CLEVELAND — The arena's name might have changed, the locker room in which he slipped on his uniform might have been down the hall and the signature headband look might have been replaced by a now easily identifiable graying beard, but LeBron James was playing basketball in Cleveland on Saturday night and winning.
Same as it ever was. The Los Angeles Lakers beat the host Cavaliers 121-115 to improve to 10-7 on the season. While it wasn't quite a vintage James performance — he scored 22 points on 8-of-23 shooting, including 1-of-9 from 3 — he sealed the victory with two consecutive scores with under two minutes to go in the fourth quarter, getting a layup and a dunk to push L.A.'s lead from one to five.
And just like James kept coming at his former team, the 21-year NBA veteran keeps achieving in his career. So much so, in fact, that his charitable foundation opened up a museum — LeBron James' Home Court — on Saturday morning in his hometown of Akron, Ohio, to chronicle all the feats he continues to be responsible for. «Spent 11 years here and being able to come back after my Miami stint and win a championship here for this franchise, for this city, I think it was a 52-year [title] drought or something like that in the city of Cleveland for any sports team, I think that was just something that I will never forget no matter how old I get,» James said. «I'll always remember that moment.» The Cavs organization did its part in treating James like an old friend rather than the night's opponent.
Cleveland's mascot, Moondog, approached the Lakers' huddle to greet James with a fist pound when he was announced in the starting lineup.