When LeBron James left the Miami Heat to make his return to the Cleveland Cavaliers over the summer, most Heat fans – yes, they are out there – understood the decision and appreciated the two championships James brought to the franchise.
It’s never easy to watch your best player go, though, and some of the fans in Miami were naturally upset. Add Dan Le Batard, host of the show “Highly Questionable”, to that list.
It was stated earlier in the summer that more than anything, Le Batard wasn’t thrilled with James’ letter explaining his decision to leave Miami because the forward never bothered to thank the fans of the Heat. As a joke, the host decided to post some billboards in Cleveland saying “You’re welcome, LeBron. Love, Miami.” As hilarious as that was, it apparently upset the folks in Cleveland, which subsequently got Le Batard suspended by ESPN.
With the Cavaliers making their monumental debut at home on Thursday against the rebuilding New York Knicks, all eyes were on The King and the amazing supporting cast surrounding him. The event was turned into a spectacle with various performances by comedians, rappers and singers prior to the game. Then, it was time to roll, and everyone was excited to see the return of this scene:
No one expected what followed. Whether it was nerves or trying to figure out how to play with his new teammates, it was James who played absolutely terrible throughout the contest. He was indecisive, turned the ball over carelessly and missed shots we are not accustomed to seeing him miss. James ended his night with 17 points on five-of-15 shooting from the field, five rebounds, four assists, a whopping eight turnovers and a 95-90 loss to Carmelo Anthony and the Triangle Knicks.
After witnessing James’ surprisingly-terrible performance, Le Batard had plenty to say:
We all had Jason Smith outplaying LeBron, right?
— Dan Le Batard Show (@LeBatardShow) October 31, 2014
Should have done for Jason Smith RT @darrenrovell: Nike LeBron banner 190 gallons of ink, took 300 hours to create pic.twitter.com/38HaIkaUK9” — Dan Le Batard Show (@LeBatardShow) October 31, 2014
I seriously can’t believe how poorly LeBron is playing
— Dan Le Batard Show (@LeBatardShow) October 31, 2014
LeBron needs more help — Dan Le Batard Show (@LeBatardShow) October 31, 2014
A Cavs metaphor for this evening?http://t.co/lxJrHxJb4P via @youtube
— Dan Le Batard Show (@LeBatardShow) October 31, 2014
Needless to say, Le Batard enjoyed what he saw. Do watch the youtube clip he shared. It’s pretty hilarious.
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James Park is a blogger and editor of Sheridan Hoops. Follow him on twitter @SheridanBlog.