Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James dribbles the ball up court against the Dallas Mavericks during the first half of an NBA basketball game Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez) (Julio Cortez, Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)
CLEVELAND – It’s always special for LeBron James when he returns to Northeast Ohio.
The 41-year-old was even more emotional than usual on Wednesday, when the Los Angeles Lakers faced the Cleveland Cavaliers.
James teared up during a timeout with 7:46 remaining in the first quarter when the Cavaliers showed video highlights of him scoring 25 straight points during Game 5 of the 2007 Eastern Conference finals against the Detroit Pistons.
The Cavaliers won that game 109-107 in double overtime to take the lead in the series as James finished with 48 points, nine rebounds and seven assists. They beat the Pistons in Cleveland the next game to advance to the NBA Finals for the first time.
James wiped his eyes with a towel after the video played.
It was the first time the Cavaliers have honored James by playing highlights from that game. Usually they have showed clips of Game 7 of the 2016 NBA Finals — when Cleveland won its first championship — or when the Akron native was the first overall pick in the 2003 draft.
James spent 11 seasons over two stints with the Cavs. He left as a free agent in 2018 to join the Lakers.
___
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba
Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
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