The Los Angeles Lakers welcomed the Miami Heat to town on Monday night and the game had huge significance for two players and their fans. This game was likely the final time that LeBron James and Dwyane Wade play together on an NBA court. Both men came into the game saying how much this game meant to them, with LeBron calling it both sweet and sour and Wade talking about how their careers would always be linked together. By the end, it came down to an incredibly competitive game that saw the Lakers pull away at the end for the win, 108-105.

Lakers and Heat game recap

The Miami Heat (11-15) kept the game close as they try to move into the playoff race in the Eastern Conference. The Los Angeles Lakers (17-10) kept pushing things as they inch closer to the Golden State Warriors and Western Conference leaders Oklahoma City Thunder in the rankings. No one really thought it was going to be a great game -- except fans of LeBron James and Dwyane Wade, who wouldn't accept anything less.

The Heat went into halftime with a 58-55 lead but the Lakers ended up outscoring the Heat in the second half by six points and won by a slim three-point margin. The Heat pulled within just one with 1>38 left but LeBron James hit two free throws with 22 seconds left to extend the lead to three.

As one would expect, Dwyane Wade went for the tying three with seven seconds left but missed and LeBron ended up with the final rebound of the game following a missed shot by Justise Winslow to seal the deal.

LeBron James finished one rebound short of a triple-double, with 28 points, 12 assists and nine rebounds. Dwyane Wade played 32 minutes from off the bench and finished with a double-double, with 15 points, 10 assists and five rebounds.

Both men laid it all out there in their final meeting with each other.

LeBron talks his final game with Dwyane

LeBron James and Dwyane Wade took the Miami Heat to four straight NBA Finals in their time together.

Apart, each man won another NBA FInals, Wade with the Heat earlier in his career and LeBron with the Cleveland Cavaliers. The two men who met at the NBA Combine as rookies became the closest of friends, teammates and opponents.

LeBron James embraced Dwyane Wade during the game and after it, he seemed sad. James said that he will miss "Flash" -- Wade's nickname -- and said that the entire NBA will miss him after this season. LeBron also admitted that there is no better way to end things with Wade on the court than at the STAPLES Center, calling Dwyane "my guy."

As for Dwyane Wade, he was highly complimentary on his former teammate and close friend LeBron James.

Wade said that he believes that James will lead the Los Angeles Lakers to the NBA Finals at some point and that he will be able to play as long as he wants. Wade said that he will always be there to watch his friend play as well.

Much like LeBron, Dwyane also loved the fact it was at the STAPLES Center saying that it was either there or the Garden to make this perfect.

Dwyane Wade said that he is thankful that he got to be drafted into the same NBA class as LeBron James and that they developed such a close friendship. He admitted that it goes beyond basketball and he is going to miss playing LeBron, adding he will miss "the s**t out of this, man."
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