We take a quick look back at the Miami series and the season as a whole with our disappointment still offset by pride. Given the circumstances, the 2012/13 Bulls were incredibly entertaining and still managed to overachieve. We also dip into some offseason speculation and project next season's roster. Finally, we offer our bold (dumb?) predictions for the remainder of the playoffs. Thank you all for listening and a fun season!
For part one of a late night Old School Sundays special, we have something that NBA and hip hop fans will both thoroughly enjoy... and it's only 30 seconds long. That's because it's a 30 second spot from 1987 when Magic Johnson, Isiah Thomas, Kevin McHale, Mark Aguirre, Bernard King, and MVP Larry Bird took turns for a stream of consciousness rap session. Yes, this actually happened. And the 340K views it has is nowhere near the total this video warrants.
I was inspired to watch this again, and go a step further and post it for you all, because of a Twitter question posed tonight by our friend, RedEye writer Jack Silverstein:
So... to rank the flow: King, Aguirre, McHale, Isiah, Magic, and Larry (ironically the same as Jack's, which I didn't even read til after, hah!). Bird gets bonus points though for his hilarioius smile/smirk gloating about the MVP. How do you rank the flow?
We analyze and discuss how the Bulls fell short in Game 3 despite their valiant effort. What needs to change heading into Monday's Game 4? Even though the series is far from over, we also examine the Bulls chances against the Heat in the future with a full roster and try not to sulk in this year's lost opportunity. Be sure to also listen to the very end to help celebrate the show's birthday!
Hello Brooklyn! And last week, it was Goodbye Brooklyn for Nate Robinson and the Chicago Bulls. After the team's Game 7 win and Game 1 upset over Miami, the city is swept with #SeeRed fever. And that's not to discount the Blackhawks as the city is fully behind them for their playoff run. Needless to say, it's an exciting time to be a Chicago sports fan.
But to bring it back to the topic at hand, Nate Robinson's State Of Nate web series gives us a TV-style behind-the-scenes look at the life of a rising NBA star. Nate Rob's latest episode, filmed and directed by TeeJay Regan comes at a quick turnaround, documenting his stay in New York City for the Bulls' first round playoff series versus the Brooklyn Nets. This was one of the series' best episodes yet as Nate took us on a tour of numerous shopping boutiques all across the borroughs (with Rip Hamilton), dinner at his favorite spot in the city with Daequan Cook and Taj Gibson, and of course a little insight into the day of the game. Some other highlights: the art work he got presented to by @ArtMobb and all of the fans he has from NYC (from when he used to be a Knick), most notably the taxi driver in the beginning.
If you don't have the time to sit with this at this moment, at least check out the new NBA ad spot for Nate Rob: "We Are All Watching: Nate Robinson". Chilling! Definitely give State Of Nate a look-see above when you do get the time, and get amped for a big Game 3 at the Madhouse on Madison tonight! #GoBulls
Not one, not two, not three, but four! Yes LeBron James, which this shouldn’t come as a surprise to any of you, has been named this seasons MVP. King James has been voted Most Valuable Player for the forth time in his career, and for the second season in a role in the last 5 years. Check what ESPN had to say
"The Heat are scheduling an awards presentation Sunday, and James also will be presented the MVP trophy by NBA commissioner David Stern at AmericanAirlines Arena at the start of their second-round series next week in Miami.
The Heat, who have been idle for a week, swept their first-round playoff series against Milwaukee and will face either Chicago or Brooklyn in the conference semifinals, starting Monday. The Bulls and Nets play Game 7 of their first-round series Saturday in Brooklyn.
James has said for weeks that he would be honored to be mentioned alongside Jordan, Chamberlain, Abdul-Jabbar and Russell in MVP recognition. But James said Friday that he's more focused on the playoffs and helping the Heat defend their title.
"He's earned it," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said after Friday's practice. "He's having an even more historic season than he's had the last two years. Most people probably didn't think he could go to a higher level after last season, yet he reinvented himself to show that he could. Our pinch-ourselves moment was when we signed him. But since we've had him, we don't take him for granted."
James averaged 26.8 points, 8.0 rebounds, 7.3 assists, 1.7 steals and one block in 76 games in his 10th season in the league. He shot career-best percentages from the field (.565) and 3-point range (.406) and ranked in the top 10 in scoring, assists, steals and field-goal percentage among those who played in at least 70 games this season."
LeBron will join the like of NBA greats Michael Jordan, Bill Russell, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Wilt Chamberlain who all have four MVP’s each. Congrats to LeBron because he put a lot of work in this season! Check the full story here.
