Anyone who believed the Cleveland Cavaliers would rise up and vanquish the hated Miami Heat in Thursday's highly-anticipated match-up should stop eating paint chips.

Miami did what it was supposed to in drubbing Cleveland, 118-90. Had that game been a contest, it would have led to too many "LeBron Isn't An Assassin" or "Which Of The Big Three Should Be Dealt" stories.

There are several reasons I believed the Heat would mop the floor with the Cavs. None of which have anything to do with Miami being a great team. Yet.

Early on, Miami has shown to be front-runners. The Heat are 11-1 against the bottom-feeders of the league. When playing teams below .500, Miami wins by an average of 16 points.

Conversely, the Heat can't beat any team that has any semblance of talent, as Miami is 1-7 against teams that have a pulse. In games against squads .500 or better, the Heat score just 94 points a game - 12 points less than they do against the worst of the worst.

Cleveland's roster is made up of journeymen and castoffs. LeBron James leaving the Cavs has given the team a look similar to that of the last season of "Martin" when Tisha Campbell left. You want to watch to see if the team can put in strong performances night after night, but you know it can't and won't be the same.

James going off the way he did shouldn't surprise anyone, either. LeBron in his return played magnificently, finishing with a line of 38, 5, and 8 in 29 minutes before sitting out the entire 4th quarter. James scored 24 of those 38 in the third.

I know people who believed he would shrink in the moment. They said he'd get nervous or that he couldn't handle the boos. Then they looked at Cleveland's roster and realized this would be like a light practice for James.

Cleveland's roster sucks. Last night, I thought to myself, "who's jersey would Cav's fans buy and wear with pride?" Mark Price was the only name that came to mind. Miami was supposed to win by 30 and James was supposed to go off because I'm sure he emasculated every guy those on Cleveland's bench in practice every day for seven years.

That's why I'm slow to say there will be any long-term affects from that game. Yea, LeBron and his mates had swagger last night. But where does that swagger go when Miami plays a legitimate team?

So, yes, last night was a big game from a media and fan standpoint. But from a basketball standpoint, we didn't learn anything from Heat/Cavs I.

"We're not having fun right now."
-LeBron James, 11/22/10

That's an odd statement for one of the best players in the NBA to make so early in the season.

You'd think with all the buzz surrounding the offseason moves of LeBron James and Chris Bosh to the Miami Heat, those two, along with Dwyane Wade, would be having the time of their lives.

Each of those three is in their eighth year in the League. They're all in their primes. Although I didn't believe the trio joining forces would immediately translate to championships, I did believe the Heat would win 65-70 games simply because of the number of bad teams in the NBA.

Early on, those wins haven't come so easily. A lot of talk this summer was that Miami had a realistic shot to match the 1995-96 Chicago Bulls record for regular-season wins at 72. At 8-6, Miami would have to win its next 40 games to keep pace with Chicago. That's seven more wins that the 1971-72 Lakers garnered in what is the longest winning streak in league history.

Miami currently sits in fourth place in the Eastern Conference. Most pundits picked the Heat to run away with the East. That is still possible, but Miami needs to fix some glaring issues it has.

Last night while watching the Heat get blown out at home, 93-77, by the Indiana Pacers, I couldn't help but think that, whenever Wade or James has the ball in a halfcourt offensive set, it looks eerily similar to what James had while in Cleveland. There is no movement without the ball. No cuts to the basket. No backscreens set. Just isolation either at the top of the key or in the post. The other four guys on the court just stare like they're watching Kim Kardashian run across the court naked.

Mike Miller's return could solve some of that problem. He won't be calling for any clear outs. Miller, who shot a remarkable 48 percent from three-point range last season and has shot 40 percent from deep for his 10-year career, will help spread the floor on offense. That's something Miami doesn't have the ability to do right now. The Heat has streak shooters in James Jones and Eddie House, but no one who is a consistent threat from deep.

Miami's spacing on offense so far this season - when the Heat has played solid competition - has been putrid. Miller's return could, and should, remedy that problem.

Movement without the ball on offense has easily been Miami's biggest problem early this season. There's more movement by a paraplegic in a triathlon than by anyone on the Heat in the halfcourt. Miami has two of the 10 best playmakers in the League in Wade and James, yet the Heat offense is surprisingly stagnant at times.

This team doesn't have an identity. And the pieces it has behind Wade, James, Bosh and Miller just aren't that good. Players 1-3 don't win NBA titles. Players 4-9 do. Many people believe Miami executive Pat Riley pulled a major coup bringing three All-stars together. I agree. But questions remained, such as, "who are they gonna fill the rest of the roster with? Rony Seikaly and Sherman Douglas?"

That's pretty much what's happened. Carlos Arroyo and Mario Chalmers are a point guard pu-pu platter. The bigs have helped make the Heat one of the worst rebounding teams in the league. Miami as a whole is solid defensively, but it gets done in by any team with a competent point guard and serviceable big men.

Bosh was supposed to be the one who provided the majority of the bulk for the Heat. But his reluctance to guard centers, or do anything else, really, has helped make him a forgotten man on South Beach. You would expect Bosh's scoring to take a dip playing with Wade and James, but the rest of his game has taken a significant dip. Bosh's rebounds are down almost 4 a game. According to 82games.com, Bosh has had 375 chances at offensive rebounds. He's grabbed 16 in 14 games.

For most of the early part of the season, he looked more like Chris Washburn than Chris Bosh. Bosh has stepped up recently, hitting the 20-point plateau in each of Miami's last four games. He's hit that mark just five times so far this season. He seemed uncomfortable at times early on. Maybe Bosh is finding his way.

The Heat's two leading men need to find their way, as well.

It's always fun to think about how the best players in any given league would play if given an opportunity to do so outside and All-Star game. But the Wade/James experiment, so far, looked like a failed one.

Both players, although phenomenal, do pretty much the same thing. They both need the ball in their hands at all times to be effective. They both love isolation plays. And early on, it seems like neither of them is willing to take a backseat to the other.

James is obviously a better all-around player than Wade. But I think it should be James who makes a change to his game - a change that many have clamored for.

