2012 nba eastern conference finals

The Heat Are One Loss Away From Doing It Again

James Jones #22, Dwyane Wade #3 and LeBron James #6 of the Miami Heat during the game against the Boston Celtics in Game Five of the Eastern Conference Finals during the 2012 NBA Playoffs on June 5, 2012 at American Airlines Arena in Miami, Florida.
Sad Heat.

In full-on fire-and-brimstone mode this morning, Yahoo’s Adrian Wojnarowski pronounces that after the Heat’s their stunning 94-90 Game 5 loss to the Celtics last night, we are close to seeing “a modern basketball superpower dismantled before everyone’s eyes.” We’re not sure this is true, though. Even if the Heat lose tomorrow night and the Celtics — the Celtics! The team most were calling to be torn down at the trading deadline; the team the Knicks were knocking around late in the year — go to the NBA Finals, LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh will still have four more chances at a title. (Unless they all opt out two years from now, and boy, wouldn’t that be something?) If Miami loses, we suspect Erik Spoestra will be fired and a new coach will come in, but Miami will still have the best record in the Eastern Conference in 2012-13, and we’ll all go through this same drama a year from now. Not that it doesn’t remain delicious fun to watch this continue to happen, even if it requires watching Kevin Garnett go all wack-a-doodle again to make it happen. There are many NBA fans whose primary rooting interest this season — and last season and next season — is to make sure the Miami Heat don’t win the title. They’re one game away from getting their wish.

The Heat Are One Loss Away From Doing It Again