The Philadelphia 76ers spoiled the New York Knicks’ NBA title banner-raising party Tuesday night, but fans inside Madison Square Garden made sure to give one of the city’s newest residents an unpleasant welcome.
LeBron James was not greeted warmly by the New Yorkers in attendance, with the crowd at one point chanting, “We don’t want you!” since he was on the free throw line at the start of the match.
Late in the first half, James got into a back-and-forth with fans sitting courtside while the Knicks were at the foul line. The conversation, relayed by NBC’s Mike Tirico, focused on James and his use of a helicopter to travel between Philadelphia and New York, where he currently resides.
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At one point during the interactions, Spike Lee, dressed in his finest Knicks suit for the occasion, attempted to play the role of peacemaker.
“Hey, LeBron, just because you have a helicopter and live in New York doesn’t mean we’re going to cheer for you,” the fan said, according to Tirico.
James continued his back and forth with fans, saying, “I’m not from the West Coast. I’m from Ohio, baby. (…) The fuck are you talking about that?”
James, 41, would finish with 14 points, 9 rebounds and 7 assists in the Sixers’ 106-100 victory.
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It was well documented after signing with the Sixers that James was considering joining the Knicks during his free agency period. He told reporters during training camp that he had “visions of playing at (Madison Square) Garden” and finishing his career with the franchise to help them win an NBA title. But after beating the Spurs in the NBA Finals in June, James decided not to pursue that move.
Asked after the game whether the Sixers had ruined the big night for the Knicks and their fans, James disagreed with that sentiment.
“I wouldn’t say that,” James said. “It was a great night for New York fans. Over fifty years. I was a part of it at a time when we hadn’t won a major championship in Cleveland in over 50 years. The fans will never forget that moment.”
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