LeBron needs to start playing out of the post. He's a 6-foot, 8-inch tall small forward. His reluctant to hit the low block has always puzzled me, simply because he usually outweighs whoever is guarding him by at least 30 pounds. He's so strong. But James is also extremely fast. His first step upon catching a post entry pass and facing up toward the basket, would be devastating. No one could stop him. James' court vision is off the charts, meaning he could make any pass or find any cutter.

So why doesn't he do this? I seriously don't believe the question has ever been posed to him. I've seen him try and do it in the past. He looks sort of uncomfortable playing on the low block. I would suggest to LeBron he take the route of Dwight Howard and Kobe Bryant and seek out a swingman who played out of the post. I suggest Adrian Dantley, Mark Aguirre or Bernard King.

All of these are fixable problems. It's up to all parties involved to address them.

I'm just not sure they will.

Was the whole thing orchestrated? What's LeBron James' legacy? Who's put together the deal that put James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh together in Miami?

Those are just some of the questions that need to be answered. But not by me.

There are two people very close to this situation who I believe have shown their true colors after James made his decision.

James will never be considered an 'all-time great'
Bob Cousy. James Worthy. Sam Jones. Billy Cunningham. Those are just a few of some of the best players in the history of the NBA. James' name will be added to that list, but it'll be mixed in with those mentioned above and not the likes of Magic, Bird, Russell and Jordan.

On several occasions, I've heard James speak of wanting to be the greatest of all time. How can something like that be achieved when he - and Bosh and, to a much lesser extent, Wade - essentially said, "I can't build up a championship team as the Alpha Dog. I have to play alongside other "great" players to win titles?"

When Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen teamed up in Boston in 2007, each of those three were on the downside of their respective, hall-of-fame careers. They all attempted, for more than a decade, to lead teams to the promiseland and came up short. Wade, James and Bosh are just hitting their primes. Why not build up a team so you can be placed on the short list of the best players of all time?

I have no doubt Miami will win multiple titles, no matter what is placed around James, Wade and Bosh. And I believe each of those three will be enshrined in Springfield one day. But when that happens, it was supposed to, so it won't receive the fanfare that maybe it should. If they don't win, though, this whole thing is a colossal failure. For James especially.

I know Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant both openly complained at times about teammates and coaching philosophies, but neither left. People fail to remember that Kobe played on a Lakers squad that won just 34 games in the 2004-05 season. That was after four Finals' appearances in five years and three titles.

But LeBron did leave. Which has people looking at him in a whole different light. But he isn't the only person who should be looked at differently.

Dan Gilbert has no class
Narcissistic. Self-promoting. Quitter. Those are just a few of the choice words Cavs' owner Dan Gilbert used to describe James after he made his decision.

While I would understand that coming from a fan - the word does come from "fanatic," after all - that made Gilbert sound like a bitter ex who didn't do enough to make their former companion stick around. His comments were as classless as the casts of those "Real Housewives" shows. James was a FREE agent. He was free to go where he pleased. While I may not agree with his decision (I would have picked Chicago), or the fact that there was an hour-long special dedicated to that decision, it was his decision and his alone.

Disloyal was another word Gilbert used to describe James. I thought that was interesting seeing as though Gilbert has shown more disloyalty as anyone over the past couple months.

Former Cavs head coach Mike Brown, he of 127 wins the last two years and the only coach to lead Cleveland to the Finals. FIRED.

Former Cavs GM Danny Ferry, the architect of the teams that won 127 games in two years. FIRED.

Gilbert tried to steal away the coach (Tom Izzo) of his alma mater, my alma mater, my friends' alma mater (Michigan State). Dan Gilbert should be the last person discussing loyalty. Like I said, he essentially played the role of the jilted lover and said, "you'll never find anybody better. You're a loser," when he really didn't have a reason to feel that way but just couldn't express his feelings in another fashion. That reeks of a guy who didn't have a "plan B."

People have said Gilbert made those comments in defense of the city. He doesn't care about that city. He cares about his bottom line. Gilbert's from Michigan, but made his money and his name elsewhere, so how can he be so upset at someone for doing the same? All he's REALLY upset about is that his team is worth as much as a '78 AMC Pacer right about now.

How can Gilbert, a self-made man from all accounts, act so classless toward another self-made man. He's taking out his frustrations on someone who grew up below the poverty level in a single-parent household. James' mother, Gloria, birthed him when she was 16. That he was even in the position to be able to decide where to play says a lot in itself. Again, while I don't agree with James' decision, it's his decision. He has to live with it. Not Dan Gilbert.

We all forgot about a certain team
So it's over now. No more free agency summit talk. No more guessing where James will play. And who's probably the happiest about all that? Kobe Bryant, who's been on television for about 45 seconds during this whole episode. You remember Kobe and the Lakers, don't you? The team that's won back-to-back titles. I don't think they'll bow to Miami so easily.

Could Carlos Boozer really be the key person in the 2010 NBA Free Agent frenzy?

It's not entirely out of left field if you know the facts.

First, some background info.

Boozer declared for the 2002 NBA Draft, foregoing his final year of NCAA eligibility at Duke. He was drafted by the Cleveland Cavaliers in the second round of the NBA draft, where he played two full seasons. Boozer averaged 10 ppg and 7.5 rpg in his rookie campaign, and followed it up with 15.5 ppg and 11.4 rpg his second year, while playing alongside a highly-touted rookie: LeBron James.

After the 2003–04 NBA season, the Cavaliers had the option of allowing Boozer to become a restricted free agent, or keeping him under contract for one more year at a $695,000 salary. According to reports published around that time, the Cavaliers claimed to have reached an understanding with Boozer and his agent on a deal for about $39 million over 6 years, which he would sign if the Cavs let him out of his current deal.

Cleveland then proceeded to release Boozer from his contract, making him a Restricted Free Agent. During this period, a few other teams were also interested in signing Boozer, and Utah ended up offering a 6-year $70 million contract that Cleveland chose not to match, since it would take them well over the salary cap.

Carlos Boozer signed with the Utah Jazz on July 24, 2004, three months after the end of the rookie seasons of three of this summer's top free agents: James, Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh.

