The King James Show

It may all end tonight in Chicago, but with 27 consecutive victories it’s time I showed the Miami Heat some love.

They’re just six wins away from the all-time NBA record of 33 straight, held by the 1971-72 Los Angeles Lakers, a team that boasted some all-world talent in Wilt Chamberlain and Jerry West and would later win the city its first championship. They also had a serviceable small forward named Pat Riley, who would coach the Showtime Lakers a decade or so later to four NBA crowns and add a fifth title in Miami, where he now serves as president.

The Heat has some pretty good talent on display as well, starting with LeBron James, who is now, without question, the best basketball player on the planet.

I should say up front that I’m not a Heat fan and I wasn’t, until recently, a LeBron fan either. King James has always been a little too arrogant for my liking and his ‘Decision’ spectacle when he left Cleveland to sign with Miami two years ago was utterly dumb-ass.

But his play has slowly brought me ‘round. He’s already a three-time MVP, a Finals MVP, a six-time All NBA (first team), and scoring champ. And his arrogance? Well, it’s still there at times, but he’s learned to treat opponents with respect, and that new attitude has helped the Heat to better kick opponent ass and keep their streak alive.

Case in point was a couple of games ago when Miami was in danger of losing to Cleveland, of all places, until King James took it upon himself to make a 27-point Cavalier lead disappear in the final eight minutes. “We take no team for granted,” he said after the game.

After the Bulls tonight Miami visits New Orleans before rolling into San Antonio to face the always dangerous Spurs. So getting to that magic 33 consecutive win mark is going to be a difficult task.

But King James will have some help, notably by the other members of the so-called Big Three. Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh are perfect compliments to LeBron’s power game.

So why don’t I like the Miami Heat?

Certainly Wade and Bosh are likeable enough. I mean, who doesn’t like Dwyane Wade? Everyone likes D-Wade. I like D-Wade. And then there’s Chris Bosh. The former face of the Raptors has suffered his share of slings and arrows, but I’ve always liked CB4. Still do.

But I don’t like the Miami Heat. Go figure.