Someone sent LeBron viral Warriors’ diss. Now pundits are backing off Dubs comeback talk.
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FILE: Lakers superstar LeBron James’ attempts to avoid social media during the postseason took a turn for the unexpected Friday thanks to ESPN’s Kendrick Perkins.
For years, Lakers superstar LeBron James has been famously anti-social media during the NBA playoffs.
“I don’t have no phones, no social media, I don’t have anything,” James said back in the 2015 playoffs — then his fourth straight year of ditching social media during the postseason.
This year, staying offline was the big piece of advice he gave to the handful of Lakers with little to no postseason experience.
“I think just for the young guys that haven’t been a part of the postseason or don’t have much experience in the postseason, just stay off the TV and stay off of social media,” James said when he was asked about the advice he shared with his younger teammates. “You win a game, everybody is the greatest player in the world. You lose a game, they’re throwing dirt on you. It’s literally that simple.”
Among the social media analysis this week was the viral LeBron meme that Warriors forward JaMychal Green posted to his Instagram Story on Thursday. The post was part of the ongoing back-and-forth between the Warriors and Lakers all series about foul calls and whether players are “flopping” to draw whistles. James gave an emphatic comment after the Lakers’ Game 5 loss that his teams don’t flop; Green reshared a social media post of James at the press conference table and dropped a big ol’ blue cap emoji on his head.
Usually, James’ postseason social media sabbatical would mean he’d miss a shot like this. But not this time.
“You don’t think LBJ saw that?” ESPN analyst Kendrick Perkins said during Friday morning’s episode of First Take. “Yeah, yeah, he saw it, you know why? Because I sent it to him. So I know he seen it. I sent it to him. Damn it, I got Lakers in six. I sent it to him, Molly. I always — look, I stay petty, so I don’t have to get petty.”
That Friday morning news dump was enough to make co-analyst Stephen A. Smith back off his talk of a Warriors comeback.
“I will say this to you, I don’t blame you for that. I get it. And I will admit that makes my position that much harder, because obviously I’m here thinking Warriors going to sneak up in there and they’re going to force Game 7. Now I’m considerably more worried because of what you just did. That damn JaMychal Green, oh my god.”
Tipoff for Friday’s must-win Game 6 for the Dubs, who trail the series 3-2, is set for 7 p.m.