Boozer has denied that he made any commitment to the Cavaliers: "There was no commitment. It's unfortunate how the turn of events went through the media," Boozer said shortly after signing the deal with Utah. "I'm not a guy that gives my word and takes it away. I think I've made that clear." Boozer's agent subsequently ceased representation, although Rob Pelinka has resumed representing Boozer as of July 2009, when he was eligible for another contract extension.

In addition, the former Cavaliers owner Gordon Gund, who sold the team to current owner Dan Gilbert in 2005, has said, "In the final analysis, I decided to trust Carlos and show him the respect he asked for. He did not show that trust and respect in return."

So what if Boozer had honored this rumored verbal agreement with Gund and stayed in Cleveland? Does he play Robin to James' Batman, helping him win a title in 2007? Does James even opt out of his contract this summer? Is this free agent period as newsworthy? Are such a high number of players likely on the move? Is Jerry Sloan still the coach in Utah? How good is Jazz point guard Deron Williams? Is Delonte West even on the Cavs' roster to (allegedly) bag James' mom?

That's a lot of questions. All with no answer.

All because Boozer lied to a blind guy.

The summer of Free Agency.

That's what 2010 has been branded as by several people who cover and love the NBA.

For 2-3 years, teams throughout the league have shed money and taken on expiring contracts with the hopes of, this summer, landing LeBron James, or Dwayne Wade, or Chris Bosh, or Amar'e Stoudemire or some other top-flight free agent.

The players listed above, and the likes of Joe Johnson, Carlos Boozer and David Lee will all be looking to sign maximum contracts in the coming weeks, which would guarantee them about $16.5 million/season - for a maximum of six seasons - beginning with the 2010-11 campaign. If any of the players decides to sign with their current team, they stand to make about $30 million more than they would if they opt to sign with another team, according to the "Larry Bird exception" area of the league's collective bargaining agreement, which gives a monetary advantage to a player's current team.

For the same amount of time that teams in the NBA have said, "screw winning, we're gonna suck for two years and hope we can get LeBron," it's been reported and speculated that a number of those players are planning on joining forces when free agency officially begins Thursday. Players can sign their new deals July 8.

If this happens, and, say, James, Bosh and Johnson end up in Chicago together, I truly believe this summer could signal the end of the competitive spirit flowing through the NBA.

Save the friendships for the offseason
When I was younger, I idolized Michael Jordan. His work ethic was second to none. He needed to be on top at all times; and he enjoyed beating the other players who were considered the best. Back in the 80s and early 90s, it was known that some players were friends (Jordan and Charles Barkley, Jordan and Patrick Ewing, etc.), but they wanted to embarrass their friends when the ball went up in the air. They hated each other on the court and were close off it. They could separate the two and it seems like guys today can't do that.

Is that trait lost in today's player, save for, maybe Kobe Bryant and Kevin Durant? I realize Kobe campaigned for "better" teammates for some time from 2005 until Pau Gasol was gift-wrapped for the Lakers in February 2008, but he never openly lobbied for Lakers' owner Jerry Buss to sign an in-his-prime Kevin Garnett or Allen Iverson.

When Garnett, Ray Allen and Paul Pierce decided to join forces in Boston in 2007, that was understandable. Each of them, for years, attempted to carry teams and franchises to titles and failed. All three of them were at least 10 years deep in the league, too; so, to them, it made sense to team up for one last title run, which they completed. Gasol is a good player, which Bryant needed in L.A. But he's isn't James or Bosh. Gasol can be dominant at times, but, it's been proven (his teams in Memphis were 0-12 in three playoff appearances) that he's much more of a complimentary player than a "star."

Who wants to be a leader?
But James, Wade, Bosh and the other free agents are all in the prime of their careers. If all of the talked-about supergroups are formed, are all of these world-class athletes, who are supposed to be as competitive as two girls going after the same guy, essentially admitting they can't lead a team to a championship? These (possible) moves make it look like each of these super-talented athletes are giving up on being leaders of their own teams and looking for the easiest road to a title.

A team that features Wade, Bosh and Johnson would be primed to make a run at the 1995-96 Chicago Bulls record 72 wins. But it wouldn't have the same feeling as that stretch did.

What made the 72-10 season so special to me was every time I checked a box score and saw names like Kerr, Kukoc, Wennington, Longley, or Harper - role players stepping up and making plays. Say Wade, James and Bosh do all come together and go on a run like that, how much fun is that going to be for fans outside of the city they play in? What person wouldn't look at that group and say, "You're supposed to win all your games! You have three of the best 10 players in the league on your team!"

Sure, the Bulls had two of the best 30 players of all time and the finest defensive player (Dennis Rodman) of my generation, but the rest of that roster was made up of journeymen and castoffs. When you see something like that 1995-96 season come together, to me, it means more than if the whole thing is manufactured. And that's what a run next season by 2-3 of these free agents, put together, would be.

No room for two Type-As in one locker room
It would be different if it were players who complimented one another joining up. But what makes Wade and James - two guys who absolutely need to have the ball in their hands to make things happen - believe they can play together for 100-plus games a season for the next six years without some Alpha Dog issues surfacing?

That all-star roster worked in the 2008 Olympics because there were no endorsements involved, no statistical incentives to shoot for. But in the NBA, you can't have a team set up like that because of egos, money, etc. But, if that somehow did happen, Wade would be the alpha dog of the squad, in my opinion, and I don't think Jame's ego could take that. Wade's the one who led a team to a title. James hasn't done that. And LeBron has always said one of his main goals is to be considered the best player of all time. How's the supposed to happen if he ends up playing most of his prime with Wade?

Hopefully, competitive juices begin to flow again and rosters next season don't look like video games when the "salary cap" function is disabled.

There comes a time in a lot of relationships when one party feels the need to explore other options. This can be for any number of reasons - see what else is out there, see what life is like without the person you're leaving.

Sometimes a couple realizes they can't live without each other. Other instances result in the two going their separate ways.

