the NBA Title.

And then Spoelstra deciding enough was enough, that after spending two years in search of a ring while cycling through the likes of Joel Anthony, Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Erick Dampier and Ronny Turiaf, that Bosh, lean and lithe, was the best answer in the middle, if not the most muscled solution.

It worked well against the Thunder because they didn't have a strong offensive option in the middle. Ibaka can score, but he isn't strong offensively. Perkins is strong on the boards, but isn't an offensive threat. Not to mention, here is that name again, LeBron James can play power forward. This gave the Heat an option few other teams have and is why Bosh was successful at center.

Spoelstra decided that Chalmers was the best fit at point guard, even if not a fit at the position at all.

BECAUSE JAMES/WADE COULD ALSO PLAY POINT GUARD! It's not a revolution, but an exception to generally held rules. Chalmers could be a spot-up shooter and be aggressive on offense because he didn't have to worry about bringing the ball up the court and distributing. There still has to be a player on the court to bring the ball up the court.

If position mattered then the team that already had James, Wade, Mike Miller and James Jones would not have made Battier their prime offseason acquisition in the first place. But that's where all the free-agency money went.

Wrong. Miller and Jones are different players from Battier on the defensive side of the ball. Miller is in there for offense, while Battier's defensive versatility is what made his signing such a good move by the Heat. Position still mattered, which is why Jones didn't get many minutes during the Finals. Battier was versatile and was hitting his 3's, so that upped his value two-fold while on the court.

Battier from sixth man wingman to starting power forward.

Battier played power forward all through college. I realize it is college, but he has experience at the position and played the stretch-four position his entire senior year of college.

"Our versatility," Spoelstra explained, "while it may seem unconventional to some, we think it's one of our greatest strengths."

It is one of the Heat's strengths and is a unique strength that makes this "new" template very, very difficult to reproduce by other NBA teams. Not many teams have the ability to have such a versatile roster.

"When everybody notices where Shane Battier is when the ball is going in," Spoelstra said. "We notice everything else before that, his versatility. He allows us to play our roster the way we need to, and we weren't necessarily able to do that last year.

"And so now we're able to play LeBron at several different positions, and same with Dwyane, and he kind of ties that all together."

So I would love to have it explained to me how this is the new blueprint for NBA teams to follow. All a team needs to do is find three players who can play multiple positions on offense and defense at a high level. Easy enough, right?

In retrospect, the Heat were lucky (and good) that they got a Finals matchup which allowed them to keep their hottest shooters out on the floor. They were lucky in that the Thunder didn't have a big man who was an offensive threat, the Heat were good enough to have the versatility to take advantage of their strengths and those, and they were lucky these versatile players had a great NBA Finals series.

But Battier as power-forward glue guy?

Again, that's where the Heat, correctly, balked at getting caught up in delineations.

Again, this is the position Battier played through much of college. The NBA is different from college basketball, but Battier has guarded the power forward position before.

"I don't know," Spoelstra said. "We don't necessarily look at it that we're small. I know everybody calls it 'small ball.' We have two forwards, neither one of them is a power forward.

Arguable. LeBron is as big as a power forward and with his improved post up game he could pass as an NBA power forward.

The Thunder tried, and failed. The lane opened for LeBron. The perimeter opened for Battier, Chalmers, Miller and Jones. Perkins and Serge Ibaka no longer could simply stand tall in the paint, as they did against the Mavericks, Lakers and Spurs in the previous three rounds. Instead, they were sent in chase mode, unable to recover by the time LeBron was at the rim.

And that was a smart move by the Heat. This was a move that didn't work against the Pacers in the second round and didn't work against the Celtics in the Eastern Conference Finals. There isn't a blueprint that can be used. NBA teams have to adjust the matchups and strategy used depending on which opposing team they are going up against in a playoff series.

So other teams may not try to repeat what worked for the Heat this series. Depending on who (or if they even make it) the Heat play in the NBA Finals next year they may not even use this strategy of using James at power forward.

Granted, it is easier to play the versatility card when the versatility includes James, Wade and Bosh.

Apparently this isn't "granted" because Ira Winderman is acting as if the Heat have just revolutionized the NBA as a whole.

But Brooks had Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and James Harden and never quite was able to create similar chaos, save for dramatic rallies in the first two games of the Finals.

These guys aren't as versatile. Westbrook, Durant and Harden can play the different spot at their respective position (power/small forward, point/shooting guard), but they can't cross over positions. Harden could play some small forward, but Westbrook can't be a forward and Durant can't be a guard or a center. James can play shooting guard or power forward. Bosh can play power forward or center. This opens things open for flexibility in other roster spots. When James moves to power forward, that means Battier can play small forward and because Wade can play point guard Mike Miller can also be in the game. The Thunder didn't have this type of flexibility.

