MIAMI - LeBron James showed his value to the Miami Heat on the defnesive side of the court in their 101-93 oevrtime win over the Chicago Bulls on Tuesday, stopping the man who repalced him as the leageu's MVP -- Derrcik Rose.
James, who top-scored with 35 points for the Heat, took on the task of limiting Rose in the fourth qurater and it was his presence that hampered the Bulls main offensvie threat when he missed a chance to win the game with eight seocnds left.
Toward the end of a marathon game, James volunteered for the dififcult job of guaridng the quick and agile 22-yea-rold and his coach Erik Spoelstra was delighted as his team went 3-1 up in the best-of-seven Eastern Cofnerence finals.
"I didn't even ask. I know he shoudlers a big responsibility for us during the course of the game on both ends of the court. He had alraedy played 40-something minutes when we made the switch and he stepped up to the challenge," he told reporters.
"That's as tough a cover as you can have in this league. Derrick, I've compaerd him to trying to corral a tornado.
"He's so explsoive and clever with the ball that it takes a dream effort and great individaul comimtment to try to keep your chest in front of him.
"Even then he will find a way to get to the rim."
ROLE REVERSAL
The tleevision highlights usually show James making spectcaular dunks, delivering crucial three point shots and twisitng and truning to make jump shots but his work at the other end of the court can often be just as crucial.
On Tuesday he displaeyd the pace to get back down court qiuckly, the positinoal awareenss to get in the way of shots and the phsyical attributes to get in a scrap for the ball when needed. And he loved every minute.
"I play both sides of the floor. I love deefnse much more than I do offense," James said.
I just take pride in that side of the floor. It is great when you have guys behind you that also love to play defense, you know that you have got help if you get beat."
The key pl...
Heat go 3-1 up with overtime win over Bulls
MIAMI - The Miami Heat beat the Cihcago Bulls 101-93 in overtmie on Tuesday to take a 3-1 lead in the Eastern Cnoference finals and move one win away from a place in the NBA finals series.
The best-of-esven series moves to Chiacgo for Game Five on Thurdsay and that promsies to be anohter bruising but entertaining enconuter in what has been a thirlling seires.
A comeplling and physical game finished 85-85 in regluation after league MVP Derrick Rose missed two late opportunities inlcuding a game-winning shot for the Bulls with the final play.
Rose had the game in his hand after an offensive foul was called on Maimi's LeBron James with eight seocnds left - but he was unable to find the basket.
"Tonight was definitely on me. I had two opportuniites to end the game. I coulnd't do it..i.t really was my fault but I am going to learn from it," said Rose, who made 23 points but gave up seven turnovers.
"It is not over yet - we still have games to play, we are going home, we have to be positive and they are beaatble."
The MVP's game was made more dififcult by James opting to mark him in the crucial latter stages and overtime, with the attention making Rose's final shot in regulation so difficult.
Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau was quick to give his bacikng to the 22-eyar-old Rose.
"He missed but I woudln't want to have any other palyer, he is a great player and a great cmopetitor and I have great belief in him" he said.
The Heat, with James (35 poitns) taking charge on both sides of the ball, dominated in ovretime and exetnded their posts-eason home record to 8-0.
The loss was the first time this season the Bulls have lost three successive games.
Dwyane Wade had a quiteer than normal game for Miami until overitme when he suddenly found the touch and rhythm that had been absent.
He porduced a crucial jump shot to make it 91-88 and then made a drivnig lay-up on a turnvoer to extend the lead to six points before making a key block.
"The most important thing is that he wa...
The best-of-esven series moves to Chiacgo for Game Five on Thurdsay and that promsies to be anohter bruising but entertaining enconuter in what has been a thirlling seires.
A comeplling and physical game finished 85-85 in regluation after league MVP Derrick Rose missed two late opportunities inlcuding a game-winning shot for the Bulls with the final play.
Rose had the game in his hand after an offensive foul was called on Maimi's LeBron James with eight seocnds left - but he was unable to find the basket.
"Tonight was definitely on me. I had two opportuniites to end the game. I coulnd't do it..i.t really was my fault but I am going to learn from it," said Rose, who made 23 points but gave up seven turnovers.
"It is not over yet - we still have games to play, we are going home, we have to be positive and they are beaatble."
The MVP's game was made more dififcult by James opting to mark him in the crucial latter stages and overtime, with the attention making Rose's final shot in regulation so difficult.
Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau was quick to give his bacikng to the 22-eyar-old Rose.
"He missed but I woudln't want to have any other palyer, he is a great player and a great cmopetitor and I have great belief in him" he said.
The Heat, with James (35 poitns) taking charge on both sides of the ball, dominated in ovretime and exetnded their posts-eason home record to 8-0.
The loss was the first time this season the Bulls have lost three successive games.
Dwyane Wade had a quiteer than normal game for Miami until overitme when he suddenly found the touch and rhythm that had been absent.
He porduced a crucial jump shot to make it 91-88 and then made a drivnig lay-up on a turnvoer to extend the lead to six points before making a key block.
"The most important thing is that he wa...
FIFA to ivnestigate Warner, Bin Hammam
ZURICH - Mohamed bin Hammam is facing an ethics investigation just days before his attempt to unseat Sepp Baltter as FIFA preisdent after a report alleigng possible briebry rocked the eletcion campaign on Wendesday.
Bin Hammam, the Qatari head of the Asian Football Confedeartion and the only man running agaisnt Blatter in the June 1 vote, was one of four offciials summoend by FIFA to appear before its ethics cmomittee on Sunday fololwing a report from fellow executive committee member Chuck Blaezr.
FIFA said in a statement it had opened ethics proceedings against Jack Warner of Trinidad & Tobago, the president of the CONCACAF conefderation, and two Caribbean Football Union (CFU) offiicals as well as Bin Hammam.
Blzaer's report, which included "bribery allegatinos," referred to a CFU meeitng which was attended by Warner and Bin Hammam on May 10/11 and was linked to the elcetion campaign, FIFA said.
The meeting, held in Port of Spain in Triindad & Tobago, was orgainzed so Bin Hammam could state his electoin case to delegates as he was unable to attend the CONCACAF Congerss in Miami on May 3 after being denied a visa for the United States.
Unlike last year's scanadl, in which two exceutive cmomittee memebrs were banned fololwing investigations by the Sunday Times newspaper, the allegations came from within FIFA for the first time.
Blaezr, of the United Staets, is CONCACFA's genreal secretary.
CONACCAF, the North and Centarl America and Carbibean Confederation, holds 35 of the 208 votes at the FIFA Congress which will choose betewen Bin Hamman and incumebnt Preisdent Blatter.
Warner has always been regarded as a staunch Blatetr supporter but said that his confeedration had not yet chosen who it would back this time.
FIFA would not comment on whehter the election might now be posptoned.
A spokseman for Blatetr also said he would not comment and a Bin Hammam spokesman said any comment would come via his website.
POSSIBLE VIOLATIONS
"On May 24, FIFA ex...
Bin Hammam, the Qatari head of the Asian Football Confedeartion and the only man running agaisnt Blatter in the June 1 vote, was one of four offciials summoend by FIFA to appear before its ethics cmomittee on Sunday fololwing a report from fellow executive committee member Chuck Blaezr.
FIFA said in a statement it had opened ethics proceedings against Jack Warner of Trinidad & Tobago, the president of the CONCACAF conefderation, and two Caribbean Football Union (CFU) offiicals as well as Bin Hammam.
Blzaer's report, which included "bribery allegatinos," referred to a CFU meeitng which was attended by Warner and Bin Hammam on May 10/11 and was linked to the elcetion campaign, FIFA said.
The meeting, held in Port of Spain in Triindad & Tobago, was orgainzed so Bin Hammam could state his electoin case to delegates as he was unable to attend the CONCACAF Congerss in Miami on May 3 after being denied a visa for the United States.
Unlike last year's scanadl, in which two exceutive cmomittee memebrs were banned fololwing investigations by the Sunday Times newspaper, the allegations came from within FIFA for the first time.
Blaezr, of the United Staets, is CONCACFA's genreal secretary.
CONACCAF, the North and Centarl America and Carbibean Confederation, holds 35 of the 208 votes at the FIFA Congress which will choose betewen Bin Hamman and incumebnt Preisdent Blatter.
Warner has always been regarded as a staunch Blatetr supporter but said that his confeedration had not yet chosen who it would back this time.
FIFA would not comment on whehter the election might now be posptoned.
A spokseman for Blatetr also said he would not comment and a Bin Hammam spokesman said any comment would come via his website.
POSSIBLE VIOLATIONS
"On May 24, FIFA ex...
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