Getty Lakers' LeBron James (right) and former coach Frank Vogel
Congratulations to the Twitter/X user “514TOTHE CORE,” who got both the Lakers’ LeBron James and the Suns’ Kevin Durant to respond to a comment made on the social-media app. Though, it might not have gone as planned.
On Saturday, after the Lakers pulled out a 122-119 win over the Suns in Phoenix with both James and Durant putting forth vintage performances, the Suns’ Twitter/X account posted a photo of James and Durant next to each other, smiling during the game. The photo was captioned, “Respect.”
Respect.
Channeling his inner Skip Bayless, the X user wrote, “I hate this ‘we all fiends’ laughing during the game sh**!! It’s time to go to work, kill these mofos and keep your for on their necks. THIS IS 1 of the reason why MJ23 is the (goat emoji). MJ23 simply killed EVERYONE IN SIGHT!”
@BlindLivin @Suns @KingJames @Lakers @NBA At some point, yall non athletes gon realize that friends compete harder against one another.
(Presumably, 514 meant, “We all friends,” not, “We all fiends.”)
As he often does, Kevin Durant saw the tweet and responded.
“At some point, yall non athletes gon realize that friends compete harder against one another,” he wrote.
Proving that a picture is worth 1,000 words, James simply posted a shrugging emoji and a photo of Charles Barkley standing and smiling with his good friend Michael Jordan during the 1993 NBA Finals.
Lakers’ LeBron James Suffered Injured Shin
It was a good bit of online entertainment that followed the good bit of on-court entertainment put forth by Durant and James that evening. The two went toe-to-toe in this November matchup of two teams with high expectations but low early returns.
James logged 32 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists in the game, including one on a 3-pointer from Cam Reddish with 1:10 to play that helped give the Lakers an insurmountable 118-113 lead. Durant was game, too, and finished with 38 points, 9 rebounds and 5 assists.
James’ performance came despite a left shin injury he suffered in the first quarter.
“It never loosened up,” James said of the shin after the game. “I was driving and KD’s knee at the force I was going with went right to my shin. Which, pretty much, it locked up right then and there, shot down to my foot. So I just tried to keep my composure, make sure I was OK and try to keep it stretched out as much as possible, tried to keep it loose as possible so I could play the game and be effective.”
Questionable for Sunday vs. Portland
It is convenient for the Lakers’ LeBron James that the injury happened on Saturday against a Suns team that was getting Bradley Beal back, because James was able to stay on the floor and help gut out the win.
That was the first game of a back-to-back, as the Lakers will travel home to L.A. to play again Sunday night. But James’ presence won’t be so needed against the 3-5 Portland Trail Blazers. He is listed as questionable by the team, and can use Sunday to get some rest and stay off the shin.
“It’s pretty sore right now. Obviously because the adrenaline is calming down and iced it and all that stuff so now it’s pretty sore,” James said.
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Lakers’ LeBron James Claps Back on ‘Friends’ Criticism