This has easily been the most frustrating season of LeBron James’ decorated career and he took some of his anger out on Toronto Raptors rookie sensation Scottie Barnes on Monday night.
James — who is still performing at an All-NBA level while the Lakers have posted an abysmal 29-39 record — grew irritated as the Raptors ran away with the game from the outset, bursting out to a 19-2 start and never looking back.
During the third quarter, in an ostensible attempt to save the ball from going out of bounds, James whipped the rock aggressively off Barnes, who was already on the ground in a valiant attempt to corral the loose ball. Here is the play in question:
Was this a dirty play by James — who earned the first suspension of his career earlier this season after elbowing Detroit Pistons forward Isaiah Stewart — or a normal basketball play? We’ll let you decide, but the Raptors’ vocal fan base has already made their opinion clear on Twitter.
Barnes, for what it’s worth, was seemingly unfazed. The 20-year-old started the game on fire, hitting his first five shots and finished with 21 points, nine rebounds, five assists and two blocks in 40 minutes. At this point of the season, Barnes is challenging Cleveland Cavaliers forward Evan Mobley for Rookie of the Year honours and is a major reason why the Raptors could avoid the play-in tournament.
Even still, it must be a jarring experience to see LeBron James whip a ball at you during your rookie year. LeBron made his NBA debut when Barnes was merely two years old, an age difference we have to point out, even just for the sheer hilarity of the GOAT losing his cool on a random Monday night.
“I was on the floor, he pushed me on the floor, then I saw him loading up and I just thought, ‘Oh man.’ That’s why I really just tried to cover myself so it didn’t hit me in the face. He put a lot of power into it, cocked it back, threw it. I was like, damn,” Barnes told reporters post-game.
Perhaps this is flattery in its highest form. LeBron has seen it all and for Barnes to make such an impression on the King bodes well for his seemingly limitless future.
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