LeBron James got emotional during his trip back to Cleveland as he watched highlights from his 25-point Eastern Conference Finals Game 5 performance from 2007.
The heartfelt moment occurred during a stoppage in play during the first quarter of the Lakers’ 129-99 loss to the Cavaliers at Rocket Arena, spoiling what might be the final Cleveland game for the 41-year-old superstar.
James, a four-time NBA champion and four-time NBA Most Valuable Player, teared up as the clip played and fans gave him a standing ovation, attempting to wipe his face with his Lakers jersey before grabbing a towel from underneath the bench to try and presumably dry the tears from his eyes.
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According to the Associated Press, it was the first time the Cavs had honoured the four-time MVP by playing the highlights from that game, usually putting clips on the video board of his Game 7 effort in the 2016 NBA Finals when Cleveland won it all over the Warriors.
James, from nearby Akron, was cheered by a sellout crowd when introduced in the starting line-up, too.
“There are certainly always emotions for him coming back here,” Lakers coach JJ Redick said. “During the tribute video you could see being back here is very important to him.
“There’s a human element to all of this.”
The emotional moment came on the same night James — who finished the night with 11 points and five assists — reached 60,000 career regular-season minutes, becoming the first player to do so in NBA history.
James spent 11 of his 23 years in the NBA with the Cavaliers over two stints. He eventually left Cleveland for the second time in 2018 via free agency to go to Los Angeles.
Questions have continued this season about what James’ future holds for him in LA and in the NBA, considering he has not committed to play beyond this season — his record 23rd in the league.
ESPN reported the Cavaliers “would gladly welcome” the NBA superstar back this summer if he wanted one more go in Cleveland.
Cavaliers star Donovan Mitchell seemed intrigued by the idea when speaking to the California Post ahead of the Cleveland-Lakers game, but he ultimately said that wasn’t something he had control over.
“That ain’t up to me,” Mitchell told The California Post. “That ain’t up to me. I’m focused on these guys in the locker room. And from that point, everything else kinda goes where it does. But that ain’t me.
“I’m focused on what we got here and I’m excited for that.”
— This article initially appeared on the New York Post and was republished with permission.
Mitchell, who scored 25 points in the Cleveland Cavaliers’ big win over the Los Angeles Lakers, understood that even with the Cavaliers winning their fifth consecutive game and improving to 29-20, this night belonged to James and his legacy of making Cleveland a champion after 52 years of failure in major US sports leagues.
“He has laid the foundation,” Mitchell said. “He has done a lot for the city being from here. We want to replicate that.
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“He deserves the energy he has got here. First time they have done it in 50-some years. We’re trying to do it differently.
“At the end of the day, we’re trying to find ways to go out there and bring the city another championship.”
Jaylon Tyson added 20 points for the Cavs and De’Andre Hunter scored 19 off the Cleveland bench while Luka Doncic had a game-high 29 points for the Lakers (28-18), who also had eight points from Bronny James, LeBron’s son.
The Cavs outscored the Lakers 42-22 in the third quarter for a 99-77 lead, hitting 7-of-11 shots from three-point range and 17-of-25 overall in the period.
“We got outplayed. I got out-coached,” Redick said. “We just didn’t look like we had all our juice.”
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In other games, Pascal Siakam scored 20 points to lead host Indiana over Chicago 113-110 while Brandon Miller’s 26 points led Charlotte in a 112-97 triumph at Memphis.
Paolo Banchero delivered 31 points and 12 rebounds for Orlando in a 133-124 victory at Miami.
Nickeil Alexander-Walker scored 21 points and Jalen Johnson added 19 points and 14 rebounds for Atlanta in a 117-106 triumph at Boston. Aussie star Dyson Daniels had another impressive all-round game, finishing with 15 points at 64 per cent from the field, as well as nine assistants, six rebounds and five steals.
New York’s Mikal Bridges scored 30 points, OG Anunoby added 26 points and Karl-Anthony Towns grabbed 22 rebounds in a 119-92 victory at Toronto, snapping the Raptors’ four-game win streak.
— with AFP
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