HoopsHype.com Rumors

Kurt Helin: LeBron on why the Heat haven't won two games in a row: "If I knew we would have won two games in a row." Twitter @basketballtalk

Miami Heat, LeBron James 

After a fantastic final-second layup by Tony Parker to close out the second quarter and send the Spurs into intermission with a 61-52 lead over the visiting Miami Heat in Sunday's pivotal Game 5, ABC's cameras found Duncan choosing to take a moment away from any halftime talk about adjustments and coverages to grab a seat out in the hallway and hang with his children, daughter Sydney and son Draven, whom you might remember from his refusal to give Dad a goodbye kiss during last year's Western Conference finals: Yahoo! Sports

Miami Heat, San Antonio Spurs, Tim Duncan 

Jay-Z announced that his next album, Magna Carta Holy Grail, will be out in July in a Samsung Galaxy ad during halftime of Sunday's NBA Finals game between the Miami Heat and San Antonio Spurs. The three-minute ad shows the rapper working in studio with producers Rick Rubin, Timberland, Pharrell Williams and Swizz Beatz, telling them, "We need to write new rules." Samsung Galaxy Smartphone users will be able to download an app June 24 that will allow the first 1 million users to unlock the Jay-Z's 12th album for free July 4 at 12:01 a.m., 72 hours ahead of release. USA Today Sports

Miami Heat, San Antonio Spurs, Jay-Z, Agents, Showbusiness 

While there was excitement when he signed with the Miami Heat last July, Lewis wouldn’t necessarily say that he was relieved when he got dumped by two franchises – the Wizards and then New Orleans – in less two weeks last June. “I don’t think it’s ever a relief to be traded, or bought out,” Lewis said with a booming laugh. “But the relief was when Pat Riley called to recruit me to come down and play for them. I think more than anything my goal was to be on a team that was trying to compete for a championship. Obviously, Miami had just won it.” Washington Post

Miami Heat, New Orleans Pelicans, Washington Wizards, Pat Riley, Rashard Lewis 

Lewis has an option worth $1.4 million but plans on returning next season to Miami, where a first championship is within his grasp. “You get that window of opportunity, you’ve got to take advantage of it,” Lewis said. “I chose to play for the Miami Heat and you know, we here. We in the Finals, but the job is not done yet.” Washington Post

Miami Heat, Rashard Lewis 

Chris Tomasson: Chris “Andersen’’ Birdman on George Karl being fired; “It’s never a good feeling to get released or get fired So I can imagine how he feels" Twitter @christomasson

Denver Nuggets, Miami Heat, George Karl, Coaching, Chris Andersen 

Evans will be joined by teammates Andray Blatche and Marshon Brooks, as well as Marquis Daniels (Bucks), Rashard Lewis (Heat), Marreese Speights (Cavaliers), Trent Richardson (Cleveland Browns), Derrick Brooks (former Tampa Bay Buccaneer), Justin Gatlin (track star), Michelle Snow (WNBA player) and Johanna Long (NASCAR driver). ESPN.com

Cleveland Cavaliers, Miami Heat, Milwaukee Bucks, Brooklyn Nets, Andray Blatche, Rashard Lewis, Reggie Evans, Marquis Daniels, Marreese Speights, Marshon Brooks 

Chris “Birdman” Andersen’s entire body is a submission to the NBA fashion wars, but he took it to another level before Game 5 of the NBA Finals. The Miami Heat big man took the “Birdman” gimmick to another level, literally wearing a tree as a shirt. It’s difficult to tell where the shirt ends and the tattoos begin. For The Win

Miami Heat, Chris Andersen 

NBA on TNT Twitter Account Possibly Hacked By Baby Genius: Game 5 of the NBA Finals is tonight. LeBron James’ legacy is at stake. It’s absolutely imperative the San Antonio Spurs protect their home court. Story lines are aplenty. Luckily, @NBAonTNT has all basketball fans covered. Here’s their pregame analysis, tweeted out a few moments ago. The Big Lead

