Miami Heat fans are not holding a grudge against LeBron James in the wake of his decision to return home and sign with the Cleveland Cavaliers.
On Christmas Day, LeBron made his first return to Miami since he signed with the Cavs this past offseason. He was greeted with a standing ovation. The Heat helped things along by playing a touching video tribute.
“It’s cool,” LeBron said after the game when asked about the tribute, per Dave McMenamin of ESPN.com. “A lot of emotions come back and you know, I spent four years here with those guys, man and some guys are still here, some guys are not here. We put in a lot of hard work and dedication just to do the best we could.
“I think these fans are great. I always talked about them and always said that and they always showed their loyalty.”
Miami fans aren’t exactly known for being the most loyal fans in America, and LeBron helped them win two championships in the four seasons he spent with the Heat. It’s hard to fault him for wanting to conclude his career by returning home and trying to deliver a championship to Cleveland.
Fittingly enough, LeBron and Dwyane Wade were the high scorers in the game with 30 and 31 points, respectively. The Heat held on to win 101-91 by outplaying the Cavs in the fourth quarter.
