As we gear up for the 2024 NBA Finals face-off between the Boston Celtics and the Dallas Mavericks, a little heat is simmering off the court between two former teammates. Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James recently stirred the pot by calling Kyrie Irving, the Mavericks’ ace, “the most gifted player the NBA has ever seen.” He voiced his envy over not sharing the court with Irving anymore, stating, “I’m so f—— mad…that I am not his running mate anymore.”
Kendrick Perkins, who once shared the Cleveland Cavaliers locker room with James, didn’t take too kindly to this comment. He accused LeBron of attempting to overshadow Irving’s big moment, implying the focus was subtly shifting to James himself.
In what seemed like a tit-for-tat move, LeBron unfollowed Perkins on X (formerly Twitter). Perkins, in turn, revealed on ESPN’s ‘First Take’ that he blocked James’s number afterward, highlighting the frosty vibes between the two.
To put Perkins’ playing career into perspective, his time with the Cavaliers wasn’t much to write home about. He logged a mere 18 games in regular-season play during his stints with the team in the 2014-15 and 2017-18 seasons, with averages of 2.6 points, 2.3 rebounds, and 0.6 assists per game. During the 2015 NBA Playoffs, he saw action in eight games, though the Cavaliers fell to Stephen Curry and his Golden State Warriors in the Finals.
Perkins, however, made a significant mark earlier in his career with the Boston Celtics, playing pivotal roles in several heated playoff battles against LeBron’s Cavaliers. Iconic face-offs like the 2008 second-round series saw the Celtics eke out a win in seven games.
They clashed again in 2010, with Boston advancing after six games. Later on, in 2012, Perkins was part of the Oklahoma City Thunder squad that met defeat at the hands of LeBron’s Miami Heat in the Finals.
What unfolds next between these two remains to be seen. The basketball world will have its eyes peeled to see if LeBron mounts a digital response to Perkins’ retorts.
And while James may have moved on from the on-court battles, it’s clear there’s plenty of competitive spirit lingering off the hardwood. As the Finals approach, it’s safe to say all eyes will remain fixated both on the court and on the social media exchanges that add layers of intrigue to the ongoing playoffs narrative.