That line of thinking extends beyond dating. It can also apply to business and employment. And this has to be playing a role in Michigan State basketball coach Tom Izzo's thinking while he is being courted by the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Proven track record
Izzo has been a part of the MSU coaching staff since 1983. He took over head coaching duties from Jud Heathcoate - his mentor and confidante - in 1995. Since taking the reins 15 years ago, Izzo has made a helluva name for himself.

Izzo is currently the longest-tenured coach in the Big Ten. He is the winningest coach in MSU history. In 1998, MSU began a streak of 13 straight NCAA tournament appearances, which is the 5th longest current streak among Division I teams. During that run only Kansas/North Carolina coach Roy Williams has as many NCAA tournament wins as Tom Izzo (35). Izzo also joins Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski and Pittsburgh/UCLA coach Ben Howland as the only three coaches that have made three consecutive Final Fours since the NCAA tournament bracket expanded to 64 teams in 1985.

Izzo has coached his squads to six regular-season Big Ten championships, two Big Ten Tournament titles, six NCAA Final Four appearances, and one NCAA national championship - in 2000. Since he became head coach at MSU, every player he has recruited and who completed their full eligibility has gone to the Final Four. Eighty-two percent of his players who completed their eligibility left MSU with a degree.

No "What Ifs" allowed
It is because of all Izzo has accomplished in his time in my home away from home for five years - East Lansing - that I wouldn't be the least bit upset if he took the Cavs job he has reportedly been offered.

For all he has done for our basketball program, and school, Izzo has built up plenty of goodwill with the MSU fanbase and has earned the right to take a shot at coaching at the highest level in his profession - the NBA.

Sure, the odds of him succeeding are slim to none - if you look at the list of other college coaches who took the NBA plunge (only Larry Brown has won both an NCAA and NBA Title) - but I'd be willing to bet Izzo isn't the type of person who wants to be saying "What If" when he's 80 years old. The reported five-year, $30 million deal Cavs owner and MSU Alum Dan Gilbert has on the table for Izzo can't hurt, either. Neither can the prospect of coaching one of the 10 most talented/psychically imposing players in league history.

Stay on task
At the other end of the spectrum, you have the commitment Izzo has made to not explore any other head coaching opportunities until he leads the Spartans to a third national title, which would be his second as coach.

How much criticism would Izzo get for leaving a team that will likely be ranked No. 1 in every major poll going into the 2010-11 season? That same team, likely to be picked to win the 2011 national title, returns nearly every major cog in a squad that is coming off back-to-back Final Fours, along with what is arguably Izzo's best recruiting class. The Spartans will be a legit 13 deep this upcoming season - and 10 deep in 2011-12. These are all things Izzo knows.

He also knows he has his office in the Berkowitz Complex as long as he wants it. And that the Spartan fanbase will always be in his corner. What he doesn't know, and what is the biggest wildcard in this entire situation, is if Cavs star LeBron James will re-sign with the team this summer. I'm almost positive that's why no one has heard from Izzo regarding Cleveland's attempt to woo him.

Say Izzo agrees to take the job later this month, but James signs elsewhere. Where does that leave him AND the Cavs organization? Izzo would then be saddled with a team full of less-than players, most likely playing in front of crowds no bigger than 7,500 on any given night. Yea, Izzo would have his $30 million, and nothing much else beyond that. But he most likely wouldn't make it to the end of his contract. If James decides Izzo's the man he wants to play for, it's a completely different situation.

So, no, I won't be upset with Izzo if he decides to test the NBA waters. But I do hope he sees what he has at MSU and decides that life is great in East Lansing.

Everyone with an outlet to talk about it says LeBron James will start the 2010-11 season with one of three teams:

-Cleveland (because it can offer him $30 million more than any other team)
-Chicago (because many people believe the Bulls, with point guard Derrick Rose and big man Joakim Noah, would be title contenders if they got James)
-And New York (because it's supposedly the "Mecca of Basketball, even though the squad that calls New York home hasn't reached .500 in nine years ... or won a title in 38)

Those three teams, along with the L.A. Clippers, Miami, Minnesota, New Jersey and Oklahoma City will have the most cap space this off season, meaning they can offer LeBron - and guys like Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh and Amar'e Stoudemire - maximum contracts, which would net each player about $20 million/year for 6-7 years.

Once teams start discussing sign-and-trade options, everybody becomes a player in the "Summer of LeBron." His best option, though, may be one no one has mentioned yet.

James should sign on to player with the Los Angeles Lakers for the rest of his career. It makes sense for so many different reasons.

The Lakers are my favorite team
Ok. Now that that's out of the way ...

Contract not a big deal
The contract aspect can be summed up fairly quickly: great athletes, namely NBA players, make the majority of their cash from endorsement deals. If a player is marketable, like LeBron is, since he had a $90 million deal with Nike before he played a game in the NBA, he can make 3-5 times his salary in endorsements EACH YEAR.

For the first 10 years of his career, Michael Jordan, the greatest pitchman in the history of the world, averaged about $3 million a year in salary from the Chicago Bulls. In 1992, Jordan made nearly 11 times that in endorsements. That was nearly 20 years ago. Think how much money LeBron could rake in playing for the Lakers now. The possibilities are endless: spots with Magic, spots with him playing pick up games on Venice Beach ... more puppet commercials with Kobe. Being in L.A. could also aid in LeBron's quest to become a "Global Icon."

So what if the Lakers have more than $80 million in contracts locked in for each the next two seasons. LAL is one of the few teams in the league not afraid to pay the luxury tax. And owner Jerry Buss is worth about $3.2 billion, which may have something to do with that.

Let's say L.A. signs James for the midlevel exception this summer, which will be about $6 million. His total earnings for the year would still top $40 million, if you go according to what James made in endorsements in 2008 ($35 million).

