LeBron James is looking back in an effort to also look forward. The Cleveland Cavaliers star appears to already be looking ahead to what’s next while preparing for the present task before him.
James led his Cavaliers to a game one win over the Atlanta Hawks in their Eastern Conference semi-finals series and many expect the Cavs to handle the Hawks. Just like Cleveland did last year in the Eastern Conference Finals. The fact still remains that the Cavs need to win at least three more games to advance to the conference finals once again. Yet despite that, LeBron James says he’s already thought about a matchup with the Miami Heat and Dwyane Wade, even though the Heat just won game one last night in dramatic fashion.
Following from Dave McMenamin of ESPN.
“Naturally, of course,” James said following Cavs shootaround Wednesday morning, when asked about the chance to play the Heat. “That’s since I’ve came back. It’d be great to play against those guys in the postseason.
“Throughout my whole career, I’ve always wanted to go against [Dwyane] Wade in a playoff series. We’ve always talked about it even before we became teammates in ’10. “It’s not been heavy on my mind, but it’s crossed my mind throughout my whole career.” James, drafted No. 1, and Wade, drafted No. 5, entered the league as rookies together in 2003 and teamed up in Miami from 2010-14, making four straight trips to the Finals and winning two championships in that span.
“Anytime one of my best friends is able to go out there and perform the way he performs, it’s definitely motivating,” James said. “I was looking forward to Game 1 [against Toronto] after watching him in Game 6, you know, the way he was able to close that game out.
“They all gritted last night. Not only Miami, but Toronto. It was a slugfest watching that game, and they were able to pull it out as well. But anytime I’m able to watch my guys do work is definitely motivating for sure.”
