Ira Winderman

CLEVELAND - It starts on the cab ride, in the hours before Cleveland vs. LeBron, under a dreary, gray sky, temperatures in the 20s.

"LeBron," the driver says, "he doesn't care. I think he doesn't care."

Already, he says, he has shuttled in a couple who had arrived from London for the game. He has been driving these roads for 18 years, seven of them when LeBron played here, the two-time MVP making Quicken Loans Arena perhaps the NBA's ultimate destination.

And then the driver pauses, leans back, and asks, "You think one day he might change his mind and come back to Cleveland?"

For seven years, they loved him.

Thursday night, they tried to hate him.

But anger only turned to added sorrow, after a 38-point performance by the King on Thursday night that brought back memories of what was and likely never will be again.

Most of all, they miss him.

Cleveland fans did not get their revenge.

LeBron's return to Cleveland Aaron Josefczyk / Reuters On his terms Winderman: Cavs fans tried to hate LeBron, but his 38 points only brought back memories of what was and likely never will be again. LeBron's trash talking ticks off Cavs' Gibson LeBron gets last laugh in return to Cleveland Opinion: For all the hype, LeBron's return a snoozer PBT: Ilgauskas rips Cavs owner over tampering flap Interactive: Who's the most hated athlete?

And when it was over, this 118-90 rout by the Miami Heat, LeBron once again took his talents to South Beach.

LeBron James 2, Dan Gilbert 0.

It was an angry, ugly and ultimately a sad night at The Q.

It ended with one fan being arrested, a battery landing by the Heat bench, and Heat guard Eddie House looking for some hallway retribution against Cleveland guard Daniel Gibson after their fourth-quarter technical fouls.

The atmosphere was everything expected, and more, including a profane chant that greeted LeBron upon his entrance for pregame warmups.

A "Lyin' King" T-shirt shown on the big screen drew a particularly robust cheer, as did a sign that read "Merry Quit-ness."

A shirt with a Heat logo that featured the word "Hate" was confiscated, as was one that read "Like Father, Like Son."

The biggest pregame cheer was reserved for Gilbert, who sat next to former Browns (and University of Miami) star Bernie Kosar.

Special feature Who's the most-hated athlete? Interactive: Let your voice be heard. Rank each on a scale of 0 to 10. NBCSports.com

Gilbert, in fact, tried to do his best to remind those in attendance that stars still remain, with Travis Hafner, Josh Cribbs, Drew Carey and Bingo Smith brought in for the night, wearing the team colors that LeBron exchanged for red and black.

Fans were given white rally towels for the game that read, "Cavaliers. All for one. One for all."

Charles Barkley was cheered in person and even more on the video presentation that showed him saying, "Punk Move, 'Bron."

During a first-quarter Chris Bosh visit to the foul line, a chant of "Akron Hates You!" began. That was after a chant of "Yes, we hate you!"

There was the group lined up with individually lettered T-shirts that spelled out "B-E-T-R-A-Y-E-D." And, yes, it was duly shown on the overhead screen.

There were chants of "De-Lont-Te!". (We'll let you do the research.)

And over in Section 133, there were markers and poster-board to craft your own message. "Free signs" was the offer.

Offered up from that table were:

• "Queen James. Now we know the real you."
• "LeBum."
• "Liar, Baby, Jerk."
• "Did your talents make it to South Beach?"
• "At least Art Modell likes you."
• "Traitors don't leave legacies."
• "Play like it's Game 5."
• "You Were King — Now You’re Just A Court Jester."
• "Queen James."
• "Loyalty over Royalty."

And on it went, from LeBron taunting and teasing the Cavaliers bench — much to the chagrin of Cleveland coach Byron Scott — to four fans being escorted to the exits, to many more having their T-shirts and signs confiscated and others leaving of their own volition.

Eventually? Silence, after James scored 24 points on 10-of-12 shooting in the third quarter.

He exited as he arrived — on his terms.

"It's nothing personal between myself and these fans. It won't be, ever," he said. "I'm moving on and I'm happy I'm in the position I am."

And he wished them the best.

"They tried anything," he said of the taunts and chants. "There's no hurt feelings from these fans. I wish them the best."

They still hate him. But they don't hate the past, don't hate the previous seven years.

It ended with everyone seemingly exhausted by what went into the night, Jawad Williams the lone Cavalier to embrace LeBron at the finish. Teammates Dwyane Wade and Bosh appeared as worn as LeBron.

"I'm very, very exhausted right now," James said before heading to the bus that would take him to the plane that would land him in his adopted home, where his talents now reside.

They may try this again in March, when the Heat returns. But it won't be the same. And they know it.

LeBron peed on their parade.

And now, there is only one response left ...

At Harry Buffalo's, where you can find LeBron's visage on a urinal cover with his mouth open.

Ira Winderman writes regularly for NBCSports.com and covers the Heat and the NBA for the South Florida Sun-Sentinel. You can follow him on Twitter at http://twitter.com/IraHeatBeat.