He wants to win titles, right?
Here's what LeBron will have around him if he goes to ...
New York: Eddy Curry, Danilo Gallinari, Wilson Chandler, Toney Douglas, maybe David Lee and/or maybe Chris Bosh
Chicago: Derrick Rose, Joakim Noah, James Johnson, Taj Gibson, Luol Deng and Kirk Hinrich (assuming the last two aren't used as trade bait to bring in a bigger name)
Cleveland: the same sad squad he played on this year ... with the same absent-minded coach
L.A. Clippers: Baron Davis, Eric Gordon, Blake Griffin, Chris Kaman and a lottery pick from next month's draft (Actually, that doesn't look like that bad an option until you remember it's the Clippers. LeBron would probably tear both ACLs and his Achilles at his introductory presser).
L.A. Lakers: Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol, Andrew Bynum, Ron Artest (as a sixth man!!), Lamar Odom and Phil Jackson

That should say it all right there. Plenty of players have waited until they were on the downside of their career to latch onto a team in the title chase (Karl Malone, Gary Payton, Alonzo Mourning, Bob McAdoo). Why not play the next decade for a perennial title contender? James would have a good start to that decade, too, as he'd most likely play the first 3-4 years with one of the seven best players of all time (Bryant) and the best coach of all time (Jackson). What's the downside to that?

I understand this happening is as likely as me paying good money to go see "Sex and the City 2," but I can dream, can't I?

For two years, writers, talking heads and radio hosts have crowned LeBron James as the best player in the NBA.

Yes, James is the most physically gifted player in the league and he deserves his two regular season MVP awards; but the best, most complete player still calls Staples Center home. And last night's 40-point outburst from Kobe Bryant was his way of saying, "Who's the real king?"

With questions abound regarding his nagging injuries, everything was working for Kobe last night in the Lakers' 128-107 drubbing of Phoenix in game one of the Western Conference Finals. The mid range game, buzzer beaters at the end of quarters while falling out of bounds, breakaway dunks and the three-ball; everything was on point for Bryant. It was almost like he took his bag of tricks and dumped it all over the Suns. Kobe looked like he was on a mission last night: Forty points in 35 minutes on 56 percent from the floor, including a career-playoff best 21 points in the third quarter. The 40-pointer was Kobe's 11th such game in the playoffs. Only five players in history have more 40-point playoff games.

Last night marked Bryant's 6th straight 30-point game this postseason. That's the most since an in-his-prime Shaquille O'Neal had seven in 2003. Phoenix had - and has - no answer for No. 24. Sure, Jason Richardson and Grant Hill have the size to contend with Kobe, but his skillset, and frame of mind at this time of year, make Bryant virtually unstoppable.

Kobe's body language last night was phenomenal, as well. He had a swagger I hadn't seen since the Finals last season - when Kobe won his fourth ring. If I had to bet my life on it, I'd say Bryant is on his way to his fifth championship. His numbers, and intensity, have gone up with each playoff series. After scoring only 23.5 points/game on 40 percent in the first round against Oklahoma City (where he was hounded by young, long, athletic defenders), Bryant has averaged 33.6 points on 53 percent shooting to go along with 4 boards and almost 6 assists/game.

I told a friend a few weeks ago that Oklahoma City series may wind up being the toughest for L.A. this postseason - similar to the Lakers seven-game second-round series with Houston last spring.

The playoffs are all about match ups. And as far as guarding Kobe goes, the Thunder had the most pieces to slow him down. OKC also had the size to contend with Laker bigs Pau Gasol, Andrew Bynum and Lamar Odom. Since that first-round series, Laker post players have put in 41.4 points and 32 boards a night. Those numbers are slightly higher than the 37 and 28, respectively they chipped in with in the first round. Utah wasn't able to slow L.A. down, as the Jazz went down, 4-0. Phoenix doesn't have the look of a squad that can deter the Lakers' run, either.

If the Lakers can keep this up, they could cruise to the franchise's 16th title. A fifth championship could also secure Kobe's place as one of the seven greatest players of all time.

It would also put Kobe up, 2-0, in an award category I'm sure James would be envious of: NBA Finals MVP awards.

LeBron James is easily one of the most psychically gifted players in the history of the NBA.

Because he's won the last two MVP awards, James has been christened as the best player alive. His last two playoff performances have made me question that.

Sure, James had a triple double on the night his Cleveland Cavs were bounced from the playoffs by the Boston Celtics - for the second time in three seasons - but he shot less than 40 percent from the field and committed nine turnovers. At no point in last night's 94-85 loss did James take that game over.

Many people recognize the great things James does. I'm one of them; but you never hear - at least I don't - about aspects of his game he needs to improve.

If you look at LeBron's offensive game, how much has it evolved in his seven years in the league? Where's the post up game? The mid-range game? He should have a baby hook or some sort of "big man" move, too. Sure, LeBron gives you five "WOW" moments every night, but nobody really takes into the account the number of times he makes you scratch your head.

I know he's only 25, but James is going into his 8th season and he hasn't developed any of those things on offense. I understand it took Michael Jordan a while to perfect that post up game, but this is different because LeBron has Jordan, and Kobe Bryant, to use to study moves on offense and it doesn't look like he does it.

Every time down the court, James is 2-3 inches taller and 40-60 pounds heavier than just about everybody who guards him. When he catches a post entry pass, LeBron knows a double team is coming - from the baseline or from the middle of the lane. I see him find the open man from that double a lot. But rarely do I see him turn away from that double and look to hit a fade-away or make a move toward the cup.

LeBron still has to dribble to get his buckets, too. While me may be more efficient offensively than Bryant, Carmelo Anthony and Kevin Durant, those three don't really need to put the ball on the floor to score. They can catch and fire, or catch and get the rip through move to work out of the triple threat position, draw a foul and get to the line. James, too, still relies on bowling his way to the rim and getting hacked to get to the line. As he ages, taking all that punishment could take a serious toll on his body.

Back to LeBron's size. How he hasn't developed some sort of big man move, at 6'9," 270 pounds, is mind boggling. Scottie Pippen, as his offensive game evolved, developed this little baby hook from 8 feet in that was money. He'd catch the pass in the lane, take a couple dribbles and go up with it and it seemed like it always went in. Like I said, LeBron is 2-3 inches taller and a small child heavier than damn near every guy who tries to guard him, so why is this not a part of his game?

For one of the 8-10 most psychically imposing players in the history of the game to not have any of these things in his arsenal is baffling to me. And until he develops them, the talk that LeBron is the best player in the league has to cease.

