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LeBron James Said He’s a 'Football Player' After Lakers' Loss to Pistons
LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers lost a tough game at home to the Detroit Pistons, 117-114, on Monday night. Detroit's tough play was just enough to bother the Lakers, including James's co-star Anthony Davis. Davis received a technical foul for showing frustration and shoving Pistons' big man Paul Reed to the floor after he aggressively boxed out Davis on an inbounds play.
After the game, James was asked about how opposing team's physicality has bothered the Lakers at times, while others it hasn't.
"You just got to match physicality with physicality," James told reporters following the loss via ESPN's Dave McMenamin. "I can't speak for nobody but myself when it comes to that. I'm a football player so I don't mind physicality to be honest."
LeBron James on whether opposing teams’ physicality- like Detroit - is getting the best of the Lakers: “I’m a football player so I don’t mind physicality, to be honest” pic.twitter.com/5jwit85CMj
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) December 24, 2024
James made the comment as he wiped blood off his wrist, ironically. His high school highlight tape as a wide receiver for St. Vincent-St. Mary even resurfaced after the comment.
How good was @KingJames as a high school football player and @tonyromo as a HS basketball player? On this special edition of the @MovetheSticks podcast, DJ and @BuckyBrooks examine the crossover between football and basketball.
— NFL Podcasts (@NFL_Podcasts) October 22, 2019
APPLE PODCASTS: https://t.co/20zJWOEQU1 pic.twitter.com/Cx4BgBg7VX
On Monday night, James got a good look at a game-tying three with just seconds remaining to take the game into overtime, but the shot rimmed out. The Pistons' win in Los Angeles snapped the Lakers' three-game winning streak.
LeBron and the Lakers (16-13) next play against Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors (15-13) on Christmas Day at 8 p.m. ET.
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Blake Silverman is a contributor to the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. Before joining SI in November 2024, he covered the WNBA, NBA, G League and college basketball for numerous sites, including Winsidr, SB Nation's Detroit Bad Boys and A10Talk. He graduated from Michigan State University before receiving a master's in sports journalism from St. Bonaventure University. Outside of work, he's probably binging the latest Netflix documentary, at a yoga studio or enjoying everything Detroit sports. A lifelong Michigander, he lives in suburban Detroit with his wife, young son and their personal petting zoo of two cats and a dog.