Raptors: LeBron’s behaviour disrespectful, but Toronto also playing “too soft”

Cleveland won the first two games of the best-of-seven series at home. Game 3 is set for Friday night at Air Canada Centre.

Two nights earlier, James shot a three-pointer over Toronto shot-blocker Ibaka, but not before pausing to spin the ball twice in his hands, as if he was lining up to shoot a free throw.

Video of the play blew up on social media.

It was a similar story in Game 1, with James instructing point guard Kyrie Irving to toss the ball off the backboard for an alley-oop dunk you’d normally only see in an all-star game. He also snatched a beer from a sideline hostess and pretended to take a swig.

James’s hijinks were the topic of an ESPN basketball panel, which compiled a montage of similar LeBron incidents, including a game this season in New York where the Cavs star appeared so bored he was playing the “water-bottle challenge” while on the bench.

Raptors coach Dwane Casey said his players should use James’s behaviour as motivation.

“That play, throwing it off (the glass), having a beer on the sideline … all of those things should get you upset to compete, not to compete but to make it a physical contest,” Casey said.

Toronto point guard Kyle Lowry was “pretty upset” with James’s ball-spinning.

“Not that he did it. He should spin the ball, he’s comfortable, we can’t let him be comfortable, we have to make him uncomfortable,” Lowry said. “He’s in a situation right now where he’s playing very comfortably and the things he’s doing are comfortable. If I was comfortable I would do the same thing.”

How can the Raptors’ extinguish James’s behaviour?

“Play harder,” Lowry said.

James, who scored 74 points combined in Games 1 and 2, was asked about the Ibaka play after Friday’s shootaround.

“I was just basically in my zone, in my comfort zone and after I spun the ball and I jabbed him, I (saw) what I needed to see from the defender to be able to get that shot off,” James said. “If I didn’t see it, I would have drove it and if I didn’t have the drive, I would have (given) it up and let one of my teammates attack.”

Lori Ewing , The Canadian Press

by Canadian Press

Raptors: LeBron’s behaviour disrespectful, but Toronto also playing “too soft”

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