Watch: LeBron James posterizes former teammate with a ferocious dunk, later says he hated that "it had to be him"
LeBron James is a great teammate by most accounts. Kevin Love would disagree with that assessment, though. This after James put K-Love on a poster in the most emphatic fashion during the game between the LA Lakers and the Cleveland Cavaliers on Monday.
🤯THROW IT DOWN LEBRON!! 🔨🤯 https://t.co/ZwHqMQZZqB
The play came during the second quarter of the contest, with the Lakers trailing their hosts by two points (58-60). With about 2:35 left in the first half, the Lakers' Austin Reaves made a pass to a cutting James, who just took off from the free throw line and dunked the ball with one hand over Love. The Cleveland forward and James' teammate between 2015 and 2018 went to the floor as "the King" posed in front of Cleveland fans after the scintilating finish.
Speaking about the dunk after the Lakers won the game 131-120, LeBron James said he would rank the poster on Love at the very bottom of his all-time posters. He explained:
"At the very last spot because it's K-Love. Listen, when I turned that corner and I looked up I was like, 'No please Kev, just move.' He should know once I get that go-go gadget calf muscle get going then I'm going to take off. I hated it had to be him. I'm going to take that one even out of my posters. I didn't like that because that's my guy."
"Look, when I turned that corner and I looked up I was like 'no Kev, just move...'" 🤣 @KingJames with @RealAClifton on the monster dunk on his good friend @kevinlove. https://t.co/xIW52fFsZj
There was no ill-will between the two former teammates after the dunk. Love came out before the start of the second half and playfully locked his arms around James' neck for posterizing him. LeBron James told Spectrum Sportsnet about the moment while enjoying a good laugh:
"Did you see the bear hug and the throat grab he gave me before the start of the second half? I think we're even now."
It's all good between @KingJames & @kevinlove 🤣 https://t.co/RTfmlpZHDJ
LeBron James posts 105th career triple-double as LA Laker beat Cleveland Cavaliers
The LA Lakers picked up their 31st win of the regular season against the Cleveland Cavaliers on the back of LeBron James' 105th career triple-double. James posted a 38-point, 11-rebound and 12-assist statline while going 17-of-29 (58.3%) from the field. This was his sixth triple-double of the current NBA season.
He's different. 👑 https://t.co/PFxY5S209T
James also moved to the top of the scoring averages list with his 38-point outing against the Cavaliers. He is now averaging 30.0 ppg and has jumped ahead of Joel Embiid (29.8 ppg) and Giannis Antetokounmpo (29.8) in a bid to win the second scoring title of his 19-year NBA career.