NBA Cleveland Cavaliers

LeBron James Will Validate His ‘Decision’ To Return To Cleveland Cavaliers On Christmas Day

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By @fanforlife1988

Lebron James, Kevin Love Cleveland Cavaliers

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When LeBron James makes his return to Miami on Christmas Day, it will be the first time doing so since he re-joined the Cleveland Cavaliers.

More importantly, it will mark the first time he’s played at the American Airlines Arena since Game 4 of the NBA Finals, when the Miami Heat lost 107-86 to the San Antonio Spurs in a game that saw fans leaving with nearly eight minutes left. In fact, it may have been at that very moment when James made up his mind about leaving Miami, knowing that he achieved all he could during his time with the Heat.

Since then, the Cavaliers have been on an upward trajectory, and the Heat have struggled due to injuries and the difficulty of losing a player of James’ caliber. Thursday’s arrival offers the best time for James to reaffirm his decision to leave Miami when he did.

In 2010, when the Big Three of Chris Bosh, Dwyane Wade and James came together in Miami, the reason to do so was very clear. By joining together, each player acted in their own best interests to overthrow the likes of the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers. The trio’s decision proved to be very rewarding, producing two titles along the way.

As a result, James was able to shed any past failures that resonated with him from his Cleveland days. But after four years of championship runs into June, the Heat players were finally burned out by this past offseason. And as they did four years earlier, the trio of Bosh, Wade and James acted in their own interests, doing what was best for themselves as they respectively entered their 30s.

Bosh would cash-in for all the time spent sacrificing as the third man on the Heat by receiving a near-max level superstar contract, as well as the opportunity — and burden — of having to fill James’ shoes. Bosh turned down max offers from the Houston Rockets and Lakers to continue building his career with the Heat. Wade, who is the most revered player in Heat history, would continue to further establish his legacy not just as a member of the Heat, but as a beloved part of the Miami community as well.

As for James, well, he was the biggest winner of all. James made the decision to return home to Cleveland after careful deliberation, choosing the idea of promise over actual results.

With Kyrie Irving in tow, the Cavaliers sported a young roster of talented players, which included Andrew Wiggins, the No. overall pick in the 2014 NBA Draft. But with James’ return, the Cavaliers shifted towards a win-now mentality, trading Wiggins as part of a deal to land Kevin Love, and in the process, effectively creating their own “Big Three”. James’ decision to return home also brought with it the unfulfilled proclamation to win a championship for Cleveland, a challenge that Miami could not offer to the four-time league MVP.

There is little doubt that James became an overall better player as a member of the Heat, achieving both his greatest individual and team success in the process. However, there truly is no place like home, and the opportunity to be the savior once again was too fascinating for James to pass up.

Miami fans may have been a bit sour to his departure initially, which went to the extent of the “Heat-lifer” campaign, however, the level of relevance and overall greatness experienced over the last four years should provide for a touching reception when James returns to town.

But once the game starts, expect James to want to tear the heart out of his former team, similar to what he did to the Cavaliers in 2011. There will be no time for remorse, as James is out to validate his choice of leaving Miami, proving that twice now he made the best decision for his basketball career. While his decision to leave may have benefited Wade and Bosh in their careers as well, there will only be one clear-cut winner on Christmas Day.

When James takes the court, he will be out to prove in the clearest way possible why he has no regrets on his decision to leave. Most importantly, James is intent on fulfilling a goal he set out to accomplish many years ago as a member of the Cavaliers

Zach Fetaru is a writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @fanforlife1988 ”like him” on Facebook and add him to your network on Google.

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