Although Pittsburgh is devoid of NBA Basketball and not exactly getting ready for a Penguins… Although Pittsburgh is devoid of NBA Basketball and not exactly getting ready for a Penguins playoff season, Pittsburghers should join the fans across the world and tune into this year’s NBA Playoffs.

Not since Allen Iverson in 2001 has a player entered the playoffs with excessive fanfare while carrying a franchise on his back. This is the case for LeBron James, who will finally take the Cleveland Cavaliers into battle for a title after a three-year wait. The Cavs are making their first playoff appearance in eight years, and at 47-31, they will be a fourth-seed as of today.

Although he may miss a couple of games because of a sprained ankle suffered Wednesday night at Detroit, James is averaging 31.6 points, 7.1 rebounds and 6.6 assists per game. The only other players to average these types of numbers are Michael Jordan, Oscar Robertson and Jerry West.

All of those names mentioned are generally placed among the NBA’s 10 greatest players, and that says something for a player who is only 21.

Moving on to warmer weather, Dwayne Wade of the Miami Heat is one man who is similar to James in skill and his ability to take over a game. He is averaging 27.5 points and 6.8 assists per game. Unlike James, Wade has done it without the intensity of the glare, as he got a little less notice than James’s high school headlines when he took Marquette to the Final Four.

In the 2003 NBA Draft, Wade was less heralded than James, Carmelo Anthony and, dare we say, Darko Milicic. But it was Wade who prospered into the playoffs in that rookie class, taking the Heat to the second round while James was watching on television and Anthony had just been eliminated.

The following year, the Heat added Shaquille O’Neal and while not the same caliber player as in years past, Shaq has clogged up the lane, making Wade free to roam. Sorry Zydrunas Ilgauskas, but James would definitely prefer someone at least like Jermaine O’Neal.

Regardless, this is a rivalry that all sports fans should savor. Although Kobe Bryant and Anthony have similar abilities, they play in the West, meaning hoopsters are treated at least four times annually to this battle for supremacy in the East. Just look what happened on April Fool’s Day on national television. The only tease these bona fide stars put on was for the playoffs and future, when James’s line of 47, 12 and 10, bested Wade’s 44-point output in the Cavs’ 106-99 win.

Despite being a game from the Finals last season, Miami has struggled to stay consistent, with a 51-27 mark as of today. Besides Wade and Shaq, the Heat are unbalanced on offense and that has resulted in a 1-3 mark against New Jersey and Detroit, the beasts of the East, each. That’s detrimental to a team that is pushing for the title and trying to dethrone the Pistons as the beasts of the east.

The best part about this budding rivalry is that it can last at least another decade and likely longer. James and Wade’s excitement earned them All-Star starting nods this February. But it was four Detroit Pistons that earned the recognition of their coach, Flip Saunders, to be named All-Stars. And Saunders could easily be blamed for leaving Tayshaun Prince out.

The fact of the matter is, however, that with the Pistons’ depth and ability to satisfy every position, this will spell trouble for both the Cavs and Heat, as one of them has to knock off Detroit for this superstar rivalry to resume in May. While James and Wade will bring fans to the All-Star ballots for the next decade, the Pistons will bring their fans to a championship parade once again this season.

Still, the future is in good hands with LeBron James and Dwayne Wade providing reasons to watch.

Dave Siegal is a staff writer for The Pitt News.