"Saturday night was about what LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh have been missing. The coming week might be about what they won't get back.

Gathering at Florida International University for their charity lockout all-star game, the Miami Heat's three stars found themselves talking about a thirst for basketball that largely might go unquenched except at events such as Saturday's surprisingly dramatic "South Florida All-Star Classic."

"I'm prepared for a season whenever it happens," James said before Saturday's extravaganza, which drew an overflow, enthusiastic, sellout crowd at 4,000-seat U.S. Century Bank Arena, "and I've been preparing all summer, putting in a lot of work.""