As training camp nears, Heat and LeBron still facing steady stream of outcry from critics

Heat teammates unfazed by shots at LeBron’s status

MIAMI — If LeBron James’ popularity has taken a hit, his Miami Heat teammates apparently aren’t among the people being asked to participate in such polls.

With training camp less than two weeks away, many of James’ new teammates are either saying that they’re not paying much attention to the steady stream of critics who are denouncing the two-time reigning NBA MVP’s decision — or that they expect it to give James extra motivation for the coming Heat season.

Zydrunas Ilgauskas was James’ teammate in Cleveland, until he also chose to join Miami this summer. Ilgauskas says the Heat not only will welcome being a target around the league this season, but “will take it as a challenge. We’ll get everybody’s best shot every game, but that only happens to good teams.”