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As with the moments with James and Wade that have become less frequent, Chalmers said he did not take umbrage. "That was a conversation Chris and I were having and we were trying to figure out something," he said. "I wasn't worried about what Joakim was doing." Of Noah's clapping, Bosh said, "Of course I was aware of it, but that just goes in there with all the other distractions that I don't pay attention to. At that time, me and 'Rio were working things out. "Playoffs bring out the monster in you sometimes." South Florida Sun-Sentinel

Chicago Bulls, Miami Heat, Chris Bosh, Mario Chalmers, Joakim Noah 

Ethan J. Skolnick: Why is Wade wearing a mouthpiece? "Because I get hit in the mouth too much and I can't eat during the week." Says it is permanent. Twitter @EthanJSkolnick

Miami Heat, Dwyane Wade 

Ethan J. Skolnick: Spoelstra: "I don't spend a lot of time thinking about what Tom is saying." Twitter @EthanJSkolnick

Chicago Bulls, Miami Heat, Tom Thibodeau, Erik Spoelstra 

There will be no fine or suspension coming Bulls center for Nazr Mohammed following his Game 3 ejection on Friday night. "I’m trying to move on from that," Mohammed said. "I think I talked pretty long and I waited for you guys and kind of explained everything the other night. I don’t want to keep dragging it on, dragging it on. I mean, I think I covered everything." Chicago Tribune

Chicago Bulls, Miami Heat, Nazr Mohammed 

In the five seasons since, David Fizdale, 38, has solidified his status as an integral member of the Heat staff, one equally valued by the head coach who calls him a close friend and the Heat stars who call upon him for suggestions and representation. As such, his value is spiking around the NBA, with the Portland Trail Blazers seeking an interview for their head coaching vacancy last summer — an opportunity he declined. As the Heat play in the second round against the Chicago Bulls, he continues to be mentioned as a possible candidate for current and potential openings, such as the one in Atlanta. The Palm Beach Post

Miami Heat, Portland Trail Blazers, Coaching, David Fizdale 

“I try to make sure that if there’s anything smoking, that I can put that out before it ever gets to Spo,” Fizdale said. “And if there’s anything smoking that Spo needs to know, I try to make sure that it’s communicated from them to him, from him to them, without fire.” That means providing context and clarity. “This is where LeBron’s coming from, Spo,” Fizdale said. “LeBron, this is where Spo was coming from. I translate for them and we keep everybody moving in the same direction. I try to be the glue as much as I can.” The Palm Beach Post

Miami Heat, Coaching, David Fizdale 

“I’m two feet in here,” Fizdale said. “Spo knows it, Pat knows it. I’ll never be an assistant anywhere else, unless they fire me. And then, for head coaching opportunities, I want it to be a situation where they tell me to go, you can’t pass that up.” Eventually, they will. “We’ll lose him someday,” Wade said. The Palm Beach Post

Miami Heat, Coaching, David Fizdale 

A few minutes later, Chicago forward Carlos Boozer had finished complaining about a noncall inside when James dribbled into the Miami forecourt. Mohammed tried to grab James to prevent a transition basket. James extended an arm to create space and sent Mohammed tumbling to the floor. “I seen him hawking me down for a long time, and I seen him come with one of those club fouls, which was unnecessary,” James said. “I basically just tried to protect myself, stand my ground.” New York Times

Chicago Bulls, Miami Heat, LeBron James, Carlos Boozer, Nazr Mohammed 

James reacted to the technical with disbelief, pointing his index fingers at his chest as if to say, who, me? That is when Mohammed went after him. James said that no opponent had ever shoved him as hard or as far. “It definitely surprised me that he pushed me like that,” James said. New York Times

