Yes, it’s The King’s birthday today. Born on 12/30/1984. It’s amazing that LeBron is only 26 years old, too!!!

Sorry it’s been awhile since my last post. The Christmas season is usually reserved for out-of-town family and bumper-to-bumper shopping sprees. This Christmas, however, I got to see a complete dismantling of the 2-time defending NBA champs, on their court, with a completely healthy squad. The team responsible for thrashing the Lakers you ask? Of course, it was LeBron James’ Miami Heat. Yes, you read that correctly, this is becoming LeBron’s team, as D-Wade & Chris Bosh are slowly witnessing the sheer dominance as ‘sidekicks’. The King is getting his boos and even getting into a war of words with Kobe Bryant during Saturday’s game, but he’s also walking with a swagger and starting to play like the 2-time MVP LeBron James. A warning to the rest of the NBA, the Miami Heat are the best team in the league…..period.

With the entire crowd at Madison Square Garden giving him the Quicken Loans Arena treatment, LeBron James showed everyone at the ‘Basketball Mecca’ that some scattered boos won’t stop him from what he does best, which is play the super-villain and completely dominate while doing so. While all of the annoying New Yorkers were chanting ‘M-V-P’ during Amare Stoudemire’s brickbest at the charity line (2 for 7? Really?), King James was torching the Knicks (and that moron Spike Lee) to the tune of 32 points, 11 boards, and 10 dimes, including a freakishly Bird-like behind the back laser pass to Joel Anthony.

The Heat have won 11 straight games now and have their eyes set on the Celtics. It seems like everyone that gets in their way in the meantime is just roadkill. Of course, the nation will be rooting for Kobe Bryant and the Lakers on the HUGE Christmas Day game, which will have as much fanfare as the Knicks and Cavaliers games. In my honest opinion, the Heat will crush the Lakers if they were to play right now. The Big 3 have seemed to figure it out.. at the mercy of the rest of the NBA.

In case any of you have been living under a rock for the past 3 days, here is video of Lebron’s SICK behind the backboard trick shot. This time, one of his many and well documented trick shots actually counted for 2 points in an NBA game.

Oh by the way, the Miami Heat have won 9 games in a row and look like the juggernaut super team that many expected them to be. Do you think they can beat Boston if they were to play each other right now?

The last meeting between these two teams was an epic battle that lead to overtime and Paul Milsap having the game of his life.  Milsap recorded 46 points and 9 rebounds that night, and he dropped 11 of those points in the final 28 seconds of the 4th quarter. Milsap was remarkable that night.

Deron Williams also did his part putting up 21 points and 14 assists in one incredible comeback by the Utah Jazz.  Miami looked to be on a roll in the first half of that game, at half they were leading 51 -32.  In the 4th quarter is where Miami had a breakdown of not being able to score because Utah’s defense was just too tough.

But Miami definitely got their revenge. The Heat defeated the Jazz 111-98 on Wednesday in one of its most important victories of the early season. Not only did the Heat (15-8) even its series against the Jazz (16-7), but Wednesday’s victory was the Heat’s first win on the road against a team with a winning record.

LeBron James led the Heat with 33 points after scoring 22 in the first half. He was 12 of 20 from the field, including 3 of 5 from three-point range, and had nine assists and seven rebounds. Wade scored 28 on 9 of 14 shooting. Chris Bosh finished with 16 points after a difficult first half in which he shot 30 percent from the field.

LeBron and company walk into the Bradley Center on a 4 game winning streak.  The Heat look to be finding their rhythm as of right now, and it showed Saturday night versus Atlanta.  The win that night gave them their 10th at home win this season and moved them to 10-3 at American Airlines Center so far.

During the win on Saturday, the Heat slacked a bit and let a 17-point lead fade away in the 3rd quarter.  Who came to the rescue for Miami?  That would be the third amigo, Mr. Chris Bosh. After the game coach Eric Spoelstra explained that the Heat ran the offense through Bosh intentionally to create more options on offense in the 4th quarter, and it obviously worked. The three kings all ended up in double figures that night with Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh both recording double doubles. Bosh put up 27 points and 10 boards while Dwayne Wade had 26 points and also grabbed 10 boards. LeBron finished with 22 points.

Now that’s the kind of consistency from Miami you want to see night in and night out.  The three all-stars combined for 75 points as Miami beat Atlanta in a solid win.

Milwaukee, as of late, has been struggling terribly at the offensive end and haven’t lived up to the off-season hype. Many critics had them pegged as a 6 seed in the eastern conference playoffs.  They are currently 7-12 and are only 5-4 at home this season.

