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Cavaliers-Heat Preview

Dec 5, 2015 - 7:40 AM After helping start the Miami Heat's home winning streak against the Cleveland Cavaliers, LeBron James hasn't found a way to end it since returned to the other side.

With the Heat's former trio reunited for the first time in Miami, James will try to help Cleveland avoid its 10th consecutive road loss to the Heat on Saturday night.

James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh led Miami to back-to-back NBA championships and trips to the Finals in each of James' four seasons in south Florida before the four-time MVP decided to return home prior to the 2014-15 season.

James has faced his former team five times since rejoining the Cavs, winning three at home and dropping two at Miami. Bosh had missed three of those matchups and Wade sat out another before all three finally faced each other in Cleveland's 102-92 home win Oct. 30.

James finished with 29 points in the season-series opener, while Wade had 25 and Bosh scored 16. Now Miami fans will get an opportunity to see the stars that became known as the "big three" play in person for the first time since James' departure.

"(This game) is very important," Bosh said. "We want this game to be big and we have to do that by keeping up with our end of the bargain."

James has totaled 56 points in two games back at American Airlines Arena, but the Heat pulled out a 101-91 win on Dec. 25, 2014, and a 106-92 victory March 16. Wade certainly seemed motivated to face his old running mate, scoring a combined 63 with seven steals.

The Cavs haven't won in Miami since January 2010 before James bolted for South Beach.

Wade finished with 28 points in Thursday's 97-95 home win over Oklahoma City that kept the Heat (11-6) on top in the Southeast Division. Wade, who will turn 34 next month, has scored a combined 58 on 23-of-45 (51.1 percent) shooting in his last two games.

Miami is getting it done on the defensive end, allowing Eastern Conference lows of 92.6 points per game and a 41.0 field-goal percentage. The club will try to contain not only James but Kevin Love after he had 24 points and 14 rebounds in the first meeting.

The power forward, though, has totaled 23 points on 8-of-25 shooting in his last two.

"They've got one on us already and we've got to return the favor," Bosh said.

The Cavs (13-6) fell percentage points behind Chicago in the Central following Friday's 114-108 overtime loss at New Orleans. They'll try to avoid their first three-game skid since dropping six straight in January as well as their fifth loss in six road games.

Cleveland is slumping offensively, shooting just 39.8 percent - including 31.1 from 3-point range - while committing 17.7 turnovers per game over its past three. James had 37 points, eight assists and seven boards Friday, while J.R. Smith added 18 on six 3s.

"What else was I going to do?" said James, who may have to shake off some fatigue after playing nearly 45 minutes. "I tried to make something happen for our team, be aggressive and see if I could make a push. And if not, at least I put in the effort."

Miami's Luol Deng would normally play a key role in defending James, but his status is uncertain after missing the past four games with a hamstring injury.