'I have zero level of concern at this stage' - LeBron James brushes off Game 1 thrashing from the Celtics
- The Cleveland Cavaliers got rocked by the Boston Celtics in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals on Sunday, losing 108-83.
- It was James' worst postseason performance in recent memory, with the Celtics holding the Cavaliers' superstar to 15 points and forcing him into seven turnovers.
- After the game, James still projected confidence, saying, "I have zero level of concern at this stage."
The Cleveland Cavaliers got walloped in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals on Sunday, falling to the Boston Celtics 108-83. The Celtics jumped out to a 20 point lead in the first quarter and held it through to the final buzzer.
Losing was a team effort for the Cavaliers this time around - while jokes have been made about "The Other Cavaliers" needing to step up their game to help LeBron, Cleveland's star player was uncharacteristically silent on the court on Sunday. James finished the day with just 15 points and seven rebounds, though he did set his teammates up for success with nine assists. Shooting a dismal 15% on three-point attempts as a team didn't help Cleveland's effort either, nor did James' seven turnovers on the day.
But despite the Cavaliers getting run off the floor, after the game, James remained confident in Cleveland's ability to turn things around and make a run to the NBA Finals.
"I have zero level of concern at this stage," James said. "I didn't go to college, so it's not March Madness. You know, you get better throughout the series. You see ways you can get better throughout the series. But I've been down 0-1, I've been down 0-2, I've been down before in the postseason."
"But for me, there's never no level of concern, no matter how bad I played tonight with seven turnovers, how inefficient I was shooting the ball. We have another opportunity to be better as a ballclub come Tuesday night, and we'll see what happens."
You can watch James' response below.
More NBA Playoffs coverage:
- LeBron James showed off his photographic memory again by perfectly recalling 3 straight plays to describe how the Celtics crushed the Cavs
- Kevin Love had a revealing explanation on what it takes to be a star playing with LeBron James
- Former Cleveland Cavaliers GM explains why LeBron James and Kyrie Irving could not co-exist
- The Rockets pulled off a blockbuster trade for Chris Paul 10 months ago, and it turned into the perfect partnership
- The Cavs' game plan includes $100 fines for players who commit a specific defensive mistake and it paid off in Game 1
- JJ Redick had to reschedule his GMAT exams after the Sixers made the playoffs