Has Pat Riley developed a better way?

No. He has not developed a better way. He has developed an exception to the usual way.

Or does he simply have better players?

He has better players who are more versatile. The blueprint the Heat have laid out is only able to be replicated if a team has a roster of versatile players and a matchup that allows a team to take advantage of this versatility. Most NBA teams don't have a roster of 2 or more players who can guard multiple positions and zero NBA teams have LeBron James.

5 comments Untouchable NBA Players

Jim Buss has stamped the untouchable label on Andrew Bynum’s forehead. Well congratulations, Mr. Bynum. Thanks to the only higher-up that counts, you’re probably even impervious to Archimedes’ Death Ray. Less impressively, you’re now the only player in this elite class not among the NBA’s top ten players. But that begs the question: Who are the rest of these untouchables? The best and the untouchables are certainly not mutually exclusive, nor are they completely overlapping. Some have rings, some don’t. They do, however, share one exclusive trait. If they depart for another team, it would gruesomely devastate the infrastructure of that city’s fanhood. Here’s the list of the NBA’s only truly untouchable players.

1. LeBron James – Let’s get the obvious out of the way. He’s on the cusp of an NBA title, he’s the best player in the league, and he just signed a six-year deal. You simply don’t trade the best player in his prime. But what if Oklahoma City offers Durant and Westbrook, the NBA’s best non-Miami duo? (Not that it would ever happen.) Riley still wouldn’t pull the trigger, because No. 1 is always better than No. 2 + No. 3.

2. Dwyane Wade – This one’s simple. Chalk up Wade’s lifelong career in Miami to the hometown hero effect. LeBron may be the Heat’s best player, but Dwyane Wade is the leader to the fans because he was drafted there. He’s been with the team through thick and thin. He’s carried the city to a title. He’s celebrated, laughed, smiled, cursed and cried with the Heat. When the LeBacle became a summer phenomenon, it was Wade who remained loyal. That’s why he’s the last to be introduced at home games. That’s why he’s at the center of every poster, picture and interview. That’s why he’s untradeable. He’s become too dear to a city full of passersby. He’s the centerpiece of everything that’s right and true about basketball. Trading him away would be a knife through the heart.

3. Amar’e Stoudemire/Carmelo Anthony – The Knicks have spent too much time, too many dollars and too many lost seasons to ever give up on their dynamic duo. That’s why the demand for a Chris Paul trade will never go away, even if the Knicks lacks the assets to pull it off. New York is too impatient to ever give up on these two. While it may be a smart move in the long run if New York never snags that elusive title, it’ll never happen. No one’s willing to go through another two-year salary-dumping bonanza.

4. Kevin Durant – If Dwyane Wade is a hometown hero, then Kevin Durant is a United States hero. Instead of announcing his new contract on television, he simply tweeted it. No interviews, no press conference. And not only that, he remained loyal to a city no one knew anything about before they got a basketball team. On the court, he’s deferential to a fault. How many NBA superstars do we criticize for not getting the ball enough? He’s polite, well spoken and gives back to the community. If the Thunder let him go, the principles upon which America is built may just collapse.

5. Dirk Nowitzki – Mark Cuban already loves rewarding players with excessive contracts after middling, short-lived success. Even if Dirk’s otherworldly playoff performance doesn’t end in a championship, don’t expect Cuban to let go. More importantly, Dirk’s game isn’t predicated on the merits of being 25 years old. If shooters get better with age, then don’t expect Dirk to ever decline. Sure, his minutes may need to be reduced in the long run, but the one-footed fallaway will never disappear. And neither will Mark Cuban’s infatuation.

6. Derrick Rose – MVP. Conference Finals appearance. 22-years-old. The Bulls lucked into their savior thanks to the NBA Draft Lottery and will ride him as far as he can take them. Thibodeau and Rose have forged a joint identity that will define their individual careers. No matter what moves the Chicago front office makes, the Rose/Thibodeau era will be defined by defense and the upper limits of Rose’s ceiling. Because they have already found success in their current formula, don’t expect it to ever change. He may not be the best in the league, but he might just be the most untouchable.

7. Tim Duncan – Not that anyone’s looking to acquire him, but San Antonio will not let him do the “I’m old and am going to sign with a contender” routine. Considering everything he’s done for the team, the Spurs will re-sign TD just to stick him on the end of the bench. Till death do them part.

