NBA: LeBron James, Dwyane Wade Emotional Over Bittersweet Showdown In LA

The Los Angeles Lakers will host the Miami Heat on Monday at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, and the game has brought plenty of focus on two individuals – LeBron James and Dwyane Wade. It will be the last time that the two friends will be facing each other on the court, something that James admits is bittersweet.

Wade is set to retire after the 2017-18 NBA season, ending an illustrious basketball career. He and James have been together for 16 years, four of which they spent as teammates. This happened in 2010 when both played alongside Chris Bosh in Miami, forming South Beach’s Big Three. This produced two championships for the Heat (2012 and 2013).

James left Miami and returned to the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2014, vowing to deliver the franchise’s first title. That happened in 2016 with James teaming up with Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love. Wade reunited with LeBron in 2017, only to return to Miami later that year.

James joined the Lakers earlier this year and is not expected to hang up his sneakers soon. With one of his closest friends counting down the months of his career, the 33-year-old NBA star could not help but become nostalgic when he branded the last encounter between friends as sweet and sour.

"The sweet part about it is I've always loved being on the same floor with my brother. We struck up a relationship together at the combine in 2003, and it started from there. And the sour part about it is that this is our last time sharing the same court," James said in a report from ESPN.

And while James is savoring their last confrontation with mixed emotions, Wade feels otherwise. He is excited over the matchup and would rather savor the opportunity more than anything else, CBS Sports reported.

The Heat will be entering the game winning four of their last five games. In their last outing, they demolished the Los Angeles Clippers, 121-98, on the road. Wade led the way with 25 markers for Miami although they pulled off the win with their defensive effort.

The Lakers, on the other hand, have won five of their last six games. They are also coming off a rout of the Memphis Grizzlies, 111-88, also on the road. The last time around, the Lakers beat the Heat 113-97.

There several other factors to consider, such as the players who will be suiting up to provide aid to James and Wade. Goran Dragic is expected to return after being rested although Miami will be missing the services of Hassan Whiteside.

Head to head, the under is 7-1 in the last eight meetings in Los Angeles and the under is 12-5 in the last 17 meetings overall, according to Sports Chat Place.