NBA News Update: Isiah Thomas comes to LeBron James' defense, Meyers Leonard justifies his stance on national anthem ahead of Game 4
The LA Lakers hold a 2-1 lead over the Miami Heat and the two teams will meet again today in Game 4 of the NBA Finals. After Jimmy Butler's heroics in Game 3, the Miami Heat will be looking to clinch another game and make it 2-2 in the NBA finals. On the other hand, LeBron James-led LA Lakers will seek revenge and hope to inch closer to the Larry O'Brien trophy. With that said, let's take a look at the latest edition of the NBA news update.
NBA News Update: Detroit Pistons legend Isiah Thomas defends LeBron James on 'First Take'
Former NBA champion and legend Isiah Thomas joined the 'First Take' team on their latest episode, where he spoke about LeBron James and the LA Lakers in detail. Thomas was asked to share his thoughts on LeBron James leaving the court early in Game 3. He said:
"When I was growing up, I guess it was okay to exhibit bad sportsmanship. The thing is, we have been in the past and are still being very selective with our critique and criticism of some who shake hands, and some who don't."
LeBron James faced mixed reactions after leaving the court early in Game 3 against Miami Heat. LeBron James was criticized by some experts for his behavior, while LA Lakers fans expectedly came to his defense over the incident.
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Meyers Leonard justifies his stance on standing during the national anthem
After the NBA bubble restart, Miami Heat center Meyers Leonard drew criticism for standing during the national anthem. Recently, Leonard came out and justified his stance on the same. Here's what Leonard had to say:
"After Game 1 of the NBA Finals, I was shocked to see that my name was trending on Twitter. Some of the things that I heard after Game 1 were very hurtful. People calling me a racist . . . It’s unfortunate because I want everyone to like me."
Leonard was a key part of the Miami Heat rotation in the regular season but fell out of favor since the restart.
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