LeBron James plays in Miami for the first time since leaving the Heat for Cleveland when the Cavaliers visit Thursday to highlight five Christmas holiday NBA clashes being televised globally.
The schedule opens with Washington at New York followed by Oklahoma City at defending NBA champion San Antonio before the latest episode in James' city-switching saga plays out in Miami, where he led the Heat to the past four NBA Finals and brought the city two NBA crowns.
Kobe Bryant and Derrick Rose, two injury-prone stars, could be the focus when the Los Angeles Lakers visit Chicago in the penultimate contest, with the Golden State Warriors, who have the best record in the NBA, visiting the Los Angeles Clippers in the final game of the 67th NBA Christmas calendar.
James spurned his home-region Cavaliers for the Heat in 2010 but after winning his long-sought after first NBA titles with Miami, he returned to Cleveland vowing to bring the city a major sports title, something not seen there since the NFL's Cleveland Browns in 1964.
"The schedule came out after I had decided to come back. The NBA knew something," James said. "They knew that I was going to go home or stay in Miami, so they knew I would have to play my home team or my old teammates."
James, who ranks second in NBA scoring with 25.2 points a game and fifth in assists with 7.8 a contest, has sparked the Cavaliers to a 16-10 record, fifth in the Eastern Conference.
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