Game 9 | Cavaliers @ Heat | November 12, 2009 | 8:00 PM EST

[Typhoon]

Cavs @ Miami
Thursday Nov. 12th 2009
8:00 PM [ET]
Tv: TNT Radio: WTAM 1100

INJURIES

Cavs: Leon Powe: Left Knee Surgery (O)
Heat:Daequan Cook: Shoulder (Day-to-Day) // Chris Quinn (G) Foot (Day-to-Day)

Cavs - Heat Preview:

In the ongoing drama surrounding next summer's free-agent class, rumors have swirled of LeBron James and Dwyane Wade, who have been teammates in All-Star games and the Olympics and are friends off the court, teaming up to form a mega-tandem.

For the time being, James is focused on winning with the Cleveland Cavaliers while Wade is trying to do the same with the Miami Heat.

With his team starting to find its rhythm after a sluggish start, James and the Cavaliers seek their sixth victory in seven games Thursday night when they visit Wade and a Heat team trying to open 7-1 for the first time in franchise history.

In nearly every arena James visits, the reigning league MVP has been bombarded with questions of potentially opting out of his contract at the end of this season and becoming a free agent.

Frustrated by the repeated questions about his future, James said prior to Wednesday's 102-93 win in Orlando he would no longer talk about the subject again this season.

"I think I owe it to myself, and I owe it to my teammates," he said. "It's just getting old. I'm focusing on this season, and this is going to be a really good season for us. I don't want any more distractions for my teammates, for my organization, for my family. This will be the last time I answer a free agent question for the rest of the year.''

On the court, James' Cavaliers (5-3) have won five of six after opening the season with consecutive losses. The latest victory over the Magic was arguably their biggest.

Cleveland was unable to slow down Orlando center Dwight Howard in last season's Eastern Conference finals, and got eliminated in six games. To prevent that from happening again, the Cavs traded for Shaquille O'Neal in the offseason.

Although the 37-year-old center is no longer the unstoppable force he once was, he helped to justify the trade by limiting Howard to 11 points Wednesday and forcing him into foul trouble.

O'Neal finished with 10 points and four rebounds while James led the way with 36 points, eight rebounds and four assists.

O'Neal is now set to return to Miami for only the second time as an opponent since helping Wade and the Heat win the 2006 NBA championship.

Miami has won just three playoff games since then - all coming last season in a first-round exit to Atlanta - but is looking strong early in 2009-10.

The Heat (6-1) defeated Washington 90-76 on Tuesday, matching the 1999-2000 club for the best start in franchise history.

"It feels good to be winning,'' Miami guard Quentin Richardson said despite going scoreless against the Wizards.

Although the Heat are off to a fast start, they've only played two teams with winning records, splitting those contests. They feel this matchup against one of the early championship favorites is a significant test.

"You can say that Cleveland's one of the top teams in the Eastern Conference with Boston and Orlando," Miami point guard Mario Chalmers said. "We're just trying to prove ourselves, prove that we belong right up there with the best.''

Wade scored 41 points Tuesday, the second time in three games the five-time All-Star has topped 40, both against Washington.

Wade was limited to 29 points or fewer in all four meetings with the Cavs last season, only one of which Miami won.

James averaged 31.8 points with one triple-double in the 2008-09 season series, and scored 80 total points in the two games in Miami.

KEYS TO THE GAME

* To take Splitz quote out of context:

Probably the best half of basketball that I have seen in the Lebron era from the Cavs. Mo Williams is being aggressive, Lebron getting effortless buckets, working off the ball, posting up. High energy, drawing fouls, JJ showing life. I couldn't be happier with what I am seeing so far.

Cavs need to keep that momentum and confidence from the big win at Orlando yesterday and roll it into Miami. Specially Mo and JJ

*Take control of the game from the beggining, dont play down to Heat (granted they seem to be good this year)

Miami Cheerleaders

​

 

[InBoobieWeTrust]

I fucking hate TNT games.

I hate back-to-backs on the road.

I hate playing in Miami because the team always parties hard the night before(at least the back to back might be able to stop that tradition).

Miami is way over-achieving. Time to knock them down a peg.

 

[Da_James_Gang]

Nice job on the game thread, gonna be a tough game though.

 

[Chardon]

Game is at 8. So the server should go down around 8:37pm

 

[theSTEREO.]

Great work Typhoon! Thanks.

 

[kookoo]

Gotta love them Miami cheerleaders.

