Keys for the Pacers to upset LeBron James and the Heat in the 2013 ECF

Indiana Pacers head coach Frank Vogel may not have said that the Miami Heat are “just another team” as one reporter told LeBron, but the message was clear as to the mindset that he will employ with his players. Personally, I don’t buy it as the most effective method, and I don’t think other playoff legends do either (see Gregg Popovich resting his stars throughout the regular season for the playoffs among others) but it’s one way that some coaches decide to go about the NBA's biggest stage.

As an added bonus for Miami, the media fueled the fire of an already brightly burning superstar in the reigning regular season MVP and defending NBA champion, LeBron James. Those misrepresented comments may have sealed the deal with Miami's third consecutive trip to the NBA Finals but as the great Kevin Garnett said, "anything is possibleeee!"

Well, maybe not anything but one thing is certain: the Pacers were the only Eastern conference team with any legitimate shot to beat the Miami Heat. They have the best combination of player personnel and the playoff experience in the East. Yes, I may be banging my head against the wall for predicting the Knicks to beat the Pacers but I should have expected J.R. Smith to shut down the Knicks offense…sub-30 percent shooting in the playoffs while still jacking up 15 shots a game? Disgraceful.

A stingy defense and a solid offensive post game has led Indiana this far in the playoffs and beat Miami in their regular season series. Not only that, but LeBron James averaged only 21 points per game in those three meetings, including his lowest scoring regular season game (13 points on March 10).

The Pacers have earned a fighting chance against LeBron James & Co. They gave the eventual champions a run for their money last year in the Conference semifinals and are a stronger, more experienced unit this year—especially with the emergence of Paul George as an All-Star. Here are some keys that Indiana needs to nail if they hope to pull off the miraculous upset:

Four guys in double figures

The Pacers have weapons all over the floor. True, their 30 percent three-point shooting in the playoffs is far from impressive but Paul George, George Hill, David West, and Roy Hibbert all averaged at least 14 points per game thus far in the 2013 playoffs. Lance Stephenson’s outpouring of offense in Game 6 puts him at almost 10 points per game (9.8).

Indiana’s offense often struggles to scrape 90 on the board by the final buzzer but they have the pieces that you want in an offense, particularly the ability to score from all five positions. The same cannot be said for Miami.

Hibbert and West bullying LeBron in the post serves even more value for what it does to LeBron offensively.

If James continues to play the 4 and Bosh defends Hibbert, then you can count on more jump shots and less inside penetration from the NBA’s best player.

Force Miami to respect the inside game and then you can take advantage of mismatches on the perimeter with Ray Allen, Mario Chalmers, and Norris Cole. As impressive as Cole has become, he and this trio should not be able to stop George, Hill, and Stephenson.

Protect the paint against LeBron

If there's one thing you can take to the bank it's that the Pacers success depends on shutting down LeBron. James' ability to drive and score is paralleled by an incredible ability to drop dimes, but would you rather have Norris Cole shooting a 15-footer or LeBron finishing at the rim? Force Miami’s role players to step up. Even put the pressure on Dwyane Wade to dial the clock back to 2006.

Then again, if LeBron pulls off anything like what he did in last year’s ECF vs. the Celtics, well…good luck.

Limit turnovers

Miami has been a much more efficient team in the playoffs, with 1.6 AST/TO and over 49 percent shooting from the field. Indiana is practically the polar opposite—1.1 AST/TO and 42 percent from the field. The best way to mitigate this difference is to get Paul George and George Hill to stop averaging a combined six turnovers per game. Great defense can only go so far against a great offense, and each opportunity that Indiana has the basketball absolutely must be valued. Just because Paul George is coming into his own doesn’t give him free reigns to hand the ball over to the other team.

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These are not outrageous goals for Indiana to accomplish. This team-oriented style of basketball parallels nicely with a more-veteran team in the Western conference finals that has championship titles to back it up. Paul George (or any other Pacer) cannot claim the status of future Hall of Famer unlike Popovich’s crew but maybe blissful oblivion is the way to go. Frank Vogel certainly thinks so.

Do you give the Pacers a shot against Miami?

Jason Collins coming out as gay changes more than just the NBA

NBA free agent Jason Collins is not known for particularly memorable on-court performances, but the spotlight is now shining brightly on him because he just made history. The 34-year-old wrote in a story for Sports Illustrated:

            I'm a 34-year-old NBA center. I'm black. And I'm gay.

I didn't set out to be the first openly gay athlete playing in a major American team sport. But since I am, I'm happy to start the conversation. I wish I wasn't the kid in the classroom raising his hand and saying, "I'm different." If I had my way, someone else would have already done this. Nobody has, which is why I'm raising my hand.

By coming out as the first active, gay professional male athlete, Collins has immediately changes the course of the NBA's future. The door is open for gay players to come out. The boldness of Collins' openness increases particularly in light of homophobic comments that have been made in sports recently, the most shocking being San Francisco 49ers cornerback Chris Culliver saying on Media Day before Super Bowl XLVII that openly gay players are not welcome on the (49ers) team.

