Search icon

US Sports

26th Dec 2014

LeBron James makes ’emotional’ return to Miami

'It's tough to play under these circumstances, man'

Robert Redmond

Miami Heat victorious in the King James derby.

LeBron James ’emotional’ return to Miami was spoiled yesterday. James scored 30 points, but it wasn’t enough as the Heat recorded a comfortable 101-91 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers. The game on Christmas Day was the first back in the city for the four-time MVP. James had won two NBA Championships with the Heat upon joining from the Cavaliers, his home town team, in 2010.

‘It’s tough to play under these circumstances, man,’ James said after the game. ‘You’re so used to playing regular-season games, and then you have to play one like this. Or my first home game, when I went back home (to Cleveland this season), my first home game. So, it’s very difficult’. Heat fans largely booed James when the game began, but generously cheered their former star when a tribute video was shown during a first-quarter time-out. The clip looked back on his time with Miami and James was clearly touched by the gesture.

‘It’s cool,’ James said of the tribute. ‘A lot of emotions come back and you know, I spent four years here with those guys, man and some guys are still here, some guys are not here. We put in a lot of hard work and dedication just to do the best we could’. The crowd then gave James a standing ovation and the Cavs’ player acknowledged them during a time-out. ‘I think these fans are great,” he said. ‘I always talked about them and always said that and they always showed their loyalty’.

http://instagram.com/p/xDjhCFiTM4/?modal=true

Topics:

LeBron James,NBA