Tonight is the most important game of Michael Beasley's career.
Of course, I can say that because his career is only two years old, and the two games he started in this series against the Celtics are the only two playoff games he's ever started. So he's got plenty of time to have more important games. But let's look past that and focus on the dramatic picture and first line for a minute, ok?
This is Dwyane Wade's team. If anyone suggests otherwise, you might be justified in karate chopping him in the throat. But every Batman needs a Robin... and Michael Beasley has to be that guy on Miami. So when he pulls a no-show in Game 1 and then has to take 14 shots to score 13 points in a putrid Game 2... he's leaving his superstar hung out to dry.
And when that superstar is calling you out the next day... you know the pressure is on.
So Michael Beasley has a lot to prove tonight. He's already shown he's got a lot of work to do on the mental front... and we know from what we've seen that his play isn't where it needs to be for Miami to have a shot against the C's. What will he do?
Will Beasley be the kind of complementary player that Dwyane Wade needs to succeed? Or will he wilt under the relentless pressure of going face to face with Kevin Garnett? Will KG's antics, added to the pressure of a must-win Game 3 at home, be too much for Beas... or will he rise up, give the Celtics a match-up problem and suddenly make this a series again?
It's all on you, Beas.
No pressure.
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If this piece sounds familiar to some of you, it's because I was making this point last night on The 2 Man Game. You can check it out here.
The guys from Gang Green TV called in during the first half hour, and we surprised Chris Forsberg in the 9:30 segment with his new theme music. Plus, Chris dropped some major, well-deserved kudos for our boy Jay (MrTrpleDouble10).
Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images