Chicago Bulls, Miami Heat, LeBron James, Nazr Mohammed 

A source close to the Sacramento group said Friday that it was buoyed by Twitter comments made this week by Miami Heat owner Micky Arison, a member of the relocation committee, to a Seattle fan who had questioned why the league turned down the relocation the NBA was treating Seattle fairly. In those comments, Arison said the issue before the committee and league was not what Seattle was doing to make itself a viable NBA market again, but what Sacramento had done to prove it was still one. Arison, according to the transcript provided by a Seattle radio station, said that Sacramento had passed that test. NBA.com

Miami Heat, Sacramento Kings, Micky Arison, Owners 

The playoff series between the Chicago Bulls and Miami Heat has been more physical than usual, but this play makes no sense. After wrapping LeBron James up and drawing a technical foul on LeBron, veteran Bulls forward Nazr Mohammed shoved James to the ground. Mohammed was subsequently tossed, receiving a standing ovation from the crowd. For The Win

Chicago Bulls, Miami Heat, LeBron James, Nazr Mohammed, Referees 

Tim Bontemps: LeBron on why he didn't come back at Nazr after push: "If I get kicked out and Nazr Mohammed gets kicked out at the same time, who wins?" Twitter @TimBontemps

Chicago Bulls, Miami Heat, LeBron James, Nazr Mohammed, Referees 

KC Johnson: Thibodeau on Nazr/LeBron play: "From my angle, I just saw a guy basically flop. And I’m going to leave it at that." #Bulls Twitter @KCJHoop

Chicago Bulls, Miami Heat, LeBron James, Tom Thibodeau, Nazr Mohammed, Referees 

KC Johnson: Thibodeau on Nazr: "I didn’t think it warranted an ejection. I understand a flagrant foul. But an ejection nope." #Bulls Twitter @KCJHoop

Chicago Bulls, Miami Heat, LeBron James, Tom Thibodeau, Nazr Mohammed, Referees 

When everyone else watched Chicago's Nazr Mohammed make a run at James, shove him tumbling onto his back on Friday night, the Bulls witnessed something else: confirmation of a conspiracy. Mohammed earned the ejection, and the rest of these Bulls earned the indignation and outrage that they need for public retaliation. "We're well aware of what's going on," Thibodeau seethed late Friday. "I'm watching how things are going. I watch very closely. What I'm seeing is… "…We'll adjust accordingly." Yahoo! Sports

Chicago Bulls, Miami Heat, LeBron James, Tom Thibodeau, Nazr Mohammed, Referees 

KC Johnson: Nate Robinson: "You see LeBron in a lot of commercials. He's a good actor." #Bulls #Heat Twitter @KCJHoop

Chicago Bulls, Miami Heat, LeBron James, Nate Robinson 

Tim Bontemps: Nazr on ejection: "It’s a different league from when I got into the league. I see a lot of things I didn’t see years ago. I was surprised." Twitter @TimBontemps

Chicago Bulls, Miami Heat, LeBron James, Nazr Mohammed, Referees 

“It’s a different league,” Mohammed said. “I see a lot of things that I didn’t see years ago. That’s the way I was taught to play ball. … You checked people cutting to the rim, you didn’t give away layups, fastbreaks or dunks. You didn’t try to hurt people, but at the same time, you have to earn the two points.” CBSSports.com

Chicago Bulls, Miami Heat, LeBron James, Nazr Mohammed, Referees 

“I’m sitting back here looking at the play and I’m just disappointed,” Mohammed said. “I wanted to be out there so bad. I wanted to help my teammates win the game, and to be back here watching over something like a push … I’m disappointed I let somebody else cause a reaction like that when I knew there was going to be so much of a microscope on the game and the physicality.” CBSSports.com

Chicago Bulls, Miami Heat, LeBron James, Nazr Mohammed, Referees 

His disappointment was genuine, but it was not strictly self-directed. “I’m disappointed because my son was probably watching the game, and I don’t want him to see that type of behavior on the court,” Mohammed said. “But I’m also disappointed that it warranted an ejection for something like a push when I got pushed down first.” CBSSports.com

Chicago Bulls, Miami Heat, LeBron James, Nazr Mohammed, Referees