Rich Cho is out as Trail Blazer GM

The Portland Trail Blazers fired general manager Rich Cho Monday, after a tenure that didn't even last a full calendar year. He wasn't even in place for last June's NBA draft, and he'll be looking for work during this June's NBA draft, and even considering the volatile behind-the-scenes machinations we're used to from Blazers owner Paul Allen's Vulcan organization, this is pretty nutty.

In the coming days, higher placed sources will discuss things on the record with higher placed columnists about what went wrong in Portland, but we can safely rely on two initial thoughts as news of Cho's dismissal hits two days after news that he attempted to suspend guard Brandon Roy for speaking to Yahoo! Sports' Marc Spears about his frustrations with playing time.

One, you shouldn't be anywhere near the idea of suspending a player, any player, in the midst of a playoff series for myriad reasons, whether you're down 0-2 or up 2-0. There's no way around it. The lesson isn't worth it.

Secondly, these Blazers are a majorly screwed-up organization right now. Despite the consistent playoff appearances, this cannot be denied. And it starts at the top.

Because while former GM Kevin Pritchard annoyed many, his biggest transgression in the eyes of Vulcan was not aligning himself with every bit of articulated thought that petered down from their offices on high. Pritchard was a good sport in capably running Portland's draft after he was fired last year, but that was a ridiculous enough position to be put in by the Portland ownership. Whether he deserved to be fired or not isn't the question, it's whether you announce to the world, your fans, and 29 other teams that the guy who is making the phone calls is a lame duck. And you don't do that.

And now Cho is out after a pretty successful stint, Roy frustrations aside. His major move was to turn Dante Cunningham, Joel Przybilla and Sean Marks (plus New Orleans' first-round pick next month, and a conditional 2013 first-rounder) for Gerald Wallace. Wallace immediately amplified his game, the Blazers finished the season on a tear, and few picked the Mavs to take them down in the first round of the playoffs.

But they did. And Roy grumbled about minutes, while his contributions (regardless of minutes) varied from an All-Star level turn to save Game 4, to the barely-worth-a-rotation-spot player we saw in other turns. The season ended swiftly, coach Nate McMillan mused about his team's roster last week, and that was about it, until now.

The Blazers dug deep to hire the well-regarded Chad Buchanan as his temporary replacement, denying a takeover opportunity for both of Cho's assistant GMs, who will apparently be retained. And from here?

If history is any indication, the Blazers will either hire someone who takes and executes their directive, no matter how damaging. Or they will hire someone who will impress in interviews while the Vulcan brass impresses themselves about how much they'll stay out of the new one's hair. Which of course they won't, and we'll be right back at this keyboard typing this same story out in a year or two.

Karl Malone Moses Malone Pete Maravich Kevin McHale George Mikan

Mike Miller plays well through the health issues surrounding his child

It's one thing for Miami Heat wing Mike Miller to even be able to catch and shoot a ball, with the way that both of his thumbs are wrapped up with swelling-reducing braces. It's another to marvel at his game-changing 12 points and nine rebounds in Miami's series-changing Game 4 win from Tuesday night, as we learned Wednesday that he has been playing with a torn tendon in his left thumb that he suffered a month�ago. It's yet another to know that he's able to keep his composure and help the Heat move one win away from the finals with the knowledge that his infant daughter is in a hospital room, fighting for her life.

Miller will travel with his team to Chicago to participate in Thursday's Game 5 of the Eastern Conference finals, but for the first time since daughter Jaelyn's birth last Thursday, he'll be away at his job while she recovers from an undisclosed health issue caused by complications from childbirth.

ESPN's Michael Wallace is reporting that, immediately following Miller's hero turn in helping Miami come back in the fourth quarter of Game 4, he went to visit Jaelyn in her hospital room, staying there until 4 in the morning. Miller's struggles have to be a dampening reminder to Heat teammate Zydrunas Ilgauskas, as Wallace reports:

[Ilgauskas] and his wife were expecting twins in 2007, when complications arose and both babies were lost after being born four months premature.

"He has a lot on his mind," Ilgauskas said. "You just try to be a good friend right now. He's one of the toughest individuals I've ever been around. He's worked so hard, he's just a blue-collar guy who comes to play every day. But this, this is life."

It is, and it's heartbreaking.

But it's also worth pointing out that, in an entirely less-important world, Miller managed double-figure points on Tuesday for just the second time since mid-March, in a season that has been a constant struggle for him. He knows that things can turn, quickly, for the better. It's slim comfort, now, but it needs to be a comfort never the less.

Lenny Wilkens James Worthy Kareem Abdul Jabbar Nate Archibald Paul Arizin

What happened when James Harden fouled out

This is via Steve Aschburner's Twitter account, and it paints a pretty nasty picture. Oklahoma City had a figurative tree tattooed on its chest following James Harden's sixth foul, and here are the raw numbers behind it.

9:33: Enough time to tilt the Western Conference finals in Dallas' favor, enough time for the Mavs to outscore the Thunder by a 25-6 mark, enough time for OKC to manage more turnovers (four) than field goals (less than four, as you can see above), and enough time to produce what Johnny Ludden called "as inept a stretch of crunch-time basketball as anyone can remember this deep into the playoffs."

Sam Jones Michael Jordan Jerry Lucas Karl Malone Moses Malone

Kidd to be oldest G to start in finals (AP)

After all the assists, steals, 3-pointers and triple-doubles, Jason Kidd has an easier path to his next entry in the NBA record book. All he has to do is show up. Kidd will become the oldest guard to start a game in an NBA finals when the Dallas Mavericks face the Miami Heat on Tuesday night. While Dirk Nowitzki calls him a "fossil," and Shawn Marion described him as being "almost...

Wes Unseld Bill Walton Jerry West Lenny Wilkens James Worthy

A Thunder fan makes her case to marry James Harden

There is still a chance, however slight, that the Oklahoma City Thunder will take Game 5 of their Western Conference finals matchup with the Dallas Mavericks.

After all, they took Game 2 in Dallas. The Thunder are very good, very potent on both ends, and even a team like the Dallas Mavericks will have its work cut out for it beating a very good Oklahoma City team three times in a row. Two in a row, as things stand now, feels like quite the accomplishment.

Should the Thunder lose in Dallas in Game 5, on Wednesday, then Monday's Game 4 will have been the last game played this season in Oklahoma City. Which is a shame, when you think about it.

And after you look at this, you might wonder if it is for the best:

(Via SB Skeets.)

I realize we all can't meet our future spouses at the school bus stop, but this is a bit much, friend. Have you tried speed dating? It got Paul Rudd's character from "The 40 Year-Old Virgin" sent home from work early. Win-win.

In all seriousness, we hope you find love, Meghan Dailey. And we hope you get to see James Harden play again, in OKC, this week.