Miami Heat, San Antonio Spurs, LeBron James, Media 

Jeff McDonald: But here's another one: No team has fallen to 2-3 at home and rallied to win two straight on road. So tonight is sort of must-win, eh? Twitter @JMcDonald_SAEN

Miami Heat, San Antonio Spurs 

Miami Heat shooting guard Ray Allen, who played under Rivers for five seasons in Boston, including in 2008 when they won a championship together, wouldn't be surprised if Rivers also left the Celtics. "I mean, it's not like that's the only team he's coached," Allen told USA TODAY Sports. "That's part of sports. You look around the league, some of the best coaches have coached in multiple cities." USA Today Sports

Boston Celtics, Miami Heat, Ray Allen, Doc Rivers, Coaching 

In a poll conducted by Public Policy Polling, they found that 32% of Americans are rooting for the Spurs in the NBA Finals. Twenty percent of Americans surveyed said they were rooting for the Heat. As for the other 48% who didn’t have an opinion either way, we’ll have to assume they are too loyal to their home team to root for one or the other. For The Win

Miami Heat, San Antonio Spurs 

Ryan Wolstat: "I think it's time ... Time to win consecutive games. Enough is enough." - LeBron James Twitter @WolstatSun

Miami Heat, LeBron James 

Ethan J. Skolnick: LeBron says he wasn't the one to haze rookies like Danny Green in Cleveland: "Most of the time it was Shaq." Twitter @EthanJSkolnick

Miami Heat, San Antonio Spurs, LeBron James, Shaquille O'Neal, Danny Green 

Ryan Wolstat: Kawhi Leonard said no other team plays like Miami defensively. "That's why they're here." Twitter @WolstatSun

Miami Heat, San Antonio Spurs, Kawhi Leonard 

"I think it's a terrible state for the profession right now," Spoelstra said during a conference call Friday amid a two-day break before Game 5 on Sunday against the San Antonio Spurs. "[For] true success in the NBA, you must have consistency of culture. When you see that type of turnover over and over and over again, it's impossible to create any kind of sustainable culture. And we don't see it as a coincidence. We see it differently." ESPN.com

Miami Heat, Coaching, Erik Spoelstra 

The Memphis-San Antonio Western Conference finals struggled to draw even half the television audience on ESPN that the Boston-Miami conference finals did the year before. NBA Finals ratings over the years have consistently shown that a shortage of superstars means no shot at a double-digit TV rating. And superstars tend to gravitate toward the big markets. "Who cares about TV ratings?" is the commonly heard whine from those who don't understand or care about the business of sports. Advertisers and television executives care. And since advertisers pay the TV networks, and the networks are the ones writing billion-dollar checks to sports leagues, there's plenty of reason for the NBA to care about what they care about. ESPN.com

Boston Celtics, Memphis Grizzlies, Miami Heat, San Antonio Spurs, Media, Owners, Marketing 

Birdmom share many similarities -- height, a laid back attitude and an affinity for tattoos. Holubec's legs are lined with colorful ink-filled flowers. She took her son to get his first tattoo. "I think I paid for the first four! It was supposed to have been just one," said Holubec. Local 10 Miami

Miami Heat, Chris Andersen 

Despite Andersen's recent success in Miami, the mother and son have not spoken in years, for a reason they'll keep private. Andersen has a past riddled with dark spots, including a two year ban from the NBA. She said if he showed up on her doorstep, she already knows what she'd say: "Where you been? Where you been? Definitely get in his face and ask him where you been? I've been right here, I haven't been nowhere." Local 10 Miami

Miami Heat, Chris Andersen 

Chris Bosh has been fined $5,000 for violating the league’s anti-flopping rules, the NBA announced on Friday via official release. The play, seen in the video clip above, occurred with 6:07 remaining in the second quarter of the Heat’s Game 4 win over the Spurs on Thursday, and was every bit deserving of the fine handed down from the league office. NBCSports.com

Miami Heat, Chris Bosh