Hello America, it's me, the NBA.

     I have a lot of friends that watch sports. We can talk for hours about them, debate topics, and make fun of each others teams. A lot of my friends don't watch the NBA. Somewhere down the line, something happened that turned them off. Here are a few examples.

• They whine and cry to the refs.
• The refs slow the game way down.
• It's all just one-on-one, not real basketball.
• The college game has more passion.

      Look, players in all leagues cry and moan to the refs. You just can't see it under a helmet. Basketball players and their emotions are right out in front of us. And though in the past it has been bad, it's not NEARLY as bad as it used to be. It's the NBA Finals, if you don't get emotional, you shouldn't be playing. As far as pacing, it's been fantastic this series. Refs are letting them go, it's not choppy and the games have been remembered by the plays not the calls.

     These two teams have been doing everything to win these first four games. And while the big stars, Dirk and Dwyane especially, have been major factors, role players have been a story this series. Mario Chalmers and Deshawn Stevenson have hit some big threes to start or to end runs. Guys like Bosh and Jason Terry have had moments of greatness as well. We're still waiting on LeBron's big game, and it's coming.

     Tonight at 9 is game 5 of the NBA Finals. And as far as I'm concerned, it's the biggest game of the series. For Dallas, winning at home means only needing one win in Miami, a place that has only one home playoff loss this year, For the Heat, it's a chance to break Dallas and know they have two chances to finish them off at home. Dirk said that this is their game 7 and he's right. The Dallas Mavericks shouldn't be in this situation. they should have been out already. But they are too tough, too gritty, and just won't die.

     One guy can kill them. LeBron. There has been a ton of talk about LeBron's lack of heroics at the end of the game, including this LeBron James game 4 highlight reel. If LeBron wants to be taken more seriously, and not just as Wade's sidekick, he needs a big game. Tonight. This is the biggest game of the year and if he doesn't come out tonight with a killer instinct, then I don't know if he really has it.

     Look, it's summer time. And unless you love CSI reruns, you need to be watching the NBA Finals tonight on ABC. The last three games have come down to the final shot. There is star power, pure basketball skill, and athleticism by the truckload. You want passion? You've got a veteran team looking at maybe their last shot at being a winner, and another team wanting to shut all their detractors up. This game is going to be huge. It should almost be on PPV. Don't tell the NBA I said that, though. Free is good.

     I'll see you at 9.