Moses Malone Pete Maravich Kevin McHale George Mikan Earl Monroe

Days of NBA Lives: Wherein an airline lost Manu Ginobili’s dog

At this point, seemingly half the NBA is on Twitter. It's a wild world of training updates, questions as to which movies they should go see, and explanations of their Call of Duty prowess. Every so often, though, you also get a picture into the more interesting aspects of NBA life. This feature is your window into that world.

Spencer Hawes: Hangover part 2 was entertaining yet a little disappointing. I've decided to see it again to try and catch more the second time. #worthit

DaSean Butler: Traffic everywhere smh.ruff week for me from throw up in my bed, wearing a shirt inside out all nite n not noticing, etc lol #NotWinning yet

Manu Ginobili: Mi dog finally made it home after 5 days! Poor thing, completely lost. Not very happy w the airline that brought us...

Danilo Gallinari: Going to the zoo...1 hour wait to get in the cinese pavillion...crazy..

Roy Hibbert: Bout to c Lion King on Broadway. I loved this movie as a kids. I refuse to c cats.

You can also follow Eric Freeman on Twitter at @freemaneric.

John Stockton Isiah Thomas Nate Thurmond Wes Unseld Bill Walton

Behind the Box Score, where Oklahoma City kept it interesting

"We were increasing the lead."

That's it, from Thunder coach Scott Brooks. Nothing more. This is why Oklahoma City guard Eric Maynor played the whole fourth quarter, and if you want to call me na�ve and tell me I should be more cynical in how I approach the way I cover this game, well … actually I don't have three giant boxes of conspiracy proof and/or theories to show you, because I sold them to Richard Belzer.

(For gold, of course. The only thing we can count on when this whole society goes to pot. You watch.)

Let the TV pundits and national columnists (sneering descriptions that we're now starting to toss out with the same invective those types used to save for "bloggers and dot com'ers" some five years ago, five months ago, five days ago) pump this story up to fulfill their insecure need to turn basketball into mere fodder for that next day's cable, print, or radio lineup. The real story here, as All-Star Oklahoma Thunder guard Russell Westbrook sat for the entire fourth quarter, is that for small one-possession stretches Dallas' defense was no good when it needed to be, and its offense was lacking when it needed to be. And that Oklahoma City won, and took the homecourt advantage in the victory.

Also, that this was a superbly well-played game by both sides that was decided by only six points, and two possessions. Oklahoma City made more tough shots. They had the lead when the clock was about to run out, so Dallas had to start fouling intentionally. Then they had the lead, earned with tough and smart play, when the clock went out. There's your story, well-dressed man.

Beyond that dismissive take, what a game! Dallas roared out to the early lead, watching as Jason Kidd nailed a pair of treys and found Tyson Chandler again and again for transition throw-downs as OKC didn't talk defensively.

Then came that dunk. And while I like to go pragmatic with these sorts of things, tell me that didn't change things. Tell me that those two points didn't count for … well, OK. They counted for two points. But they helped, in some regard. And the momentum swing (even as Dallas hit a technical foul free throw on the other end, and Durant missed his and-one freebie) was palpable.

Even with some defensive hiccups, the Thunder bench methodically took it to the Mavs in the second quarter, running what was a five-point deficit at the end of the first (and an 11-point deficit earlier on as Kidd and Chandler were having their way) into a two-point lead by halftime. The Mavs just weren't closing out the way the encouraged Thunder offense demanded, and OKC helped stem that tide with Russell Westbrook's 18 points (nice jumpers), Durant's 24, and the way it made sure that the Maverick helpers (Shawn Marion and Jason Terry combined to shoot 7-22) stay in check.

And Dallas, to its discredit, never seemed to find a way to find Nowitzki the ball.

"Riding" someone doesn't mean taking in their somewhere-around-30 points (Dirk had 29) or going to them incessantly in the stretch (Dirk had 16 fourth quarter points). It means riding them throughout. You ride them in the first half, as they pick up fouls on the other team and help find open jumpers for their teammates (done and done, as Dirk had four assists by the half), you ride them in the third quarter so as to help pull away in a close game (nope, and noper), and you let them finish things in the fourth.

And that third quarter, one that saw Dallas fail to put a stamp on things despite OKC's 18 third quarter points, was the missed chance. The Thunder played tough defense in the third, you saw it, but that only means you switch gears. You still ride the damn thing.

In the fourth, OKC's spacing was too good. In a back-and-forth game, it came down to being able to point to each of Dallas' screwups. Tyson Chandler needlessly treating Nick Collison like he was Joel Anthony on offense. Jason Terry missing shots. Dirk's one missed free throw, two missed jumpers (both on line), and the attempted jump hook off of a loose ball. Jason Kidd throwing it away.

On defense, though? The Thunder ran perfectly off those few misses. James Harden (23 points, seven boards, four assists) made some brilliant shots. And in the end, there just weren't enough possessions in the fourth, even as the team fed it to Dirk just about every time down court, to make up for those few wasted possessions earlier in the game for Dallas.

And that's what basketball often comes down to. It doesn't end because one team has defeated another. It ends because the clock ran out. And while Oklahoma City deserves unending credit for thinking on its feet, refusing to back down after taking in that early deficit, and bringing the poise and focus on the road, this was just a game that ended. I'd say the same had Marion and Terry hit a few more shots earlier in the game, and Dallas won by six.

The only issue is what you choose to pine over. You can obsess over what the TV guys can't get past, or you can look forward to the fact that you probably have five games left between two championship-worthy teams that are just unendingly fun to watch. Oklahoma City is owed its blowout win, and that'll happen at some point, but beyond that (assuming there's no absence of character, destructive shooting slump, or injury) we're getting four great ones.

On Thursday night, we got another great one. Don't pity Russell Westbrook, because he had the best seat in the house.

Hakeem Olajuwon Robert Parish Bob Pettit Scottie Pippen Willis Reed

Heat, Mavericks wary of labor strife (AP)

Reaching the NBA finals typically means a shorter offseason for the teams involved. This year, the Miami Heat and Dallas Mavericks realize they might be looking at a lengthy layoff because labor strife looms. The collective bargaining agreement expires June 30, and while the league and players are trying to reach a new deal, they remain far apart on major financial issues, raising the possibility...

Nate Archibald Paul Arizin Charles Barkley Rick Barry Elgin Baylor

Kevin McHale gets his up and under back

Due to some killer work on NBA TV every Tuesday, and his job sustaining those contributions at TNT during the playoffs, Hall of Famer Kevin McHale has enjoyed a career renaissance of late. Good thing, too, because the sporting world (myself included) really needed to stop thinking of him as the guy that drafted and/or traded for about 32 6-3 shooting guards in his later years as GM of the Minnesota Timberwolves. Or as the guy who wrote this.

