LeBron James has had several stellar nights on the NBA’s playoff stage. Sunday was not one of them.
The Cleveland Cavaliers superstar struggled to find his rhythm in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference finals, scoring just 11 points on 4-of-13 shooting in the Boston Celtics’ shocking upset win. To add insult to injury, James got called out by a heckling fan — in his own arena, no less.
According to USA TODAY’s Jeff Zillgitt, James was walking off the floor at Quicken Loans Arena when a fan started calling him out about scoring just 11 points. James, never one to back down, asked the fan what he had accomplished. The fan retorted that he played basketball at Hiram College, a small liberal arts institution in Ohio.
James then apparently called for security to eject the fan, who was sent away while shouting his college stats with a bravado that would make LaVar Ball proud.
ESPN’s Brian Windhorst also witnessed the scene and added some color to the exchange.
“Emotions were raw in the moment but the guy’s liquid courage was pretty hilarious,” Windhorst wrote. “He was removed from arena shouting his college stats.”
That’s a bold move comparing your Division III college stats to the King, but if this guy’s goal was to put James on edge, it apparently worked: LeBron had a testy exchange with a reporter during his press conference just moments later.
The Cavs still lead 2-1 in the best-of-seven series, but James will need to step up in Game 4 on Tuesday night if he wants to avoid taking more heat from Clevelanders.
Thumbnail photo via Rick Osentoski/USA TODAY Sports Images
