LeBron James and Dwyane Wade have both said that the spotlight that is positioned squarely on the Los Angeles Lakers right now is nothing compared to the scrutiny they faced in 2010 when James, and Chris Bosh, joined Wade on South Beach. As the Lakers continue to struggle, with their star studded starting five still not being able to mesh, Wade says it's because the Lakers are 'America's team' that they are not being criticised as heavily.

“It’s the Lakers,” Wade said. “They’re America’s team. I keep saying it. They’re the standard of what the NBA has been for years, Boston and the Lakers. But the Lakers are in L.A., the big market. So, from that standpoint, you understand it. You get it.”

James laughed at suggestions Miami received less scrutiny from press, and fans alike. 

“No one will ever be able to compare what we went through,” James said. “Even though they’re not winning and they’re losing a lot of games, it’s still nowhere near what we went through. Yeah, right. That level of magnitude was nowhere near where ours was two years ago. Nothing. Nothing compares to it.”

Image via: Darron Cummings / AP