Or, most damning, we needed to stop thinking of him as the biggest reason why Kevin Garnett's prime was squandered on terrible teams.

He also drafted The Kid, back in 1995. And McHale earns points for trading Garnett back onto, essentially, national TV in 2007. He also spearheaded Minnesota's rebuilding movement with the deal, as it brought in a 20 and 10 man in Al Jefferson while clearing loads of cap space. It was McHale's successor that frittered that away. And, though we wish McHale all the best, we hope NBA TV won't be looking for his successor anytime soon, as he seeks out head coaching gigs. Didn't even know the guy wanted to coach, if we're honest.

Didn't know a lot of things, until reading this fantastic Q and A with McHale from SLAM Thursday, put together by Tzvi Twersky. You really should read the whole thing. And, until you do, we'll glom onto a couple of excerpts if you don't mind.

SLAM: You had a seemingly endless array of post moves. Where and how did you develop them, or were they just natural?

KM: I actually didn't start growing 'til I was a sophomore in high school. So I was small, and I had to get shots under people, over people, throw shots. I just developed a lot of different things. I kinda always had a ball in my hand. I'd play one-on-one, two-on-two, three-on-three. I just played ball all the time. And when you play enough, you just develop an ability to get the ball in the hole. And a big part of it is, even when I was a young kid and smaller, I could always put the ball in the hole. It was one thing I was always blessed with, being able to get the ball in the hole from different angles, and then I just played a lot. So when I got in the post, I was just upfaking, pivoting, just trying to shake loose from guys. And the good Lord blessed me; I grew from 5-11 as a sophomore to 6-7, 6-8, maybe close to 6-9, by the end of my senior year of high school, and I grew to be 6-10 and a quarter. But I never knew that [was going to happen]. When I first became a basketball junkie, I was just a small, little skinny dude and then I became a real tall, skinny dude.

How often do we hear this from not only NBA players, but NBA greats?

For every Kareem Abdul-Jabbar or Shaquille O'Neal, there always seems to be a McHale, a Scottie Pippen, or Dennis Rodman that barely had varsity size in high school, and grew into NBA size later on while still boasting those smaller kid traits. And by "smaller kid," I mean the ability to do whatever it took to contribute on both ends, while featuring the enthusiasm and obsession of a kid that has to work twice as hard.

Not that the big boys (with big man size) don't have to work just as hard, but there is something to having to fight through the fire when your cheekbones come up to their elbows, first.

It's also a good reason why so many international players, the ones that start playing professional ball at an early age, are so well-rounded. So, apparently that's the answer. Every 5-8 American male should have to get a roster spot on a D-League team at age 15 for a semester. You'll love Fort Wayne, kids.

SLAM: Red Auerbach orchestrated a Draft week trade that ended up with you starting your career in Boston. Do you ever imagine what your career would've been like if you started elsewhere?

Kevin McHale: Yeah, not nearly as good, I can tell you that. The way the Draft was laid out, I didn't know where anybody was gonna go or what was going to happen. Then, the night before the Draft, Boston makes a trade with Golden State. Golden State goes from three to one; Boston also gets Robert Parish. I get a call later on in the evening, Red [Auerbach] says, "Utah is going to take Darrell Griffith two, so we're going to take you three. We got a big guy in Robert Parish we really like. We think that's really going to work out. We want to get bigger across the front line." And, man, what a blessing. Unbelievable. Got there and just started playing. Larry [Bird] was in his second year; in training camp we had Tiny Archibald and Dave Cowens, Pete Maravich, a bunch of veterans. It was a phenomenal experience the whole time.

Also remember that Red Auerbach was the man who managed to bring in�Bill Russell, Tom Heinsohn and K.C. Jones in one draft. That's three Hall of Famers, and the core of a team that would combine with Bob Cousy to reel off the start of those endless championships. Russell, Heinsohn and Jones would also lead the Celtics to five championships as coaches, as well.

So, yes. We know what you're thinking. He was the anti-Kahn.

SLAM: You've been a player, coach, GM and now you're an analyst for TNT. Is the view of the game different on TV than it was courtside?

KM: Not too much. It's still basketball. I really enjoy it. The Turner people are fantastic people to work with. But I'll tell you what, you can take GM, you can take coach, you can take [analyst], but there's nothing like playing. I'll tell you what I miss most: standing at halfcourt, looking at the other guy and saying, "Let's get it on."

Only Hall of Famers can get away with "standing at halfcourt, looking at the other guy, and saying 'let's get it on.'" Believe me, I've tried.

Great read.

Michael Jordan Jerry Lucas Karl Malone Moses Malone Pete Maravich

Days of NBA Lives: Wherein Jared Dudley is delicious

At this point, seemingly half the NBA is on Twitter. It's a wild world of training updates, questions as to which movies they should go see, and explanations of their Call of Duty prowess. Every so often, though, you also get a picture into the more interesting aspects of NBA life. This feature is your window into that world.

Larry Sanders: I used to love the song "complicated" by avril lavigne..

Marcin Gortat: Margo dydek left us couple hours ago...REST IN PEACE!U were a great basketball player and even better person of the court.

Brandon Jennings: I thought I never do this, but #LBJ

Amar'e Stoudemire: In PHX watching the Heat vs Bulls game. Decided to stop by Majerle's an guess what i see.@JaredDudley619 http://lockerz.com/s/105075115

Mo Williams: I don't remember all this for graduating the 6th grade. The had graduation, a reception, went bowling, and a dance. Wow

You can also follow Eric Freeman on Twitter at @freemaneric.

Elvin Hayes Magic Johnson Sam Jones Michael Jordan Jerry Lucas

Behind the Box Score, where Miami moved on to the Finals

The Miami Heat was always supposed to be playing basketball on May 26. They had promised as much last summer during the giddy celebration that followed the transactions that allowed LeBron James and Chris Bosh a chance to join Dwyane Wade and construct a superteam. Their promise also promised as much, because even the weakest of supporting casts and most incompetent of coaches shouldn't have ruined a chance for a team featuring two players who are at the best at their positions, and one who isn't far off. �Luckily for the Heat and their fans, the bench hasn't been that bad of late, and coach Erik Spoelstra is spectacular at what he does.

Chicago was different. Nobody but hounders of their team's message boards thought they would make it to the third round, much less with home-court advantage, and especially without significant injuries to players in Orlando or Boston playing a part. No, those teams stayed relatively healthy, even as Chicago actually did not, and the Bulls still flew to the league's best record.

That run ended Thursday, with the Heat winning 83-80 to make the NBA Finals. It ended at about the same spot that it started, with Derrick Rose attempting a 3-pointer (that missed) from Chicago's left elbow extended. It was the spot that had become home to Rose as he shot 40 percent from behind the arc in November and December, kick-starting what would become an MVP season.

