The Miami Heat have a reputation as one of the most explosive teams in the NBA, the sort of outfit that can pull of highlight-reel plays and big runs in an instant. However, the Indiana Pacers have been on the right end of many of the most exciting plays of the Eastern Conference Finals, with Paul George serving up two nasty dunks on Miami big men.

In the second quarter of Monday night's Game 7, LeBron James offered up his own display of athleticism. With 8:25 left in the period, LeBron streaked past the Pacers defense on a fast break and slammed through an alley-oop pass from Norris Cole on the right side of the rim. He got so high that he had to duck his head under the rim on the way down.

This play came in the midst of an 11-2 run over 3:27 to turn a one-point lead into a double-digit margin. The Heat dominated the second quarter, besting the Pacers 33-16 to build a 52-37 halftime lead. After struggling in Game 6, the Heat looked like the NBA's top team once again.

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Mayor Kevin Johnson congratulates Joe and Gavin Maloof, heroes of men (Rocky Widner/ Getty).

The sale of the Sacramento Kings to Vivek Ranadive's ownership group has brought much-needed stability and clarity of vision to a franchise in desperate need of a fresh start. After 15 years in charge and several recent attempts to move the franchise, the Maloof family had stopped being useful owners for some time and needed to go. It's safe to say that everyone — including the Maloofs, who turned a sizable profit in the sale — is pleased with how things worked out.

However, it would be very wrong to paint the Maloofs' entire period of ownership as a disaster. In the early years, they oversaw the franchise's period of greatest success in Sacramento. If they hadn't helped the team to those heights, it's likely that Ranadive's group never would have seen the potential of the franchise and its existing fan base.

So, despite the fact that the Maloofs are leaving town on bad terms, they have some reason to feel nostalgic for the good times they had in Sacramento. On their way out, they thanked the city and team for their 15 years as owners in a full-page ad in Saturday's edition of The Sacramento Bee. Check it out after the jump (image via Deadspin):

Paul George and Dwyane Wade are fighting for a trip to the NBA Finals (Isaac Baldizon/Getty).

After six hard-fought games, the Miami Heat and Indiana Pacers will see the fate of their season determined by one game. Monday night's Game 7 in Miami represents a massive moment for the two best teams in the Eastern Conference, one an established power and the other a relative upstart. In the most basic terms, this game will vault either team into the NBA Finals and provide greater meaning to this season.

Yet playoff success means much more than moving from one series to the next. A conference championship can validate a team or player's progress, provide the stepping stone to greater fame, and ultimately help define careers in both the short and long terms. This game could determine much of the immediate futures for several key figures on both teams.

Dwyane Wade: As noted by our Kelly Dwyer before Game 6, Wade has had a hellish series not becoming his reputation as one of the NBA's most marketable and well-liked stars. Although Wade has blamed the Heat's game plan for some of his struggles, he appears hobbled and generally unable to impact the game in any meaningful way. If the Heat win a title, Wade can at least claim a winner's mentality no matter what struggles he has on the court. However, if they lose Game 7 to the Pacers, it's fairly clear which player will get the brunt of the blame for their inability to repeat as champions.

Simply put, Wade needs to save face at some point in this postseason to avoid a very unceremonious exit from the playoffs. Otherwise, he may have to suffer the indignity of not being able to exercise his early termination option next summer because no suitable contract will exist for him on the open market.

[Related: Three role player-related things to keep an eye on in Game 7]

Miami Heat big man Chris Bosh has had a fairly poor Eastern Conference Finals, struggling to defend the Indiana Pacers' big men inside and not having the offensive impact that many expect of a player of his caliber. With Chris "Birdman" Andersen suspended for Game 6 of the series in Indianapolis, Bosh was expected to take on a bigger role in protecting the rim in the contest that could clinch the Heat their third-consecutive trip to the NBA Finals.

On at least one occasion, Bosh did not live up to that expectation on Saturday night. With a bit under 1:30 remaining in the first quarter, budding Pacers star Paul George took the ball on the break and attacked the rim despite what appeared to be solid position for Bosh. It turned out not to matter — George exploded and threw down a vicious dunk on Bosh.

The play wasn't quite as fantastic as George's posterization of Birdman in Game 2, but that's a high standard to meet. If young players build their star resumes on the strength of

The NBA office has handed out a verdict on the most controversial play of Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals between the Miami Heat and Indiana Pacers. Just before the 9:00 mark of the second quarter in Thursday night's contest, Heat center Chris Andersen and Pacers forward Tyler Hansbrough engaged in a tussle that earned both players technical fouls. However, replays indicated that Andersen was the clear aggressor, getting in Hansbrough's face and pushing him in the chest with both hands. The Heat went on to win the game 90-79 and hold a 3-2 lead in the series.

At the time, it appeared that Andersen avoided ejection only because his push did not send Hansbrough to the floor. On Friday afternoon, the NBA weighed in on the matter by suspending Birdman for Saturday night's Game 6 in Indianapolis. From the official press release:

Mookie Blaylock handles the ball against Michael Jordan in the 1997 NBA Playoffs (Jonathan Daniel/ Getty).

One of the most memorable NBA point guards of the '90s is now fighting for his life. As reported by Alexis Steves of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, retired 13-year veteran Mookie Blaylock is on life support following a car accident in Georgia on Friday afternoon:

Former NBA star and Hawks player Mookie Blaylock was one of two people critically injured Friday afternoon in a head-on collision in Clayton County, according to police.

Blaylock, 46, was driving a Cadillac Escalade northbound on Tara Boulevard when for unknown reasons, he crossed over the median and into a southbound lane, Jonesboro police Chief Franklin Allen told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Blaylock’s vehicle struck another vehicle head-on, injuring two people, whose names were not released, and himself, Franklin said.

All three were transported to Atlanta Medical Center, where Blaylock was flown and was on life support and unresponsive, Franklin said. A female passenger in the second vehicle was bleeding internally, he said.

At this time, nothing else is known of either the reasons for the accident or the condition of Blaylock and the two unnamed victims. We will update as more details and developments emerge.

UPDATE: Blaylock has been taken off life support. Sadly, WXIA reports that 41-year-old Monica Murphy of Gwinnett County, a passenger in the van that collided with Blaylock's vehicle, has died.

Donald Sterling jokes with Chris Paul, who is not amused (Noah Graham/ Getty).

In free agency, even the most minor disagreement between a player and a team can have major repercussions for the futures of both parties. When an organization tries to convince a star that it provides the best opportunity for that player to meet his goals, either financially or otherwise, it must put its best foot forward. Not doing so can lead to failure.

With that in mind, a recent report regarding Chris Paul and Los Angeles Clippers has received a great deal of attention. According to Chris Broussard of ESPN, CP3 is angry with the team over owner Donald Sterling's recent comments regarding the decision not to bring back Vinny Del Negro as head coach:

Vivek Ranadive inadvertently supports Tyreke Evans at a Kings rally (Rocky Widner/ Getty).

After months of uncertainty, the Sacramento Kings finally have some degree of ownership stability, with software executive Vivek Ranadive officially approved as the franchise's new owner and the Maloof brothers officially deposed from their despotic thrones. In many ways, they're now just like any franchise with a new man in charge.

Somewhat paradoxically, that means they're about to enter a period of serious change. With longtime general manager Geoff Petrie's contract expiring on Friday and head coach Keith Smart unlikely to return, Ranadive is looking to overhaul the front office and bench staff. It appears that he already has a few candidates in mind. From Sam Amick for USA Today (via PBT):