PRO'S AND CON'S OF THE NBA.

First off I love the NBA because I love basketball. The biggest thing I dislike about the NBA is how often they put the same teams on national television.  As a fan of hoops and a fan of the NBA I would like to see the NBA.  Its like they are aiming the audience at girls and guys that couldn't tell you what a one and one at the free throw line is. I am getting sick and tired of watching the Heat, Lakers, and Magic play. I wanna see some Timberwolves, some Trailblazers. Just not the usual teams. I mean I know its all about ratings. And for that day the Heat, Lakers and Magic probably would get you better ratings. But it is about building a product and start aiming towards people who care and in the long run the products ratings as a whole will rise. I am getting sick of watching player based on reputation and not skill. I am getting sick of watching Lebron and Dwight miss free throws. They are FREE and you are a professional. Some player just catch the buzz and it cannot escape them. Like Jason Kidd having the reputation of a great point gaurd in his later years. Are you freakin serious? There are 30 other point guards I would rather have. He was terrible.  So Mr. Stern please don't have the same teams on national tv every time. Mix it up. Grow your product. It will then take away any conspiracy there might be. The conspiracy that you want these top market teams to go farther in the playoffs.

MIAMI TOPS DETROIT WITHOUT WADE

MIAMI -- James Jones had a big night for the Miami Heat, and coach Erik Spoelstra is going to have some big decisions soon.

LeBron James scored 26 points, Chris Bosh finished with 22 points and nine rebounds, and the rarely used Jones scored 18 off the bench as the Heat steadily pulled away to beat the Detroit Pistons 98-75 on Sunday night.

Getting his biggest chunk of playing time since mid-January, Jones tied a career-best with six 3-pointers and also had four steals for the first time in his career. Spoelstra is already trying to figure out how Miami's playoff rotation will work, and nights like Sunday from Jones probably further complicated some already-tough choices.

"Right now, every guy's on edge pretty much, trying to play to their utmost capabilities," said Jones, who entered Sunday having scored 22 points in Miami's previous 23 games. "We understand it's the playoffs and we need to play better as a team. From one through 15, every guy needs to play better."

Miami played without Dwyane Wade for the 11th time this season. Wade sat out with right ankle soreness, which the team said was caused by an awkward landing on a missed dunk attempt against Memphis on Friday night.

The Heat are now 10-1 when Wade is sidelined this season, and are 18-1 in their last 19 home games.

"Guys just step up in his absence," James said. "We've got a veteran ballclub. Whenever someone is down, guys step up."

Detroit rookie Brandon Knight, playing as a pro in the city where he was born for the first time, scored 16 for the Pistons. Greg Monroe and Rodney Stuckeyadded 11 apiece for Detroit, which had a season-low eight assists.

"They thoroughly outplayed us," Pistons coach Lawrence Frank said.

Knight had more than 500 friends and family members at the game, and returned to the court long after the final buzzer to address the group. Born in Miami, Knight was a star at Pine Crest School in Fort Lauderdale, and his fans showed up early wearing T-shirts bearing both his name and that of the school.

"I thank you for your support for everything I have done," Knight told the crowd. "It is just a blessing. I can't say enough how thankful I am."

Miami's win, combined with Chicago's overtime loss at New York earlier Sunday, pulled the Heat (40-15) within two games of the Bulls (43-14) for the best record in the Eastern Conference. The teams have two more head-to-head meetings, the first of those in Chicago on Thursday night.

Up next for Miami: The Boston Celtics visit on Tuesday, barely a week after dealing the Heat a 19-point loss.

Besides Wade's absence, there were two lineup issues of note for Miami. First,Mike Miller returned after missing 14 games with a sprained left ankle. Secondly, with slumping Norris Cole out of the rotation Sunday until the final minutes in part because of a 2-for-21 slump, Jones got meaningful minutes again.

He made them count, too.

"A lot of this will be compelling," Spoelstra said. "A lot of guys are making compelling cases to play."

Detroit led 21-19 after a sleepy first quarter -- the teams combined to shoot 1 for 12 from 3-point range in the opening 12 minutes -- but Jones gave the Heat a boost from long range to get the offense going in the second.

Jones made his first three 3-point attempts in the second quarter, after not making a single first-half basket since March 20, helping spark a 31-point period by Miami. A 15-5 run midway through the second, capped by a putback dunk by James, put Miami up 42-32 with 3:40 left.

The margin was still 10 at halftime, before Detroit's offense went from cool to downright cold.

The Pistons started 1 for 10 from the floor in the first 9 minutes of the second half, and that drought eliminated any guesswork regarding the outcome as Miami turned a 10-point halftime lead into a 22-point cushion. James had nine points in what was a 17-5 run to start the third quarter, the run ending when James found Shane Battier under the basket for a layup that put Miami up 67-45.

Ronny Turiaf had two blocked shots and a steal in that start-of-third push by Miami, including swatting away a dunk attempt by Tayshaun Prince.

"They got all of the shots they wanted," Knight said. "It was easy for them. We had turnovers, missed shots, and it all led to the lead piling up."

The fourth quarter started even worse for the Pistons.

They missed their first eight shots from the floor, Miami scored the first nine points of the final quarter -- all with James on the bench -- and a layup byMario Chalmers made it 78-54 with 9:23 left.

SO TRUE!

SO TRUE!

So true is right. They have the best two players in the league. Of course they have the best chance.

SO TRUE!

Duke's Rivers to enter NBA Draft

Good decision? Heck no! In my opinion. Horrible decision. And it is just my opinion. I did not see him play a whole lot but I did watch him some. So in MY OPINION not to smart. He just shot up the boards just because of that one shot against NC and was all over sportcenter on the biggest stage. But so many times I see him struggle to get his shot off. Stupid decision on his part.

SO TRUE!

Funny! But I do believe Kobe does try to pass. I think he should be more greedy actually. So reputations just stick with players. All because of the way he stood at the podium with those glasses on back at Lower Merion High School. (I think thats where it was) Looking like the cockiest thing alive and declaring for the NBA Draft.  I believe a player should be cocky. But it is one thing to be cocky and it is one the to let people see their cockiness.  And the way he shoes off the greats in all - star games back in the day. (Karl Malone) So he does deserve it. But I think he has changed and does not deserve it any more.