Despite their downfalls, Milwaukee is coming off a big win against Orlando and looks to right the ship tonight when facing Miami.   This is a very big game for each team with Miami looking to keep rolling and make this 5 straight wins.  Mil-town needs this win badly in order to avoid digging themselves way too deep in a tough eastern conference.  To do so, Andrew Bogut will need to be used excessively and have a giant game. Bogut dropped 31 on the Magic Saturday and is starting to come around.  Miami has struggled with big men in the post, so it’s Milwaukee’s best bet to use Bogut all night long and wear them out.

This matchup is a good one to say the least, and King James is known for dominating the Bradley Center.  Maybe we will see a career game from him, who knows?  In some sorts this is a homecoming for another Heat player, Dwayne Wade.  Dwayne Wade attended Marquette University and shined there, leading the Golden Eagles to a final four appearance in the 2002-2003 season.  Milwaukee adores Dwayne Wade so I highly doubt we will hear “Milwaukee hates you” or “Scottie Pippen” chants from the stands tonight.

Look for a very physical game played underneath the basket tonight, you can’t count Milwaukee out but I do see Miami winning the game. 

Prediction: Miami 95 Milwaukee 87

Atlanta comes into tonight’s game a little bit under the weather, although their record is at 13-7 and they’re currently 12th in the power rankings. They have lost guard Joe Johnson for four to six weeks with a right elbow injury.  Johnson, who in the off-season was a top free agent, stayed in Atlanta and signed a six-year, $124 million contract.  On Thursday Johnson underwent successful arthroscopic surgery on his right elbow.  Mo Evans will take his place, but surely Jamal Crawford will see a lot more playing time.

The Heat can even things up between themselves and Atlanta with a win tonight.  A win for Miami would have them tied for second in the southeast division with the Hawks and 2 1/2 games behind 1st place Orlando.

The Hawks have won 5 straight and are 7-2 on the road.  Miami is 9-3 at home this season so it will be a tough test for them needless to say.  Also look for Atlanta to use Marvin Williams a lot more in offensive schemes due to the loss of Joe Johnson.  We won’t know how losing Joe Johnson  is going to effect the Hawks, but I think it will be drastic.  Joe Johnson is the team leader for Atlanta and the foundation of the team.  He is only averaging 17 points a game along with 5 assists, but without his presence on the court Atlanta lacks speed.  If Miami is truly showing signs of life they will need to prove it tonight.

The Heat have been on fire lately winning 3 straight games including the stomping of the Cavaliers on Thursday.  On that night we saw the LeBron we all love, tearing it up for 38 points and not even playing in the 4th quarter.  The 3rd quarter of that game was the awakening LeBron needed, dropping 24 points and silencing the Quicken Loans Arena.  LeBron needs to have that kind of game tonight to prove to the Miami fans that this is for real.

I also look for Dwayne Wade to explode one of these nights, so why not tonight?  This is going to be a close game, maybe overtime needed but I think Miami gets it done.                                              

Prediction: Miami 92  Atlanta 90

Here is a quick preview of what will happen tonight in Cleveland, during and AFTER the game. LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, & Chris Bosh will form the New World Order…or have they already?

Here we go! LeBron James returns to the Q tonight to square off against Cleveland at 8pm (ET).  Cleveland fans are hurt, angry and furious with their former King.  Now they refer to him as Queen James.  Cleveland is currently 7-10, coming off of a 106-87 loss to the Boston Celtics.  Miami is 11-8 after blowing out Detroit last night at home with Dwayne Wade not even scoring in the first quarter.  I would love to break this game down and tell you how Miami is going to pound Cleveland into the floor tonight but I just can’t.  Not because I think Cleveland is going to win, but I think it’s crazy how unfair they are treating LeBron James.

To everyone from Cleveland: I hope you read this.  Stop whining about how he left and how he did it the wrong way, you’re only hurting yourself and the face of your franchise.  Just imagine another player that was 6’8″ 250lbs and was an incredible basketball player like LeBron and you got the first pick in the draft.  Do you really think he is going to want to sign with your team after this display of unfair criticism?  The answer is NO, so please get over it.

I know how it feels…trust me guys, I’m from Wisconsin and I had to deal with all the Brett Favre hoopla. It’s over now though.  The guy made your team in Cleveland, just go back to the 2007 playoffs where he led you to the finals.  What an awesome display of domination knocking down shot after shot in Detroit to force a game 6 in the Q.

Remember him for the good times, not the bad.  Cheer him on when he does something right and stand behind him…he did it for you.  You can’t blame LeBron, blame your front office for never having anyone around him.  The best player he was ever next to in Cleveland was Larry Hughes, and come on…that’s just not going to get it done.

All in all, when you watch the game tonight you can boo…you can cry…you can weep,  but LeBron is still in south beach.