MIAMI -- Miami's status as two-time defending NBA champion failed to guarantee the Heat being home for the holidays.
The schedule puts them on the road for both Thanksgiving and Christmas.
"As NBA champs, you'd think we'd get to spend the holidays at home but that's not the case," Chris Bosh said. "We get to be around each other at least, and be at somebody's house. It might as well be the biggest house in the world."
The particular house, after all, does belong to a King.
Thanks to road games in Cleveland on Wednesday night and Toronto on Friday night, Heat players and coaches will spend Thanksgiving Day at LeBron James' house in Akron, Ohio.
"I'm a great host," James said. "It's natural for me. I play the game of basketball and I'm the same way off the floor. I don't mind giving guys what they want or what they deserve."
It's that on-court, off-court approach that might have some of James' guests giving thanks for his presence on their team. LeBron began Thanksgiving week with a 35-point performance in Miami's 107-92 victory against the Phoenix Suns on Monday night.
James hit 11 of 14 shots and all 11 free throws in little more than 33 minutes. It was the first time in his career LeBron scored at least 35 points on fewer than 15 shots.
Several times during the season's first three-plus weeks, James said he was coping with a sore lower back and legs that needed better conditioning.
Against the Suns, he looked as good as in any of the first 14 games.
"I'm not there yet, but I'm rounding the corner," James said. "I'm rounding third and I'm feeling better every week. The more and more games we play, the better I'm starting to feel.
"I'm continuing to do my rehab, continuing to do the treatment on my back and it's been working for me."
Dwyane Wade and his knees also looked healthy. He scored 21 points, and then videobombed LeBron's postgame TV interview by doing two cartwheels.
"It is remarkable that LeBron is able to (score so many points on the number of shots), and he was 11-for-11 from the free-throw line. It was a very efficient night," Wade said.
"I think what he is thinking about more than anything is that he had four turnovers in the first half. He had none in the second half -- he fixed that. That is why he is who he is."
James credited Wade with helping the reduction in unforced errors against Phoenix.
"D-Wade just said to start shooting the ball if they're not going to bring the double," James said. "I started to figure that out and went after it."
James' all-around effort included a nifty pass that resulted in a Chris Andersen dunk, and a 3-pointer with 0.6 seconds left in the half to give Miami a 50-47 lead.
"I just feel good. I'm in a very, very comfortable position right now with my game," he said. "I can go to pretty much anything. I can go to the post, I can go to the perimeter."
Ditto for James' sons, apparently. The King told a reporter that his jumper to beat Orlando on Saturday night was the third game-winner for the James family in a span of about 30 hours because LeBron Jr. and Bryce also had ones.
James' sons, however, have years to go to match their father's basketball intelligence.
"With the experience, his IQ, his understanding of our offense, understanding of how we want to attack, that's an elite level," Erik Spoelstra said of LeBron. "That's a coaching level."
Something for which Spoelstra and the Heat can be thankful for when the Heat gather on Thursday.
"Obviously, we're not at home with our families for Thanksgiving, but it couldn't work out any better that at least we could be in someone else's home ... and it's a very nice home that we're going to," Wade said. "I'll make sure I put on the right clothes and the right socks -- got the 'take the socks off the door' kind of house.
"It's going to be great to sit down with our team, our family and sit back and be thankful for everything we have."
Charlie McCarthy can be reached at mac1763@bellsouth.net or on Twitter @mccarthy_chas.
