That clutch moment leaves the Eastern Conference semis between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Chicago Bulls tied at 2-2, with Game 5 to come on Tuesday night.
Afterwards, LeBron revealed that the game-winning play very nearly didn’t happen.
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Instead of setting up the four-time MVP for the shot, Cavs coach David Blatt wanted LeBron to take the inbounds pass with just 1.5 seconds left on the clock.
Fortunately for the Cavs, and for drama-hungry neutrals everywhere, he was overruled by a man who was 9-for-29 (31%) at that point but still demanded the ball like a champion.
“To be honest, the play that was drawn up, I scratched it,” LeBron explained afterwards.
I just told coach, ‘Just give me the ball. We either going to go into overtime or I’m going to win it for us.’ It was that simple.
I was supposed to take the ball out. I told coach, ‘There’s no way I’m taking the ball out unless I can shoot it over the backboard and go in.’
So I told him to have somebody else take the ball out, give me the ball, and everybody get out the way.
Blatt had also tried to call a timeout that the Cavs didn’t have to set up the play, which would have seen them penalised, but the referees didn’t spot it. When your luck is in, your luck is in.
NBA Playoffs – Sunday’s results
Cleveland Cavaliers 86 @ 84 Chicago Bulls (Series tied 2-2)
Houston Rockets 95 @ 128 LA Clippers (Clippers lead 3-1)
The Cavs' coach nearly ruined that breathtaking LeBron James buzzer-beater
BASKETBALL FANS WERE treated to a moment of LeBron James magic on Sunday as the King snatched Game 4 with this buzzer-beater:
That clutch moment leaves the Eastern Conference semis between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Chicago Bulls tied at 2-2, with Game 5 to come on Tuesday night.
Afterwards, LeBron revealed that the game-winning play very nearly didn’t happen.
Instead of setting up the four-time MVP for the shot, Cavs coach David Blatt wanted LeBron to take the inbounds pass with just 1.5 seconds left on the clock.
Fortunately for the Cavs, and for drama-hungry neutrals everywhere, he was overruled by a man who was 9-for-29 (31%) at that point but still demanded the ball like a champion.
“To be honest, the play that was drawn up, I scratched it,” LeBron explained afterwards.
Blatt had also tried to call a timeout that the Cavs didn’t have to set up the play, which would have seen them penalised, but the referees didn’t spot it. When your luck is in, your luck is in.
NBA Playoffs – Sunday’s results
Rickie Fowler delivers major performance to win Players in dramatic play-off
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Basketball Chicago Bulls Cleveland Cavaliers David Blatt king james Lebron James NBA