Strong backlash ensued after those comments and Culliver did retract them, but his point was all too clear: the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy that the US military has recently revoked was an unwritten rule in sports. Legendary coach Phil Jackson went so far as to say that he never saw a gay NBA player. The message to any gay player had been clear: if there are any of you, keep it quiet.

Collins came forward with a powerful "no, I won't be quiet" to that and has forever changed the landscape of sports. The machismo that comes with being a professional male athlete has drawn a disconnect between both gays in pro sports and the general American sentiments on this issue. It’s a fact that Americans are increasingly more supportive of gay rights. Even Republicans have spent money lobbying for gay marriage. Yet somehow the discussion of gay rights in sports had remained silent.

Jason Collins boldly stepped forward as a man to change that and most importantly, his initiative will provide a strong boost to the progress of gay rights in the United States. Now, homophobia in pro sports is put on blast. And what better place to do it than in American professional sports…a place so integrated into our daily lives. Acceptance will need to come from one of the areas that was rather unwelcoming to openly declared gay men considering there were a grand total of zero prior to Collins. It will spark discussion from our youngest sports fans and athletes to the oldest, more experienced fans and athletes.

In a show of how powerful one individual can be, this excellent example proves how one (mediocre) basketball player can pave the way for future athletes to come out. One person can provide a figure for the gay rights movement in sports. Masculinity is innately built into male professional sports and now people can see proof that being heterosexual is simply not a prerequisite to make it to the grandest stage in basketball.

A veteran of the league, Jason Collins will be ready for whatever comes his way.

High profile players like Kobe Bryant, Steve Nash, and Baron Davis have already jumped to support Collins. Using the leverage that these athletes have for the well-being of humanity is ultimately what sports are all about.

Proud of @jasoncollins34. Don't suffocate who u r because of the ignorance of others #courage #support #mambaarmystandup #BYOU
— Kobe Bryant (@kobebryant) April 29, 2013

The time has come. Maximum respect. RT @baron_davis: I am so proud of my bro @jasoncollins34 for being real. ... tmi.me/TGSBh
— Steve Nash (@SteveNash) April 29, 2013

It says more about the people who dish out homophobic comments than the recipients of those harsh words and hopefully this will prove to be a large step in the right direction progressing to more than just acceptance. That doesn't mean that the road will be easy, but Collins put himself out in the open at the risk of intolerance for the goal of bettering sports and society. That is more important than the result of any playoff game.

Sports like the NBA symbolize and represent the American heart and soul. It must follow that these games proudly represent all of our diversity.

The Real 2013 NBA season awards

With all of the debate that surrounds the traditional NBA awards, sometimes we need to take a step back and think about which awards really matter. For that, I’ve created a brand new host of annual awards that go to a select few players. Some of these awards are shoo-ins, just like LeBron James with the 2013 NBA MVP award, but others are quite competitive. Here they are, the first annual selection for the eleven real 2013 NBA season player awards:

JaVale “I’m not sure what’s going on” McGee Award

If you have had the pleasure of laughing hysterically at any YouTube videos of the Nuggets center (see above), you know just how utterly clueless he can be at times. Free throw line dunks in game are only the beginning to his on-court antics and sometimes he just looks so hopelessly lost. So, unless somebody else comes into the league with the lack of intelligence that McGee brings to the table, this award is created and won exclusively by the guy who is never quite sure what is going on, JaVale McGee.

Defensive player for opposing teams Award

This award is handed out to the player that every opposing team loves. The traditional Defensive Player of the Year award goes to a player that shuts down opposing offenses. Well, that can be useful occasionally but this award is more important. Now we’re talking about a player who is so great that he can shut down his own team’s offense. It takes a truly special player to do that. And for now at least, the winner of this award takes first place in a landslide. Russell Westbrick Westbrook is truly one of a kind because he has the ability to hold three-time scoring champion Kevin Durant under 30 points per game on any given night.

Larry “White man wonder” Bird Award

With the ever-decreasing concentration of (good) white players in the NBA, the White Man Wonder award goes out to this year’s best player who looks like the color of the basketball net. Kevin Love may be the perennial favorite to take home this trophy but his injuries this year prevented him from taking home this award’s first annual winner. Undoubtedly, half of the Vanilla Towers in Golden State earned it this year. David Lee, the 20-10 machine, takes home these honors.

Rasheed “Ref, that was a FOUL!” Wallace Award

Who holds the single season record for technical fouls? Answer: Rasheed Wallace. Do you know who holds the second, third, and fourth highest single season records for T’s? Yup, those titles also go to Rasheed Wallace. If there’s one thing that you can count on Rasheed Wallace for, it’s yelling at the refs. Even though the list of top 20 players with T’s in 2013 is a star-studded lineup, no better and more frequent complainer exists than the Lakers great, Kobe Bryant. A 95-year veteran of the NBA, sometimes it’s hard to see if Kobe’s complaining or asking for a cane but he always finds a way to put on that “come on, ref” look when he gets fouled. The reality according to Kobe: if I missed a shot, I was fouled. Simple as that. Kobe, here you are, another trophy to add to your walls of awards and accolades.

