Dwyane Wade gets more love in Miami than LeBron James.
LeBron James pregame ritual before the Miami Heat and Cleveland Cavs game Dec. 2, 2010. The Miami Heat fans did the best they could to show support for LeBron James. They wanted to show LeBron, despite what Cleveland fans think, that Miami loves him.
Miami Herald reporter Israel Gutierrez writes how the fans booed the Cavaliers, and how the fans chanted that Cleveland (fill in the blank).
It was a valiant effort. It was an attempt at a massive group hug for LeBron and a simultaneous finger to the Cavs.
But it was hardly the Miami equivalent of what Cleveland fans did Dec. 2 in Quicken Loans Arena. Not even close.
That was never going to happen. Not only because that experience in Cleveland two weeks ago was a much bigger event in that city than this was here Wednesday night.
But mostly because the passion isn't equal. Not for LeBron James. Not yet. Maybe not ever.
There's something in the way of a true love fest for LBJ, and that's Dwyane Wade.
You could tell the difference Wednesday night. After the Heat fans did their best to make the game an anti-Cleveland event, it became a basketball game, one that the Heat was struggling in throughout the first half.
Who woke up the arena? Wade.
Riley and Scott
Cleveland Cavaliers coach Byron Scott credits Heat President Pat Riley for getting him into coaching. Scott also credits Riley for luring away LeBron James, writes Ohio.com's Jason Lloyd.
Last summer, Scott said he had a few words for Riley the next time the two met. It happened Wednesday night in Miami.
Riley and Scott passed each other and quickly exchanged pleasantries during James' free-agency meetings in downtown Cleveland in July, just days after Scott was hired as the Cavs' new coach. But that was before James chose the Heat over the Cavs. The two haven't spoken since, although Riley sent his former player a note on Wednesday and Scott hoped they could catch up after Wednesday's game.
''The most difficult thing that any coach is ever going to go through is how to deal with losing,'' said Riley, who would not speak specifically about James or the Heat. ''We lost five out of six games and they thought Armageddon was coming down here.''
Riley can empathize with Scott who is on a nine-game losing streak with the Cavs. Rily has experienced some tough seasons in Miami, particularly when the Heat won 36 games in 2001-02, 25 games the next season and 15 games in 2007-08.
Game stories
News-Herald: Cavaliers still can't handle the Heat.
Ohio.com: Cavaliers play hard but still lose.
Cleveland.com: Cavaliers push Miami Heat.