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LeBron loses on Cavs' court, in Cavs' garage
On his second visit to Cleveland Tuesday since he took his talents to South Beach, the Miami Heat's LeBron James found no place to park and no victory on the court.
The former Cavaliers star and reigning NBA MVP was booed every time he touched the ball in Quicken Loans Arena, and though he posted a triple-double - 27 points, 12 assists and 10 rebounds - it was not enough to bring down the Cavs, who posted a 102-90 win.
Cavaliers' owner Dan Gilbert, who pilloried James for deserting the Cavs and Cleveland last summer, saluted the hometown fans after Tuesday's game.
"I'm in awe of the fans of Cleveland," The Plain Dealer quoted Gilbert as saying on his way out of the building. "They stood behind this team all year."
While the Cavs game James' team fits on the court, Gilbert's staff gave James fits on his way into the arena Tuesday, ESPN.com reported.
When James and his entourage arrived in a two-car convoy for the Heat's morning shootaround, ESPN reported, arena staff denied the vehicles entry to the arena's underground parking garage.
James left, returned later sans his associates, and was granted access, according to the ESPN report. A Cavs' official told ESPN that visiting players are not usually given private car access to the garage.
While the incident didn't seem to rattle James on the court Tuesday night, it did provide some Twitter fodder for Gilbert.
"Not in our garage!!" he tweeted after the win, according to ESPN.
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It's not big deal to you as you're not a NEOhio sports fan. LeQuit's antics are what we refer to as the OIC factor in this area. If that doesn't make any sense to you, then you wouldn't understand "the big deal".
Blah, blah, blah, who hasn't been hurt before, really? Take your medicine like a "man". Cleveland crapped on LeBron before he left. LeBron made some of you feel like you've been crapped on. But it seems like the only person that washed off their crap is LeBron. Clean yourselves up Clevelandites, you're starting to stink with phrases like LeQuit!
You do have a right to be bitter, and to boo, and to sling insults. That's your right. But you don't realize how stupid you look actually expecting people to agree with you, or understand you, or that LeBron defends himself. Are you guys really going to keep putting down LeBron 30 years from now? If you do, then your life is pretty meaningless.
First of all Dana, you're making an assumption that I'm male. I'll leave that up to our imagination. Please explain to me how Cleveland crapped on LeQuit BEFORE he left. I live near Akron, maybe it was worse in Cleveland? You can hate the term LeQuit all you like, but it if fits...you know the rest. You do know where the term LeQuit comes from, right? If not, watch the Boston series again and re-live "Elbowgate" again. As far as booing, that's part of the game, but I agree, it comes across as silly. But, that's one of the strongest ways a fan can express themselves. Are Cleveland fans going to be putting Lebron down for 30 years...the simple answer to that is yes. If that makes life meaningless, then so be it. OIC Dana, OIC.
While Dan Gilbert's very public diatribe after LBJ's departure showed him to be peevish, petty and unprofessional, his latest hijink, denying a visiting player access to the arena's parking garage, proves him to be vindictive and immature as well. These actions give one pause to wonder who would want to work for someone who conducts themselves in this fashion and I find it a small wonder that LBJ didn't try to get out sooner. Additionally, it seems that Mr. Gilbert, the city of Cleveland and the Cavalier fans have lost sight of a few things. Lebron James is a professional basketball player; as such, he singed a contract to play professional basketball for the Cleveland Cavalier's for a specified period of time; a commitment he honored. He DID NOT sign on to be the city of Cleveland's fiscal savior, and he DID NOT ever say he would stay after his contract expired. What he DID DO was see his commitment through and move on; something perfectly within his rights. Mr. Gilbert and Cavalier fans really need to move on and support the team you have now, instead of investing all your time and energies brow beating LBJ.
Camela, have no fear. We CAVS fans do support the team we have now. Thanks for the motivational speech. The petty hijinx that you refer to is a rule for ALL visiting players. But, we've never heard of it being enforced before because ALL other visiting players followed the correct procedure for entering the facility. Is being denied entry into the garage any more petty than not walking onto the court during pre-game introductiions? Is that acting in a "professional" manner. The axe swings both ways...both Gilbert and LeQuit are acting like children. As far as honoring his commitment to play in Cleveland, watch last years Boston series again and tell me how much "commitment" there was in his play. He honored his contract and moved on...his commitment is another debate.
No problem Ksuflash; sometimes all it takes is the voice of reason from an unbiased source to bring reason and clarity to a situation. I have often wondered about all these "Quitter" comments. How is it that LBJ was held up as Cleveland's last hope; their shining beacon if all he did was quit? Or is it he only became a "Quitter" after leaving the Cavaliers? Just asking for some clarification on this as so many Cavalier fans now refer to him as a "Quitter", when he was idolized while playing there.
