CLEVELAND, Ohio, (92.3 The Fan) – The Cavs of all teams should know, never, ever, under any circumstances poke the bear.
Or in this case, the G.O.A.T.
Someone in Cleveland’s front office, who was sitting in LeBron James’ eyesight, took a little too much pleasure at the end of the third quarter when James missed a turnaround jumper at the buzzer.
James took it personally and helped the Lakers prevail with a monster fourth quarter in a 115-108 victory at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse to remain unbeaten on the road.
“Felt like he was a little too excited about seeing me miss,” James said with a smile after the game.
After the miss, James looked in the staffer’s direction, smiled and nodded as he walked backwards up the floor before heading to the Lakers bench between quarters.
“I know who he is. He’s part of the front office group,” James, who declined to name the offending staffer after the game, said. “He was really excited about me missing that shot, a little bit more extra than I would have liked, but he’s got to root for his team obviously and he showcased that, so I knew I had another quarter, and the fourth quarter is my favorite.”
James responded by erupting for 21 of his season-high 46 points in the final quarter.
“The good thing for him, I only come here once,” James said.
James hadn’t played in Cleveland since the night before Thanksgiving in 2018 but it didn’t take him long to feel right at home as he put on another jaw-dropping performance in the building he called home for 11 seasons.
“Home cooking,” James said.
James shot 19 of 26, including 7 of 11 from 3, to go with 8 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 blocks and 2 steals.
Another virtuoso for James.
“Pretty awesome,” Lakers head coach Frank Vogel said. “Just to see he can still turn it up like that. Obviously, he wanted to win against his former team here [and] came out of the gates strong… Really just carried us down the stretch.
“The shot making was just ridiculous. Just one of those nights for the ages for him.”
According to ESPN Stats and Information, James at 36 years, 26 days became the oldest Lakers player with a 40-point game since Bryant scored 60 in his final career game when he was 37 years, 234 days old.
James got hot quickly in the opening quarter throwing in 17 points. He shot 6 of 7, including 4 of 5 from 3, in the first 12 minutes. By halftime he had 23 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists.
“When he had what 19, 17 in the first, it’s over,” Anthony Davis, who had 17 points and 10 rebounds, said. “It was one of those nights for him.”
After missing 5 of 6 shots in the third quarter, James began the fourth with a pair of layups, a dunk and assist to help the Lakers regain control after a 14-point lead evaporated in the third.
James is now 15-1 all-time against the team that drafted him No. 1 overall in 2003 and he won an NBA title with in 2016.
Memories that will forever stick with James.
“To know what happened before I got here in 2003 to see the franchise and the condition it was in, for us to just build and build and build and build all the way until 2016 to when we were able to deliver a championship to this city, to this franchise, it’s something I will always remember,” James said. “[There’s] a lot of things you’re going to forget throughout your life, because of old age or moment wasn’t as great or you’ve had some many other great moments, but the moments I spent here and the championship we had in ’16 and me being drafted here are moments I won’t ever forget.
“I would be unhuman, even though you guys probably think I am unhuman the way I play the game, but emotionally it’s still there, always.”