Watch: LeBron James bows before Jim Brown prior to Cavs' Game 3 win

LeBron James bowed before NFL Hall of Famer Jim Brown before the start of Game 3 of the NBA Finals against the Golden State Warriors.

SI Staff | Jun 9, 2015

Watch: LeBron James bows before Jim Brown prior to Cavs' Game 3 win /

The city of Cleveland is entrenched in a 51-year title drought, as no major professional team has won a championship since Jim Brown led the Cleveland Browns to the NFL Championship in 1964.

In present day, LeBron James is on a mission to end that prolonged stretch of sports mediocrity for his home state of Ohio. The Cavaliers stepped onto the court at Quicken Loans Arena with a legitimate shot in the NBA Finals. James carried the Cavaliers in a 96–91 victory in which he scored 40 points to set a record for most points through three games of an NBA Finals.

The promise of another title brought out Brown, an Ohio legend, to watch the Cavaliers play in Game 3. Prior to tip-off, James spotted Brown and paid homage by bowing, to which Brown responded with closed hands as a sign of gratitude, producing a historic moment for a city with a tortured sports history. Catch the shared respect in a vine.

Vine via RealGM

-- DeAntae Prince

GALLERY: Sports Illustrated's best photos from Game 3 of the NBA Finals

SI's Best Photos From Game 3 of the NBA Finals

John W. McDonough for Sports Illustrated

SI's Best Photos from Game 3: Matthew Dellavedova rose to the occasion again for the Cavaliers in Game 3, scoring 20 points and making several hustle plays to help Cleveland win 96-91 to grab a two games to one lead in the NBA Finals.

LeBron James converted this alley-oop pass from Matthew Dellavedova (far right) for a pivotal basket in the fourth quarter.

Despite Steph Curry's attempt to hold Matthew Dellavedova back, the Cavs guard kept driving toward the basket on this play and hit a circus shot off the glass and drew a foul.

Steph Curry found his shooting touch in the fourth quarter, scoring 17 points as the Warriors, who trailed by 20 in the third quarter, refused to go away. (Text credit: AP)

Matthew Dellavedova dove to the floor for a loose ball ahead of the Warriors.

LeBron James finished with 40 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists in 46 minutes.

Tristan Thompson scored 10 points and had 13 rebounds for Golden State.

LeBron James has scored 123 points in the series, the most ever scored by a player through the first three games of the Finals.

LeBron James threw down a monster dunk in the first half.

LeBron James's 40-point effort followed 44-point and 39-point efforts in Games 1 and 2, respectively.

Timofey Mozgov blocks a shot by Festus Ezeli.

The Warriors' Klay Thompson attempts to grab a loose ball.

LeBron James attempted 34 shots in his 46 minutes on the floor.

Tristan Thompson makes an emphatic finish on an easy basket.

Steph Curry scored only three points in the first quarter on 1-of-6 shooting and had only 10 at halftime.

Cleveland held the NBA's highest scoring team to a measley 37 points in the first half.

Published Jun 9, 2015

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