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Melo laments LeBron taking his 'brothers' Shumpert, Smith

Debby Wong / USA TODAY Sports

If not for injuries, Wednesday's Cleveland Cavaliers-New York Knicks matchup was shaping up to be a hardwood reunion among "brothers."

Carmelo Anthony was close to Iman Shumpert and J.R. Smith when they were teammates on the Knicks last season. That is, until they were shipped off to the Cavaliers to become instrumental pieces in Cleveland's run to an NBA Finals appearance.

But with Shumpert out with a wrist injury and Smith suffering from a bruised knee, the pair of guards will be missing in action.

"I would love to play against my brothers," Anthony said of his former teammates, according to New York Daily News' Stefan Bondy. "It seems like LeBron took all my family from me."

Anthony has kept a close relationship with his former teammates, inspiring him to root for the Cavaliers over the Golden State Warriors in the NBA Finals:

It was more seeing your family out there than anything. I didn't see it from a competitive standpoint. I watched it as kind of two guys - JR, I've been with him for almost 10 years - Shump was a guy who came in and kind of like was a little brother to me - and of course LeBron who I was connected with since high school. So to see them guys compete at that level, it was more seeing my family out there and being excited for them.

Carmelo's new band of brothers tips off against the Cavs at 8 p.m. ET.

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