 

[Backstage]

Is this when the PIP/D-Wade unrequited love makes a return?

 

[Lionheart]

I would worry about the partying, them Miami girls look HOTTT!

 

[JJ Smooth]

Nice work Typhoon with the game thread. Amazing how you incorporated Nurse Joker too, I think that's a game thread first.

If I recall last season we had rotating defenders on Wade and made his supporting cast try to beat us. Dwayne is an offensive dynamo, but his buddies around him? Not so much. I'd imagine Coach Brown will be using a similar tactic, so I'll be expecting a little Moon, Delonte, and Lebron (4th quarter most likely) on Wade at times. J.O. is having a good season so far, but I don't think he's had to tussle with someone like Shaq yet, I'm expecting him to be a non-factor this game.

No doubt this game will be a battle, Lebron and Wade have gone head to head enough to make nearly each meeting a classic, but I'm thinking it won't be a single superstar sealing a victory on their lonesome. The Cavs are at a disadvantage due to the back-to-back, but even with that in mind I think our supporting cast can take Miami's. Should be a good one fans.

 

[Gunther]

Nice game thread.

As much as I know that we will not win a championship by playing LeIso, I have to admit that there are not two players in the NBA that I enjoy seeing go head-to-head more than LeBron vs. Dwayne Wade. JJ Smooth said it above - each meeting is a classic.

It's games like this that I want to see LeBron showcase his entire game and dominate. I can't help it - LeBron elevates Wade's game as well, and it's a thing of beauty to watch.

 

[blank964]

Great preview, will be interesting to see how we react to a semi-big win and how we stack up against a pretty good team.

 

[camakazee]

Dang Typhoon. Setting that bar even higher!

 

[Andrew]

I hate Thursday games starting at 7 here, I have class Thursday till 7:30!

 

[Powerslave]

WADE WATCH 2010!

http://www.nba.com/2009/news/11/11/james.freeagency.ap/index.html

ORLANDO (AP) -- Frustrated by repeated questions, LeBron James said he won't talk about his possible free agency next summer until after this season.

The Cleveland star and reigning NBA MVP said Wednesday night before the Cavaliers' victory over Orlando that all the talk is "getting old."

James cut off interviews after being hit with questions about free agency and teaming with Miami's Dwyane Wade, who has said the two have discussed forming a mega-tandem.

"This free agent talk is getting old. It's getting old and I think I'm going to stop. Tonight will be the last time I answer any more free agent questions until the offseason," James said.

"I think I owe it to myself, and I owe it to my teammates. It's just getting old. I'm focusing on this season, and this is going to be a really good season for us. I don't want anymore distractions for my teammates, for my organization, for my family. This will be the last time I answer a free agent question for the rest of the year."

James can opt out of his contract at the end of this season and become a free agent. He has been overloaded with questions about his plans and has continued to say that winning is most important.

Teams have even been slicing payroll in anticipation of the 2010 summer, when James and Wade are among the All-Stars who can opt out of their contracts. James has never hinted that he would leave Cleveland, about 30 miles from his hometown of Akron.

But he's never said he would stay, either.

Although James insisted that he wouldn't talk about the subject again this season, that doesn't mean he won't be asked. Cleveland plays at Miami on Thursday, and the South Florida media will surely be searching for more answers.

James' method received an early test.

After Cleveland's 102-93 win over the Magic, a reporter asked him if he made the decision to stop answering questions in the spur of the moment or if it was planned ahead of time.

James responded: "Next question."

Wade told reporters earlier Wednesday that the pair have "talked about" going to the same team, a comment the Heat star has floated out before. But that's all it's been -- talk among friends.
"It's a long shot, no question about it, it's a long shot," Wade told reporters in Miami. "I mean, I'm in Miami, he's in Cleveland. He's been put in a position in Cleveland where he has the opportunity to compete for a championship now.

"And I'm in Miami, where I've won a championship and this is where I love to be. So it's not like we're both looking over our shoulders, saying, 'I want to get out of here.' It's a long shot, but, at the end of the day, it is a shot."

 

[jcefaratti]

Another article (espn I believe) said that Wade/James/Bosh all talked about playing together. They are going to get dinner together (next summer) and decide which city to play in.

So maybe 1 gets a max deal and the 2 others get 1 year deals (with max contracts signed after that??). A Wade/James/Bosh combo would be amazing, especially in Cleveland