Check on your strong Knicks fan friend today, guys.
LeBron James and Dwyane Wade fought to the finish on Monday night. This is Wade’s final season in the NBA, and the Heat’s matchup against the Lakers was his final game against his best friend in the world.
The two shoo-in Hall of Fame players left everything out on the court. The game came down to a wild fourth quarter with James locking up Wade on the final possession of the game to seal a 108-105 win, and bragging rights for the rest of eternity.
Relive the BEST action down the stretch as the @Lakers prevail in the thrilling final meeting between LeBron James and Dwyane Wade! #OneLastDance#ThisIsWhyWePlaypic.twitter.com/9fYVwqrrR4
— NBA (@NBA) December 11, 2018
James finished with nearly a triple double. He had 28 points, 12 assists and nine rebounds. Wade had some spry moments of his own, turning in 15 points, 10 assists and five rebounds. It was a vintage showdown. It was one last dance between two of the best to ever do it.
the TOP PLAYS from LeBron James (28 PTS, 12 AST, 9 REB) & Dwyane Wade (15 PTS, 10 AST, 5 REB) in their final matchup, as the @Lakers/@MiamiHEAT go down to the wire in LA! #OneLastDance#ThisIsWhyWePlaypic.twitter.com/LvForegeYA
— NBA (@NBA) December 11, 2018
But after the two friends embraced each other after the game, knowing it would be their last time going head-to-head in an NBA game, something happened. Not your average something, either. No. This something was a gut punch to New York Knicks fans who witnessed it.
Wade thanked James for letting him play his last game against his best friend in Los Angeles, a nod to James’ decision to sign with the Lakers in free agency over the summer.
LeBron’s response?
“It was either here or at The Garden.”
And he wasn’t talking about The Boston Garden.
HOLD UP a second...
— . (@WorldWideWob) December 11, 2018
After Wade says “I appreciate you letting it end here,”
LeBron says “it was either here or at the Garden.”
YOU GOTTA BE KIDDING ME @nyknicks!!!!!! pic.twitter.com/yJFzthxgJO
To make matters worse, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst said former Knicks president Phil Jackson’s handling of Carmelo Anthony virtually made James to New York dead in the water:
He was PROBABLY always going to go to LA. But after the way Phil treated Melo, it was sealed.
— Brian Windhorst (@WindhorstESPN) December 11, 2018
James has been linked to potentially playing for the New York Knicks his whole career. Last season, he dubbed himself “The King of New York” and called Madison Square Garden his “favorite playground.”
New York did not have enough cap space to sign James outright in free agency last summer, but if The King came calling, Knicks brass would have found a way to shed cap in the blink of an eye. A large majority of Knicks Twitter was upset when they heard what James said:
I would hire Phil Jackson tonight just to fire him again tomorrow after what LeBron said. I’m a different level of heated b
— Kazeem Famuyide (@RealLifeKaz) December 11, 2018
as a Knicks fan there is no other way to describe this feeling re: LeBron's comments than the one u always loved coming up to u at the hometown bar, now married with kids and living their best life, telling u "you should have asked me out back in the day i would have said yes"
— . (@WorldWideWob) December 11, 2018
LeBron told Dwyane Wade on camera that the places he considered ending his career were "here or the Garden" AND AS A KNICKS FAN I AM NOW GOING TO DIG THE DEEPEST HOLE I CAN, NEVER TO COME OUT
— Rodger Sherman (@rodger) December 11, 2018
After the game James did clarify that “here or the Garden” comment that no other venue could hold such a historic game as the last one between James and Wade. And not that he was signing with the Knicks. But that doesn’t help much.
It’s OK Knicks fans. Y’all can still tank for Zion Williamson.