Ex-fan vandalizes LeBron on cherished Miami Heat mural (PHOTOS)

Miami Heat fans are mourning the loss of the player who helped bring them two NBA Championships after LeBron James announced he is heading back home to Ohio.

And some are just more than sad.

Just hours after the announcement that 'King James' would be heading back to Cleveland, a mural featuring James along with now-former teammates Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade was vandalized when LeBron's face was spray-painted black, presumably by a furious Heat fan.

The elaborate mural took more than two months for artist Serge Toussaint to create.

Toussaint said he had always hoped to meet James. Now, he is wondering who might replace his image when he gets around to re-painting the mural.

"I still love the man," he said. "But now we got no love for you, man."

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.

Dwyane Wade gives Gabrielle Union her own championship ring

Gabrielle Union didn't play a single second for the Miami Heat last season but that doesn't mean she isn't deserving of her own championship ring. Especially when she has to put up with boyfriend Dwyane Wade's sloppy habits off the court.

The beautiful actress got the extra bling from Wade Tuesday night after the 2013 NBA champion Heat home opener against the Chicago Bulls. After the game, Union, who was celebrating her 41st birthday, partied at Hyde Lounge in the American Airlines Arena. Later, she also revealed Wade's not so sparkly bathroom habits.

She tweeted: "And thank you to the guy that forgets to put the cap on the toothpaste, who flushes the non-flushable baby wipes but always goes all out for my birthday"

And thank you to the guy that forgets to put the cap on the toothpaste, who flushes the non-flushable… http://t.co/6bPYt1uooc
— Gabrielle Union (@itsgabrielleu) October 31, 2013

See. Nothing a ring couldn't solve.

“Wade walked in with a gift-wrapped box, opened it with her and put it on her finger,” a source said. “He was there for under five minutes.”

After Union’s party at Hyde, her girlfriends took her to a surprise dinner at Catch Miami, where the group sipped Moët champagne and sang along to the music.

Dwyane Wade accepts YouTube invite and shows up at teen's senior prom

Dwyane Wade accepted the YouTube prom invitation of a local high school senior during the Miami Heat's break between playoff series and — surprise — made the teenager's night.

According to WSVN TV in Miami, Nicole Muxo posted the simple — but cute — video request to the Heat star after she struck out in her attempt to get Wade to accompany her to a homecoming dance earlier in the year. Muxo's moxie paid off and D-Wade actually showed up to surprise her at the big dance, according to the Bleacher Report.

The young lady's real date for the evening was a good sport about playing second fiddle to a millionaire NBA All-Star and and took the whole thing in stride before Wade left early to ice his injured knee.

Wade relayed the news via Twitter and offered this advice to those kids afraid of taking a chance:

" I had a blast at prom w @nicole muxo... Never be 2 scared to ask... They might just say... "

I had a blast at Prom w @nicole_muxo... Never be 2 scared to ask.. They might just say… instagram.com/p/Zb8M-jlCPd/
— Way of WADE (@DwyaneWade) May 18, 2013

If this basic video can get it done, so can yours.

NBA players marvel at Barclays Center elevator

"Amazing," "kind of trippy," and "007 stuff" are just a few of the superlatives being tossed around by NBA players after they play the Brooklyn Nets in Barclays Center.

And no, they're not talking about Brook Lopez's resurgence, Kris Humphries' marriage to Kim Kardashian or owner Mikhail Prokhorov's lifestyle. They are talking about the elevator ride that takes their team bus from street level to the locker room level before games.

This Bleacher Report video shows the 27-foot descent that is more Universal Studios theme park than team bus parking lot.



The ingenious solution to cramped Brooklyn real estate and old fashioned bus ramps was devised by Forest City Ratner Companies.

Players like Kobe Bryant, Dwyane Wade, Joakim Noah and Antawn Jamison have all been awed after they experience being spun on the giant turntable.

Cost of each 81-foot long elevator: $1 million.  Cost of NBA players wowed expressions: Priceless.

Does Port Authority know about this thing?

Deron Williams: I don't deserve to be in All-Star Game

If the NBA All-Star teams were based on performances since the new year began, Deron Williams might accept the honor without hesitation.  But, based on his play over the course of the season, the Brooklyn Nets point guard doesn't think he should be headed to the mid-season showcase in Houston.

"No," an unblinking Williams said when asked if he was having an All-Star season.  After he was asked to elaborate, he simply stated:

 "I just think there's people playing better than me."

Since the ball dropped in Times Square, the three-time All-Star has been on a tear, averaging 19.5 points, 8.3 assists and shooting almost 47% from the field heading into Tuesday night's game against the Raptors.

For the season, he is averaging 16.8 points and 7.7 assists and is currently the third leading vote getter among the Eastern guards.

With Rajon Rondo and Dwyane Wade almost assured of starting spots for the Eastern Conference, Williams should be named as a reserve.

The All-Star Game takes place Feb. 17 at the Toyota Center in Houston.

The All-Star starters will be announced Thursday night on TNT.

NBA stars dribble 'Carol of the Bells' to promote new BIG Color uniforms

If the stress of Thanksgiving dinner or the door-busting crowds of Black Friday shoppers don't get you into a holiday mood, maybe the sound of a popular Christmas carol played by NBA stars dribbling basketballs will do the trick.

