Dwyane Wade leaving the Heat sucks, but I'm happy for him

Dwyane Wade with his sons Zaire and Zion from his Facebook page.

I still recall way back in 2003 how dope Sony Playstation was. For me and my friends, playing NBA Shootout was my hobby of "playing 2K" back then. As a 10-year-old, I was still seeking identity when it comes to my NBA fandom. But with Shaquille O'Neal dominating the league by having a three-peat and winning all of those Finals MVPs, I knew it was him. I idolized him and patterned my game after him. Although I wasn't able to develop any post skills since my frame remained that of a guard, I became known as a rim protector and rebounder within my basketball peers. That's why when Shaq opted to join the upcoming star in Miami, I followed him.

I still recall that billboard I saw on TV as the Heat welcome the Diesel. "Shaq in Black." That was another big news for me and my pals. It was in the midst of us getting addicted over the 2004 NBA Shootout because of the 2003 NBA Draft Class which is considered now as one of the best in NBA history. LeBron James in Cavaliers, Carmelo Anthony in Nuggets and Dwyane Wade in Heat - our games revolved mostly around those guys. And after more than a decade, they're still the viable pick when going against someone over 2K although they've been with different teams. Yes, all of them. Wade was supposed to be an exception until now when he just announced that he will be leaving Miami.

After winning it all in 2006 amid a 2-0 deficit and being named Finals MVP, I stayed in Miami because of Wade. Of course I still followed the trails of Shaq, his stint with the King, with Nash, with Pierce and his eventual retirement he announced online. But I remained a Heat fan despite the recurrent first round exits of Wade's team. So when the Big Three was formed together with James and Chris Bosh, I was happy for him. He got two more rings to add to his Hall of Fame career. He even said after completing the Heat's historic comeback against the San Antonio Spurs in the 2013 NBA Finals that he gave it all and he "ain't got none left" as he cherish the victory while sitting on the floor in front of the media. It had me thinking that Wade's career is already solidified. "3 for 3." "Wade County." He will sit alongside a fellow legend in Kobe Bryant as a superstar who stayed with one team throughout his career and remained the face of the franchise until his retirement.

Apparently, this will not be the case for Wade. The 34-year-old superstar decided to come home in Chicago where he could possibly finish his career. Of course, the $47.5 million two-year contract offered by the Bulls made the decision much easier. It was rumored that the Heat's initial offer of $10 million a year irked Wade that a $20 million offer later on did not entice him anymore. He will now be teaming up with a fellow Marquette alum and an all-star guard/forward nearing his prime in Jimmy Butler. The acquisition of Rajon Rondo is yet to pan out but his skills as a floor general cannot be devalue with. While the Bulls lost all-stars Pau Gasol and Joakim Noah, a frontcourt composed of the agile big man in Robin Lopez, strong rebounder in Bobby Portis and stretch four in Nikola Mirotic may not be so bad at all. This is not to mention that the hard-working Taj Gibson is still with the team. Chicago's 14th pick in the 2016 NBA Draft Denzel Valentine is another bright spot as he may provide an added firepower off the bench being an all-around offensive threat in his college years. Just like Wade in Marquette, Valentine stayed for four years in Michigan State. The 22-year-old guard averaged 19 points and seven assists per game in his last season as a Spartan. He and fellow young Bull Doug "McBuckets" McDermott could be the core of the franchise in the future.

The Bulls are far from being a title contender but they could be playoff bound. With Wade's arrival, the team's rebuilding process may have been hastened. Bulls head coach Fred Hoiberg who will just be on his second year as an NBA coach had a respectable 42-40 debut season despite missing the playoffs. With the recent addition of Father Prime, my new team could be headed on the right direction.

Game 6 of the 2016 NBA Finals. One for the ages?

Kids who see LeBron as their hometown hero.
Will he, Kyrie and the team drive the city one step closer to its first NBA title?
(image source: LeBron James' Facebook cover photo)

A gutsy win leading to the final game at the Q this season.

This was the best case scenario for the LeBron James-led Cavaliers whose title seems to be long overdue since the franchise drafted "The Chosen One" almost 13 years ago. But the glorious night of staying alive in this series is long gone. Cleveland may be in for another monster performance from the King and his all-star point guard Kyrie few hours from now. But if the basketball gods will not be on their side this time, just like last year's game six, it could be a repeat of the momentous celebration for the Golden State Warriors who won its first championship in 40 years in front of the stunned home crowd.

It has been all over the headlines that no team has come back from a 3-1 deficit in the Finals. 0-32. It will be noted, however, that two teams were able to give themselves the chance to win it all by tying the series.

Way back in 1951, the higher seed Rochester Royals (now known as the Sacramento Kings) went ablaze by almost sweeping the New York Knickerbockers. They defended their homecourt in convincing fashion then stole a game in New York. But the underdogs turned things around by piling up three consecutive wins decided by slim margins to even things up 3-3. On Game 7, Royals took care of business at home to pull off a four-point win.

The Cavs' current predicament is highly similar to what happened in the 1966 NBA Finals between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Boston Celtics.

With the higher seed Celtics dropping their first game at home, legendary coach Red Auerbach and his superstar center Bill Russel led the team to bounce back by winning three consecutive games. Facing adversity, the Lakers were not yet ready to give up that trophy as they win at Boston to book a Game 6 at home. They eventually forced a Game 7 which was decided by two points culminating the eight consecutive titles for the Celtics dynasty.

Flash forward to the present. As Warriors head coach Steve Kerr put it in Game 5's post-game conference, "I like our position better than theirs." The Cavs may be playing with that homecourt advantage but their backs are still against the wall. The defending champions know that. More importantly, Draymond Green knows that.

Green is set to return after that one-game suspension. Warriors definitely need his all-around contributions not only in the stat sheet but also the intangibles he brings to the court. In his four games this series, he averaged 15 points, 9 rebounds, 5 assists, one block and one steal in 38 minutes per game, the most minutes for his team.

Talking about minutes per game, James has the highest among the players this series with 40. He is obviously carrying the team on his back though not singlehandedly. His sidekick, Irving, has been phenomenal despite being a newcomer in the big stage. The upcoming Game 6 will only be his seventh game of playing for the Finals in his career. Yet, he shares the same scoring load with LeBron of 28 points a game.

The Cavs know well the tough spot they are in. Nonetheless, head coach Tyronn Lue is convinced that not only his team can win the next game but also the whole series as he said in a press conference. "They know what needs to be done," Lue said.

Will there be a repeat to cap off the Warriors' historic 73-9 record and legendary feat of overcoming a 3-1 deficit in a conference finals? Or will the Cavaliers be the third team to force a Game 7 after being down 3-1 in an NBA Finals?

Legacies are at stake. Reputations are on the line. History will be made.