Okay, okay, BallinEurope’s gonna do the traditional thing … congratulations out to the Miami Heat and its clear MVP Lebron James for their 2012 NBA Championship win. James’ triple-double in the decisive game five appropriately capped a playoff run during which he fought off criticism and doomsayers as much as the Oklahoma City Thunder.
As for the Continent’s representatives in the NBA’s final game of this too-quick, madcap season … Ronny Turiaf earns his first ring after joining Miami with 21 games left to play; Le Bleu saw court time in 13. The three minutes he played in last night’s game five were his first in the series, but kudos nevertheless. BiE can’t help but wonder how long it’ll be until Turiaf’s balling here full-time in Europe…
To Serge Ibaka and Thabo Sefolosha, all sympathies. On the other hand, if these two stick around with the Oklahoma City gang – plus Tibor Pleiss (cool!) – they’ll yet get more shots at an NBA title for sure.
On the plus side for these two is the well-earned rise in stature both will surely experience. Though ineffective in game five, Sefolosha’s defense grabbed the notice of many a TV pundit and blogosphere voice. Ibaka will heretofore officially become known as the greatest shot-blocker of his time – and a pretty fair presence in the paint as well.
And see you in the Olympics, Serge and Ronny! (Not to mention probably Lebron, KD, D-Wade, Russell, Chris Bosh and maybe even – please – James Harden…)