Rose's touch from that spot dwindled as the season went on, but he improved his free-throw totals to more than make up for it. By season's end, he was leading Chicago to close win after close win with fourth-quarter offensive flourishes and the MVP furor was at fever pitch. It helped hide all of Chicago's weaknesses. The iffy offense. The inconsistent contributions from helpers like Luol Deng and Carlos Boozer. The fact that Rose, even at his best, certainly needed quite a few shots to score all those points.

By the time the playoffs rolled around, the rest of the league knew what was up. Derrick Rose, as he's done all year, summed it up best after Chicago's Game 5 loss:

"Everything is on me."

That's the problem. In this loss, Luol Deng battled foul trouble and needed 17 shots to score 18 points. Carlos Boozer came through with more annoying screams (I stopped counting at five) than field goals (one). Taj Gibson shot 0 for 4 in Games 4 and 5 after hitting for 13 of 21 to start the series. Kyle Korver missed 2 of 3 threes on Thursday. Keith Bogans is Keith Bogans. Kurt Thomas was at times Chicago's second-best player. Everything was on Rose. And he shot 29 times, scoring only 25 points.

And that's not what championship teams are made of. It never has been, unless something's gone dreadfully wrong within a playoff bracket.

We don't know if Miami is a championship team at this point,�its upcoming series with Dallas is too close to call in the wake of this impressive win, but the Heat are at the same place they were last July. This is a team that should be winning championships. The way they've gone to get back to this same place, however, is the strange part.

"Nothing we've gone through," Spoelstra said after the win, "has been normal or traditional."

(It's at this point that we'd offer a sarcastic go-to phrase including a curse word that also references a famous fictional Scottish detective.)

Though we still have his slams from the 2007 Eastern Conference finals ringing in our ears, this series made a star out of LeBron James. I know that the Finals and the championship are the true test, and that we've seen him play like this before, but nobody entered a season with as little goodwill behind him as James. Name 'em. Not one.

He made that star turn to the fair weather observers because he dominated as a member of the Heat. He made his star turn in my eyes because he was aggressive when it counted the most, and because he mixed it up. Because it wasn't all 3-pointers (though that was the case down the stretch in Game 5, as James nailed 2 of 3 in the final two minutes) and dunks. It was the smart play, every time. It wasn't all talent and ridiculous athleticism. It was smarts and touch and all the right plays. He also shut down the league's MVP for the second straight fourth quarter, in games that could have gone either way.

(The last three games really could have gone either way, dammit. Geez, what a blow. Bugger all. Seriously. Now back to being an objective observer …)

Rose shot 4 of 23 in fourth quarters over this series, and 2 of 9 Thursday. He managed to squeak off one turnaround runner over James, but by and large LeBron had him completely in check. It wasn't even close. It was complete and utter dominance.

And while we're wary of giving the Heat credit for something that they're supposed to do, they did it. They didn't take the 76ers lightly, they imposed their will on the suddenly (by Miami's hand) squeaky Boston Celtics, and they came through with a focused four games in a row versus Chicago�after suffering a Game 1 thumper.

This is what goes on in this league, this league full of grown-ups. Talent wins out. I'm not sure of the exact stats, but it's a pretty good percentage. Someday someone will look up talent-outing per 100 possessions.

But that's not to discourage us. And though the puff pieces that followed these Bulls around the league got to a lot of fans, including some Bulls fans (especially this one), this is a Heat team that few outside of Miami were rooting for. But you can't get discouraged. Because the season gave you more than you expected, before it gave you exactly what you expected.

So that's why you think of everything, all at once. Those Saturday nights when it seemed nobody could stop them, and that nobody could stay in front of Derrick ("FROM CHICAGO") Rose. Those late Tuesdays where it seemed like Chicago hadn't given up more than 12 points in a 22-minute span. The time you took to look back at the month that was, and the quiet "wow" that left your mouth when you realized the team just won 13 of 16. Joakim Noah, bloody everywhere. Deng on the court, playing his 38th minute, even though the Bulls were up 18 with three minutes left. Tom Thibodeau's voice, rivaling Tom Waits' even by Halloween.�Seventy-one wins in 98 tries.

That's what you think of, after you get up from the repeated body blows that follow an 18-3 run to end the game over the last 3:55.

That's what I'll think of, as I pack the gear up for the final time this season to drive back into the plains. I'm not sure I'll have enough time, in the two-hour drive, for all the good memories. Thanks for that, Chicago.

And thanks for holding your own, Miami. Pretty damn impressive, guys. Now keep it up. You've got a title, still to earn.

Dave Bing Larry Bird Wilt Chamberlain Bob Cousy Dave Cowens

Behind the Box Score, where Miami moved on to the Finals

The Miami Heat was always supposed to be playing basketball on May 26. They had promised as much last summer during the giddy celebration that followed the transactions that allowed LeBron James and Chris Bosh a chance to join Dwyane Wade and construct a superteam. Their promise also promised as much, because even the weakest of supporting casts and most incompetent of coaches shouldn't have ruined a chance for a team featuring two players who are at the best at their positions, and one who isn't far off. �Luckily for the Heat and their fans, the bench hasn't been that bad of late, and coach Erik Spoelstra is spectacular at what he does.

Chicago was different. Nobody but hounders of their team's message boards thought they would make it to the third round, much less with home-court advantage, and especially without significant injuries to players in Orlando or Boston playing a part. No, those teams stayed relatively healthy, even as Chicago actually did not, and the Bulls still flew to the league's best record.

That run ended Thursday, with the Heat winning 83-80 to make the NBA Finals. It ended at about the same spot that it started, with Derrick Rose attempting a 3-pointer (that missed) from Chicago's left elbow extended. It was the spot that had become home to Rose as he shot 40 percent from behind the arc in November and December, kick-starting what would become an MVP season.

Rose's touch from that spot dwindled as the season went on, but he improved his free-throw totals to more than make up for it. By season's end, he was leading Chicago to close win after close win with fourth-quarter offensive flourishes and the MVP furor was at fever pitch. It helped hide all of Chicago's weaknesses. The iffy offense. The inconsistent contributions from helpers like Luol Deng and Carlos Boozer. The fact that Rose, even at his best, certainly needed quite a few shots to score all those points.

By the time the playoffs rolled around, the rest of the league knew what was up. Derrick Rose, as he's done all year, summed it up best after Chicago's Game 5 loss:

"Everything is on me."

That's the problem. In this loss, Luol Deng battled foul trouble and needed 17 shots to score 18 points. Carlos Boozer came through with more annoying screams (I stopped counting at five) than field goals (one). Taj Gibson shot 0 for 4 in Games 4 and 5 after hitting for 13 of 21 to start the series. Kyle Korver missed 2 of 3 threes on Thursday. Keith Bogans is Keith Bogans. Kurt Thomas was at times Chicago's second-best player. Everything was on Rose. And he shot 29 times, scoring only 25 points.

