Sports Then and Now

LeBron’s last game in a Cavaliers uniform?

The Cleveland Cavaliers didn’t expect their season to end this early, but now that it has, the 2011 season is already beginning for teams in the NBA.

It hasn’t even been a week since the Cavaliers lost to the Celtics, and everyone is already mentioning LeBron heading out of town. Within a week we have heard different rumors about LeBron playing for teams like New York, Chicago, New Jersey, L.A. (Clippers), and Miami.

Now there is a new rumor that LeBron wants a packaged deal with Coach John Calipari in Chicago. Just like all the other assumptions, this is only a rumor. Calipari said on Twitter that the statement was not true, and he has told the media that he will stay at Kentucky.

“I want to address this with the Big Blue Nation one last time, I will be coaching at Kentucky next year. Now let’s finish what we started!”    – UK Coach Calipari

Not even a week and there are all these speculations on where LeBron will go. Technically, no teams can reach out to LeBron until July 1^st. So the media has until July 1^st to think about what is to come of LeBron James and the future of the NBA. Behind LeBron in the free agent market this year are superstars Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade. Both have been rumored to team up with LeBron for an NBA Championship in 2011. LeBron’s free agency journey has been the big talk for a couple years now, and it is still being analyzed more than the ongoing NBA Playoffs.

In a way, the LeBron talk has been a good thing for NBA fans. It gives NBA fans something else to look forward to since the NBA Playoffs have been pretty boring this year. The first twelve series consisted of four sweeps and only one game seven; Hawks and Bucks. The LeBron talk also gives NBA fans something to think about between breaks in games.

However, the playoffs have just been starting to get more interesting lately. With the Cavs going down to the Celtics in six and the Magic easily strolling through the playoffs, it makes for an exciting conference finals series in the East. In the West, the Suns and Lakers swept both of their opponents to make it to the conference finals.

The conference finals began with a surprising upset in the East. The Celtics beat the Magic Sunday night 92-88. Dwight Howard had a disappointing performance; only making 3-10 field goals. Rashard Lewis also played poorly; missing all six of his shots from the arc. We will see if the Magic can bounce back in game two on Tuesday. Orlando hosts the Celtics in game two at 8:00 PM EST.

In the West the Lakers got the job done against the Suns; winning game one 128-107. Despite getting his knee drained again and not practicing all week, Kobe scored 40 to launch L.A. to victory. The Suns are going to need to step it up if they are planning on even having a chance to make the NBA Finals this year.

The NBA season is so long already, but it is going to seem like it lasts even longer this year because of all the star free agents on the market. The talk about who these stars are going to play for will last through June and the beginning of July until there are answers to all of the questions. Where is LeBron going to go? Dwyane Wade? Chris Bosh?

Although this year’s playoffs haven’t been very exciting, where these free agents decide to play will decide the fate of playoffs in the future.