LeBron James and the Miami Heat are embroiled in a full-out battle with the Chicago Bulls in the Eastern Conference semifinals. The two teams did not shake hands before the opening tip, and the previous game's nine combined technical fouls only foreshadowed the frustration boiling inside the Bulls, who can't seem to crack the Miami code in the playoffs.
Bulls reserve center Nazr Mohammed was the clearest example of Chicago's frustration; he earned himself an ejection in the second quarter for shoving James, Miami's best player and the MVP of the league this year to the floor.
"I don't think it warranted an ejection," Mohammed said. "I do believe it warranted a (technical foul). You just give a foul so a guy doesn't start a break, he pushes you and throws you down, and sometimes instincts take over. But it definitely doesn't warrant an ejection. I look at some of the plays that happened during this series already."
James said he was surprised that Mohammed decided to shove him, but that he did not consider retaliating at any point. "I'm here to play basketball. I don't really get into the extracurricular of things. I mean too much to my team to even get involved in stuff like that."
James proved his value in the 104-94 win, in which the Heat outscored the Bulls by 10 points in the fourth quarter which proved to be the margin of victory. James scored 25 points, to go with eight rebounds, seven assists and two steals. He was also a perfect 11-of-11 from the free throw line.
Dwyane Wade was not himself, still battling a bone bruise in his knee. The slack was definitely picked up by the Heat's small-ball center, Chris Bosh who played rather large. The third member of Miami's Big Three scored 20 points and stood up to Chicago's bruisers on the glass by pulling down 19 boards.
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