After being ejected Tuesday night for the first time in his NBA career, Cleveland Cavaliers superstar LeBron James explained the sequence of events that led up to it.
According to ESPN.com's Dave McMenamin, James said he took issue with the lack of a foul call on Miami Heat forward James Johnson during a layup attempt late in the third quarter: "I got fouled all the way up the court, from the time that I stripped him, all the way until I got to the rim. I said what I had to say and then I moved on, but he decided I should get [ejected]. It is what it is. We got the win, and that's what's most important."
LeBron was given a technical foul and tossed with 1:59 remaining in the third quarter after arguing with referee Kane Fitzgerald, marking James' first ejection in 1,082 career NBA games.
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Cleveland went on to win the game 108-97, but it had to play the entire fourth quarter without its top player following the incident.
James took issue with the idea that a lack of calls against his opponents was contributing toward changing his game in a negative way: "I think I'm one of the league leaders in points in the paint. I drive just as much as anybody. At this point, it's almost like they're trying to turn me into a jump shooter. I can't be a jump shooter. I'm not a jump shooter."
While LeBron didn't necessarily agree with his ejection, Cavs head coach Tyronn Lue had no issue with it, per McMenamin: "Yup. Should have got thrown out. Yup. ... I really don't know what he said. He got kicked out. Want me to go against the ref? No, he got thrown out. He's out."
Teammate Dwyane Wade wasn't so sure, as he felt James deserved more leash than he received from Fitzgerald: "I mean, I just thought it was quick. I mean, a player like him, you give him the benefit of the doubt. He says something, you give him a tech, kind of walk away and let him calm down. That's it. That's all I got on that."
Despite missing the whole fourth quarter, James finished with 21 points, 12 rebounds, six assists and five steals against his former team.
On the season, LeBron is averaging 28.2 points, 8.3 assists and 8.3 rebounds per game for a Cavs team that is among the hottest in the NBA.
Cleveland has now won nine consecutive games, and it will go for 10 when it faces the Atlanta Hawks on Thursday.
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