Media

LeBron James Jr.’s Surprising Reaction to His Father’s Game 3 Buzzer-Beater

Published by
Brad Sullivan

The dramatic game-winning shot from Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James to win Game 3 of the Eastern Conference semifinals against the Toronto Raptors had the team’s fan base ecstatic over the clutch shot. However, in the opinion of James’ son, LeBron James Jr., the shot attempt was nothing unusual.

Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com spoke with the younger James to get his reaction to the basket that put the Cavaliers just one win away from sweeping the series. James’ son was sitting near the Cavaliers bench for the game, admitting that he joined in the enthusiasm unleashed by the sellout crowd of 20,562:

“I screamed a little,” Junior said.

However, the younger James also noted that such a result is almost routine, having seen his father connect for game-winning shots on multiple occasions:

“It’s normal,” Junior said.

The elder James disagreed slightly with that assessment, noting in his postgame remarks that his work ethic helped make it happen:

“I trust every shot that I’m going to take because I work on every shot,” James said.

Teammate Kevin Love confirmed James’ dedication when it comes to perfecting his craft:

“What you come to find out as his teammate and playing with him is that he practices those shots all the time and makes them all the time,” Love said.

Still, the risky nature of taking a one-handed, off-balance shot with the game on the line didn’t escape James’ notice:

“The level of difficulty of that is very difficult,” James said of the game-winner. “Don’t try it at home.”

James and the Cavaliers will be happy to score in a more normal fashion on Monday night if it helps them pick up another win and advance to the Eastern Conference Finals. That would most likely pit them against the Boston Celtics in a rematch of last year’s conference finals. Like the Cavs, the Celtics hold a 3-0 advantage in their series against the Philadelphia 76ers and will seek to close things out before the Cavaliers and Raptors take the court for Game 4.

Brad Sullivan

Brad Sullivan is a lead writer for Cavaliers Nation. He has spent much of life in the Cleveland, Ohio area, and has remained a Cavalier fan from their 1970 beginnings through the return of LeBron James. While that fandom was sorely tested during the Reign of Error known simply by one word, Stepien, that overall historical perspective will be part of his writing for Cavaliers Nation in the months ahead.

Published by
Brad Sullivan

Recent Posts

2016 champ says Cavs ‘found something’ amid series comeback vs. Pistons

The Cleveland Cavaliers have successfully climbed out of an 0-2 hole against the Detroit Pistons…

4 days ago

Jeff Teague says Cavs failed to make deal that would’ve sent them to NBA Finals

The Cleveland Cavaliers still have a legitimate chance to make the 2026 NBA Finals, but…

4 days ago

Kendrick Perkins rips Evan Mobley for impact vs. Pistons: ‘You finish the game with one rebound?’

The Cleveland Cavaliers failed to steal a game from the Detroit Pistons on the road…

1 week ago

Former Cavs player says James Harden needs to come off the bench in limited minutes

The Cleveland Cavaliers are in an 0-2 hole in their second-round series against the Detroit…

1 week ago

Donovan Mitchell suggests that he needs to flop to get calls after free-throw disparity in Game 1

Cleveland Cavaliers star Donovan Mitchell wasn’t happy with the lack of foul calls that he…

1 week ago

Skip Bayless implies James Harden was carried in Game 7 vs. Raptors

The Cleveland Cavaliers got the job done in Game 7 against the Toronto Raptors on…

2 weeks ago