8. Blake Griffin – Los Angeles hasn’t hit it big on a draft pick in forever. That and Mike Dunleavy is no longer the GM, so he can’t ruin the team. When contract time comes around the Clippers will offer a max deal, the state of California and the kitchen sink to guarantee that Griffin stays.

Before you jump down my throat for leaving off certain guys, here are some notable players left off the list and why I left them off:

Kobe Bryant – Jim Buss loves Bynum and hired Mike Brown. Don’t be surprised if an aging, disgruntled Kobe is dealt somewhere at the end of his current contract.

Dwight Howard – LeBron 2.0? I’m not willing to believe the rumors that he’s going to resign with Orlando quite yet.

Chris Paul - Same as above, minus “The Decision.”

Joe Johnson – Atlanta is just waiting to be dismantled. As much as the Hawks fans will enjoy a No. 3 – No. 6 seed over the next five years, it will never bring them a title.

Steve Nash – He’s proven his loyalty, but Phoenix has not. Just look at Amar’e.

4 comments LeBron Apologizes for "R-Word:" Wait...what?

Maybe you've seen this video, maybe you haven't. If you haven't, take a quick look before I go off on a rant.

The next day, LeBron came out with the following statement: "I want to apologize for using the 'R' word after Game 3. If I offended anyone, I sincerely apologize."

Although this headline was on espn.com for only a few hours, I had to do a double take. LeBron's apologizing? What has our society come to? Kobe's outburst at the end of the regular season obviously warranted a fine and an apology. As much as I understand the emotional outburst during a sport event (everyone's bound to say hurtful things), Kobe still should have chosen better words. But LeBron? I don't think so. No apology necessary for that one. Furthermore, referring to "retarded" as "the R-word?" I'll say it again: What has our society come to?

Before I hear the backlash, let me first say that I do not have any problem with mentally disabled people. But c'mon. Retarded is not even close to the same level as the word Kobe used. And frankly, it's the reporter who should have to apologize, because her question was retarded. In her roundabout way, she essentially called Wade's play dirty, which it obviously wasn't. Who are these people calling his push dirty? If she really thought it was a clean play, why would she ask the question in the first place? People wonder why players hate the media so much, and this is why. Trying to make a story when there isn't one.

Sure, the push/tackle may have been intentional, but that kind of thing goes on in the NBA every game. A dislocated elbow is far from an expected result. Andrew Bynum's "Why can't I be better to stop a guy half my size" push was obviously dirty. D-Wade's mini scuffle with Rondo was not.

Lastly, kudos to Dwyane Wade to his response:

Reporter: What do you have to say to people who may say that your play was somewhat dirty tonight?

Wade: Who?

Exactly. Who? I think he's been around the league long enough for everyone to know that there was no malicious intent. In fact, there are only a handful of NBA players who you would ever consider to have malicious intent. When Ron Artest does something out of line, I'll go out on a limb and assume that it was completely intentional and dirty. And that's because if there were ever a player I didn't want to meet in a dark alley, it'd be him (Well, him and Kendrick Perkins).

This, ultimately, is my greatest sports journalism pet-peeve: those who attempt to create stories/drama where there isn't one/any. LeBron and Wade deserve credit for calling out this overzealous reporter.

6 comments Give Wade The Spotlight

When LeBron chose Miami over New York, I was bitter. But not bitter enough to sway from my longstanding belief that chemistry is a word used by teams of lesser talent. I jumped on the Jeff Van Gundy 72 wins bandwagon. I did not think LeBron's claims of mulitple championships were premature or outlandish, but realistic. They had two of the best three players in the NBA, and three of the top 15 (clearly Bosh has played his way out of that category now). Before the Heat, the NBA's evolution was becoming more conducive to such a sudden mass assembly of stars. The Miami Heat (Wade and Shaq), Los Angeles Lakers (Kobe and Pau) and Boston Celtics (Allen, Pierce and Garnett) succeeded immediately. There was no logical reason to say LeBron's Heat would not follow suit other than to hopefully play the "I told you so" card a later date.

Seeing the trend and hoping to capitalize before it was too late, the New York Knicks got in line. Every other recent championship had landed that knock out blow, whether via free agency or trade, and now it was New York's turn. So they took a bunch of body shots and traded away half the team for Melo, who would hopefully turn into that championship right hook. As of now, the results are less than ideal, with the Knicks amassing a 7-8 (as of this writing) record since the deal.

Of course it's too early to tell with the Knicks and Heat, but they have caused me to reevaluate my time steadfast chemistry formula. It can be generally agreed upon that better players improve the play of their teammates. And I'm not just talking about the LeBron's and Kobe's, but all great players. By default, they draw attention to themselves, allowing teammates to ride their coattails to wins and championships (see Robert Horry - Yes, Robert Horry. I can't wait for the backlash on that one). The discrepancy, then, is by what margin does one player elevate a teammate's play over another.