And that's not what championship teams are made of. It never has been, unless something's gone dreadfully wrong within a playoff bracket.

We don't know if Miami is a championship team at this point,�its upcoming series with Dallas is too close to call in the wake of this impressive win, but the Heat are at the same place they were last July. This is a team that should be winning championships. The way they've gone to get back to this same place, however, is the strange part.

"Nothing we've gone through," Spoelstra said after the win, "has been normal or traditional."

(It's at this point that we'd offer a sarcastic go-to phrase including a curse word that also references a famous fictional Scottish detective.)

Though we still have his slams from the 2007 Eastern Conference finals ringing in our ears, this series made a star out of LeBron James. I know that the Finals and the championship are the true test, and that we've seen him play like this before, but nobody entered a season with as little goodwill behind him as James. Name 'em. Not one.

He made that star turn to the fair weather observers because he dominated as a member of the Heat. He made his star turn in my eyes because he was aggressive when it counted the most, and because he mixed it up. Because it wasn't all 3-pointers (though that was the case down the stretch in Game 5, as James nailed 2 of 3 in the final two minutes) and dunks. It was the smart play, every time. It wasn't all talent and ridiculous athleticism. It was smarts and touch and all the right plays. He also shut down the league's MVP for the second straight fourth quarter, in games that could have gone either way.

(The last three games really could have gone either way, dammit. Geez, what a blow. Bugger all. Seriously. Now back to being an objective observer …)

Rose shot 4 of 23 in fourth quarters over this series, and 2 of 9 Thursday. He managed to squeak off one turnaround runner over James, but by and large LeBron had him completely in check. It wasn't even close. It was complete and utter dominance.

And while we're wary of giving the Heat credit for something that they're supposed to do, they did it. They didn't take the 76ers lightly, they imposed their will on the suddenly (by Miami's hand) squeaky Boston Celtics, and they came through with a focused four games in a row versus Chicago�after suffering a Game 1 thumper.

This is what goes on in this league, this league full of grown-ups. Talent wins out. I'm not sure of the exact stats, but it's a pretty good percentage. Someday someone will look up talent-outing per 100 possessions.

But that's not to discourage us. And though the puff pieces that followed these Bulls around the league got to a lot of fans, including some Bulls fans (especially this one), this is a Heat team that few outside of Miami were rooting for. But you can't get discouraged. Because the season gave you more than you expected, before it gave you exactly what you expected.

So that's why you think of everything, all at once. Those Saturday nights when it seemed nobody could stop them, and that nobody could stay in front of Derrick ("FROM CHICAGO") Rose. Those late Tuesdays where it seemed like Chicago hadn't given up more than 12 points in a 22-minute span. The time you took to look back at the month that was, and the quiet "wow" that left your mouth when you realized the team just won 13 of 16. Joakim Noah, bloody everywhere. Deng on the court, playing his 38th minute, even though the Bulls were up 18 with three minutes left. Tom Thibodeau's voice, rivaling Tom Waits' even by Halloween.�Seventy-one wins in 98 tries.

That's what you think of, after you get up from the repeated body blows that follow an 18-3 run to end the game over the last 3:55.

That's what I'll think of, as I pack the gear up for the final time this season to drive back into the plains. I'm not sure I'll have enough time, in the two-hour drive, for all the good memories. Thanks for that, Chicago.

And thanks for holding your own, Miami. Pretty damn impressive, guys. Now keep it up. You've got a title, still to earn.

Kevin McHale George Mikan Earl Monroe Shaquille O Neal Hakeem Olajuwon

Derrick Rose and the NBA’s apparent ‘huge’ steroid problem

Derrick Rose says that performance enhancing drugs are a huge problem in the NBA, in a snippet that made the pages of ESPN the Magazine a few weeks ago, and the reaction to his comment seems to have hit a fever pitch.

And while we don't question Rose's knowledge of the inner-workings of this league, and what he's seen versus what we've observed and learned from afar, this does appear to be much ado about nothing. I'm hardly the NBA's favorite scribe these days, but it should be pointed out that this league has had strict testing for both drugs and supplements for decades, with ever-evolving guidelines, and that those who have been caught in the crosshairs with these sorts of things have been quickly sent to the sidelines. The league tests, and the few who use get caught.

In one of those quickie Q and A's ESPN Mag likes to run every-however-often-they-publish, Rose was asked to rate the NBA's problem with PEDs on a scale from one to ten. He classified it as a "seven," and then dropped this:

"It's huge and I think we need a level playing field, where nobody has that advantage over the next person."

What matters here is context, and you understanding that I'm not trying to argue away on behalf of Rose and/or the NBA.

Is "it" huge, or would the idea of PEDs being legally dumped into the NBA's bloodstream be huge? Was this question offered to Derrick as an idea, or as his take on what he knows about the league? Does he really think that the NBA doesn't have a level playing field because of these drugs and/or supplements? Or was he responding to a hypothetical that would come as a result of this uneven scope?

So far, only middling types like Don MacLean, O.J. Mayo, and Rashard Lewis have been suspended because of testing positive for this stuff. Others have been banished due to other chemical additives (be they recreational or otherwise), and if you want to get into some argument that allows for the idea that the NBA would knowingly gloss over some superstar who had tested positive so as not to keep him away from the national television cameras, then you're going to have to go to some message board for that.

Because it takes two to tango, and several to test and then react, and if that were actually the case with [name your All-Star], then some doctor or lab assistant would have a million-dollar exclusive on their hands. Unless you think the NBA, which regulates and labels headbands, would pay off a doctor or lab assistant. And then … wait, why am I even listening to you?

Rose denied through a team spokesman on Sunday that he even made the comments, and that'll be more than enough to fuel the fire, because nothing satiates a conspiracy theorist more than an outright denial spun through the professional hands of a team or league employee.

Common sense, here, everyone. I'm on nobody's payroll save for Yahoo!'s, and I'm not out to save "my boy." Give it a moment's thought before prattling on.

UPDATE:

Steve Aschburner, as he usually does, clarifies my thoughts in a more articulate fashion, while adding a nugget taken from the Chicago Tribune:

And the possibility loomed large that what Rose was asked, or thought he was asked, different significantly than what showed up on the final magazine page. That was the view of a Bull spokesman, who denied the quote on Rose's behalf that he was alleging a current, ongoing problem in the NBA.

The Chicago Tribune also reported:

One person close to Rose said the question was posed to him as "How big of a problem would it be if steroid use were rampant in the NBA?"

Fitting answers to questions reconfigured and slanted later happens sometimes in print journalism. It's a shoddy practice, mostly undone these days by video or audio recordings of most interviews. But without pictures or sound of this Q&A exchange between Rose and the reporter, it's hard to know if what was asked ?- and what was answered -? were precisely as portrayed in the one-page, graphics-heavy feature.

