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It had been more than two years since LeBron James had played a game in Cleveland, due to the coronavirus pandemic. The Los Angeles Lakers star certainly made up for lost time on Monday, perhaps achieving his greatest performance against his former team.
James scored 46 points, a season-high in the Lakers ‘115-108 win over the Cavaliers, extending Los Angeles’ winning streak to 10-0 to start the season, a franchise record, and he stylishly done in original condition. Ohio.
“Cooking at home,” he later said in a video conference with reporters. “It was just nice to be back in my safe haven, my safe haven, and that is to be home.”
For much of the trip, everything was warm and hazy for the 18-year-old veteran. He spent time with his mother and uncle. He greeted former teammate Cedi Osman with a big hug during warm-ups, bypassing league health and safety protocols to show some love. He shouted longtime Cavs employee Mark “Cobra” Cashman, dubbing him “the greatest type of equipment in the world.”
But as the fourth quarter approached behind the 89-87 Cavs after missing a tie-in buzzer reversal shot, James found a reason to quit the good guys routine and bury his old team.
After his 14 feet over Taurean Prince twice bounced off the edge and off, James noticed Jason Hillman, the Cavs’ basketball chief of staff, sitting in a group near the line of melting with the rest of the Cavs front office and cheering in celebration of the stray shot, sources told ESPN.
“I felt like he was just a little too excited to see me missing,” James said afterwards, declining to name Hillman when asked who caught his eye. “He was really excited that I missed that shot. A little more than I would have liked. But he has to aim his team, obviously. And he did it, he showed it.
“So I knew I had another shift, and the fourth is my favorite.”
And what a fourth quarter it was. James single-handedly dominated his opponent – the team he once helped deliver their only championship in 2016, notice – 21-19 in the fourth to push the Lakers past a brave Cavs team that beat the Brooklyn Nets twice at their homes. just last week.
Once the carnage was over, James came out of the field 9-10, hitting a 3 with the Cleveland “C” logo in the middle of the court and a few more daggers from the outside while adding two assists, two interceptions and two blocks, all. what his old team could do was recognize James’ greatness.
“It doesn’t take a lot to get Bron going,” a Cavs source told ESPN of James’ brief exchange with Hillman, with the four-time MVP glaring at Hillman before surrendering. to the Lakers bench. “He was unreal tonight.
Cavs coach JB Bickerstaff added: “You take your hat off. There’s a reason he’s what he is and he’s accomplished all the things he’s accomplished. punches like that, you pat her butt. “
It was the most points James has ever scored against Cleveland as he raised his career record to 15-1 in games played against the team he faced for more than 11 seasons. And he was as precise as he ever was by a measure – his 73.1% on the field on a 19 for 26 shot was tied for the best he has ever shot in 240 games in career in which he attempted at least 25. strokes (regular season and playoffs combined). The only other time he went 19-for-26? Game 6 of the 2012 Eastern Conference Finals in Boston, which many consider the most important victory of his career.
James, at 36 years and 26 days old, became the oldest Lakers player with a 40-point game since Kobe Bryant scored 60 at the age of 37, 234 days in the last game of his career.
“I never put a cap on my potential,” James said. “I always wanted to keep improving myself more and more to a point where I can now dictate [what] defense can do. And the defense can’t dictate what I’m supposed to do. “
James finished 7-for-11 of 3, increasing his shooting rating to 41.2% away this season, which would be the best percentage of his career if he kept it up.
“The shoot,” Lakers coach Frank Vogel said, “was just ridiculous, and just one of those nights of ages for him.”
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