LeBron James and Dwyane Wade of the Miami Heat proved they could beat the Boston Celtics playing at their best. But can the Heat continue to do this throughout the NBA Playoffs against the remaining teams like the Chicago Bulls, Dallas Mavericks and Oklahoma City Thunder?
Derrick Rose of the Chicago Bulls is a remarkable player, but he's needed all the help he can get in this series from all of his teammates. Rose led the way, but the efforts of Taj Gibson, Omer Asik, Luol Deng and Ronnie Brewer really pushed the Bulls to a 3-2 series lead over the Atlanta Hawks.
Chris Bosh of the Miami Heat had to sacrifice a lot to join LeBron James and Dwyane Wade, plus endure constant ridicule of his basketball stature. He might just be earning himself redemption with his important play against the Boston Celtics, particularly in Game 4 to put them in a decisive 3-1 hole.
Josh Smith of the Atlanta Hawks is probably one of the most talented players in the NBA with his incredible athletic leaping ability and shot-blocking/rebounding aptitude. In Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals against the Chicago Bulls, he combined those talents with pure, all-out effort.
Zen Master Phil Jackson did not have a great finish to his NBA career as he saw Kobe Bryant and his Los Angeles Lakers fall to the Dallas Mavericks in a stunning four-game sweep in the Western Conference Semifinals.
Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook of the Oklahoma City Thunder do seem to share a similar dynamic in their relationship on the court as Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal of the Los Angeles Lakers did, but the acrimony just isn't there, and their ability to share the ball is much greater than Kobe's and Shaq's.
Peja Stojakovic is long remembered as perhaps the greatest pure shooter in Sacramento Kings history, but he always struggled in big playoff moments. Now a member of the Dallas Mavericks, he was given another chance to beat the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA Playoffs, and he's making the most of it.
