Touching scenes as epic rivalry ends for NBA legends
Former NBA championship-winning teammates LeBron James and Dwyane Wade have finally settled an epic head-to-head battle in an emotional final showdown.
James and Dwyane Wade met on the basketball court for the final time in the Los Angeles Lakers’ 108-105 win against the Miami Heat at the Staples Center.
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The focus for most wasn’t on the game, it was on the two NBA greats facing off one last time before Wade retires at the end of the season.
The build-up to the game was dominated by tributes to Heat legend Wade, who was given a warm welcome by Lakers fans.
Very cool moment at Staples as @DwyaneWade enters the game 👏👏👏
(via @MiamiHEAT) pic.twitter.com/xnzitmzdvT
— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) December 11, 2018
👑2⃣3⃣ ✖️ 3⃣⚡️
"Like Peanut Butter and Jelly"#OneLastDance #ThisIsWhyWePlay pic.twitter.com/GRpEE0YcZm
— NBA (@NBA) December 11, 2018
Wade and James got their day started with one final pre-game workout together, too, and seemed to have plenty of fun doing it.
One last workout before one last dance. 💪 (via @MiamiHEAT) #PlayersOnly pic.twitter.com/MqoPAYD0x8
— NBA TV (@NBATV) December 11, 2018
The Heat veteran also received plenty of love from fans at the Staples Center when he finally checked into the game midway through the first quarter.
The Staples Center crowd shows love to Dwyane Wade as he enters the action! #OneLastDance #ThisIsWhyWePlay pic.twitter.com/8ZltToWQlU
— NBA (@NBA) December 11, 2018
Once the game ended, Wade and James embraced in a wonderful show of mateship that touched the basketball world.
The pair joked, hugged, swapped jerseys and posed for plenty of photos, wrapping up a memorable night for the two of them — and NBA fans everywhere.
They also had a very interesting conversation on the court.
"It was either here or The Garden, that's it. That's the only place we can end this…"
Knicks?
KNICKS? pic.twitter.com/TdJQd4fsJG
— Dime (@DimeUPROXX) December 11, 2018
“I appreciate you letting it end here,” Wade told LeBron, meaning the Staples Center in Los Angeles.
“It was either here or at The Garden,” James replied, meaning Madison Square Garden in New York City. “That’s it. That’s the only place we can end this man.”
By that conversation, James implied that he was choosing between signing with the Lakers and the New York Knicks this past summer when he was still a free agent, and that he wasn’t seriously considering any other teams.
While James is likely happy with his decision to head to Los Angeles, the news can’t sit well with Knicks fans — who can only watch from a distance at what they almost had.
Wade and James had already faced off 30 times as opponents throughout their 16 seasons in the NBA.
Incredibly, the record between the pair stood at 15-15 before James grabbed bragging rights courtesy of the Lakers’ win.
The duo — who both entered the league in 2003 and have become close, especially from their time together from 2010-2014 when they were both members of the Heat — embraced briefly on the court just before tip off to a loud applause from fans at the Staples Center with a tribute video to the NBA great playing on the video board.
With Yahoo Sports US