Lakers fall to Cavaliers in emotional return to Cleveland for LeBron James
CLEVELAND- Lakers teammates and coaches applauded. LeBron James stared stoically at the video board. Instead of waving to the Cleveland crowd who applauded the Lakers star after a video tribute Monday, James raised his jersey to his face.
He wiped his eyes.
More than two decades after the Cavaliers first drafted him overall in 2003, James returned to his hometown and had one of his worst games as an opponent in Cleveland. He finished with 11 points, five assists and six turnovers in the Lakers’ 129-99 loss, while Luka Doncic overcame a first-quarter injury to lead the team with 29 points, five assists and five rebounds.
The Cavaliers (29-26) played a video tribute to James in the first quarter, ending the montage of his career with the message “Welcome Home.” James grabbed the Larry O’Brien trophy in the final image.
The video tribute aired during a tense moment for the Lakers bench as Doncic had just limped off the court with what looked like a serious leg injury. The star guard had slid off the court and onto the Lakers bench after shooting a three-pointer with 7:58 left in the first quarter. Doncic was jumping back on one leg after shooting and fell off the edge of the court. He immediately grabbed his lower left leg. The Lakers had to call a timeout from the coaches to help Doncic get up. He limped towards the locker room, putting almost no weight on his left leg.
Cleveland’s field is raised above the arena floor to accommodate an ice hockey rink below. It is the only NBA arena with a unique layout. Miami Heat guard Dru Smith suffered a serious ACL sprain after sliding off the court in 2023.
Doncic, the NBA’s leading scorer, returned with 1:32 left in the first quarter without braces or additional bandage on his leg. He finished the first half as the Lakers’ leading scorer with 15 points and five assists, but the team still trailed by two.
The Cavaliers shot a blistering 53.8 percent from the field in the second quarter to turn a four-point first-quarter deficit into a two-point halftime lead, 57-55. They made seven of 11 three-pointers in the third quarter and outscored the Lakers by 20 in the frame. James was replaced midway through the fourth as the rout continued.
James missed a point-blank layup on his first shot. The sigh of disappointment from the packed crowd was almost louder than the polite applause he received when introduced into the starting lineup.
The television outside the visitors’ locker room showed photos of Lakers players and staff members who have history in Cleveland. Bronny James, born in Cleveland while his father played for the Cavaliers, was greeted with a photo of himself sitting on stage during the Cavaliers’ 2016 championship celebration.
His comeback came with eight points, including two three-pointers and a one-handed dunk.