Your read, so to speak, as to what happens from here.

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Video: Dwyane Wade comes up empty on a dunk again

I guess this wasn't one of the shots Dwyane Wade was practicing at 11 p.m. on Monday night. That's kind of weird ? after catching the front-rim on a driving one-hander during the Miami Heat's 96-85 win over the Chicago Bulls in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference finals on Sunday night, you'd figure he'd make sure to work on that one. Judging by this miss in the opening minutes of Game 4, though ... not so much.

Clearly, this means he is neither a hard nor a smart worker, and is the worst. You've been right all along, people who hate the Heat! Sorry we all doubted you.

Jokes aside, Wade did struggle in Game 4, missing 11 of 16 field-goal attempts and finishing with 14 points, five rebounds, three blocks and two steals. Running buddy LeBron James had it going, though, posting a game-high 35 points (11-for-26 shooting), six rebounds, six assists and three steals to pace the Heat to a 101-93 overtime win. With the victory, Miami takes a commanding 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven Eastern Conference finals.

Original video via our man @Jose3030.

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Shaquille O’Neal’s girlfriend schools him on sleep apnea

Apparently Shaquille O'Neal snores. We probably could have guessed that. But who knew that snoring would be a danger to the big man's health?

Anyone who's ever been hit (or, as they call it, "lightly nudged") by their better half in the middle of the night knows that snoring can be pretty frustrating for the person who isn't the actual snorer. And anyone who's ever done the hitting (I don't "lightly nudge," dangit, because I've got sleep to catch up on) can tell you that it is about as high on the annoyance list as annoyances get.

But most tend to get over it, as their pretty little bird tweets away deep into dreamland. That said, not everyone has to share chambers with Shaquille O'Neal, all 7-1 and 300-pound whatever of him. If your better half sounds like a hummingbird, then this guy has to come off like a full blown diesel semi-engine.

That's why his girlfriend, TV's (they tell me) Nikki "Hoopz" Alexander, asked him to take part in a sleep apnea study sponsored by Harvard University. Because, jokes aside, it must be more than a little scary when those snores briefly turn into outright silence, which apparently has happened to Shaq a few times recently.

Watch:

Provided he's in a good mood, and isn't being petty, is Shaq ever not funny?

The consequences of sleep apnea, as described by the litany of doctors early in this video, is pretty frightening. So if the little bird next to you sounds like he or she is suffering from the same condition, get them hooked up to a "poly-what?" (as Shaq puts it) as soon as you can.

Sweet dreams, Shaquille.

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Spoelstra gives Heat calming influence (AP)

The photos of the greatest night in Miami Heat history are still on the walls of the arena where they play. Erik Spoelstra is grinning, bottle of beer in hand, the T-shirt he donned amid that championship celebration at Dallas in 2006 soaked by champagne. To this day, that shirt remains in his possession, never been washed.

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Kevin McHale gets his up and under back

Due to some killer work on NBA TV every Tuesday, and his job sustaining those contributions at TNT during the playoffs, Hall of Famer Kevin McHale has enjoyed a career renaissance of late. Good thing, too, because the sporting world (myself included) really needed to stop thinking of him as the guy that drafted and/or traded for about 32 6-3 shooting guards in his later years as GM of the Minnesota Timberwolves. Or as the guy who wrote this.

Or, most damning, we needed to stop thinking of him as the biggest reason why Kevin Garnett's prime was squandered on terrible teams.

He also drafted The Kid, back in 1995. And McHale earns points for trading Garnett back onto, essentially, national TV in 2007. He also spearheaded Minnesota's rebuilding movement with the deal, as it brought in a 20 and 10 man in Al Jefferson while clearing loads of cap space. It was McHale's successor that frittered that away. And, though we wish McHale all the best, we hope NBA TV won't be looking for his successor anytime soon, as he seeks out head coaching gigs. Didn't even know the guy wanted to coach, if we're honest.

Didn't know a lot of things, until reading this fantastic Q and A with McHale from SLAM Thursday, put together by Tzvi Twersky. You really should read the whole thing. And, until you do, we'll glom onto a couple of excerpts if you don't mind.

SLAM: You had a seemingly endless array of post moves. Where and how did you develop them, or were they just natural?

KM: I actually didn't start growing 'til I was a sophomore in high school. So I was small, and I had to get shots under people, over people, throw shots. I just developed a lot of different things. I kinda always had a ball in my hand. I'd play one-on-one, two-on-two, three-on-three. I just played ball all the time. And when you play enough, you just develop an ability to get the ball in the hole. And a big part of it is, even when I was a young kid and smaller, I could always put the ball in the hole. It was one thing I was always blessed with, being able to get the ball in the hole from different angles, and then I just played a lot. So when I got in the post, I was just upfaking, pivoting, just trying to shake loose from guys. And the good Lord blessed me; I grew from 5-11 as a sophomore to 6-7, 6-8, maybe close to 6-9, by the end of my senior year of high school, and I grew to be 6-10 and a quarter. But I never knew that [was going to happen]. When I first became a basketball junkie, I was just a small, little skinny dude and then I became a real tall, skinny dude.

How often do we hear this from not only NBA players, but NBA greats?

For every Kareem Abdul-Jabbar or Shaquille O'Neal, there always seems to be a McHale, a Scottie Pippen, or Dennis Rodman that barely had varsity size in high school, and grew into NBA size later on while still boasting those smaller kid traits. And by "smaller kid," I mean the ability to do whatever it took to contribute on both ends, while featuring the enthusiasm and obsession of a kid that has to work twice as hard.

Not that the big boys (with big man size) don't have to work just as hard, but there is something to having to fight through the fire when your cheekbones come up to their elbows, first.

It's also a good reason why so many international players, the ones that start playing professional ball at an early age, are so well-rounded. So, apparently that's the answer. Every 5-8 American male should have to get a roster spot on a D-League team at age 15 for a semester. You'll love Fort Wayne, kids.

SLAM: Red Auerbach orchestrated a Draft week trade that ended up with you starting your career in Boston. Do you ever imagine what your career would've been like if you started elsewhere?

Kevin McHale: Yeah, not nearly as good, I can tell you that. The way the Draft was laid out, I didn't know where anybody was gonna go or what was going to happen. Then, the night before the Draft, Boston makes a trade with Golden State. Golden State goes from three to one; Boston also gets Robert Parish. I get a call later on in the evening, Red [Auerbach] says, "Utah is going to take Darrell Griffith two, so we're going to take you three. We got a big guy in Robert Parish we really like. We think that's really going to work out. We want to get bigger across the front line." And, man, what a blessing. Unbelievable. Got there and just started playing. Larry [Bird] was in his second year; in training camp we had Tiny Archibald and Dave Cowens, Pete Maravich, a bunch of veterans. It was a phenomenal experience the whole time.

