Panni

I'd be absolutely shocked if LaRussa doesn't use Dickey tonight. He'll definitely get some work later on in the game when Yadier is catching.

The AL Starting Lineup, along with Verlander on the hill, is one of the best overall groups of starters I've seen at the All Star Game in a while.

Apparently the Phillies have put Cole Hamels on the trading block, as a Yankee fan I'm hoping they make a good push for him. He would be a phenomenal #2 in the rotation for years to come.

The Hornets really have a nice young core now with Davis-Rivers-Gordon. If they miss the playoffs this year, most likely scenario, then they add another lottery pick next year...sign a decent free agent, and they are a legit threat in a few years.

The Celtics got two Syracuse guys Fab Melo/Kris Joseph as well as Jared Sullinger...I'm supposed to hate Boston, but I can't help but liking those three rookies.

Anyone else fascinated by this year's draft class. It really looks like everyone selected in the first round this year should be reliable contributors, and teams may find some decent enough guys in the second round as well. As a Syracuse fan I'm keeping my eyes on Waiters, Fab Melo & Kris Joseph (if he gets drafted), but there are plenty of other fun names that I'm curious to see where they wind up. It's a shame both the Knicks and Nets don't have picks in the first round this year.

Pettitte out 6 weeks...CC on the 15-day DL. Injuries might be the only way to slow the Yankees down right now. It's heart-breaking knowing that I'm going to most likely have to watch a Freddy Garcia start sometime in the next week or two.

It's shocking to me that Cory Maggette still has a job. He's been floating around in the league for seemingly over a decade now while never being considered that good. Maybe I just don't know too much about him, but I just don't understand why teams are cosntantly trading for/signing this guy.

By answering the call I mean stepping up in every conceivable way when his team's back was up against the wall. I agree though that the cramps act seemed so forced.

So will tonight finally be the night Lebron James officially becomes coronated as King? I feel like I'm starting to turn the corner on the guy. Last year I hated him. He came off as arrogant, but when the pressure was on he completely shied away. This postseason he has completely answered the call. We all kind of knew he was bound to win a ring at some point, and I'm guessing tonight is that night. My guess...Heat win by like 15.

Kevin Durant will get a pass this year if they lose, and probably next year as well because he's so young, but after that he'll be the poster boy for the "you're not clutch" people to target.

Same exact comments made about the Heat players last year. Having 3 all-stars that are 22-24 bodes VERY well for their future.

I called the Heat in 5 because the Thunder would play like the younger team. I was hoping I would be wrong the entire time.

This series reminds me so much of the Heat-Mavs from last year only this time the Thunder are playing the role of last year's Heat. The Heat just seem a lot more poised and are making a lot less silly mistakes. They hit all their big shots, free throws and to top it off they get the foul calls.

Get Fisher out of the game...I don't understand his purpose right now.

I remember talking about the Mets with a good buddy of mine before the season. I told him that I think Niese would represent them in the All-Star Game and he predicted that Dickey would be a CY Young candidate. I told him he had no clue what he was talking about.

The officiating in this series has been downright disgusting. They missed the obvious huge non-call at the end of game 2...cost the Thunder 1 game. Tonight they stop the Thunder's momentum DEAD in it's tracks with some bogus bullshit call during the 3rd Quarter that took Durant out of the game. Why bother even watching...it's pathetic.

Ughhh they were so close. I just dont understand why they start these games looking so flat. Lebron and Durant came up so clutch tonight...sucks the Thunder couldn't pull it out though.

http://www.grantland.com/blog/the-triangle/post/_/id/29590/vlad-guerrero-a-legend-in-winter Interesting article about Vlad Guerrero. Where do you guys stand on him as a Hall-of-Famer? I'd vote him in. For a few years he was one of the five most fun, compelling and feared hitters in the majors. If he does go in I think it should be as an Expo as well.

The Thunder don't have a big 3, they have a complete team. Yeah ok, they didn't go out and buy a big 3, they drafted a big 3. If you don't consider Durant, Westbrook and Harden a big 3 then I really do not know what to tell you. But yes they have a complete team. Every team has a big 3, even the Wizards, Bobcats, and Hornets. The quality of a core group certainly affects a team, but what OKC has much more than Miami is a well-built team with guys like Thabo, Ibaka, Perkins, and Collison all filling vital holes on an NBA roster. Miami's team is built with the expectation that Wade and James will score enough where their holes can be patched up. That's the point he was making. I didn't know that Kemba Walker, GM Michael Jordan and Randy, the really good concessionaire, constituted a Big Three. Randy's so over-rated...when the lines are their longest and the pressure is on he couldn't make a good hot dog if his life depended on it. I disagree entirely that each team has a "big 3." Obviously by Big 3 we are referring to 3 All-Star quality players.

I'm happy with what I saw here at Game 1. Over the past two years I've constantly rooted against the Heat, and in all of their series they've seemed like the better team. That's not the case here...the Thunder are clearly more dangerous. For once the Heat are playing against the explosive, fast-paced team. It's very surprising.

Two fucking terrible calls against Collison in a row. And another terrible call...this time on Sefalosha.

1. Carrie Underwood 2. Kristen Bell 3. Sofia Vergara 4. Mila Kunis 5. Jennifer Love Hewitt 6. Scarlett Johannson 7. Miranda Kerr 8. Miley Cyrus 9. Kate Upton 10. Olivia Munn Sansa Stark being the minimum cracked me up

Heat in 5 or 6. The Thunder lack of experience costs them two games that they probably should have won. For the first time in his career Lebron steps up and plays huge in the 4th Quarter of these finals. He'll win Finals MVP.

I could write a book about all the reasons why people love/hate Lebron James. I believe there's also a big cultural issue, but that's a different discussion for a different time. The reason why people I know...including myself...don't love Lebron is because he comes off as a front-runner. I loved Lebron James, and I still think he's the best player in the game, but I just don't have the respect or admiration that I once did. Joining up with the Miami Heat was a cop-out...it was him saying he's got to form a super-team to win a title. That's just not how many of us envisioned his career going, it wasn't heroic at all. Then the Miami Welcoming Party he says that the games will be easy, pat riley could run the point guard, and they're going to win 8 championships. All this coming from a man who hadn't won anything. Then the playoffs come around. When the Heat were rolling Lebron was a monster...adding big jams and stuffing stat sheets. But when it became crunch time (specifically the 4th Quarter in the Finals) he was flat-out embarrassing. I've never seen someone so talented become so ineffective. The pressure unquestionably gotten to him, and for a man who made all these guarantees it came across extremely badly for him. Meanwhile you have guys like Derrick Rose and Kevin Durant who are constantly doing the right thing. They aren't dancing during their All-Star Game introductions, they aren't making ridiculous guarantees, and they aren't disrespecting the rest of the teams in the league. They became easily likeable and made Lebron even more detestable. However, Lebron's performance in Game 6 truly was historic. For the first time in years I was scared every shot he was going to put up was going to drop...I used to get that feeling with Kobe Bryant. It was a new Lebron James. I think the Celtics winning game 5 was the lowest of the lows for the Heat. They have reached that rockbottom and will now emerge stronger than ever. I fully expect them to destroy Boston tonight and then move on to beat OKC in 5 games. Do I want that to happen...not at all. But with all the highs and lows this playoff run I think we're finally seeing the making of a Lebron James championship team. He's not gonna get that ring until he overcomes these demons...and I think Game 5 was a huge step for him in doing that.