Heat coach Erik Spoelstra wasn't exactly subtle when he described Thursday what it has been like to watch LeBron James and Dwyane Wade face one another in practice.
``They're like two colossal titans going at it,'' Spoelstra said. ``No one is backing down.''
Those ultracompetitive moments between James and Wade on the court have been the highlights of Miami's training camp over the past few days. On Friday, the intensity is expected to increase a few more notches when the Heat holds its first ``open'' game-like scrimmage.
The 6 p.m. session will be broadcast by NBA TV, and the scrimmage will be played in front of soldiers stationed at Hurlburt Field and nearby Eglin Air Force Base. Spoelstra said James and Wade will spend part of the scrimmage playing on the same team but also will be split up at other times and face one another.
``Time will be starting and stopping,'' Spoelstra said of the controlled scrimmage. ``But I know guys have been looking forward to getting out [and playing]. What I've noticed in five practices is the idea of moving the ball and playing unselfish. That's not something we have to stress.''
With the Heat opening the preseason Tuesday against Detroit, Wade and James soon will be headaches for opposing teams. But for now, they enjoy sharpening their skills against one another daily.
``For one, we want our teams to win,'' James said. ``We do whatever it takes to get that edge. We hate to lose, especially to each other. I think you all saw that when Cleveland went against Miami. And we don't want to lose to each other here. This is picking up our teammates.''
Before coming to Miami, James said he never had a teammate who could match his intensity and talent on the court every day in practice. Wade said the only other time he experienced that dynamic was in his 2003-04 rookie season, going against Caron Butler in early Heat workouts.
``When I came in, I had a challenge with Caron, but he went out early with knee surgery,'' Wade said. ``Eddie [Jones] was a little older, so he wasn't trying to battle with me. But me and LeBron, we push each other and make each other better.''
Wade said the two don't keep score in practice battles.
``Right now, we're just trying to get it all together,'' Wade said.
"I'm not really saying, ‘I've got one up on you or you've got one up on me.' I know I've (had to) run more after practice than LeBron."
INSPIRATION
Growing into his role as the latest potentially dominant big man for the Heat, power forward Chris Bosh met Thursday with Heat great legend Alonzo Mourning about expectations.
Mourning, the Heat's vice president for player programs, has attended practices during training camp.
"That's what he was brought back to this team to do - to relate to us," Bosh said of Mourning. "The best part about it is he's been a big man and he has a [championship] ring. I'm one of the two."
James said just seeing Mourning on the sideline has provided inspiration.
"Zo is a true warrior of this organization," James said Thursday. "We all know the story about his kidney and how he battled that and fought through it. Any time you look over at him, you always can say, 'Well, I can do it just one more time, I can give it just one more push.' ''
AGELESS WONDER
Spoelstra has been impressed with the conditioning level of his players. That especially has been the case with forward Juwan Howard.
``I wanted to ask him the other day if he was 27, not 37,'' Spoelstra said. ``He's kept himself in great shape.''
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