Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James had himself a busy weekend. On Friday, his new movie ‘Space Jam: A New Legacy’ debuted in movie theaters and HBO Max.
James is the main character in the film, much like his childhood idol Michael Jordan was when it was initially released 25 years ago. According to early reports, Space Jam: A New Legacy opened this weekend at $31.7 million. For those keeping score at home in the GOAT debate between James and Jordan, the sequel brought in $4.2 million more than the original movie did in 1996.
Yet, even despite his hectic schedule promoting the success of his new project, James found time to attend Game 5 of the NBA Finals on Saturday night. James supported his good friend Chris Paul, who is competing to win his first championship in his career. Unfortunately for two-fourths of the banana boat crew, the Milwaukee Bucks had other plans.
An impressive showing from Giannis Antetokounmpo, Khris Middleton, and Jrue Holiday thwarted what would have been a perfect weekend for the King and his friend, Paul. Instead, James sat courtside as the Phoenix Suns lost to the Bucks 123-119, despite a brilliant forty-point performance from Devin Booker and a double-double from Paul and Deandre Ayton.
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After going up 2-0 early in the Finals, the Suns have dropped three straight games and face elimination for the first time in the playoffs. There are plenty of people responsible for their 3-2 deficit, coaches and players alike. In all my years of watching and covering the NBA, I’ve seen the media and fans say some pretty outrageous things following an emotional loss.
But highlighting someone who didn’t play in the game being in attendance as a reason a team lost has to be a first. That’s what Skip Bayless did in the immediate aftermath of Phoenix’s loss.
Skip Bayless ridiculously found a way to blame LeBron James.
This is what happens when LeBron shows up to root for you in a huge NBA Finals home game.
— Skip Bayless (@RealSkipBayless) July 18, 2021
The insinuation is clear. Bayless is blaming LeBron James for CP3 and his team losing. If you’ve followed Bayless for the last decade, this should come as no surprise to you. His feelings about James are well-documented, both in print and on television.
If living inside someone’s head rent-free was a person, it would almost surely look like Skip Bayless. I wish I could say the tweet was beneath him, but it wasn’t. This type of rhetoric is on-brand for him. We know that no matter who, what, where, when, why, or how he will find a way to invoke LeBron James’s name.
Chris Paul finished Game 5 with 21 points and 11 assists on 60 percent shooting from the field. But, unfortunately, that performance wasn’t enough.
The series shifts to Milwaukee for Game 6 on Tuesday, as Paul and the Suns look to keep their season and championship aspirations alive.
I doubt James will be in attendance for that game, so we shouldn’t be subjected to seeing Bayless tweet about him.
But then again, that’s never stopped him before.