LeBron James Goes Ballistic After Being Heckled By Cavs' Exec Jason Hillman

A member of the Cleveland Cavaliers’ front office cheered when LeBron James missed a shot Monday night, and the NBA’s biggest star took it personally. James responded by going nuclear in the game’s final quarter, finishing with 46 points and leading the Los Angeles Lakers to a 115-108 win over his former team.

The fateful moment came on the final play of the third quarter when James missed a turnaround jumper. With Cleveland leading Los Angeles 89-87, James saw a Cavs’ executive clapping and celebrating in the stands.

“I know who he is. He’s part of the front office group,” James said after the game. “He was really excited about that shot a little bit more extra than I would have liked. But he got to root for his team, obviously. He showcased that. I know I had another quarter. The fourth quarter is my favorite.”

James declined to name the specific person who drew his ire. ESPN reports that it was Cavs basketball chief of staff Jason Hillman.

James dropped 21 points in the fourth quarter, outscoring the entire Cleveland team. The Cavs were held to 19 points in the final 12 minutes of Monday’s contest.

It only took 26 field-goal attempts for James to score 46 points. He also finished with eight rebounds, six assists, two steals and two blocks..

James set a career-high in points against his former team, which he led to its first-ever championship in 2016. James played 11 seasons in Cleveland, making five NBA Finals appearances with the franchise. James has a 15-1 career record against the Cavs.

Eighteen years since he was drafted by Cleveland, James is still the best player in the NBA. After winning the 2020 NBA Finals MVP award, he’s among the favorites to be the 2021 regular-season MVP.