In Game 7 of the 2016 NBA Finals, LeBron James chased down Warriors forward Andre Iguodala on the fast break to emphatically block his layup from behind.
The game was tied at 89 with less than two minutes left, and what is known in some circles as “The Block” helped deliver the Cleveland Cavaliers their first championship in franchise history. Plus, you know, Kyrie Irving’s game-winning three-pointer.
That was a decade ago.
James, now 41, must think it’s still 2016.
Cleveland Cavaliers All-Star guard collected the opening tip of the Cavs’ game against James’ Los Angeles Lakers in Los Angeles on Tuesday night. Donovan drove for what looked to be a routine layup before James chased him down, went airborne, and swatted it away from behind.
Afterward, Cavs fans probably shuddered
But James high-fived Luka Doncic, back from his one-game suspension, and walked away like it was nothing.
To be fair, for James, it is just a footnote in his NBA-record 23rd season.
James outdid himself later in the same game against Cleveland — taking flight to slam a lob from Austin Reaves. Poetry.
The NBA’s all-time leading scorer, 22-time All-Star, four-time NBA MVP, and four-time NBA champion is fresh off his third triple-double of the season (21 points, 12 assists, 10 rebounds) against Washington on Monday night. James surpassed himself as the oldest player in NBA history to record a triple-double.
The Lakers surged in March, going 15-2, including a nine-game winning streak. By blowing out the Cavaliers 127-113 on Tuesday night, the Lakers improved to 50-26. It would take pure chaos to shake the Lakers loose from the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference before the NBA playoffs start on April 18.
After Cleveland, Los Angeles has six regular-season games remaining. Doncic will return to Dallas when the Lakers face the Mavericks on April 5, and that game is sandwiched between two high-stakes matchups against the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder on April 2 and April 7.
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