This, in a sense, is the crux of the Kobe/LeBron debate. Kobe purists point to the championships. LeBron's faithful note that when Kobe had no help (between Shaq and Pau), he merely lead the Lakers to the playoffs as a low seed, complemented by a first round exit. LeBron, on the other hand, carried some role players, a heavy backpack and the most disgusting free throw form in the NBA - Anderson Varejao - to the #1 seed and deep playoff runs. Using my previous logic, I have always staunchly supported LeBron as the NBA's best. He does more with less. But now he has more and is doing less. So where do we draw the line between chemistry and individual play?

I have always assumed that teams, and not players, possess chemistry, with familiarity being the means to that end. But looking at the current makeup of NBA teams, some players simply breed chemistry while others do not. I'm not simply talking about players that dominate the ball. The nature of the game dictates that great players have the ball in their hands. Point guard is simply the word used for players under 6'3, not necessarily those who pass the ball best. Nor am I talking about the great passer as high chemistry players (although some clearly are).

From my outside perspective, chemistry seems to be built into a player's game. It's an innate, unteachable talent not necessarily limited to the NBA's best. That said, not all the great ones have it, and sometimes greatness supersedes chemistry. And Dwyane Wade bulldozed his way to an NBA championship as the rest of his team watched happily from the sidelines. Writers recently praised Kobe for his ability adapt his game to a team-first mentality, but all basketball fans know that nothing has changed. When the playoffs role around, it's Kobe Bryant vs. the opponent, with contributions only coming from others when he's in need of help. Sometimes, this is the best method. If you take away Kobe's attacking mentality, he loses his competitive edge. As much as team chemistry benefits the team, you cannot rip the heart out of your best player's natural inclination.

So let's get back to the present. Chauncey Billups and Carmelo Anthony, despite excellent play throughout their careers, missed this chemistry gene. We all know of Melo's ball-stopping habits. Billups, however, presents a less clear situation. Sure, he nearly won back-to-back titles with Detroit. But sometimes multiple chemistry players can make up for one guy. And that's what Billups was. When one bucket or one big play was needed, it was Billups' no-fear mentality that brought games home. He relished the moment. He cherished it. He couldn't get enough of it.

This, I believe, is what is at the heart of the Heat's late game issues. Dwyane Wade is that killer, selfish, give me the ball guy. But how can he play his game when the ball consistently rests in the hands of LeBron, the clearly better player? LeBron wants rings, but not the moments that lead to them. Wade wants both.

5 comments To Celebrate Or Not To Celebrate

I'm all about big dunks and obnoxious celebrations. In the right circumstances, of course. Normally we watch awful player x celebrate a meaningless dunk in garbage time. In the video above, you'll notice that unfortunately Dwyane Wade has entered this lamentable group of players.

First let's take a look at the celebration. His sideways Dante Culpepper celebratory hand swinging has creepy-guy-at-a-club written all over it. But I'm not going to put all of the blame on D-Wade. It's clear that he had nothing prepared. But it's also clear that he's not a natural celebrator. Thankfully, he's not alone. We've already seen (in a clearly bigger moment) Alan Houston simply sprint after sinking a game winner. Kobe Bryant chooses to extend his lower jaw with each dagger. None of these celebrations is truly satisfactory. Give me something creative. Maybe take lessons from B.J. Raji. But more importantly, if you're not a natural, be prepared. Especially if you're a player of Dwyane Wade's quality. It's more than likely that that celebration will come in handy.

That said, there are some clear rules for warranted celebrations. After the above dunk, Miami was down 8 points. At most, a fist pump or a quick crowd stare down is permissible. Any further celebration both vastly overstates the enormity of the moment and seems a bit ridiculous. Granted, Wade's dunk was sweet. But he's full of highlight moments, so save the celebration for when it matters.

If you're not a star player, you barely have any celebratory rights. Outside of late-game big time shots or clear top 1o SportsCenter plays (during a close game), you shut your mouth and keep your arms and legs inside the vehicle. Nothing's worse than a J.R. Smith unprompted and unnecessary dance. It's almost as bad as the refs who think fans attend to watch the black and whites blow those whistles.

10 comments LeBron and Dwyane Need to Harness Their Inner T.C. Williams

Who is this new writer for BotB, you ask? I used to write my own blog, Pardon The Opinion, which housed my biased ramblings on various sports topics (for my complete archive, clink on the link to check it out). Unlike Bengoodfella, I am not a media critic. That is not to say that I do not criticize the media, but I will not provide the line by line thrashing of the worst of sports journalism. Instead, I will present completely subjective opinions in an attempt to synthesize the many goings on of the sports world. From where does my subjectivity originate? The city of New York. I am unequivocally devoted to the Knicks, Giants, Yankees and Rangers.