LeBron James last night picked a helluva time to have the worst game of his career.

He's had worse games, stat wise; but, overall, it looked like James didn't even wanna be on the court last night as he and his Cavs got dumptrucked by Boston, 120-88. The loss was the worst home loss in Cleveland playoff history. It was also very likely James' last home game as a Cav unless major changes are made in Cleveland this summer, as Boston now takes a 3-2 series lead back to Boston tomorrow night (This series is over, by the way. No way Boston, with all those playoff-tested vets, lets that series get back to Cleveland).

Scoring wise, James was awful. He made just 3 of 14 shots - most of which were jumpers that fell short. His first made bucket came halfway through the third quarter. James did get to the line 12 times - 10 in the first half. But at no point during last night's game did LeBron look like he wanted to take over and put his team on his back and try to lead them to a crucial win.

There's a reason for that. LeBron finally looked at that roster and all the guys who can't play and "Pulled A Kobe."

In game 7 of the 2006 first round against the Phoenix Suns, Kobe Bryant essentially played passive for the entire second half of a game the Lakers lost by 31. He scored 23 on 8 of 13 in the first half and took just three shots in the second. Bryant was doing the same thing James did last night: he looked at that Lakers roster - the team started Smush Parker and Kwame Brown for much of the 2005-06 season. It's a wonder they even made the playoffs as a second seed - and said, "OK, I'm gonna have off nights. I need to know there's guys on this team who can pick up the slack." No one did that. Not that game or the next season, when L.A. lost to Phoenix in the first round again.

A year and a half later, L.A. acquired Pau Gasol and has reached the Finals the last two seasons, winning the championship last year.

For the next day and a half, people will kill LeBron for what he did last night. If he stays in Cleveland and gets some help, and the Cavs go on to win three of the next five NBA titles, no one will remember what happened last night. Just like few people remember Kobe taking a half off against the Suns. But there's no guarantee James stays in Cleveland now.

If Cavs brass has been paying attention - to LeBron's no-show last night, to Mo Williams disappearing act in the playoffs for the second straight year, to Antawn Jamison having next to no impact on this series, to Mike Brown's inability to make in-game adjustments or work a rotation - a major overhaul will take place in Cleveland this summer, or LeBron will leave; and the Cavs will fold in five years.

I don't think anyone in Cleveland wants to be Witness to that.

I have a bet with a friend on the Boston Celtics vs. Cleveland Cavaliers series. I bet him a 12-pack (of Dr. Pepper, of course!!) that Boston will knock Cleveland out of the playoffs. My friend thinks I've been hanging out with Whitney Houston.

One of the main reasons I think the Celtics, who I hate being a Lakers fan, will beat the Cavs in this east semi is Cleveland coach Mike Brown.

Brown became head coach of the Cavs in June 2005 after spending two seasons as the associate head coach of the Indiana Pacers and three seasons as an assistant coach for the San Antonio Spurs. For the past five years, he's had the pleasure of coaching one of the 15 most physically gifted players in NBA history in LeBron James. Brown has had success, leading the Cavs to the playoffs in each of his five seasons, including taking Cleveland to the NBA Finals in 2007 where it was swept by San Antonio in four games.

Brown is most known as a defensive-minded head coach.

He should be known as the absent-minded head coach.

Mike Brown is deserving of his position (he averages 54 wins a season), but there's no way the Cavs will win a title this season - or ever - with Brown at the helm. Too often, Brown has failed to do the things that make good coaches great and great teams champions. He doesn't make good in-game adjustments, doesn't utilize his timeouts correctly and he works a rotation as good as Craig did the first time Smokey passed him a J in "Friday."

Most championship coaches change up their rotation from the regular season to the playoffs. Coaches like Brown seem to believe the same things that work November-April work May-June, too.

Take second-year forward J.J. Hickson for example. Hickson started 73 games for the Cavs during the regular season, played about 21 minutes a night and chipped in with 8.5 points and 4.9 boards a game. Since the playoffs started, it's almost like Brown caught Hickson flirting with his wife because J.J. has barely sniffed the floor. Hickson's minutes have dwindled down to 8.9/game; and he's averaging a ROBUST 13 minutes a game in the east semis.

And has there been an APB put out for Zydrunas Ilguaskas yet? Ilguaskas was dealt to Washington in a mid-season trade that got Cleveland Antawn Jamison. He sat out a month before returning to the Cavs. Although he has bad feet, Z (I'm not trying to spell his last name again), at 7'3," can stretch the floor and runs a pick & pop superbly. For the playoffs, Z averages less than 8 minutes/game and hasn't played since game one of the Boston series.

Cleveland's best unit consists of Mo Williams, James, Jamison, Hickson and Anderson Varejao. The group plays together - but sparingly. It took Brown more than six playoff games to figure this out. When he did, that group was the main catalyst in a 124-95 drubbing of Boston Friday night - that and James 21-point first quarter. One Sunday, when the Cavs scored 37 less points than on Friday night, that unit together on the court - but sparingly.

Brown seems like a nice enough guy, but if I'm Cleveland brass and I wanna keep James, who come July 1, will be the most sought-after free agent in league history, I'm getting a new coach. The James/Brown situation seems similar to what Michael Jordan did following the 1988-89 season in essentially telling Bulls higher ups to oust then-Bulls coach Doug Collins.

Jordan's next coach? Phil Jackson, who the G.O.A.T. won titles with his last six full seasons in Chicago.

The Cavs still have a shot to win this series and the title, but I have my doubts about that (not enough guy's who come up in big spots before, misuse of Antawn Jamison, Mo Williams' playoff inconsistency).

If I'm right, and Boston does go on to bounce Cleveland from the playoffs, I'm splitting that 12-pack with Brown. He'll have earned it.

LeBron James Monday night will receive his second straight NBA MVP Award. He will become a part of a select group of 10 that includes names like Jordan, Russell, Abdul-Jabbar, Bird and Johnson. Steve Nash is on the list, too, but that's another discussion for another day. You know how when you go out and you see a group of 10 beautiful women and one "less than desirable" one? Guess where Steve Nash fits in?

