On-court mics reveal LeBron James' big secret
LeBron James and Dwyane Wade met on the basketball court for the final time on Monday night in the Los Angeles Lakers’ 108-105 win against the Miami Heat at the Staples Center.
The focus on Monday wasn’t on the game. It was on the two NBA greats facing off one last time before Wade retires at the end of the season, as it should have been.
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Once the game ended, Wade and James embraced instantly. The pair joked, hugged, swapped jerseys and posed for plenty of photos, wrapping up a memorable night for the two of them — and NBA fans everywhere.
They also had a very interesting conversation on the court.
"It was either here or The Garden, that's it. That's the only place we can end this…"
Knicks?
KNICKS? pic.twitter.com/TdJQd4fsJG
— Dime (@DimeUPROXX) December 11, 2018
“I appreciate you letting it end here,” Wade told LeBron, meaning the Staples Center in Los Angeles.
“It was either here or at The Garden,” James replied, meaning Madison Square Garden in New York City. “That’s it. That’s the only place we can end this man.”
By that conversation, James implied that he was choosing between signing with the Lakers and the New York Knicks this past summer when he was still a free agent, and that he wasn’t seriously considering any other teams.
James later clarified his comment, which hadn’t actually been about him nearly signing with the Knicks.
LeBron James said in reference to his "here or the Garden" comment that no other venue could have held this final duel between LeBron and Wade other than those two venues. (Not that he was thinking of signing with the #Knicks)
— Michael J. Duarte (@michaeljduarte) December 11, 2018
James was instead commenting on the majesty of Madison Square Garden, and how it would be the perfect place to host his final showdown with Wade. Knicks fans who saw James’ original comments can feel a little better now — he didn’t choose the Lakers over the Knicks, he chose the Lakers over the Knicks and a bunch of other teams. A small victory, but a victory nonetheless.