A few more random thoughts:

1. I know pictures are not the norm around here, but I think they spruce things up a bit. Weren't picture books better than all the books you read now?

2. I am very opinionated. Criticism, therefore, comes with the territory. But don't worry, I can handle it. That said, please explain why you think I'm wrong instead of simply subjecting me to your cruelty. I am always looking to improve and enjoy heated debate.

3. For those of you who remember, Bengoodfella and I previewed the NFL season with a series of podcasts. We plan on continuing podcasts at some point. When that moment arrives, let us know how we're doing. It's always difficult to self-evaluate.

Anyway...

Chris Broussard wrote today that Heat players are not pleased with Erik Spoelstra. This article is the official signal for the beginning of Spoelstra-watch (depending on your perspective, it may have started with LeBron's signing with the Heat). I, for one, refuse to believe that the problem begins and ends with Spoelstra. Nor does it have to do with their lack of inside play, leadership or any other conceivable issue that the media has concocted. The problem lies at the core of the LeBron/Wade friendship.

As Broussard points out, Heat players are afraid to step on each other's toes. Truth be told, winning pickup games with your friends as teammates is very satisfying. But what happens when you start losing? Nothing. Ultimately, the importance of the friendship outweighs the importance of victory. If LeBron and Wade hope to find joint success, they should emulate the Julius Campbell/Gerry Bertier relationship in "Remember The Titans." They were friends and they won, you say. Yes and No. Their friendship, unlike LeBron and Dwyane, maintained a united front within the racial divides of the team. Although they were friends, Bertier lead the white Titans and Julius the black. Under their supervision and example of friendship, the Titans found success. But in the end, Bertier was the unquestioned leader whom Julius supported. LeBron and Wade need to find this balance. Both are, without question, alpha dogs. However, their offense either resembles hot potato until the shot clock forces someone to heave a brick or LeBron James circa 2002 (before he realized that the paint was his friend).

But neither has the mentality that winning trumps friendship. Their belief that it can coexist will continue to impede their success. Yet no basketball duo can remain true friends when one man does not share the glory. Every championship team has had that one player to whom others deferred. Whether it was the end of the shot clock, end of the game or simply the attitude of "I don't know what to do with the ball so I'm giving it to my alpha dog and hoping that he can create something," the alpha dog must be defined. While Kevin Garnett may provide the emotional leadership and Ray Allen the leadership by example, Paul Pierce is the man, plain and simple. So was Tim Duncan on the all the Spurs' championship teams. Same with Kobe Bryant. As great as Pau is, the Lakers are Kobe's team.

All these team leaders have one key characteristic that separates them from their pack of coexisting superstars: they are both the best on their team and the longest tenured star. Clearly it takes more than one to win an NBA title. But those other pieces cannot be greater than the centerpiece (unless there was no previous centerpiece, as with the Knicks and Amar'e. He is clearly that player as of now). Wade, obviously, is that centerpiece for Miami. It will always be his team, despite LeBron's attempts to make it his own. But we cannot kid ourselves into thinking that Wade is better than LeBron. Miami's importing of a superstar greater in caliber than it's already established star upset the natural order. LeBron's departure to South Beach clouded the question of team leader. Had Wade and Bosh gone to Cleveland instead, both would have fallen in line behind LeBron. He's the best player, he's been there for 7 years. But Miami does not have that luxury and will falter unless LeBron seizes the mantle and truly subjugates Wade to secondary status. An unlikely scenario, I know.

A second, non related leadership issue. Is it not amazing that most did not foresee this problem? We all assumed their talent would smooth over any issues and allow them to defeat teams by 30 on a nightly basis. Looking back, they signed two men who have the exact same game. LeBron and Dwyane both have, at best, mediocre jump shots and an uncanny ability to get to the bucket. Yet the evolution of the hybrid player, one who can score, rebound and dish the ball, has become the norm. No longer do teams sport players each with a defined role. Even the idea of a center has disappeared into the complex black hole of "big man." The formula now has become to find this hybrid player in whatever form he exists and surround him with shooters and one big man. Put the ball in this hybrid's hands and let the rest take care of itself. But Dwyane and LeBron are both hybrids. They both demand the ball. Their whole basketball careers have evolved around their penetrating and everyone else watching. So what happens when they don't have the ball? They watch, like everyone else. They neutralize their superstar status every time they give up the ball.