That list also includes a combined 18 NBA Finals MVPs. Nash doesn't have one of those. Neither will LeBron, after this season, at least, because the Celtics are going to knock LeBron's Cavs out of the playoffs for the second time in three postseasons.

LeBron is easily the best player in the league. And he'll easily be the best player in this series, which tips off tomorrow night. But the team with the best player doesn't always win in the NBA. It happens frequently, but not 100 percent of the time. Ask the '04 Lakers or the '88 Bulls or any of several teams Wilt Chamberlain played on if that's true.

No. 1 is vital, but 2-8 is what wins championships. After LeBron, Boston has the next three best players (Paul Pierce, Rajon Rondo, Ray Allen) in the series. Each of those three is playoff tested. Is Antawn Jamison, who Cleveland acquired prior to the Trade deadline in February and who, until this week, never advanced past the first round? What about Mo Williams, who shot 40 percent from the field in the 2009 playoffs? What's a 37-year-old Shaq gonna give Cleveland game to game?

Another factor that plays into Boston's hands is rest. The Celtics haven't played since Tuesday. That's four days rest for the oldest team in the playoffs. Game one in Cleveland is a game Boston can - and will - steal. I can't give them game two, since James will receive his MVP Award Monday night prior to tip off. Game three isn't until Friday, giving the aging, prideful Celtics three more days of rest. That will be key for a team that has five guys in its regular rotation who's average age is 34.2.

Pierce, at 32, is the youngest of those five. He is also the player who will guard James and vice versa. That will wear on LeBron, since he barely broke a sweat on D against Chicago in the first round. Yes, I fully expect LeBron to outplay Pierce this series, but James will work for everything he gets. Pierce will also challenge James to play a high level of defense, too.

I have a feeling James will be out on an island this series, receiving little help from his teammates. A number of players on the Celtics have come through in big spots over the course of their careers - even Rasheed Wallace, who, from the look of his bustline, could have been in that Lane Bryant ad that was recently outlawed. Cleveland doesn't have that luxury, which could allow Boston to key its defense on LeBron, which has worked for the Celtics against "one-man shows" in the past - Dwyane Wade in the first round, Kobe Bryant in the 2008 Finals.

Neither of those guys, at the time, played with players who were ready for prime time. Unfortunately for LeBron, neither does he.

Celtics in 6.

A lot of odd things happened this weekend with the start of the NBA Playoffs

-Derrick Rose and Brandon Jennings may both have heads full of gray hair at the end of their series against the Cavs and Hawks, respectively. Rose HAD to take 27 shots Saturday, which is 10 more than he averaged per game all season, in order for the Bulls to have a shot at winning. Jennings had the fourth-best playoff debut for a rookie with 34 points and had no one step up to help him out. With the make up of both Chicago's and Milwaukee's rosters, both guys are like the smart kid in school who gets put in a group with all the slackers for "group" projects.

-Coaches are idiots. Both Scott Skiles (Milwaukee) and Mike Brown (Cleveland) decided it was fine to stick to the patterns they utilized in the regular season. Skiles sat Jennings the first five minutes of the fourth quarter Saturday in Atlanta when Milwaukee was down 11 and no one else could hit a shot. Brown did the same with LeBron James, allowing the Bulls to gain ground on the Cavs before falling short. Had Brown left James in, he could have finished off Chicago and probably sat out the LAST five minutes of the game.

-Derek Fisher is the worst starting player on any playoff team. I love the Lakers, but Fisher needs to be put out to pasture. Russell Westbrook abused Fisher several times yesterday. It got so bad that at one point, I thought to myself, "Mitch Kupchak needs to read "Old Yeller" for tips on what to do with Fisher."

-Jerry Sloan is cursed. In a year where many picked Utah to get to the Western Conference Finals, he loses Andrei Kirilenko prior to the playoffs for two weeks, then Mehmet Okur tears his Achilles and is expected to miss the rest of the playoffs.

-I'd like Charlotte's chances of upsetting Orlando if one of the Bobcats' bigs (Tyson Chandler, Nazr Mohammed, Theo Ratliff) had at least one go-to move on offense. The way they defended Dwight Howard yesterday should scare Magic fans.

-If Dwight Howard had Al Horford's jumper from 12-15 feet, he'd average 30 a game and win 8 MVPs.

-Dirk Nowitzki looks like he's on a mission, going 12-14 FROM THE FIELD, on his way to 36 in a game one win over San Antonio.

-Playing a team in Portland without its best player, I expected the Suns to make short work of the Blazers. But Portland is a team that plays hard every night and doesn't feel sorry for itself. Portland's win in Phoenix last night ended a streak of 18 losses on the road to open playoff series that dates back to 1983.

-If Ron Artest plays D the next two months like he did on Kevin Durant yesterday, banner 16 will be hung from the rafters of Staples Center sometime next fall.

There's a really easy way to determine the Most Valuable Player in the NBA each season.

Take a great player from his team and determine where that team would finish in the standings without him.

For example, if you take Kobe Bryant away from the Lakers, Los Angeles would still make the playoffs. But if you take LeBron James from the Cavaliers, Cleveland's roster is as strong as Michelle Pfeiffer's eggs in "Scarface."

The Cavs would be awful without LeBron. That's why he's my 2010 NBA MVP. Too bad he won't be around to challenge for Finals MVP, though.

