Dec. 25, 2014: First matchup after LeBron’s departure
During the 2014 Holiday season, the NBA scheduled a primetime matchup for LeBron James and the Cavaliers to travel down to Miami for a Christmas duel. This would be James’ first return to South Beach after his departure to Cleveland.
At this point, Heat fans were still riding the Wade wagon, with hopes of the Chicago native taking them back to the Finals. When James entered the arena it was as if time stopped and the only people in the room were Wade and LeBron. How were they going to greet each other? How were the fans going to react? Even though the most important thing that day were presents under the tree, for some people the tree was the game and the presents were Wade and LeBron.
Wade wounds up spoiling Jame’s return to Miami with 31 points, five rebounds, five assists, and the Christmas Day victory. James put up a similar stat line with 30 points, four rebounds, and eight assists. The Heat still had some of their core players from the championship days like Chris Anderon, Norris Cole, Udonis Haslem, and Mario Chalmers, so it was a nice reunion for Miami.
Jan. 25, 2010: LeBron’s final game in Miami before heading to South Beach
In 2010, Wade had already built a legacy for himself in Miami, bringing home the Larry O’Brien Championship trophy just a couple of years before. He cemented his name in NBA history, leading a franchise to its first title at just 24 years old. James may have been one of the best players in the league from the moment he got drafted, but a couple of losses in the playoffs and a sweep in the 2007 NBA Finals had James scratching his head over the next step in his career. After meetings with multiple teams in the 2010 offseason, James would eventually sign with the Heat and team up with Wade in South Beach.
This makes their January matchup in 2010 a definite memory, marking the final game the two would battle before teaming up. A back-and-forth contest would result in a 92-91 win for the Cavaliers with James recording 32 points and nine rebounds, and Wade with the slight one-up of 32 points and 10 rebounds. It was an exceptional performance for both players in AmericanAirlines Arena, representing the end of a rivalry and the start of something great.