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The Heat is on as Cavs’ LeBron returns to Miami
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LEBRON James plays in Miami for the first time since leaving the Heat for Cleveland when the Cavaliers visit today (tomorrow China time) to highlight five Christmas holiday National Basketball Association clashes being televised globally.
The schedule opens with the Washington Wizards at the woeful New York Knicks followed by the Oklahoma City Thunder at defending NBA champions the San Antonio Spurs before the latest episode in James’ city-switching saga plays out in Miami, where he led the Heat to the past four NBA finals and brought the city two championships.
Kobe Bryant and Derrick Rose, two injury-prone stars, could be the focus when the Los Angeles Lakers visit the Chicago Bulls in the penultimate contest, with the Golden State Warriors, who have the best record in the NBA, visiting the Los Angeles Clippers in the final game of the 67th NBA Christmas calendar.
James spurned his home-region Cavaliers for the Heat in 2010 but after winning his long-sought after first NBA titles with Miami, he returned to Cleveland vowing to bring the city a major sports title, something not seen there since the NFL’s Cleveland Browns in 1964.
“The schedule came out after I had decided to come back. The NBA knew something,” James said.
“They knew that I was going to go home or stay in Miami, so they knew I would have to play my home team or my old teammates.”
James, who ranks second in NBA scoring with 25.2 points a game and fifth in assists with 7.8 a contest, has sparked the Cavaliers to a 16-10 record, fifth in the Eastern Conference.
The Heat, who brought in Luol Deng to try and ease the sting of losing James, are 13-15, seventh in the East. Miami fans could greet James with boos when he takes to the court, or cheers to acknowledge his success with the Heat. Either way, James is looking ahead not back.
“I live in the present,” James said. “Yesterday is over with. The future is unknown.”
Miami’s remaining “Big Three” members are holding their own, with guard Dwyane Wade scoring 22.8 points a game and forward Chris Bosh averaging 21.6.
James’ new “Big Three” partners in Cleveland are faring well also, with Australian guard Kyrie Irving netting 19.7 points a game and big man Kevin Love, who moved from the Minnesota Timberwolves in the offseason, averaging 16.8 points and 10.5 rebounds a night.
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