You will forgive LeBron by Game #...?

After the fallout of the "Decision" a lot of people jumped off the LeBron Express and felt betrayed by his actions to bolt for South Beach. 

We as students of the game always can find some way to move past the personal decisions of players and just focus on the game while other fans can not.  So, how long before people jump back on the Heat bandwagon and start claiming LeBron the best ever..again? 

Lets take a look at some of the upcoming games that the Heat have and see the timeline for LeBrons return to Worldwide Fame. 

1.) Heat -vs- Pistons Tues Oct 5th
This is the first glimpse of the new look Heat with LeBron, Wade, and Bosh all on center court in exhibition   After a no look alley oop from Wade to LeBron could the masses truly forgive him on Day 1?  Too soon?  Ok lets move forward.

2.) Heat-vs- Celtics Tues Oct 26
In the first regular season game the new Big 3 takes on the old Big 3 (literally) plus some new additions in former teammate of Wade and Lebron; Shaquille Oneal.  After the Heat dismantle the Celtics in the first game of the regular season ESPN will praise the Heat as Championship Contenders.  Will people love him now?

3.) Heat -vs- Magic Fri Oct 29
Superman and company will welcome the Heat to Orlando in this division showdown.  Will Dwight have a field day on the opposing Heat big men, or will LeBron be motivated to go for 50 since Dwight Howard thinks Kevin Durant is a better player than him?  After only a week into the season most fans should be getting the itch to root for King James again. 

4.) Heat -vs- Cavaliers Thurs Dec 2nd
Hopefully LeBron takes out an ad in the Cleveland Plain Dealer personally thanking the fans for their support over his 7 yr career with the Cavs.  If not LeBron could lose some ground as he takes on his old team that he left behind for South Beach.  He will want to play good, but not too good to embarrass the franchise that he was supposed to lead to a title. 

5.) Heat -vs- Lakers Sat Dec 25th
The match up that we will have all been waiting to see thus far is here.  Heat/Lakers on Christmas Day!  If King James and company can dismantle the Lakers (like his Cavs did last year) then EVERYONE (and I mean everyone outside of La La Land) will crown the Heat.  If the Lakers lose they will bounce back, but from a PR standpoint this is a must win for LeBron James and the Heat. 

Peace,
Agent34

Decisions, Decisions!

Every decision in life comes with some sort of consequence, some good and some bad. 
In the case of LeBron Jame's decision to bolt rainy Cleveland for the Miami sun we will have to wait and see. 

One thing I do know is that this team is going to be GOOD!  I mean really GOOD!  Think about how you are going to try and stop 3 All-Stars on the same..in their prime.  Did you see what the Boston 3 Party did in only one year, heck they could have potentially won 2 in 3 years.  People will say the emergence of Rondo helped them, but Rondo is not Rondo without the big 3.  The 3 Amigos (my nickname for them) will draw so much attention that a new star will be born in Miami.  It could be 3rd year guard Mario Chalmers who is certainly capable of knocking down open shots if left open. 

All in all I believe Bron made the best decision for himself.  We are all selfish by nature, and if you weren't then you would not truly be alive.  Lebron has been a machine since he was in the 9th grade, said all the right things, played for the home team and never really got in trouble.  If he is shunned for wanting to win championships in his own right then so be it.  Jordan would have left Chicago if Pippen did not come along, you know why?  Because they would not have won a single title without him.  True, LeBron had the team to do it last year but fell short; now he has a new lease on life and should be a force for the Heat.  This Heat team has 3 of the 5 starters from the USA Basketball team that won gold.  Not sure how much stock goes into that but I do know that the Lakers could not beat Cleveland last year, and they struggled against a scrappy Heat team only to be bailed out by a Kobe 3.  Depending on the way the seeding ends up in the East I am picking them to go to the Finals. 

I am a fan of Basketball first, teams second, and players last.  Most people root for individuals and not the team, but in the case of Cleveland LeBron is a wanted man.  I cant wait to see the new Miami Heat take the floor against the Lakers on Christmas and LeBrons homecoming in October.  This has never been done, so of course some people want truly understand.  The 3 amigos are trendsetters and I look forward to seeing how this decision turns out for the King. 

Will this be the Year for Melo?

The NBA Season is coming to a close and the playoff picture is starting to shape up to be a great one.  Sitting in the #2 spot in the Western Conference are the Denver Nuggets.  Surprised?  Me Too.  They have quietly put together a great season and Carmelo Anthony is leading the way.

Once Chauncey Billups came aboard the offense has been clicking and the defense has defensive intensity has been at an all time high.  Denver has won 53 games this season and have won 9 out of the last 10 with a 2 game lead on San Antonio for the 2nd seed out West.

Throughout Carmelo Anthony's entire career he will be compared to Dwayne Wade and LeBron James in the infamous class of 2003.  Stephen A. Smith wrote an interesting article around the time Melo was suspended 1 game for refusing to come out at George Karls request.  The fallout between coach and player plus the 15 games missed from the injury cost him a rightful spot on the All-Star Team. 

Now, Melo has put the childish ways of his past behind him and is focused on getting the Nuggets out of the 1st round for the first time in his career.  Not only are the Nuggets poised to make a playoff run; the buzz in Denver has pegged them as the odds on favorite to de-thrown the Lakers out West.  I know that sounds crazy giving that the Lakers are fighting for the #1 seed in the league, have only lost 16 games, and that they swept the Nuggets in 4 games a year ago.  Lol.  Somehow this isnt the same team..if they are healthy and click at the right time they can challenge the Lake Show and set up a showdown that has been brewing since 2003.  Melo -Vs- LeBron.

This match up I believe will be far more intriguing than Kobe -Vs- LeBron (which is the way it may end up) only because I think we could all agree that the Cavs cant beat the Lakers 4 times.  Sure the Celtics did it last year, but they had 3 All-Stars and a defense out of this world.  But the Lakers have Bynum this year, and Ariza and a bench that is unforgiving.  But, a Denver/Cleveland final would be wide open, I mean are the Cavs that much better than the Nuggets?  Melo and LeBron basically cancel each other out in the scoring department, and the role players on both teams are good.

This is my dream match up for the finals.  If the Nuggets can get through the crowded Western Conference then they will be road and battled tested to go in Cleveland and win a game or two.  The order of importance from that 03 class is..
1) LeBron
2)D-Wade
3)Chris Bosh
4)Melo

If he can win big this year in the playoffs then he can change the order, and solidify himself as a true Superstar in this league.  Or Not...

Peace,
Agent 34