LeBron James did all he could in Game 2 on Sunday. The Cleveland Cavaliers star scored 29 points on 12-of-18 shooting, adding 14 rebounds and 11 assists. James tied Magic Johnson for playoff triple-doubles in NBA history. And yet, the Cavaliers fell to the Golden State Warriors, 132-113.
James was apparently exasperated enough — with the game and the league’s handling of postgame press conferences — that he decided to skip his postgame podium appearance, an abnormal thing for him to do given the amount of media at an NBA Finals game and the often-cramped situation visiting locker rooms NBA teams are put into.
It also was an indicator that LeBron was going to be a bit ... short with media given the way the team lost, so carefully-worded questions needed to come toward The King. One reporter tried to get James to answer a question about defending home court in Cleveland and got the brunt of James’ disdain.
Via Twitter:
LeBron is taking questions, but he does not have much patience for this one pic.twitter.com/QfUObUZWM6
— CJ Fogler account may or may not be notable (@cjzero) June 5, 2017
LeBron asked why he was not doing podium "yeah there's a reason"
— CJ Fogler account may or may not be notable (@cjzero) June 5, 2017
"Care to share?" "No... Has nothing to do with wins & losses though"
LeBron has been frustrated having to wait to go to podium a few times recently. So for now, he's not doing it. Didn't yesterday either.
— Brian Windhorst (@WindhorstESPN) June 5, 2017
LeBron James on Game 3 adjustments: "That's a coach Lue question. I don't put the gameplan together."
— Ben Golliver (@BenGolliver) June 5, 2017
"Nah I'm good... Just need some food and some wine and I'll be alright" pic.twitter.com/jSmjekDGgo
— CJ Fogler account may or may not be notable (@cjzero) June 5, 2017
The reporter was just trying to get LeBron to squeeze out a quote about how important it is to play well at home, but that was not the right way to word it.
Meanwhile, the Warriors look to be on cruise control as they rack up wins and dominate leads thanks to Stephen Curry and the addition of Kevin Durant.
The 2017 NBA Finals might be very, very short.