NBA Playoff Chase: Heat Drop Below the Celtics, and Time for the Lakers Runs Out

The Miami Heat compilation that wowed everyone last summer has not been turning the same heads this season, at least not for the suspected reasons. Injuries and inconsistency have hopped on the backs of the South Beach heroes and contributed heavily to the decline in support that Miami has received from the rest of the world.

Last night, the Miami Heat faced Brandon Jennings and the Milwaukee Bucks. The team with probably one of the easiest schedules left in the regular season was expected to push past its opponents, while LeBron James achieved his seventh 2,000-point season.

Becoming one of very few to add this accolade to his career, James may have won the battle but lost the war as Milwaukee pushed past Miami after taking a huge early lead over the team without its leading man, Dwyane Wade.

Wade had to watch helplessly on the sidelines next to longtime teammate Udonis Haslem, as Miami could not close against a non-playoff contender. The loss puts Miami under Boston as the No. 3 seed in the Eastern Conference.

If they hold this position for the remainder of the season, the Heat will face the New York Knicks in the first round. In their last meeting, Carmelo Anthony took on the challenge of guarding LeBron James and the Knicks were on the winning end after a blocked shot from Amar'e Stoudemire in the last moments.

Elsewhere in the basketball world, the Los Angeles Lakers faced the Golden State Warriors in a game that would further them in the race for the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference. With Kobe being such a clutch player, it was expected that he would step up to the plate and knock the dust off of the win column that the Lakers have so effortlessly put together since the All-Star Break.

That, of course, did not happen.

The Golden State Warriors came out of the locker room with the fan support and Mr. three–point shooter himself, Dorell Wright. He broke the single-...

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