Nightmare on Jefferson St.

Throughout the course of the 2011 NBA Finals, I found myself pulling for the Miami Heat.  Like any other basketball fan, I found myself drawn to the compelling story of LeBron James, The Decision, the Heatles, and everything surrounding their traveling soap opera.  Couple that with the fact that I am extremely loyal to the Phoenix Suns, and the thought of the Dallas Mavericks, Dirk Nowitzki, Jason Terry and Mark Cuban winning an NBA championship does more than just rub me the wrong way.  Couple that with the fact that Jason Kidd and Shawn Marion both played key roles in the Mavs title run, and you can understand my anguish.  It wasn't until the last two minutes of the fourth quarter in Game 6 that I realized my disdain for the Mavericks had temporarily subsided.  I actually found myself to be a bit more jealous than anything.  Jealous of the fact that the Mavericks were hoisting the gold trophy before my beloved Suns.  Jealous of the fact that Casper the Matrix Marion finally decided to show up for a playoff series, albeit with the wrong team.  But most of all, jealous of the fact that the fans of the Mavericks have an owner that actually cares.  Mark Cuban has made it clear from the first day he purchased the team from Donald Carter that his goal was to bring a title to the fans of Dallas.  Cuban isn't a fledgling banker trying to run his basketball team like a Wells Fargo.  Just be relevant enough to put fans in the seats.  Just making the playoffs and barely being above 500 isn't acceptable.  His focus is on winning, at any cost.  He too could have let his best player walk in free agency last summer and saved his money for a rainy day.  He could have chosen to hide behind past injuries.  However, he decided that Dirk was worth the money, and Nowitzki repayed him with the Larry O'Brien trophy less than a year later.  Fans of the Phoenix Suns can only dream of what it would be like to have an owner that cared more about winning than the bottom line.  An owner that cares more about the product out on the court, than just cutting a profit.  An owner that isn't satisfied with just making the playoffs for the couple extra million in revenue that those coveted playoff home games generate, but actually having a legitimate shot to compete for the title.  From Joe Johnson to Steve Kerr, Amar'e Stoudemire to Dave Griffin, prized employees are continually shown the door, only to flourish someplace else.  Bill Simmons' portrayal of the Seven Seconds or Less era and when that brand of basketball officially died in Phoenix will open up old wounds but if you can handle the painful recollection, it's worth the read.  Surprisingly, the end wasn't when you may have thought.  The Big Cactus makes for a large scapegoat but there is plenty of blame to go around.  Meanwhile the organization will be quick to remind you of their overall winning percentage, of which the Suns are 4th best in league history.  You will also be reminded of the 3 trips to the conference finals since 2004, when a local banker purchased the organization for $401 million from Jerry Colangelo.  Unfortunately in professional sports, jewelry and banners do all of the talking.  And last time I checked, the only hardware residing in US Airways Center belong to the Phoenix Mercury and the Arizona Rattlers.  All the while leaving nothing but a disgruntled fanbase left to constantly ponder what might have been.  The sad truth for Suns fans is that this is no dream.  The nightmare that is Robert Sarver will be tormenting Suns loyalists for years to come.  How is that for a rude awakening?

Anybody seen LeBron James?

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Nobody saw it coming, not even the second time around.  Perhaps a few bitter Cleveland residents had hoped for a repeat performance of what they were forced to endure during Game 5 of the 2010 Eastern Conference Finals.  But nobody could have predicted that one year later, after The Decision, the taking of talents to South Beach, Bump-gate, Cry-gate, etc, that LeBron James would check out of a playoff game again.  Only this time it happened on the NBA's biggest stage, in what should have been one of if not THE biggest games of his professional career.  It is one thing to defer as Robin to Wade's Batman as LeBron did in Game 3.  But the showing or lack thereof in Game 4 left King James looking more like Alfred the Butler, and many questioning what could possibly be affecting him off the court.  Much has been made of what may or may not have happened between Gloria James and Delonte West last season, and what LeBron may or may not have been informed of during that infamous series with the Boston Celtics.  Many believe that situation was one of the factors that ultimately lead to LeBron's decision to leave Cleveland for Miami last summer.  But now, with the Heatles and their supporting cast, James has exactly what he had asked for the past few years.  A strong core of role players and another superstar or two to carry the load so that he would be allowed to have an off night once in a while.  That is what makes last night's Game 4 in Dallas that much more perplexing.  Bill Simmons spoke for many as he was more "captivated by LeBron's meltdown than the Mavs resilience." Not only did LeBron not show up, but the imposter who was trotting around American Airlines Center wearing the red Heat #6 jersey didn't look like he had any desire to be there.  I turned to my brother midway through the fourth quarter and said "what is LeBron doing?  Why is he not attacking?  He looks like he doesnt even want to be there, much less actually win."  I can't imagine what Heat fans in Miami must have been thinking.   Dwyane Wade did everything he possibly could to carry the Heatles, but what more can you expect of Lennon if McCartney decided to stay at the hotel.  After the monumental collapse in Game 2 and the perplexing no-show in Game 4, many are left to ponder what exactly is going on in LeBron's head.  If the Miami Heat end up losing this series to the Dallas Mavericks, it may be something that LeBron James never lives down in his professional career.  Critics and Heat haters across the country are pining for his failure.  Somewhere in Cleveland, people are grinning devilishly, saying "karma is a bitch."