LeBron James sees final Dwyane Wade match-up as bittersweet
Monday 10 December 2018 08:26, UK
LeBron James has described his final matchup with Dwyane Wade as bittersweet ahead of Monday evening's clash between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Miami Heat.
Playing his 16th season in the NBA after being drafted alongside James in 2003, Wade is set to retire at the end of the 2018-19 campaign.
James and Wade spent four years as teammates in Miami as they claimed two NBA titles together. The pair then linked up once more briefly in Cleveland last season, before Wade returned to the Heat, where he had played his first 13 seasons.
"It's bitter, and it's sweet," said James following the Lakers' 111-88 win over the Memphis Grizzlies on Saturday.
"It's 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 couldn't say exactly why he and Wade became so close over the years but did point to their start in the league together.
"Sometimes it's just chemistry," James said.
"Sometimes you can't even explain it. And I bonded with Carmelo (Anthony) when I was in the 10th grade. I bonded with CP3 (Chris Paul) when I was in the 12th, and I bonded with D-Wade when we were both coming into the combine.
"Some things you just can't explain, and that's why we have our brotherhood."
Wade, who marked his 1,000th career game with 25 points in a Heat victory over the Los Angeles Clippers on Saturday, has admitted that Monday night will mean more to him than just another regular-season game,
"You're always excited to play the Lakers, and obviously, LeBron is there and (it's) our last time matching up, so it's definitely going to be a little bit extra special than any normal game," Wade said.
"I'm not going to sit here and tell you, 'Oh, it's another one of 82.' No, it's not. Not for me. It's a game where I get to play against not only one of my best friends but one of the game's greatest players for the last time.
"I want to win as a team, but I want to savour the opportunities."
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