LeBron James' line for the Eastern Conference semifinals: 28 points, 8.2 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 1.8 steals and 1.8 blocks per game (with 3.4 turnovers). He shot 52 percent from the floor and 43.7 percent from 3-point land (and 66.7 percent from the line), and posted three 30-plus-point performances.

He was definitely the best player on the floor in Game 2, was arguably the best player on the floor in Game 4, and absolutely dominated the proceedings in the final 130 seconds of the Miami Heat's series-clinching 97-87 Game 5 victory over the Boston Celtics on Wednesday night. James scored the game's final 10 points to end Boston's season, and perhaps its run among the NBA's elite, in the second round of the NBA Playoffs.

This dynamic performance, reminiscent of James' tour de force coming-out party against the Detroit Pistons in Game 5 of the 2007 Eastern Conference finals, won't silence his critics. Those who say LeBron James isn't clutch won't stop saying that — won't stop proclaiming

First, he did it during a low-stakes February game against the Sacramento Kings. Now, he does it in a closeout Eastern Conference semifinals game against the Boston Celtics. I guess we can officially say that this shot is part of Dwyane Wade's repertoire. They ought to make a special StatsCube category for it; he'd probably lead the league in that particular advanced statistic. Wow.

Whether his shots were flailing flips or squared-up jumpers, Wade was unstoppable in the first half, scoring 23 points on 9-for-12 shooting. (Not at the line, though — the Miami Heat star missed 4-of-9 free-throw attempts in the half.)

His torrid shooting from the floor kept the Heat in the thick of things, making up for his teammates' cold performance (Chris Bosh was the only other Miami player to make a shot in the first quarter, and Wade's mates shot just 25 percent in the half) and weathering the Boston Celtics' efficient early offense. Despite shooting 53 percent from the field and holding Miami to 47

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At least, I think that's intensity. I mean, Kevin Durant and the Oklahoma City Thunder had to play for a long time, and Memphis has really good barbecue. Wow, I really hope that's intensity. Please be intensity?

Best caption wins some really intense quotes about life, which is my new favorite search EVER. Good luck.

In our last adventure: Kobe Bryant wants the ball so he can be a facilitator, starting by facilitating a dent in the back of Jason Terry's head.

{YSP:MORE}

cac_jt_kb_smWinner, AlfredY: "You think a bunch of 3's is a great trick? Give me the ball, and I'll show you how to instantly grow old."

Runner-up, EJ: "My jersey is 10 times too big."

Second runner-up, Sean W.: "Terry hits nine 3s and acts like a jet. I hit zero. So, here's a bird."

baby_cartonAfter playing an integral role for the Boston Celtics this season as the first big man off Doc Rivers' bench, a member of the team's best five-man unit and a late-game linchpin alongside Kevin Garnett in an active Boston frontcourt, Glen Davis has struggled mightily in the playoffs, and especially in the second round against the Miami Heat.

During Boston's tough 98-90 overtime loss to the Miami Heat in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals on Monday night, Davis played 16 1/2 rarely productive, mostly awkward minutes. He scored four points, missing three of his four field-goal attempts, with two of the misses coming on airballs. He failed to secure a single rebound but did pick up three fouls.

He couldn't establish post position against Miami reserve James Jones, over whom he enjoys about a 60-pound weight advantage. His most memorable play of the night was either getting wrapped up by Heat point guard Mike Bibby on a breakaway (he didn't make the layup) or getting hit in the

hc_g4_1There are those who'll tell you that this is narrative harmony — that when one blue blood crashes, the other's got to burn.

They'll look at the Los Angeles Lakers and Boston Celtics both losing crucial Game 4 contests in the conference semifinals — losses that sent the Lakers home and put Boston on the brink — and they'll talk about windows closing and chapters ending, singing songs of fading glory. They'll make this sound almost sweet — a simulcast Bob Ross sunset for two exiting champions.

But that's not what this is; not really, at least. What happened in Dallas on Sunday afternoon was one team with all-universe shooters and an abiding belief blitzing the scattered shards of another out of the playoffs. What happened in Boston on Monday night was the best players on one team making more good plays at important times than the best players on another.

It's not an epic poem or a moral-packing fable. It's basketball. And in Game 4, the Heat played it better when it counted, riding their

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There's only so much of that "pretending to be a plane" stuff that Kobe Bryant is willing to take. And since neither he nor any of the rest of his Los Angeles Lakers teammates were able to prevent it by running Jason Terry off the 3-point line, Kobe had to turn to the dark arts of dodgeball to get the job done.

Unfortunately for Bryant, the peg attempt was intercepted by J.J. Barea — I swear, that little dude is everywhere! — and quickly passed to Peja Stojakovic for another 3. The Lakers now trail by 251 points.

Best caption wins heaved wrenches hitting Macs in the face. Good luck.

In our last adventure: Rick Carlisle is very into keyboard yoga. (You should try it some time; it's a life-saver.)

{YSP:MORE}

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Winner, PekahnPie: Coach Rick Carlisle of the Dallas Mavericks attempts to stimulate hair growth, but can only muster his left hand.

Runner-up, Daveu: "These new sideburn implants are marvelous!"

Second runner-up, JeremyO: "If I could be a mutant, I'd be Cyclops. Beams from your

"A couple of those shots, I didn't even see the rim ... I was just letting it fly." — Jason Terry (a real quote)

"OK, Jason, we get it. 'Jet.' Enough with with the flying puns." — Most people (in their minds)

"Keep hating if you want. I'll just ... rise above." — Terry (not a real quote, thank God)

Several factors combined to create the conditions for Jason Terry to explode from long-range in the Dallas Mavericks' 122-86 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday afternoon, a complete annihilation that completed Dallas' four-game sweep of the two-time defending NBA champions and brought an unseemly end to the legendary coaching career of Phil Jackson. To wit:

• The enormous attention-drawing and shape-distorting effect that ever-present threat Dirk Nowitzki has on opposing defenses;

• Solid floor spacing by the Mavericks that forced Laker defenders to close wide distances quickly to contest jumpers (which they did too late too often);

• Fantastic Dallas ball movement that left even

rondo1With seven minutes left in the third quarter of Game 3, the Boston Celtics held a 10-point lead and looked poised to get on the board in their second-round playoff series against the Miami Heat. Just 10 seconds later, it looked like Boston's season could be over.

When the final buzzer sounded an hour after that, though, the defending Eastern Conference champions were looking very much alive.

Things change quickly in the NBA Playoffs.

The Celtics scored a 97-81 victory over the Heat before a capacity crowd at the TD Garden on Saturday night. The win cuts Miami's series lead in half and changes momentum in the Eastern Conference Semifinals after the Heat took the series' first two games in South Beach.

After managing just 22 points on 38 percent shooting at the American Airlines Arena in Games 1 and 2, Kevin Garnett turned in a masterful performance on the home parquet. Garnett repeatedly dominated Miami's frontline in the low post, scoring 28 points on 13-for-20 shooting and hauling in