Heat vs Cavs and the Thrill of Potential Drama
By Wes Goldberg
Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh and the Miami Heat and LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers face off in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil, at 5 p.m. ET Saturday for a preseason match up that ESPN is banking on to deliver some drama… or maybe they don’t really care.
We often talk about which sport is “the ultimate team sport.” Some say it’s football, because if an offensive lineman lets his assignment run by him it doesn’t matter much what the quarterback does. Some say it’s baseball, because it often takes another batter to bring the runner in. Some say soccer, but most of them speak other languages so I’m not sure what their reasoning is.
And then others say it is basketball, because ball movement is so important and because we have never truly seen one amazing player win a title by himself.
Honestly, the argument is rather dumb. I don’t care which team sport is more ultimate, but it’s interesting that we talk about things like that and then attach player names to team names.
Derek Jeter and the New York Yankees.
Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos.
LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Sep 26, 2014; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James with new teammates Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports
When that happens, we transcend the Xs and Os and dive right into the story line of the team. The biggest difference between this season and last for the Heat may be that no one will be saying Dwyane Wade, or Chris Bosh, and the Heat.
Instead, this season is about the Xs and Os. Bare-freaking-bones basketball. We won’t win the title this year, but at least I get to watch this team without wondering how every play is going to impact LeBron’s legacy.
This Saturday, LeBron James and the Cavaliers will play the Heat somewhere in Brazil. The game and all of it’s pimped-out drama will be televised on ESPN News (because college football–aka games that matter–will be on ESPN’s non-ocho channels).
Don’t get me wrong, I love a good story line. I just get sick of listening to the same story over and over. When LeBron and the Heat played the Cavs, there was real drama. The way he left, the fact he left home to team up with two of the best 10 players in the NBA, that made a compelling narrative.
I feel like we are forcing it now. I think people are rather tired of this revenge thing.
It’s not just because we have been through this with LeBron already, but also with Dwight Howard twice, with Payton Manning going from Colt to Bronco, with LeBron’s now-teammate Kevin Love forcing his way out of Minnesota.
The Heat handled the departure like grownups in a way that Dan Gilbert, Dwight and Jim Irsay did not. The adults in the room almost squashed the drama.
Almost.
Bosh mentioned earlier this week that he hadn’t talked with LeBron since he left. He attempted to clarify those comments Friday.
"“My time is backwards and everything, but we talked,” Bosh said. “I want people to understand I’m a competitor, and he’s on the other team. I think he’d understand that, and I understand that, and that’s how it is now.”For his part, James tried to downplay the emotions that many are expecting from him when he sees his former teammates.“It’s going to be special to see those guys on Saturday,” he acknowledge. “But both teams are here to work. I’ll acknowledge those guys for sure, I’m still cool with all of those guys. It’s really not a story, it’s what people make it. I just made a decision like a lot of people made decisions this summer.”"
So while ESPN and the media try to buck up some drama in order to at least cash in on some clicks and ratings, the truth is that this game doesn’t matter and the players know this. But its been talked up enough that it creates an awkward situation. That’s what we have now. Instead of dramatic, we get awkward.
With all of this said, I do have some questions.
Oct 7, 2014; Miami, FL, USA; Miami Heat forward Chris Bosh gives you his triteness. Mandatory Credit: Robert Mayer-USA TODAY Sports
Q: How will the body language of LeBron, Wade and Bosh be in the pre-game greeting?
This is what I am most interested in. The lights and cameras will be on them, and this trio is used to it after four years of being the NBA’s reality show. But this will be the first time that one of the members from the entourage is rolling with a different posse. If congenial is the word we use to describe it, that will be a bad thing.
Make me believe something, guys! Give me best of friends or give me fiery competitiveness. But not under any circumstances give me congenial.
That’s surely what we will get.
Q: Who will handle the drama the best?
LeBron and Wade were close, and they aren’t as emotionally mature as Bosh. Bosh will say what he means, he’s insightful and thought-provoking. He is also above the fray and clearly has a way of diminishing the drama by being direct about it.
LeBron has been cookie-cutting quotes since he’s been in the NBA. I have no idea what that guy actually thinks on a day-to-day basis. He flip flops, but not in a political way. I just think he changes his mind a lot. He’s not the most emotionally mature guy, which is why he shuts down in press conferences. You’ll notice this when he stares at the table while answering questions, when he sounds bored with the very idea of speaking or simply shrugs off the question.
Wade is a hot head. He’ll get competitive against anything. The chip on his shoulder is still there, and he is so involved in proving people wrong that he gets overly emotional at times.
Clearly, the answer is Bosh. The only circumstance I see someone other than Bosh handling this the best is if Wade channels all of his confused emotions and turns it into a vintage Wade performance. Ah, sports.
Q: Have the three even hung out in Brazil?
Wade, Bosh and LeBron are in a vacation spot, have they met for lunch or something? Probably not, but I’ll be interested in finding out the truth.
Q: How long will these guys be on the court for?
Actually, I think these guys play quite a bit. It’s preseason, but both teams need the practice as they get used to a lot of new parts and new schemes. They won’t be on the court in the fourth quarter, but I think we get almost three quarters of basketball. It will be a good test for both squads.
Q: So, should I care?
Yeah, I guess. Even if there is no drama, there is more potential for drama than any other preseason game.
And isn’t that what all of this comes down to? TV networks don’t need actual drama to get people to watch, they just need the potential for something to happen. That’s called Potential Drama, and it’s almost as captivating as the real thing.
It would be like if ESPN decided to air a pick-up game between Ben Wallace and Metta World Peace. Would we get another Malice in the Palace? No. But like hell you wouldn’t watch just in case it did.
It’s more than likely that nothing happens Saturday, but if Wade dunks of LeBron and stares him down, you’ll be able to say you were watching.