If you can’t snag a championship ring yourself, why not disrupt the festivities? That seemed to be LeBron James’ thinking after contributing to the 76ers’ victory over the Knicks, 106-100, on Tuesday night. This game marked the Knicks’ season opener, which featured a ceremony celebrating the team’s first NBA championship in 53 years, complete with a ring presentation and a banner raising before the game.
“Yeah, I do,” James responded to NBC when asked if he enjoyed winning on a night dedicated to the Knicks’ celebration.
“It’s pretty special,” he added with a smile.
In 34 minutes of play at Madison Square Garden, James finished the game with 14 points, nine rebounds, and seven assists.
But that wasn’t the only way he took aim at Knicks fans during the matchup.
In the second quarter, there was a moment when he exchanged words with a courtside fan.
According to Mike Tirico, who was commentating for NBC, a fan yelled at LeBron concerning his helicopter, saying that despite the NBA star residing in New York, it didn’t mean he’d get their support.
Video footage circulating online showed James responding in a heated manner, seemingly telling the fan, “Ain’t nothing soft about the Midwest, I don’t know what the f–k you talking about.”
Eventually, Spike Lee stepped in to help de-escalate the situation.
“Guess who’s playing peacemaker? Spike Lee,” Reggie Miller quipped during the broadcast, clearly amused by the turn of events.
“He’s over here playing peacemaker. Boy, I’ve seen everything.”
This win was notable for James as it marked his first with the 76ers after officially signing a two-year, $8 million deal with the team during a highly publicized free agency period. James had previously stated to ESPN that he had envisioned playing in New York at some point.
“I had visions of playing in [Madison Square] Garden and finishing my career in the Garden,” James said. “One of the best places I’ve ever played.”
He added, “I think it’s the No. 1 arena in the world, as far as for a basketball player. But after [the Knicks] beat San Antonio, I was like, ‘Hey, I can’t.’ I couldn’t do it.”