Also remember that Red Auerbach was the man who managed to bring in�Bill Russell, Tom Heinsohn and K.C. Jones in one draft. That's three Hall of Famers, and the core of a team that would combine with Bob Cousy to reel off the start of those endless championships. Russell, Heinsohn and Jones would also lead the Celtics to five championships as coaches, as well.

So, yes. We know what you're thinking. He was the anti-Kahn.

SLAM: You've been a player, coach, GM and now you're an analyst for TNT. Is the view of the game different on TV than it was courtside?

KM: Not too much. It's still basketball. I really enjoy it. The Turner people are fantastic people to work with. But I'll tell you what, you can take GM, you can take coach, you can take [analyst], but there's nothing like playing. I'll tell you what I miss most: standing at halfcourt, looking at the other guy and saying, "Let's get it on."

Only Hall of Famers can get away with "standing at halfcourt, looking at the other guy, and saying 'let's get it on.'" Believe me, I've tried.

Great read.

Moses Malone Pete Maravich Kevin McHale George Mikan Earl Monroe

Days of NBA Lives: Wherein only CJ Miles calls him “Dirty Dirk”

At this point, seemingly half the NBA is on Twitter. It's a wild world of training updates, questions as to which movies they should go see, and explanations of their Call of Duty prowess. Every so often, though, you also get a picture into the more interesting aspects of NBA life. This feature is your window into that world.

C.J. Miles: That's why they call him Dirty dirk

Dwyane Wade: Can every1 support my friend Morris Esformes and go to orthodoxmiami.com and click on the hebrew academy holocaust writing contest and vote.

Blake Griffin: Watching ESPN... Why does the media attack a player after one or 2 mediocre games??

JaVale McGee: Pierre eats crustaceans or benihanas every night!!!!

Tony Allen: Shoutouut 2 the SAA 5th grade girls !!my day is going great at the party hereb!

You can also follow Eric Freeman on Twitter at @freemaneric.

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A Thunder fan makes her case to marry James Harden

There is still a chance, however slight, that the Oklahoma City Thunder will take Game 5 of their Western Conference finals matchup with the Dallas Mavericks.

After all, they took Game 2 in Dallas. The Thunder are very good, very potent on both ends, and even a team like the Dallas Mavericks will have its work cut out for it beating a very good Oklahoma City team three times in a row. Two in a row, as things stand now, feels like quite the accomplishment.

Should the Thunder lose in Dallas in Game 5, on Wednesday, then Monday's Game 4 will have been the last game played this season in Oklahoma City. Which is a shame, when you think about it.

And after you look at this, you might wonder if it is for the best:

(Via SB Skeets.)

I realize we all can't meet our future spouses at the school bus stop, but this is a bit much, friend. Have you tried speed dating? It got Paul Rudd's character from "The 40 Year-Old Virgin" sent home from work early. Win-win.

In all seriousness, we hope you find love, Meghan Dailey. And we hope you get to see James Harden play again, in OKC, this week.

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Ricky Rubio has reservations about coming to the NBA during a lockout

Over the past two years, the Minnesota Timberwolves have occasionally claimed that Spanish wunderkind Ricky Rubio was on the verge of ditching his homeland to come to the NBA. Never mind that general manager David Kahn made those claims with only circumstantial evidence, or that if Rubio really wanted to play in Minnesota, he would have done so when he was drafted in 2009.

A few weeks ago, Kahn and his band of merry men went to Barcelona to speak with their theoretical point guard. If they secured a commitment from Rubio for the 2011-12 season, it was not publicized. Now, franchise owner Glen Taylor says that Rubio has serious reservations about coming to the NBA with a lockout looming. From Charley Walters in the Pioneer Press (via PBT):

"That is the question," Wolves owner Glen Taylor said Monday. "He's asking how that (lockout) might affect him, if we don't play or if we will play. And our answer is, 'We won't know the answer to that question. You're going to have to make your decision before that.'

"We (NBA owners) are negotiating with the players right now. We're hopeful we'll play. But I don't want to guarantee him that because there's no way that I know that."

It would cost almost $1 million for Rubio to buy out his FC Barcelona contract. NBA rules prohibit a team from spending more than $500,000 toward a contract buyout. The Wolves are expected to contribute the limit.

"It's up to him to either pay them or finance it or whatever he can do," Taylor said of the remainder of the buyout. "He has given us indications that he's very interested. But until he signs, I'm really hesitant to say anything.

"But he's met with our guys, and it's been very positive. He's asked the right questions."

The problem for the Wolves, as Taylor's comments indicate, is that the answers to those "right questions" produce answers that Rubio doesn't like. There's little point in his spending $500,000 of his own money to get out of his Barcelona contract when he may only be on the court for a portion of an NBA season. Playing against the best players will help his development, but that might not be the case if the season gets cut to 50 games or fewer.

It's a risky move for Rubio when staying in Spain represents such a safe option. The Spanish ACB is the second-best league in the world, so it's not as if he'll be playing against a bunch of Jose Schmoes. Plus, there's a huge amount of questions in Minnesota right now: Young point guard Jonny Flynn is still on the roster, Luke Ridnour gets a lot of minutes, Kurt Rambis may not be the coach for much longer, and Kahn could be on his way out in a year or so, too. No player wants to enter a situation in that much turmoil.

The whole ordeal makes you wonder exactly when the Wolves and the NBA will be in good enough shape for Rubio to play for them. Will it be when the new collective bargaining agreement is finalized? Will Kahn have to get rid of all other competition at the point guard spot? Will Rambis have to go? Will Kahn have to be in a penal colony? These are rare questions to pose when discussing a draft prospect, but Rubio has shown enough reluctance to play for the franchise that they have to be asked. Maybe there's no other solution here than for Minnesota to trade his rights.

Billy Cunningham Dave DeBusschere Clyde Drexler Julius Erving Patrick Ewing

Rich Cho is out as Trail Blazer GM

The Portland Trail Blazers fired general manager Rich Cho Monday, after a tenure that didn't even last a full calendar year. He wasn't even in place for last June's NBA draft, and he'll be looking for work during this June's NBA draft, and even considering the volatile behind-the-scenes machinations we're used to from Blazers owner Paul Allen's Vulcan organization, this is pretty nutty.

In the coming days, higher placed sources will discuss things on the record with higher placed columnists about what went wrong in Portland, but we can safely rely on two initial thoughts as news of Cho's dismissal hits two days after news that he attempted to suspend guard Brandon Roy for speaking to Yahoo! Sports' Marc Spears about his frustrations with playing time.

One, you shouldn't be anywhere near the idea of suspending a player, any player, in the midst of a playoff series for myriad reasons, whether you're down 0-2 or up 2-0. There's no way around it. The lesson isn't worth it.