The NBA is giving fans the first look of its new and ingenious "BIG Color" marketing campaign — the one that features single color with the stencil-font letters that will be worn during the Christmas Day NBA quintuple-header — as a teaser.

The ad — which will be released Wed. — features Lakers center  Dwight Howard, Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony, Nets guard Joe Johnson Thunder guard Russell Westbrook and Heat guard Dwyane Wade dribbling basketball to the tune of "Carol of the Bells."  The players are all wearing the monochromatic uniforms and take turns hitting the various notes of the carol.

You know a couple of elves probably did a lot of editing to pull off this Christmas miracle.



Not surprisingly, all five players are scheduled to play during the holiday marathon featuring the Celtics at Nets, Knicks at Lakers, Thunder at Heat, Rockets at Bulls and Nuggets at Clippers.

Dwyane Wade is upset about Heat playing Knicks during hurricane cleanup

Dwyane Wade and his Miami Heat teammates had a hard time getting into Manhattan Thursday night and the team saw first-hand the residual effects of Hurricane Sandy's damage to the city and how the storm has basically crippled all modes of transportation.

The All-Star guard tweeted that he wasn't too happy about the team's lengthy commute into the city for Friday night's game against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden.

"3 hour traffic just to get into the NY city ... C'mon Man..."

While the unexpected three-hour tour of the wounded city was an inconvenience, Wade later sounded like the thing that really peeves him is the fact that Friday night's game would still be played at all.

Wade tweeted that he loves playing in New York but his heart was with anyone coping with the mess Sandy left behind.

"I luv playing in the garden but cnt do nothing but think abt all the families that don't have power, food, water etc... ths is a tragic hit 4 ths gr8 city"

The Brooklyn Nets postponed Thursday's season-opening game against the Knicks at the Barclays Center because the storm knocked out most means of transportation.

The Garden might be all bright lights and beer on Friday night but, Wade might like to know that only four blocks away from the arena, tens of thousands are still without power and water — and that doesn't include the hundreds of thousands without homes in the tri-state area.

Dwyane Wade rocks pink pants before and after Game 6

Dwyane Wade brought more than his A-game to Game 6 in Indianapolis last night.  Before scoring 41 points in the Miami Heat's series-clinching victory over the Indiana Pacers, Wade brought a little Miami Beach style to the heartland by sporting a pair of bright pink skinny pants before and after the game.

Call them pink, fuchsia or a flagrant foul, Wade's fashion statement was only topped by the one he made on the court. 

 The color, mostly seen on Florida retirees or 28-handicap golfers were complimented by the soles of his shoes and a matching pink finger sleeve.

Wade was in a good mood after the win and had his own zingers for his fashion critics during a press conference.  LeBron James sat— and laughed— with (at?) Wade while the fashionista wore the the offending pants.

"Start off this interview by saying I know they're killing me in the studio over my pants," Wade said.  "They're just mad because they can't pull it off."

ESPN said James also took a jab at Wade before the game by joking, "Damn, for real, those are close-out pants?  And the finger sleeve?"

"You gotta coordinate," replied Wade.

"You look like Eddie Murphy in the '80's," said James.

"Eddie Murphy wishes he looked like me," Wade said back.

If pink pants inspire Wade to score 41 points and grab 10 rebounds, could a lime-green polyester suit be far behind?

And they're pretty easy to find in Florida.

Dwyane Wade takes verbal poke at Mike Bibby

In Game 1 of their current playoff series, Miami Heat guard Dwyane Wade threw New York Knicks Mike Bibby's loose shoe into the stands— resembling the big kid who throws your sneakers over a telephone pole wire at the school bus stop.

Afterwards Wade said he was just kidding with his former teammate and was "always messing with Bibbs."

Today Wade remarked on the state of the Knicks' dire point guard situation and took a verbal shot at Bibby— who will be the Knicks' starter for Game 5 in Miami.

"Yeah, I know a little about Mike.  I know Mike has made more shots in this series than he made all last year," Wade said with a smile.  "Send that to Mike."

It sounded more like sarcasm than jest in Wade's tone when he sounded off about the Knicks-sub turned starter.  Maybe he was looking for a fall guy for last season's flop in the NBA Finals.

Bibby was horrible in the Heat's playoff run last season when he was with the Big 3.  While the Heat advanced to the NBA Finals, Bibby shot a minuscule .281 in 20 games, including .258 on 3-pointers during that span.

Through four games in this series, Bibby has shot a measly .313 but has hit 5-of-13 (.385) from outside the arch including a clutch 3-pointer with 1:23 left in Game 4 to give the Knicks an 84-81 lead in the Knicks win.

With Jeremy Lin, Iman Shumpert and Baron Davis sidelined with injuries, the Knicks will put whatever hopes they have of winning— literally— in the hands of Bibby— who hasn't averaged 30 minutes a game since the 2009-10 season.

"If I can get 30, 40 minutes out of Bibby," said Knicks coach Mike Woodson.  "I'll play him 30, 40 minutes."

While the 33-year old Bibby is a liability on defense, one thing he can bring to the Knicks is stability and 10 years of playoff experience.

And a few words to Wade.  Pick on someone your own size.