Michael “should I stay or should I go?” Jordan Award

I lost count of how many retirements the great Michael Jordan had accumulated over the course of his careers. Was he trying to retire one time for every ring he won? This award honors his greatness in deciding to retire and unretire and recognizes the player who just can’t seem to finally pull the plug on his NBA playing career. Grant Hill, at 40 years old, averaged 3 points and 2 rebounds per game in 2013 which is almost on par with the great Luke Walton. Grant, it's time to call it a career.

Dennis “I’ll wear what I want to wear” Rodman Award

If you can explain the logic behind the Dennis Rodman outfits…who are we kidding? Nobody can do that. If anybody can surpass Rodman’s attire, I would be simply befuddled. The array of colorful and unusual clothes that Rodman adorned was interesting to say the least. Paying homage that trend-setting style, this award landed unanimously in the possession of the always attention-grabbing Russell Westbrook. My philosophy: Westbrook is auditioning to become a United States ambassador to North Korea.

Antoine “Keep on chucking” Walker Award

Despite leading the league in three-point attempts for three consecutive years in his highly regarded career, Antoine Walker spent years chucking from beyond the arc for the Boston Celtics. Finishing off his career with a .325 3PT field goal percentage, Walker shot below 30 percent for three different seasons. Apparently it is true: ignorance is bliss. There is no more perfect player to win the chucking award than Bucks guard, Monta Ellis. An excellent thrasher, Monta hoisted 4.0 threes a game in 2013 and shot…wait for the ball to hit the iron…28.7 percent from beyond the arc. Somebody enter this man into the three-point shooting contest.

Ben “Little Big Man” Wallace Award

There’s something to be said for the big man who, well…isn’t really that big. Ben Wallace was known for being a defensive force at center despite being only 6’9”. Leading the Detroit Pistons to the 2004 championship, Wallace also topped the league in rebounding and blocks throughout his career. So before the Little Man Complex kicks in, let’s give some love to the not-so-bigs who use energy and an undying motor to propel themselves to NBA success. And for the 2013 Little Big Man Award, the 6’8” Kenneth Faried comes out on top. The Manimal has a motor that never quits and is an athletic monster who will likely compete for these honors for years to come.

Metta Not World Peace a-War-d

Aside from wanting to vomit every time I hear the name Metta World Peace, I laugh at the idea that the man could bestow such a name upon himself. From the Malice at the Palace to innumerable other incidents, Not World Peace has made a name for himself by advocating for just about everything except world peace. Thus, you have the above named a-War-d. To nobody’s surprise (save maybe his own), DeMarcus Cousins is the perfect recipient for these honors considering his behavior was so bad that in December his own team suspended him. Congrats, DeMarcus.

Brian “MVP” Scalabrine-Cardinal Award

Even the NBA champion LeBron James stands little chance in the debate of greatest NBA players of all time when you mention the indomitable Brian Scalabrine. The two man debate for GOAT is between the White Mamba and the 4.6/2.3/1.0 career average of Brian Cardinal. So, in honor of these two greats, the real MVP award is named after the great Brians of the NBA. The Brians would support the man who earned the 2013 MVP honors, none other than Timofey Mozgov. Not only did the Russian Rocket pile up 2.6 points and 2.6 rebounds in 2013, but he also kindly volunteered to be posterized by DeMar DeRozan in one of the greatest dunks of 2013.

Sam “sorry, Portland” Bowie Award

The Portland Trailblazers always seem to be the recipient of either some terrible luck or just poor decisions. Sam Bowie is famous for who he is not. That person he is not is the player drafted one slot below him in the 1984 NBA Draft: Michael Jordan. As if that was not bad enough, Portland proceeded to pass up on one Kevin Durant in the 2007 NBA Draft for the durable Greg Oden. Aside from the other achievement differentials, in 2010, Durant played in as many regular season games as Oden played in his entire career (82). So surely Portland would figure out a good draft pick in 2011, right? They opted to stop the trend of drafting big men in favor of a guard. Instead of Kenneth Faried, they selected the 6’2” Duke guard, Nolan Smith. Smith averages 3.3 points and 1.2 assists for his career.

However, the irony is that the recipient of this terrible decision is another team that dwells in the cellar of the NBA and the last men laughing are the Blazers front office! In the 2012 draft, Portland selected Damian Lillard with the sixth overall pick. One slot earlier, the Kings opted for Thomas Robinson and his 4.8 points and 4.5 rebounds per game. Although he was hardly as bad of a choice as Bowie, Robinson was so great that the Kings decided to share his talents and traded him mid-season to the Rockets.