The Los Angeles home of LeBron James was vandalized on Wednesday with a racial epithet. Police are investigating the incident as a hate crime.

James was asked to comment on the incident during Wednesday's press conference ahead of Game 1 of The Finals.

"I mean, as I sit here on the eve of one of the greatest sporting events that we have in sports, race and what's going on comes again and on my behalf and my family's behalf," said James. "But I look at it as this. I mean, if this -- if this is to shed a light and continue to keep the conversation going on my behalf, then I'm okay with it. My family is safe. At the end of the day, they're safe, and that's the most important.

"But it just goes to show that racism will always be a part of the world, a part of America. And, you know, hate in America, especially for African Americans, is living every day. And even though that it's concealed most of the time, even though people hide their faces and will say things about you and when they see you they smile in your face, it's a part of life every single day.

"And I think back to Emmett Till's mom, actually. It's kind of one of the first things I thought of, and the reason that she had an open casket is because she wanted to show the world what her son went through as far as a hate crime and being black in America.

"So it's like it doesn't -- no matter how much money you have, no matter how famous you are, no matter how many people admire you, being black in America is -- it's tough. And we got a long way to go for us as a society and for us as African Americans, until we feel equal in America. But my family is safe, and that's what's -- that's what's important."

The Cleveland Cavaliers will wear their blue road jerseys for Game 1 of The Finals. The Cavaliers have worn that jersey for all prior playoff games this season.

The Cavaliers are holding onto their black, t-shirt style jerseys they wore in Games 5 and 7 last season for the "right moment."

The Cavaliers discussed which uniforms to wear against the Warriors for Game 1 on their flight back to Cleveland following Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals in Boston.

LeBron James confirmed he has interest in owning an NBA franchise when his playing career is over.

“We’re gonna still be together,” James said of Maverick Carter, Randy Mims and agent Rich Paul. James plans on having his current partners also work with him within the front office.

“I will own a team someday,” he said to Ken Berger of The Athletic, with emphasis.  “That’s my next thing.”

While James has ventures in media and entertainment, owning an NBA franchise is something he's obsessed with.

“Why do I want to own team?” he said. “I think it’ll be cool. I’ll stay part of the game and still be able to put people in positions of power. I’ve always loved that, putting people in a position of power to feel like they can make a change and make things happen.”

The Cleveland Cavaliers somewhat surprisingly selected Tristan Thompson with the fourth overall pick in the 2011 NBA Draft.

The Cavaliers were also considered Enes Kanter and Jonas Valanciunas.

Sources say the Cavaliers might have selected Valanciunas had he provided a specific time of when he would leave Europe for the NBA.

Valanciunas ultimately joined the Toronto Raptors just one season after he was drafted.

Kevin Love doesn't understand why the Cleveland Cavaliers are entering The Finals against the Golden State Warriors with the label of underdogs.

"The whole underdog thing is funny to me, because, yeah, at the end of the day we are defending our title," Love said Saturday after the Cavs' first practice ahead of The Finals. "We're trying to repeat, which is so hard to do. I think we will use it as fuel, we will use it as motivation, but the idea of playing into it? It's tough for me to say that is the case. I don't feel like we're underdogs. We match up well with them, and I think they'd say the same about us."

BPI says the Warriors have a 93 percent chance of winning the series. 

Tyronn Lue said the idea that the Cavs need the underdog title as a linchpin to get ready for the Finals is off base.

"We're not going to use that as motivation," Lue said. "It's like, we're in the NBA Finals. That's enough motivation alone. Not worry about what it says in Vegas or what people are saying about underdogs. We're not using that as an excuse. We've got to come out and play. Our goals were set at the beginning of the season, and that's to win a championship. So that's what we're focused on."

The Golden State Warriors enter The Finals against the Cleveland Cavaliers with the biggest advantage in regular season Net Rating since 1980.

The Warriors had a Net Rating of +11.6 during the regular season compared to +3.3 for the Cavaliers, which is a difference of 8.3.

The next highest differential came in the lockout shortened 1999 season when the San Antonio Spurs had a +9.0 Net Rating compared to +1.2 for the New York Knicks. The Boston Celtics in 1986, Orlando Magic in 1995 and Celtics in 1981 had the next three biggest advantages. The Magic were swept 4-0 by the Houston Rockets in 1995. 

The Warriors/Cavaliers matchup also ranks as the sixth (2015) and ninth (2016) biggest discrepancies since 1980.

While the Cavaliers were on a different level in the regular season, they have been dominant in the playoffs in losing just one game with a Net Rating of 14.3. The Warriors enter The Finals undefeated with a Net Rating of 16.3.

LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers advanced to The Finals for the third straight years as they defeated the Boston Celtics by a final score of 135-102 in Game 5.

James was asked if he's facing a particular challenge defending the Cavaliers' title against the Golden State Warriors.

"I'm going to be honest, I'm not in the right mind to even talk about Golden State," said James. "It's too stressful, and I'm not stressed right now. I'm very happy about our accomplishment. I have no discussion -- Golden State, they've been the best team in our league for the last three years, and then they added an MVP. That's all I can give you right now, because I'm happy and I don't want to be stressed. They cause a lot of stress, and I'll get to that point when we start to prepare for them."

The Cavaliers lost to the Warriors in 2015 and then came back from a 3-1 deficit to win the title in 2016.

Kyrie Irving had a postseason career high of 42 points in the Cleveland Cavaliers comeback win in Game 4 that gives them a 3-1 series lead over the Boston Celtics.

“I knew how much my team needed me, and I just needed to will it at that point,” Irving said. “I’m sure when I get home, my body will probably hate me. It’s about the magnitude of the game and what’s at stake.”

“He was built for this,” LeBron James said of Irving. “He was born for these moments.”

“It hasn’t been anything short of difficult trying to figure out when will it be my time,” Irving said Tuesday night. “It’s hard not to think about because as I continue to get older and I’m playing with an unbelievable player like ‘Bron … but I just have to enjoy the ride. Individual goals, you just push to the side because with this team, nothing is promised.

"‘Bron being so special, I’m trying to give him rest here and there and figure out where my spots are.

LeBron James has won the 2016-17 J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award as selected by the Professional Basketball Writers Association (PBWA). The honor, named after the NBA’s second commissioner, is presented annually by the PBWA to a player, coach or athletic trainer who shows outstanding service and dedication to the community.

James was one of five finalists for the award, along with New York Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony, Chicago Bulls forward Jimmy Butler, Portland Trail Blazers guard CJ McCollum and Memphis Grizzlies forward Zach Randolph. The finalists were chosen by a committee of PBWA members from a list of 26 nominees submitted by NBA teams. The winner was determined by a vote of the entire PBWA, which is composed of approximately 200 writers and editors who cover the NBA on a regular basis for newspapers, online outlets and magazines.

James is being honored for improving the educational opportunities of disadvantaged youth in his hometown of Akron, Ohio, and creating long-term change in his community.

During an interview with ESPN, Adam Silver said he is unconcerned with the playoff dominance of the Golden State Warriors and Cleveland Cavaliers. The two teams, who have played each other in the past two Finals, are a combined 20-0.

"It's not a concern," Silver said. "I think that we should celebrating excellence. People are already anointing these teams as dominant and franchise teams. But, on the other hand, I look at the [Warriors] that hadn't won a championship in 40 years. The Cavaliers, of course, won last year and had never won a championship before in this league. ... Of course you want to see balance throughout the league. At the same time, when teams are excelling and playing at that level, I think, the fan in me, it's fantastic to watch."

Silver's time with the NBA has largely been marked by his pursuit of competitive balance.