Legendary coach Red Auerbach was famous for lighting a “victory cigar” to celebrate a Celtics victory. But when you’re LeBron James, you don’t have to wait for the final whistle.
The soon-to-be-37-year-old (his birthday’s a week from Thursday) arrived in style for Tuesday night’s game at newly-rebranded Crypto.com Arena with size-15 Crocs and an unlit stogie.
Known Cuban connoisseur Michael Jordan never needed an excuse to light up (his mom shamed him for the habit when his “Last Dance” documentary first aired on ESPN), but some found James’ entrance a tad presumptuous, including TNT analyst Kenny Smith, who went as far as to call the stunt “disrespectful.” Not that the Lakers All-Star cares what Smith or anyone else thinks of him. Remember, this is a guy who stashed tequila under his chair at the NBA Finals last summer.
"That's a cigar, bro!" 😂@KingJames arriving in style for Suns-Lakers on TNT. pic.twitter.com/tWeIFlvnsv
— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) December 22, 2021
James went for 34 points—his second-highest total of the season—on efficient 13-of-19 shooting (2-for-5 from downtown) in Tuesday night’s loss to Phoenix. L.A. has dropped three straight since losing Anthony Davis to a knee injury that could shelve him up to a month. That slide has cost them in the standings with the struggling Lakers (16-16) falling to seventh in the Western Conference and 10 games behind the top-seeded Suns.
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