Camela – in the eyes of Cavs fans, and management's eyes for that matter, Lebron could do no wrong. The term LeQuit arose from the Boston series in last year's playoff series. LeBron went into the Boston series with a supposed elbow injury, to the point that he could barely lift a basketball with it. However, he seemed to be doing fine in games 1 – 3 of the series. In fact, in Game 3 at Boston he was unstoppable. In games 4 thru 6, Lebron's demeanor was non-chalant on the court, and he played far below his abilities. Cavs fans thought there must something seriously wrong with his elbow. Then, the rumors began to fly about Lebron's mother, Gloria, and Delonte West of the Cavs having some one-on-one time off the court. After game 6, Lebron ripped off his uniform before he even got into the tunnel heading to the locker room. He was clearly disgusted with anything associated with the name Cavs on it. After this series, there was no mention of his elbow injury – simply because his elbow never really was an issue. If there was a concern about his elbow, and Lebron being one of the most anticipated free agents in the history of sports, it would have been all over ESPN and the like. People question whether the rumors about his mother were true, but something happened between games 3 and 4 that completely changed the way Lebron played the rest of that series. Basically, the fans of Cleveland believe he quit...I believe he quit. Thus, the moniker "LeQuit".
Cavs fans try to make it has uncmfortable as possible for Lebron when he plays in Cleveland, he doesn't owe that organization anything, he gave them 7 seasons he should be able to go where ever he's pleased.
I hate to be redudant, but he did go where he pleased.
The CAVS fans need to get a life!!!! I mean, c'mon! It's PATHETIC! This is his job people, if he doesn't want to stay then that's his right! HE OWES YOU NOTHING!!!!! GET OVER IT LOSERS!!!!!!!!!!!
Thanks for the thought provoking comments...signed a LOSER.
Those of you who obviously enjoy bashing Cleveland's plight either don't understand or can't see past the end of your noses. Don't you get it by now?? A "professional" would have given the owner notice of their intentions. Instead, LaPuke decided to play it to the hilt on television to bolster his own self-image...nothing more and leave Cleveland to put the pieces back together. Cleveland doesn't need a quitter which was pretty freakin' obvious to anyone with half a brain who watched the playoffs last year. The Cavs should've won the championship last year but it certainly wasn't on the back of the quitter. Fans pay for their tickets and THAT gives them the right to express their displeasure with a player for whatever reason! Get over it? Sorry....but complacent is not in my vocabulary.
You Right Tin Man he handled the whole situation wrong very unprofessional but he owes Cleveland nothing he's chasing a championship let him move on he couldn't do it there. Knicks forever.......
hate leads to negativity... cavaliers stop hating and start loving the game. if you think hate and booing can win you games, you can wait lifetime for a championship. Iam a LeBron fan and i liked him more at Cavs than at Miami. He made this move as Cavs couldn't make bold decisions or think out of the box. he did.. so leave the booing crap, it leaves such a wrong impression on your city. Grow up!!
Get over it, Cleveland! This is not 1811! It's 2011! A person has the right to go to whatever team they want. Slavery is over! That's all it's about anyway. Know what I mean?
I live in Ohio and have experienced our famed or ill-famed sports teams over the years. The real issue is that like most pro teams in the toilet, the fault seems to always point to the players or specific players. The real issue with our pro teams is the mentality of the owners. How much can I make off my team and players? Which one of my friends do I want to impress by giving them a job in the organization even though they have no clue on how to perform the job?
Lebron put in many years of service to the Cavs. He could have went anywhere when he started, but he chose the Cavs. Unfortunately, management thought that they could use him as a cash cow (and they did) and that's all that was important. If that's untrue, then a team wouldn't fall from the top as quickly as they did. Instead of getting key players to support Lebron, they got fatter wallets. As far as him quiting.... last I saw, he's still playing and winning. Want to talk about quitting? Seems the owner has quit.
Agreed he should have stay in Cleveland but he moved on Cavs was a few pcs from a championship they were very close to winning it all. Knicks forever
Oh Dan Gilbert, talk all the smack you want while enjoying the WORST record in the NBA. Hey, at least you'll have a good chance of getting a decent draft choice next year.
Did no one spell check/edit/read this before it came out? I expect this from random bloggers, but this is (?) a legitimate news site. Right?
