LeBron James responds to Kyrie Irving's implication he wasn't clutch with Cavs

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article_body => "Yes, LeBron James caught wind of Kyrie Irving's comments, and no, he wasn't pleased by them.<\/p>\r\n\r\nOn the <a data-timestamp=\"1607436236\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/boston\/celtics\/kyrie-irvings-latest-comments-might-irk-some-his-former-teammates?b\">debut episode Kevin Durant's new podcast<\/a> in October, Irving told his Brooklyn Nets teammate he felt like he was \"the best option on every team I've played for down the stretch,\" adding that playing with Durant was \"the first time in my career where I can look down and be like, 'That mother----- can make that shot too.\"<\/p>\r\n\r\nHere's one interpretation of those comments: Irving didn't believe in James as a clutch scorer during their three seasons with the Cleveland Cavaliers.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<h5><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/boston\/celtics\/kendrick-perkins-goes-kyrie-irving-throwing-shade-lebron-james?int\">Perk sounds off on Kyrie: 'He's a bonafide hater'<\/a><\/h5>\r\n\r\nJames politely disagreed Monday during an appearance on the \"Road Trippin'\" podcast with ex-Cavs teammate Richard Jefferson and former Cavs sideline reporter Allie Clifton.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<drupal-url data-embed-button=\"url\" data-embed-url=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/Rjeff24\/status\/1336136615169675264\" data-entity-label=\"Embed social\" data-timestamp=\"1607435568\" data-url-provider=\"Twitter\"><\/drupal-url>\r\n\r\n\"Once I got the whole transcript I was like, 'Damn,' \" James said. \" ... The whole time I was (in Cleveland), I only wanted to see him be MVP of our league. I only cared about his success and it just didn't align.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\"We was able to win a championship -- that's the craziest thing. We was still able to win a championship and we could never align but I only cared about his well being, both on and off the floor, and it kind of hurt me a little bit.\"<\/p>\r\n\r\nIrving and James have had a rocky relationship, from Irving reportedly requesting a trade out of Cleveland to <a href=\"https:\/\/theundefeated.com\/features\/cleveland-cavaliers-kyrie-irving-lebron-james\/\">escape the shadow of his \"father\"<\/a> to Kyrie <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/boston\/celtics\/kyrie-irving-called-lebron-james-apologize-ask-about-leading-young-team?b\">calling up LeBron for leadership advice<\/a> while playing for the Boston Celtics.<\/p>\r\n\r\nIrving's latest remarks certainly won't bring the two closer together, but if you're waiting for the point guard to publicly mend fences, don't hold your breath -- he <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/boston\/celtics\/nets-kyrie-irving-skips-nba-media-week-issues-statement-instead?b\">shirked his NBA Media Week duties<\/a> by issuing a statement instead and doesn't sound keen on talking to reporters this season.<\/p>\r\n"
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short_title => "LeBron clearly wasn't pleased with Kyrie's 'clutch' comments"
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Perk sounds off on Kyrie: 'He's a bonafide hater'

James politely disagreed Monday during an appearance on the "Road Trippin'" podcast with ex-Cavs teammate Richard Jefferson and former Cavs sideline reporter Allie Clifton.

Damn... @kingjames addresses Kyrieâs statements made during the NBA Finals. SUBSCRIBE to get it when it drops â¦@RoadTrippinPod â¦@channingfryeâ© â¦@RealACliftonâ© âð¾âð¾. https://t.co/3t6kFNCOC4 pic.twitter.com/KcHfjqkf91
— Richard Jefferson (@Rjeff24) December 8, 2020

"Once I got the whole transcript I was like, 'Damn,' " James said. " ... The whole time I was (in Cleveland), I only wanted to see him be MVP of our league. I only cared about his success and it just didn't align.

"We was able to win a championship -- that's the craziest thing. We was still able to win a championship and we could never align but I only cared about his well being, both on and off the floor, and it kind of hurt me a little bit."

Irving and James have had a rocky relationship, from Irving reportedly requesting a trade out of Cleveland to escape the shadow of his "father" to Kyrie calling up LeBron for leadership advice while playing for the Boston Celtics.

Irving's latest remarks certainly won't bring the two closer together, but if you're waiting for the point guard to publicly mend fences, don't hold your breath -- he shirked his NBA Media Week duties by issuing a statement instead and doesn't sound keen on talking to reporters this season.