Secondly, these Blazers are a majorly screwed-up organization right now. Despite the consistent playoff appearances, this cannot be denied. And it starts at the top.

Because while former GM Kevin Pritchard annoyed many, his biggest transgression in the eyes of Vulcan was not aligning himself with every bit of articulated thought that petered down from their offices on high. Pritchard was a good sport in capably running Portland's draft after he was fired last year, but that was a ridiculous enough position to be put in by the Portland ownership. Whether he deserved to be fired or not isn't the question, it's whether you announce to the world, your fans, and 29 other teams that the guy who is making the phone calls is a lame duck. And you don't do that.

And now Cho is out after a pretty successful stint, Roy frustrations aside. His major move was to turn Dante Cunningham, Joel Przybilla and Sean Marks (plus New Orleans' first-round pick next month, and a conditional 2013 first-rounder) for Gerald Wallace. Wallace immediately amplified his game, the Blazers finished the season on a tear, and few picked the Mavs to take them down in the first round of the playoffs.

But they did. And Roy grumbled about minutes, while his contributions (regardless of minutes) varied from an All-Star level turn to save Game 4, to the barely-worth-a-rotation-spot player we saw in other turns. The season ended swiftly, coach Nate McMillan mused about his team's roster last week, and that was about it, until now.

The Blazers dug deep to hire the well-regarded Chad Buchanan as his temporary replacement, denying a takeover opportunity for both of Cho's assistant GMs, who will apparently be retained. And from here?

If history is any indication, the Blazers will either hire someone who takes and executes their directive, no matter how damaging. Or they will hire someone who will impress in interviews while the Vulcan brass impresses themselves about how much they'll stay out of the new one's hair. Which of course they won't, and we'll be right back at this keyboard typing this same story out in a year or two.

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Rose: Bulls will be hungrier next season (AP)

Derrick Rose vowed to learn from this, to get better, and insisted the Chicago Bulls would come back hungrier after the Miami Heat knocked them out in the Eastern Conference finals. Clearly, the standards are soaring now. As good as they were this season, the Bulls came up short. They blew a late 12-point lead and bowed out with a 83-80 loss to the Heat in Game 5 on Thursday.

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Behind the Box Score, where Oklahoma City kept it interesting

"We were increasing the lead."

That's it, from Thunder coach Scott Brooks. Nothing more. This is why Oklahoma City guard Eric Maynor played the whole fourth quarter, and if you want to call me na�ve and tell me I should be more cynical in how I approach the way I cover this game, well … actually I don't have three giant boxes of conspiracy proof and/or theories to show you, because I sold them to Richard Belzer.

(For gold, of course. The only thing we can count on when this whole society goes to pot. You watch.)

Let the TV pundits and national columnists (sneering descriptions that we're now starting to toss out with the same invective those types used to save for "bloggers and dot com'ers" some five years ago, five months ago, five days ago) pump this story up to fulfill their insecure need to turn basketball into mere fodder for that next day's cable, print, or radio lineup. The real story here, as All-Star Oklahoma Thunder guard Russell Westbrook sat for the entire fourth quarter, is that for small one-possession stretches Dallas' defense was no good when it needed to be, and its offense was lacking when it needed to be. And that Oklahoma City won, and took the homecourt advantage in the victory.

Also, that this was a superbly well-played game by both sides that was decided by only six points, and two possessions. Oklahoma City made more tough shots. They had the lead when the clock was about to run out, so Dallas had to start fouling intentionally. Then they had the lead, earned with tough and smart play, when the clock went out. There's your story, well-dressed man.

Beyond that dismissive take, what a game! Dallas roared out to the early lead, watching as Jason Kidd nailed a pair of treys and found Tyson Chandler again and again for transition throw-downs as OKC didn't talk defensively.

Then came that dunk. And while I like to go pragmatic with these sorts of things, tell me that didn't change things. Tell me that those two points didn't count for … well, OK. They counted for two points. But they helped, in some regard. And the momentum swing (even as Dallas hit a technical foul free throw on the other end, and Durant missed his and-one freebie) was palpable.

Even with some defensive hiccups, the Thunder bench methodically took it to the Mavs in the second quarter, running what was a five-point deficit at the end of the first (and an 11-point deficit earlier on as Kidd and Chandler were having their way) into a two-point lead by halftime. The Mavs just weren't closing out the way the encouraged Thunder offense demanded, and OKC helped stem that tide with Russell Westbrook's 18 points (nice jumpers), Durant's 24, and the way it made sure that the Maverick helpers (Shawn Marion and Jason Terry combined to shoot 7-22) stay in check.

And Dallas, to its discredit, never seemed to find a way to find Nowitzki the ball.

"Riding" someone doesn't mean taking in their somewhere-around-30 points (Dirk had 29) or going to them incessantly in the stretch (Dirk had 16 fourth quarter points). It means riding them throughout. You ride them in the first half, as they pick up fouls on the other team and help find open jumpers for their teammates (done and done, as Dirk had four assists by the half), you ride them in the third quarter so as to help pull away in a close game (nope, and noper), and you let them finish things in the fourth.

And that third quarter, one that saw Dallas fail to put a stamp on things despite OKC's 18 third quarter points, was the missed chance. The Thunder played tough defense in the third, you saw it, but that only means you switch gears. You still ride the damn thing.

In the fourth, OKC's spacing was too good. In a back-and-forth game, it came down to being able to point to each of Dallas' screwups. Tyson Chandler needlessly treating Nick Collison like he was Joel Anthony on offense. Jason Terry missing shots. Dirk's one missed free throw, two missed jumpers (both on line), and the attempted jump hook off of a loose ball. Jason Kidd throwing it away.

On defense, though? The Thunder ran perfectly off those few misses. James Harden (23 points, seven boards, four assists) made some brilliant shots. And in the end, there just weren't enough possessions in the fourth, even as the team fed it to Dirk just about every time down court, to make up for those few wasted possessions earlier in the game for Dallas.

And that's what basketball often comes down to. It doesn't end because one team has defeated another. It ends because the clock ran out. And while Oklahoma City deserves unending credit for thinking on its feet, refusing to back down after taking in that early deficit, and bringing the poise and focus on the road, this was just a game that ended. I'd say the same had Marion and Terry hit a few more shots earlier in the game, and Dallas won by six.

The only issue is what you choose to pine over. You can obsess over what the TV guys can't get past, or you can look forward to the fact that you probably have five games left between two championship-worthy teams that are just unendingly fun to watch. Oklahoma City is owed its blowout win, and that'll happen at some point, but beyond that (assuming there's no absence of character, destructive shooting slump, or injury) we're getting four great ones.

On Thursday night, we got another great one. Don't pity Russell Westbrook, because he had the best seat in the house.

Bill Russell Dolph Schayes Bill Sharman John Stockton Isiah Thomas