LeBron On Stage In Big Apple
Plenty of fanfare surrounded LeBron James during his latest visit to Madison Square Garden. With all eyes on the Cavaliers' superstar, his team soundly trounced the Knicks, 119-101.
Last week, the Knicks completed two trades to create salary cap room in 2010, in what many view as a clearing of the decks designed to land James as a free-agent that summer.
The New York fans gave James a rousing ovation during introductions and paid him special attention throughout the night.
James smiled as one fan near the bench yelled, "Just two short years, LeBron!"
"Every time I come here it's like a warm feeling," James told the media before the game. "It's not just basketball, it's everything that went on -- concerts, boxing -- with Madison Square Garden. Being a basketball junkie like myself, how can you not love it being in this building? I can't sit up here and say that it's not great to be here and play .... I'm saying playing here as a Cavalier, not saying being here all the time."
Nike unveiled a billboard on Seventh Avenue in Manhattan to promote James' Nike Zoom LeBron 6 'Big Apple' sneaker. James wore the shoes for the first time during the game.