LeBron passed on the last play. So what?

Miami 98 Utah 99.

Certainly an entertaining game, and one of the Jazz' best performances of the season, regardless of blowing a lead late in the game.

The Jazz are down 1 with 13 seconds left, and quickly go to a play that has been a favorite as of late, going to the low post in an iso play for Al Jefferson.  Nothing was there, and he dished it back to Devin Harris at the top of the key.  Devin, with "The King" guarding him, pump faked, got LeBron in the air and took it to the hole.  He floats up a prayer with his right hand, draws contact from D-Wade and makes the shot.  Harris goes to the line, makes the free throw, Jazz up one with 4.5 seconds left.

On the ensuing play, LeBron lined up underneath the hoop guarded by Josh Howard.  To this point in the 4th quarter, the Headband Hoodlum had been playing like a mad man.  8-9 from the field in the 4th quarter including a three-pointer with 1:07 left, and a crazy 23 footer with a guy in his face, to take the lead with 26 seconds left.  The game was his.  He curled up outside the three point line on the wing, catches a screen from Udonis Haslem and is double teamed by Paul Millsap and Josh Howard, and passed to the open man (Haslem), who missed an open 18 footer, Jazz rebound, Jazz win.

I really don't think that LeBron dishing the ball was that big of a deal.  Haslem is having an off-season, and isn't shooting well, but historically is a decent mid-range shooter.  He was the open man, and had a good look.  LeBron had two guys right up in his face and passed it to the open man, and LeBron gets the blame for this loss.  Not to mention if Haslem sinks the open "J", LBJ would have looked like a genius.  Does the double teamed superstar keep the ball and take an off-balance shot, or pass to the open role-player who is traditionally a good mid-range shooter?

What if D-Wade hadn't disappeared in the 4th quarter.  He was 2-6 shooting, and missed a free-throw that would have given the Heat a three point lead with 13 seconds left.  What if Wade made the free-throw?  LeBron was the only reason the Heat were even in the game in the 4th quarter.  Dwyane Wade should be the one taking the Heat for this loss, if anybody.

This game wasn't a division, or conference game.  Miami still has a 5 1/2 game lead over division rival Orlando, and the Jazz are still looking like a long-shot for a playoff spot out West.  This game has little significance to either team, right now.  If this game were later in the season, and the playoff races were a lot closer than they actually are, this game, and LeBron's pass would have mattered a lot more.  LeBron disappeared in the final minutes of playoff games last year.  He's done much better in the clutch this year, and he certainly stepped it up in the 4th quarter tonight.  He shouldn't be criticized for passing to an open player, especially after all he had done.  If/when he does that in a game that matters this year, than we can get on his back.  As for now, he's still one of the most dominant players in the game.

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How one team can single-handedly ruin the NBA

Some of you may have heard that the NBA finals are being played between the Dallas Mavericks and the dreaded Miami Heat.  This series has been really interesting for me.  I grew up a fan of the small market Utah Jazz, and traditionally have never cared about the Heat ('til this year), and have despised Dallas for a loooooooooong time.  I want the Mavericks to win, but I have the Heat in 6.

This series has put me in deep thought for some time now.  How could I, Austin Christensen, a life-long Jazz fan, who has hated the Mavericks for as long as I have (started with the 1st round playoffs when the Jazz went up 2-0 and Dallas won 3 straight to win the series) cheer so fervently for them to win the Holy Grail of NBA basketball?  It's because if the Miami Heat win the NBA championship it will completely, utterly, and absolutely destroy the NBA as we know it.  

The NBA has some teams from small markets that have contributed in big ways to the leagues history, and tradition.  The San Antonio Spurs, Portland Trailblazers, Utah Jazz, Oklahoma City Thunder/Seattle Supersonics, and Sacramento Kings have all contributed in great ways and have had great playoff runs in the Western Conference.  All are smaller markets.  In the East you have teams like the Pacers, even the Milwaukee Bucks when they had Lou Alcindor,and Cleveland who are all smaller markets, and have made playoff runs of their own.  The league has a history of smaller markets who make runs in the playoffs and even steal TV ratings (i.e. Memphis this year, and Golden State of 2006).  If the Heat win the Finals this year, it will completely ruin these smaller markets, and in turn, ruin more than half the league.

NBA players normally don't want to go to smaller markets, and the players that are in the small markets, all want to get out (i.e. Rony Seikally and Derek Harper being traded to Utah, and Deron Williams staying in Utah).  LeBron James left his smaller market, home-town team to join Chris Bosh (also leaving a smaller basketball market) and DeWayne Wade in Miami.  The three players contacted each other during the summer, and planned to form a dream team in a desirable market, and are now on the verge of winning an NBA championship.  Amare Stoudamire and Carmelo Anthony soon followed suit, joining up in New York, another desirable market to live and play in.  

If the Heat win, all the NBA's superstars are going to be calling each other and trying to find a good location to play ball, and make their own dream teams, virtually eliminating teams like Indiana, Utah, Milwaukee, Minnesota etc. from getting any superstar players of their own.  All the Superstars are going to want to take pay-cuts, and go to bigger markets to play for rings.  Dallas didn't have to do that, and that is why ALL of America, but especially small market America, should be cheering for Dallas to win the NBA Finals.  Dallas is the team that can stick it to the man, and prove that the superstars of the NBA can't do whatever they want to do.  

Miami winning the Finals would mean an end of balance (if there was any to begin with) talent, and depth to the NBA, making it even more predictable, boring, and one-sided than ever.  America, and the NBA need the Mavericks to win this series.  Let's go Mavs!  

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