NBA tells LeBron James to stop using black mask: Report

It looks like The Lone Ranger won't ride again — not if the NBA has its way.

The league has ordered LeBron James to lose the black carbon-fiber mask in favor of a clear version, but the superstar is appealing the decision, according to ESPN.

NBA officials want to see the change by Saturday night, when the Heat play the Orlando Magic in Miami.

James' mask, which he wore to protect his broken nose during a victory against the Knicks on Thursday night, was a big hit with fans and his teammates. After James destroyed the Knicks with 31 points in the 108-82 win, Heat coach Eric Spoelstra called the mask "menacing."

“It was awesome,” teammate Chris Bosh said. “He played like Batman out there. It was great. I’m glad he put a little bit of flavor into it. Clear is boring. No offense to anybody that wears a clear mask. Gotta have a little fun with it sometimes. If you want to wear a black mask and look crazy, you should do it.”

But NBA spokesman Tim Frank said the league is under the impression that James's permanent mask still is being made, and that they "prefer clear masks." The clear material typically used requires 18 hours to dry.

Not so. James told reporters he liked the black mask because "it went with the uniform." James also said he likes the lightness and fit of the black mask. 

"We were wearing our throwback uniforms, and I was able to get a carbon fiber one – which is actually lighter than the one that I'd been wearing in practice," James told reporters. "And it came through in the last minute, so I went with it."

And King James' teammates like the look.

"Only LeBron can make breaking your nose look cool," Heat forward Shane Battier said.

On Friday, the Heat started selling T-shirts with an image of the masked James on them. I'm guessing that when the NBA finds out they can make money from it, they'll probably change change their mind.

Chris Bosh wants to be a masked hero like LeBron James (PHOTO)

Miami Heat center Chris Bosh had some fun with LeBron James' carbon fiber protective mask that he wore in the Heat's blowout victory over the New York Knicks Thursday night.

Bosh grabbed LeBron's mask and added a cape before posting this photo on Instagram with the caption saying he's Batman.

Hate to break it to you Chris. You're not even Robin on your own team.

Chris Bosh sinks long-range three to beat Blazers (VIDEO)

What's a team to do when it is playing on the road against the West's best team (record-wise) on the second night of a back-to-back without your best player (LeBron James)?

The Heat called on Chris Bosh — that's all.

Down 107-105 in the closing seconds against the Trail Blazers, Dwyane Wade's drive was cut off so he kicked out to an open Bosh who drilled a deep 3-pointer to win it for Miami.

It capped a 37-point, 10-rebound game for Bosh and lifted the Heat to what might be called a  warning to the West.

Chris Bosh's birthday tweet isn't so flattering

Chris Bosh celebrated his 29th birthday with a smiling mariachi band he towered over.  The Miami Heat center looks more like one of those Day of the Dead skeletons than the birthday boy.

Smile. You're in the middle of a win streak.

Had a Mariachi Band for my Birthdaysay.ly/VLV5r5e
— Chris Bosh (@chrisbosh) March 24, 2013

Bosh doubtful for Game 3 after rushing home to pregnant wife

Miami Heat forward Chris Bosh will probably miss tonight's Game 3 against the New York Knicks after rushing back home to Miami to attend the birth of his first son.

Bosh had been carrying a beeper throughout the NBA first-round series in preparation for the birth of his second child.  The original due date was around the third week of May but a message posted online by his heavily-pregnant wife,  Adrienne Bosh, suggested that the baby boy— the couple's first together— was coming ahead of time, reports The New York Post.

"Thank God for private flights... Hurry home Baby :)" she wrote on instant messaging picture site Instagram, next to a photo of Bosh on a runway walking close to a small plane."

Last week, Bosh had made it clear he would be drop everything to be at his wife's side when the beeper buzzed.

"When it goes off, I'll be ready," he said.  "We'll see what happens, man, just waiting."

The Heat are in New York for Thursday night's Game 3 at Madison Square Garden after back-to-back wins in Miami.  The Heat have a comfortable 2-0 lead over the battered Knicks in the series.

Knicks fans might be breathing a sigh of relief because of the Heat's probable lineup vacancy.  New York is already missing Jeremy Lin and Iman Shumpert to legitimate injuries while Amar'e Stoudemire— who cut his hand by punching a glass-enclosed fire extinguisher after Monday's loss— will be joining them on the bench.

Let's hope Bosh's plane ride home is faster than the stork's.

Chris Bosh's Four-Day Bachelor Party Filled With Guns, Booze and Levitation

Chris Bosh's bachelor party sounded a lot more fun than his NBA Championship series and lasted almost as long.  Bosh, the last wheel in the Miami Heat's Big Three, and his pals partied like rock stars during a four-day Las Vegas bacchanal dubbed "The Hangover 3."   Bosh celebrated, alongside 11 of his closest friends, with guns, liquor, steak dinners and magic shows. 

"It was everything these guys don't get to do during the season," said a source close to the party.

Funny, it sounds like a typical NBA season to me.

Miami teammates, LeBron James and Dwyane Wade, were nowhere to be seen.  They probably had colds.

Bosh's Dirty Dozen, which included New Orleans Hornets players Jarrett Jack and Pops Mensah-Bonsu, kicked off the weekend by taking in Criss Angel's magic show "Believe" at the Luxor.  Angel pulled the guest of honor onstage and made him part of the act.  Backstage, Bosh was levitated by the greasy illusionist for a photo shoot.

The New York Post reported that Bosh and his posse's manly fun included blowing off steam at a gun range as soon as they hit the Strip and pigging out on steak dinners at some of the top restaurants in Vegas.

Other Sin City activities for Bosh and his posse included partying at Tao and a day of paintball.

The crew capped off the festivities on Sunday with a "Rack Pat" casino night at Caesars and the comedy-styling of Mark Curry.

Bosh will marry Adrienne Williams at the Fountainbleu Hotel in Miami in July.