"Cause they racist as f**k!" - LeBron James discusses the city whose fans he hates, recalls getting beer thrown at him and fans sporting "F**k LBJ" t-shirts
LeBron James has been in the NBA for nearly 20 years and has experienced plenty of love and hate. The 18-time All-Star recently revealed that Boston is the city where he has received the most hate from the fans.
This is not the first time a player has spoken about the unpleasantness of playing at TD Garden. LA Lakers legend James Worthy said it was horrible playing in Boston. The three-time NBA champ called the arena a "barn" and said fans were still up to "those old tricks."
On "The Shop," LeBron James was asked whether there was a place where the fans could take the game away from him. He responded:
"I mean, Boston."
When asked why he thought so, James added:
"Cause they racist as f**k. That's why. They will say anything and it's fine. I mean, f**k, it's my life. It's s**t I've been dealing with my whole life. I don't mind it. Like, I hear it. Like, if I hear somebody, like, close by, I'll check 'em real quick. I move on to the game. Whatever the f**k."
The LA Lakers superstar continued:
"They gonna say whatever the f**k they want to say. They might throw something on you. I mean, I got a beer thrown on me leaving the game. There's a 'F**k LBJ' T-shirt. I believe they probably sold it at the f**king team shop. Them Celtics had something to do with that s**t."
Over the years, James has learned to play through the hate and has helped his team win multiple games at the arena.
Never forget this iconic dunk by LeBron James against the Celtics. https://t.co/4SDPjqkmad
LeBron James has had to beat the Boston Celtics to reach the NBA Finals on numerous occasions
James has reached the NBA Finals 10 times in his career. In nine of those instances, he was in the Eastern Conference and had to go through the Boston Celtics.
James' first playoff meeting with the Celtics was in 2008. Although James led the scoring in that series, registering 45 points in Game 7, the Cavs lost 4-3.
#TB Game 7 of the 2008 ECSF
LeBron James:
45 pts, 5reb, 6ast, 2stl, FG 14/29
Paul Pierce:
41pts, 4reb, 5ast, 2stl, FG 13/23
#Celtics defeat Cavs 97-92. https://t.co/u694TSMLoQ
Although James did not have the better of Boston in his first stint with the Cavs, it was a different story when he returned in 2014. In his first year back in Cleveland, he led the franchise to an NBA Finals appearance, sweeping the Celtics in the first round of the playoffs.
In 2017 and 2018, it was more of the same as he was responsible for preventing Boston from reaching the finals.
LeBron James on mentality heading into epic Game 6 of Heat-Celtics in 2012 ECF- “If we lose, Pat Riley may break us all up. It might be the quickest breakup in basketball history. Not only that, but my legacy gonna take a huge hit if I don’t go out & perform at an all-time high.” https://t.co/M6zMOs5kJH
However, LeBron James has not faced the Celtics in a seven-game series since leaving Cleveland in 2018.