OK, so it is very clear that some people just have little understanding. If you ever talked to a Clevelander you would understand that people are not mad that he "took his talents to Souf Beach." Go ahead, leave. It also was not entirely "The Decision," though that plays heavy for many. It was the fact that he knew he was leaving long before his TV special, and he had this whole horse and pony show stringing along teams (not just the Cavs) right along PAST the point where they could try and acquire other players. Again, leave, take your talents where ever you want to go, but you could have given a team, the team you played on for 7 years and the fans, the opportunity to get some other talent. For people who have little or no knowledge about Cleveland or the Cavaliers when you "speak" you sound ignorant. Trades that were made from the Cavs, people that were acquired by the Cavs, coaches that lost their jobs with the Cavs, were all done at the behest of one LeBron James. And he was not a one man show. Best I can tell when the Cavs were winning with him he was not single-handedly putting up all points on the board. If the final score was 102, and LBJ was responsible for 40, that means there were another 62 points that came from somewhere!
As for the whole garage incident. Clearly people are ignoring the fact that ALL NBA TEAMS would have enforced it the same way. It was a morning shoot around. Those are not open to the public therefore he had no business bringing his entourage. Maybe when he was a paid employee of the Cleveland Cavaliers his buddies were allowed to come to those, but once he decided his talents were going to "Souf Beach" he lost any privilege he had gained as a member of the Cavs organization. All who are criticizing the Gilbert's Tweet, maybe they need to know that when the Heat came back to the Q for the game last night LeBron showed up wearing a t-shirt that read something to the effect of: The King Has Returned. And that was his maturity? Hmmmm
And "Che Bravo," yes the Cavs won. So what we only have 15 wins. You do realize that those 15 wins come from beating the Lakers, Celtics, Heat, and 3 times against the Knicks.
Cleveland is a blue collar town. We are hard workers. We love our sports. There is nothing wrong with that. The Heat has a fair-weather following at best. Cleveland has a devout following, even LBJ acknowledges that!
You make some very valid points. However, all of the things that you mention about LeBron supposedly doing to the Cavs organization, which has affected it's fans, is what owners have been doing for decades now. Owners know themselves when they are about to make a trade, or some type of staffing change, and NEVER say anything to anyone for preparation. It just happens. It really goes both ways.Whether or not LeBron really knew where he was going before hand is speculation. Unless you can read minds, no one 100% knows what LeBron was going to do prior to leaving Cleveland.
Gilbert needs to show maturity and leadership. Encouraging bad behavior from fans is not right. There are fanatics out there. Say what you want. IT'S ONLY A GAME. Lebron has a family just like the fans have families, and just like Gilbert has a family. Get over it and stop the non-sense. Again, IT IS ONLY A GAME. Gilbert does not have the fans on his payroll. Stop the non-sense and grow-up Gilbert. Grow up CAV fans who are dis-placed and act like refugees. Your life will go on without sports.You make sport fans all across the country look bad. GET OVER IT and LEAVE LEBRON ALONE. GROW UP.
Im not a Lebron fan but the Cleveland organization is starting to take it too far. I agree with him leaving because in the end it is a business and his job, so maybe from a business standpoint he made the best decision for himself as a "businessman"..BUT the way he left the Cleveland fans hanging all summer waiting on a decision and he KNEW he wasnt coming back was dead wrong. last but not least to the Cleveland organization..HE'S NOT COMING BACK....so stop belittling yourself and your organization by pulling these petty antics
It's funny how all you want to hate on Lebron in Cleveland but you know you would welcome him back in a heartbeat. What's even funnier to me is that I read a comment somewhere that said Lebron James ruined Cleveland's economy by leaving. I hate to break it to you but Wall Street ruined Cleveland's economy and so did all the manufacturing being shipped overseas. As far as Dan Gilbert goes, he has to be the biggest retard owner in sports history. He tweeted "Not in our Garage". Ok first of all the only owner who should even be on Twitter is Mark Cuban. Dan Gilbert is a retard, he's only rich due to the historical amount of fraud in the mortgage industry from 2000 to 2007. Do you think George Steinbrenner would have ever been on Twitter? If Derek Jeter left he wouldn't have cared he would have replaced him. Don't be mad at Lebron for the fact Danny Ferry is an idiot and trades for Antawn Jamison to put them over the top, lol. Look at your roster, it's not even close to a championshiop team with Lebron. It's cool though we all know that Cleveland is the armpit of America so go ahead and gloat because you won game 71 of an NBA season. You'll be watching the playoffs from home.
I didn't realize there were still people who use the term "retard". Really?
What, you can't handle a little gloating with the fact that the Heat lost to the worst team in the league? A game that the Heat should have been up for mentally. The fact is, the Cavs didn't just win the game, they played a more physical game than the Heat. They basically beat down the Heat. If that's how the Heat approach the playoffs, then we'll be watching them lose quickly here in Cavalier land.