LeBron on decision: Nothing against Knicks
Miami Heat's LeBron James, right, drives past New York Knicks' Amare Stoudemire during the first half. (Dec. 17, 2010) Credit: AP
The court at Madison Square Garden could have been LeBron James' to dominate nightly. The building, his to electrify. The franchise, his to save. The city, his to own.
But since he opted for the beaches of Miami over the bright lights of Manhattan, the Garden instead became the latest stop on James' "You Didn't Sign Me" tour, which also includes appearances in Cleveland, Chicago, Los Angeles and New Jersey.
Before taking the court at the Garden on Friday night as a member of the Miami Heat for the first time and providing a painful reminder of what could have been, James said his decision to join Miami wasn't so much about what the Knicks didn't have but what he thought the Heat did: a chance to win.
That's just what Miami did for the 11th straight game, beating the Knicks, 113-91, behind a triple-double from James: 32 points, 11 rebounds, 10 assists.
Of his controversial return, James said: "There's no controversy. That's a huge word to use. Boos, it's OK. I understand. It's something I've gotten over my career on the road. So I know how to adjust to it. The fans here are great. We all know the fans are passionate and they want their team to win. If you're not on their team, then you --, we all know that."
He added, "It is good to see the fans here back and loving the game of basketball again. I think it's great for the NBA.''
Asked if there was something he wanted to hear during his July meeting with the Knicks that might have altered his decision, he replied: "It was just the message I got from Miami. The message I got from Miami was everything I needed to hear."
James also denied that one of the reasons he decided against the Knicks was because he couldn't handle the pressures of New York. "There's not a spotlight I can't handle," he said. "There's not a situation I can't handle."
He didn't seem to have trouble handling the reaction from a jilted New York crowd. The cheers Friday night at the Garden hadn't been as loud or meaningful in years, and the same could be said of the heckling generated by James, which included chants too obscene for print.
When the starting lineups were announced, the boos directed at Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh - who later was serenaded with chants of "Overrated" - reached new decibels when James was introduced. They continued when he tossed his trademark talcum powder into the Garden air . . . and every time he touched the ball.
James responded by hitting his first three shots and scoring 14 points in the first quarter. After being held to two second-quarter points, James scored eight straight late in the third to help the Heat open a 90-72 lead and take the buzz out of the Garden.
Despite spurning the franchise, James spoke positively about the Knicks and the Garden before the game.
"I think [the Knicks] have a lot of talent," James said. "They have some great players, they have some great pieces. The meeting I had with this franchise was great."
He later added: "Growing up as a kid, everybody always wanted an opportunity to play here in the Garden. Any basketball player growing up, college, high school, grade school, pro. Playing here in the Mecca of basketball."
A young James had dreamed of playing at the Garden. An older James decided not to, at least not as a Knick. But if only for one night, and for all the wrong reasons, the city was his to own.
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