Source: MediaNews Group/Pasadena Star-News via Getty Images / Getty / LeBron James
LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers staved off elimination with a must-needed Game 5 victory, but one moment in particular during the game is sparking conversation among NBA fans.
It was business as usual for LeBron James, who helped his Lakers avoid the embarrassment of being swept and blowing another double-digit lead. James led his team with 30 points, five rebounds, four assists, three steals, and one block.
James put on a show in the fourth quarter, scoring 14 points, but it wasn’t without a spectacle. A moment between the 20-time All-Star and his coaching staff caught the attention of viewers watching the game.
During a possession in the 4th quarter with 9:10 remaining, the Denver Nuggets were given possession after it appeared that James poked the ball out of Kentavious Caldwell-Pope’s hands. Replays would show that was not the case, with James urging his head coach, Darvin Ham, to challenge the call, regain possession and build on their double-digit lead.
When that didn’t happen, James jumped up and down in frustration with Coach Ham and his staff, screaming, “Challenge the f*cking play!.” To make matters worse, Jamal Murray scored on a layup, taking advantage of the Lakers’ lack of focus.
LEAKED Audio Of LeBron James Getting Heated At Darvin Ham
:
“Challenge the f*cking play!” pic.twitter.com/mIlJqnfhDX
— LegendZ (@legendz_nba) April 28, 2024
LeBron was furious! pic.twitter.com/gx9KvXgtyg https://t.co/EVYtYxnYpS
— Ballislife.com (@Ballislife) April 28, 2024
Luckily for the purple and gold, that play was not a momentum shifter, and the Lakers protected their lead, something they had failed to do in the previous three games.
Was LeBron Overreacting, or Did Darvin Ham Drop The Ball Coaching Wise?
Reactions to the moment range from Lakers fans siding with James and questioning Darvin Ham’s coaching abilities to others using the moment to call King James a crybaby.
“If Ham is still apart of our organization next season I might stop watching basketball I’m so serious,” one user on X, formerly Twitter wrote.
Another NBA fan wrote, “Lebron is hilarious. 4 rings in 25 years is not a Goat. Goats dont have tantrums either. Lebron doesn’t know that his time has passed and is gone. Retire.”
Regardless, the Lakers will live to fight another day. The gallery below shows more reactions to the moment.
window.addEventListener(‘interaction’, function () {
setTimeout(function () {
var s = document.createElement(‘script’), el = document.getElementsByTagName(‘script’)[ 0 ];
s.async = true;
s.src = ‘https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js’;
el.parentNode.insertBefore(s, el);
}, 1000)
});