The exchange happened in front of the Knicks bench, with cameras close enough to pick up every word. A fan near the floor called the four-time MVP soft. LeBron James leaned in and let him have it.
“Ain’t nothing soft in the Midwest. I’m not from the West Coast, I’m from Ohio, baby. I’m an Ohio baby, f*ck is you talking about?” he told the heckler, according to on-site reporting from the Philadelphia Inquirer.
Spike Lee, sitting courtside in his usual Knicks gear, got up and tried to play peacemaker as the two sides kept trading words.
MSG set the tone early
The crowd had made its feelings clear from the opening free throws, chanting “We don’t want you!” every time James stepped to the line in the first quarter. The hostility traced back to his summer flirtation with signing in New York and his decision to keep his family’s home in the city after joining Philadelphia instead.
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NBC’s broadcast caught another fan taunting him from close range. “Hey, LeBron, just because you have a helicopter and you live in New York doesn’t mean we’re gonna cheer for you,” the fan said, as relayed on the telecast.
Ring night ruined
Tuesday was supposed to belong to the Knicks. Before tip-off, New York raised the third championship banner in franchise history after ending a 53-year title drought against the San Antonio Spurs last June. Ben Stiller, Jon Bon Jovi, Spike Lee and NFL commissioner Roger Goodell were all in attendance for the ring ceremony.
The 76ers crashed the party. Tyrese Maxey poured in 28 points, Jaylen Brown added 19 points, eight rebounds and six assists on his own Philadelphia debut, and Joel Embiid chipped in 13 points and 11 rebounds. Jalen Brunson led the Knicks with 21 points but shot just 6-for-19.
James finished with 14 points, nine rebounds and seven assists. At 41, he is in his record-extending 24th NBA season and playing for his fourth team after signing a two-year, $8m contract with the 76ers in July.
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‘Still getting my rhythm’
Asked afterwards about the atmosphere, James kept the focus on the basketball.
“I could be a lot better. Still getting my rhythm, obviously just a little bit over two weeks with the new squad,” he told reporters.
“But I like the way we played. I think we played exceptionally well, especially defensively.”
Philadelphia’s next game is at home to the Boston Celtics on Thursday night.
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