LeBron and Wade: Can it work?

[Renew Deal]

This is a typical Bill Simmons article. Long and entertaining. NBA fans will enjoy it...

<snip>
My gut feeling when LeBron took his talents to South Beach? "That can't work."

I spent the next three months keeping an open mind. Couldn't Chris Bosh flourish with better teammates and provide a consistent low-post threat? Couldn't Udonis Haslem revive his career as a poor man's Horace Grant? Wasn't the thought of Mike Miller launching wide-open 3s a little frightening for opponents? Did they even need a traditional point guard when LeBron and Wade handle the ball so well? Why couldn't LeBron tap into his inner Magic, become more of a facilitator and start piling up triple-doubles like NBC piles up bad ratings? And weren't they saying all the right things? Defense matters, numbers don't matter, we're all about sacrifice, we want to win 10 titles and not just one ... what was so radical about any of this?

Fast-forward to Tuesday night, the best regular-season basketball game I've attended since the Larry Joe Bird era. Boston fans genuinely love this particular Celtics team, haven't gotten over blowing the Six For Twenty-Four game, desperately want a Lakers rematch and couldn't wait to send a special message to LeBron and the gang. We know everyone is already handing you the East, but you still have to go through us. During the pregame introductions, LeBron was showered with the angriest boos for a Boston opponent since Bill Laimbeer, a man who only tried to paralyze Bird during the 1987 playoffs. There was real hostility in the air. You could feel it.

That brings me to Epiphany No. 1 ...

LeBron can spin this publicly however he wants, but you can't hide on a basketball court. You're wearing a sleeveless jersey, shorts, socks and sneakers. That's it. If you're angry, we can tell. If you're happy, we can tell. If you're frightened, we can tell. For instance, Bosh was scared sh*tless Tuesday night. He'd never played in a game like that before. He wanted no part of the crowd, Kevin Garnett's swarming defense, the ball on the low post, his free throws, anything. (Not a good sign for Miami's title hopes, by the way.) LeBron didn't seem rattled, just angry. And not in a totally productive way.
<snip>

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=simmons/10129&sportCat=nba

[trumad]

1. A typical full of shit article...

The heat lost to the Celt's by 8 with Wade shooting horrible that night after coming back from an injury.

They then beat Philly and looked a lot better.

Wait until they get their shit together.

[joeybee12]

2. Great, great article...full of depth and insight!

I give it two thumbs up!!!!

[HuckleB]

3. Here's to hoping that Mr. Simmons is right!

:toast:

[Scurrilous]

4. Tonights home opener: Miami Heat 96 Orlando Magic 70

Yeah, it ain't working...:o

[trumad]

5. The writer is another douchebag sour graper....

Tonight the Heat beat the shit out of a Magic team who beat Washington by 29 two nights ago. Against a Magic team who finished in the top 4 the last two seasons, and against a Magic team who talked smack all week.

With LeBron feeding Wade like he did tonight it's going to be very hard for teams to run with the Heat. Plus--- they will emerge as the best Defensive team in the league.

I love all the dumb asses in the media and this forum who continue to act like 5 year old children when discussing the Heat.

[Scurrilous]

6. Miami Heat 101 NJ Nets 78

Still not working!!1!:P

[RockaFowler]

7. Yep, not working

They looked great the last 3 games. I think they were rusty the first game and just came out flying the last 3. And they are fun to watch

[Scurrilous]

9. Great day for Miami sports fans..

...the Heat continues to dominate, the Dolphins win on the road (again), and the @#$% Jets lose. :thumbsup:

[madinmaryland]

8. "Bill Laimbeer, a man who only tried to paralyze Bird during the 1987 playoffs"

That was a good one. Laimbeer was a douchebag! What a bunch of thugs.