IN THE LANE

ROLLING ALONG: Former Heat teammates LeBron James and Dwyane Wade certainly are having themselves a time with this reunion with the Cleveland Cavaliers. James has gone as far as to refer to the pairing as an NBA equivalent of, “almost like [Joe] Montana and Steve Young.” The difference with the former San Francisco 49ers Hall of Fame quarterbacks is that both James and Wade are thriving together in games. “He’s our second-string leader,” James told reporters. “He makes sure those guys are ready to go. He’s the orchestrator of all them.” With such veteran experience, the Cavaliers rarely have practiced this season, quite the contrast from the duo’s time with the Heat. “I’ve never seen anything like this, but I could get used to it,” Wade told Cleveland.com of the adjustment. Said James, “That’s huge for any team, but especially for a veteran ball club, that you have a coach that trusts you.” MOVING ON: With Wednesday’s victory closing the Heat’s season series against the Boston Celtics, the Heat get to move past the questions of what might have been with Gordon Hayward, who signed as a free agent with the Celtics after a summer free-agency courtship from the Heat and Utah Jazz. Hayward, now sidelined with a broken ankle, was asked by the Boston Herald of tugging at the heartstrings of Heat and Jazz fans before agreeing with the Celtics. “It was a whirlwind experience,” he said. “I don’t know if I could do it any faster than what I did — went across the country three times, paying for my own private flight to get there as fast as I could.” MIRROR IMAGES: In many ways, the career of Detroit Pistons forward Stanley Johnson continues to mirror that of fellow 2015 lottery pick Justise Winslow, with Johnson going at No. 8 in that year’s NBA draft, two picks before the Heat selected Winslow. Like Winslow, Johnson has found himself bouncing between starting and reserve roles, yet to truly gain an NBA foothold amid concerns about offensive consistency. “I’m a rhythm offensive player,” Johnson told Detroit’s Free Press. “That’s exactly what I am. Obviously it takes time for you to figure out who you are as an offensive player. I’ve been trying to figure it out for three years, but I know for sure that’s a part of it.” FIZ AND THE BIZ: Former Heat assistant coach David Fizdale opened a window during an ESPN appearance on the uneven times during the Heat’s Big Three era when asked about what the Oklahoma City Thunder and coach Billy Donovan are dealing with with Russell Westbrook, Paul George and Carmelo Anthony. “You have to have a full organizational support from that standpoint. You just do,” said Fizdale, recently dismissed as Memphis Grizzlies coach. “We understand this is a players’ league. I’m not naive to that. I don’t think any coach, I don’t think Billy’s naive to that. But if he has that support, so if a player does feel that disgruntled and feels like he can go over him to get things done, then he’s going to lose that battle. But if the organization tells that player go back in that locker room, shut up and listen to the coach, that’s going to send a big message to ’em.”