LeBron James #23 of the Cleveland Cavaliers looks on while playing the Chicago Bulls during a pre season game at Quicken Loans Arena on October 10, 2017 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
MIAMI — It’s been exactly four years since LeBron James announced he was leaving the Heat to return to his hometown Cavaliers on July 11, 2014.
LeBron James #23 of the Cleveland Cavaliers defended by Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors during Game Four of the 2018 NBA Finals at Quicken Loans Arena on June 8, 2018 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
It’s hard to believe, but LeBron James has now played 15 full NBA seasons.
And still, the 33-year-old James is widely considered the best player in the league. He’s not part of the league’s best team, though.
Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James takes questions at a press conference after the basketball team’s practiced during the NBA Finals, Thursday, June 7, 2018, in Cleveland. The Warriors lead the series 3-0 with Game 4 on Friday. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)
Dwyane Wade #9 and LeBron James #23 of the Cleveland Cavaliers walk backcourt during a game against the Milwaukee Bucks at the Bradley Center on October 20, 2017 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
Dwyane Wade is in the middle of his offseason. He’s already traveled to France and attended the 2018 Monaco Grand Prix in Monte Carlo, Monaco since the Heat’s season ended in the first round of the playoffs on April 24.
Cleveland Cavaliers’ LeBron James, right, looks up at a replay during the first half of Game 3 of basketball’s NBA Finals against the Golden State Warriors, Wednesday, June 6, 2018, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Tony Dejak)
MIAMI — The Heat haven’t been in the NBA Finals since 2014, but that doesn’t mean South Florida has stopped watching the championship series.
The television ratings through the first three games of this year’s NBA Finals continue a positive trend for basketball locally. According to Nielsen, the television ratings for Sunday’s Game 2 in the Miami market ranked sixth with a 15.8 rating behind just San Francisco, Cleveland, Memphis, Columbus and Sacramento — four of those five markets have an obvious tie to the Finals between Golden State and Cleveland as cities in either California or Ohio. Continue reading “A positive trend for basketball in South Florida has continued in 2018 NBA Finals”
Stephen Curry #30 and Draymond Green #23 of the Golden State Warriors celebrate with Kevin Durant #35 against the Cleveland Cavaliers in the second half during Game Three of the 2018 NBA Finals at Quicken Loans Arena on June 6, 2018 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
How big is the gap between the Cavaliers and Warriors? Just look at Cleveland’s razor-thin margin for error and Golden State’s not-so-small margin for error.
The Cavaliers got a triple-double from LeBron James and a combined 48 points from Kevin Love, Rodney Hood and JR Smith. But that wasn’t enough in Game 3 of the NBA Finals on Wednesday night, and neither was a 51-point performance from James in Game 1.
The Miami Heat’s Dwyane Wade (3) and the Cleveland Cavaliers’ LeBron James hug after the Heat defeated the Cavs, 98-79, at the AmericanAirlines Arena in Miami on Tuesday, March 27, 2018. (Charles Trainor Jr./Miami Herald/TNS)
Since entering the league together as top picks in the 2003 draft, James and Wade have shared plenty of moments. Whether it’s facing off as young players, winning two titles together in Miami or reuniting in Cleveland, their relationship has included a lot of different phases.
Dwyane Wade #9 and LeBron James #23 of the Cleveland Cavaliers walk backcourt during a game against the Milwaukee Bucks at the Bradley Center on October 20, 2017 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
MIAMI — Just two months ago, LeBron James and Dwyane Wade were teammates in Cleveland. So much has changed since then.
James is now playing on a new-look Cavaliers team that’s found its stride in the middle of a turbulent season. And Wade is now with the Heat after Cleveland traded him to Miami at the Feb. 8 trade deadline.
Dwyane Wade and LeBron James will face off Tuesday at AmericanAirlines Arena. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)
CLEVELAND CAVALIERS AT MIAMI HEAT
When: Tuesday, 8 p.m.
Where: AmericanAirlines Arena, Miami
TV/Radio: TNT/WAXY 790AM, WRTO 98.3 FM (Spanish)
Records: Cleveland 44-29, Miami 39-35
Line: Cavaliers favored by 3.5 points
PROJECTED STARTING LINEUPS
Cavaliers
G: LeBron James
F: Larry Nance Jr.
C: Kevin Love
G: George Hill
G: Jose Calderon
Heat
F: Josh Richardson
F: James Johnson
C: Bam Adebayo
G: Tyler Johnson
G: Goran Dragic
Scouting report: Miami will be without Dion Waiters (left ankle surgery). Hassan Whiteside (left hip flexor strain) is also listed as out for Tuesday’s game against Cleveland. … Cleveland will be without Jeff Green (illness), Kyle Korver (excused absence, not with team) and Cedi Osman (left hip strain). … The Cavaliers enter on a five-game winning streak. … LeBron James is averaging 34.4 points on 61.5 percent shooting to go with 9.6 rebounds and 11.2 assists during Cleveland’s five-game winning streak. … Also during the Cavaliers’ five-game winning streak, the team is averaging 122.2 points on 51.8 percent shooting from the field. … Cleveland has now scored at least 120 points in a franchise-record tying four consecutive games. … The Heat enter on a two-game losing skid. … Miami has posted a 9-7 record since the All-Star break, with four of those losses coming in overtime. … The Heat enter on a season-high six-game home winning streak, including 9-1 in their past 10 in Miami. … The Heat and Cavaliers have already faced off twice this season, with Cleveland winning both of those games — the Cavaliers beat the Heat 108-97 in Cleveland on Nov. 28 and the Cavaliers beat the Heat 91-89 in Cleveland on Jan. 31.