2010 NBA Award Winners

MVP
LeBron James - Averaged a 28, 8, 8 for the past three seasons
2. Kevin Durant
3. Dwight Howard

Rookie of the Year
Tyreke Evans - Fourth rookie in history to put up a 20, 5, 5. The others? Oscar Robertson, Michale Jordan, James
2. Stephen Curry
3. Brandon Jennings

Defensive Player of the Year
Dwight Howard - Led the league in rebounds and blocks for the second straight season.
2. LeBron James
3. Thabo Sefolosha

Sixth Man of the Year
Jamal Crawford - Finally found the role he was made to play: gunner off the bench. Put in 18 points/game in 31 minutes/night for the Hawks.
Carl Landry
Manu Ginobili

Most Improved Player
Aaron Brooks - Became Houston's go-to guy in the absence of Yao Ming. Improved his scoring average by more than 8 points/game, too (11.2 to 19.6). Also shot nearly 40 percent from 3.
2. Joakim Noah
3. Andrew Bogut

Coach of the Year
Scott Brooks (OKC) - took one of the two youngest teams in the league to the playoffs a season after it won just 23 games. Oklahoma City won its 50th game of the year last night.
Scott Skiles
Rick Carlisle

All-NBA First Team
Kobe Bryant
Dwyane Wade
LeBron James
Kevin Durant
Dwight Howard

All-NBA Second Team
Deron Williams
Steve Nash
Carmelo Anthony
Chris Bosh
Dirk Nowitzki

All-NBA Third Team
Chauncey Billups
Joe Johnson
Manu Ginobili
Carlos Boozer
Amar'e Stoudemire

All-Defensive Team
Rajon Rondo
Dwyane Wade
Thabo Sefolosha
LeBron James
Dwight Howard

All-Rookie Team
Tyreke Evans
Stephen Curry
Brandon Jennings
Darren Collison
Marcus Thornton

Least Valuable Player
Eddy Curry - made $10 million-plus this season to play in 7 games and average 8.9 minutes/game

Least Valuable Player on a really good team
Derek Fisher - routinely gets torched by quicker guards...and slower ones

Remember how the Heisman vote went down to the last two weeks of the regular season?

Everyone was waiting for that one guy to pull away from a pack of four or five and take the award.

Alabama sophomore running back Mark Ingram did that with his performance in the SEC Championship game against Florida, snatching the award from Florida's Tim Tebow among others.

This NBA season has been weird. In the first month of the season, you could make a case for five or six guys who should win MVP. Milwaukee point guard Brandon "Young Money" Jennings was a shoe-in for Rookie of the Year after he went off for 55 points in just his seventh game in the League.

Now, both of those are one-horse races in my opinion. So are the races for Sixth Man of the Year and Most Improved Player.

So unless some guys step up the last 40 games of the season, there won't be any shock when award winners are announced in May.

As for who is leading in the chase for those awards...

Most Valuable Player
LeBron James, Forward, Cleveland Cavaliers
You know how Pistons' fans used to treat Michael Jordan? They hated his guts but respected the hell out of his game. That's the way fans are with James now. He might be too silly for anybody to hate, though, with his pre-game antics and sideline dances. So far this season, LeBron is averaging 29 points, with 8 assists ( a career high at this point) and 7 boards a night. He's also posting career highs in field goal, free throw and three-point percentage. James is doing all this, and has his team in the race for the League's best record, without much else around him.

Also considered: Kobe Bryant (L.A. Lakers), Dirk Nowitzki (Dallas)

Rookie of the Year
Tyreke Evans, Guard, Sacramento Kings
The same way James saved the Cavs when he was drafted in 2003, Evans has been reviving the Kings so far this season. Sacramento was widely thought of as one of the three or four worst teams in the League at the start of the season, but the Kings have been surprisingly competitive. While Jennings started hot and hit the Rookie Wall, Evans has been steady all season to the tune of 20.8 points, 5 boards and 5 assists a night. At 6'6," 220 pounds, Evans can play any of the perimeter positions. He may be best suited to play off the ball, but his play at the point has been solid. Evans has also scored in double figures in all but two games he's played in so far this season.

Also considered: Brandon Jennings (Milwaukee), Stephen Curry (Golden State)

Most Improved Player
Kevin Durant, Forward, Oklahoma City Thunder
In his third year in the League, Durant has made "The Leap." His scoring average has gone up exponentially each season (from 20 (year one) to 25 ppg (year two) to 29.1 this season. Durant is also averaging a career-high 7 boards a night. He's a threat to go for 40 every night and he's also mastered the art of manufacturing points. When he has an off night from the field, Durant is awesome at getting to the line. In Oklahoma City's 94-91 win over Atlanta Monday afternoon, Durant went 7-19 from the field, but shot 14-15 from the free throw line. He's getting to the line nearly 10 times a game and in flirting with shooting 50 percent from the field, 40 percent from three-point range and 90 percent from the free-throw line. Above all of that, he's leading his young Thunder squad to Ws. Oklahoma City currently sits at 23-18, good for 8th in the tough Western Conference. OKC didn't win its 23rd game until the last game of the 2008-09 season. Look for Durant to be in the MVP discussion until he retires.

Also considered: Aaron Brooks (Houston), Channing Frye (Phoenix)

Sixth Man of the Year
Jamal Crawford, Guard, Atlanta Hawks
Crawford has always been known as a gunner. But you can't win with guys like that in your starting lineup unless their name is Kobe. Crawford is in the perfect role in Atlanta. He's been a major reason why the Hawks are atop the Southeast Division. He's the Hawks' version of Vinnie Johnson and he's flourishing in his new role. So far this season, in 30 minutes a night, Crawford is netting 17 points and shooting 45 percent from the field. That number doesn't look that great until you consider that's the best he's shot from the field since shooting .476 from the field in 23 games in 2001-02.

Also considered: Carl Landry (Houston), Jason Terry (Dallas)

Defensive Player of the Year
Dwight Howard, Center, Orlando Magic
Although Howard's offensive numbers have trailed off from last season and his post game is almost nonexistent, his defensive play always remains at a high level. Howard once again leads the League in rebounds (13.1) and blocks (2.49). He also ranks in the top 50 in steals - a category dominated by wing players.

Also considered: LeBron James (Cleveland), Gerald Wallace (Charlotte)

Coach of the Year
Rick Adelman, Houston Rockets
No Yao. No Tracy McGrady, yet, at 23-18, Adelman has the Rockets in the seven spot out West. Prior to the start of the season, I picked Houston to finish with one of the worst records in the League, since the team's roster is made up of no-name players. Houston has been able to stay afloat despite switching from a team that thrived on good defense to a team that likes to run on offense. During his career, Adelman has coached some supremely talented teams in Portland and Sacramento, but this may be his best work.

Also considered: Lionel Hollins (Memphis), Scott Brooks (Oklahoma City)