Cleveland is embracing Bronny James the same way they did LeBron James

CLEVELAND — The collective chants broke out late in the fourth quarter and Los Angeles Lakers rookie Bronny James did his best acting job, keeping his cool in front of a sold-out Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse crowd.

“It was crazy, certainly bigger than I expected,” he said after the Lakers’ 134-110 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday. “It was a nice moment. These songs really captivated me. I had a serious look on my face, but I felt it. I felt really good, especially driving from here. It was a special moment for me.”

Every week after LeBron James and Bronny James became the first father-son duo to play on the same court together in an NBA game on Oct. 22, their return to their native Ohio sparked praise and pride for his or her father, a legendary player who spent 11 years spent in the NBA with the Cavaliers and for his son, who spent his young years at the stadium, watching his father play.

In anticipation of the Lakers’ visit, a love festival began a number of weeks ago. The idea of ​​the Jameses playing on the same team was a preferred topic of conversation in barbershops, especially of their hometown of Akron.

“First of all, we all couldn’t believe that someone would be able to play with their son for that long,” said Jason Andrew, owner of Andrew’s Barbershop in West Akron. “And as for the criticism of LeBron caring for his son, it is no different in corporate America. They care about their sons, why not LeBron?”

Since LeBron James helped the Cavaliers win their only NBA title in 2016, he stays well received by the fans who made Wednesday’s game successful.

“This game brings another level of excitement,” Deonte Edwards, owner of Kutz Barbershop in Akron, said before the game. “It’s always great love when LeBron comes back and it will be the same with Bronny.”

The anticipation also rubbed off on a few of LeBron’s former teammates. Former Cavaliers guard Daniel “Boobie” Gibson is well aware of the love affair Northeast Ohio fans have with their athletes.

“The game in Los Angeles where they made history was more of a look,” Gibson said. “But here it’s more a matter of feel. It’s more authentic. The fans here are more connected to (Bronny’s) story because he’s from here. And they intend to support him.”

Earlier in the day, before the Lakers’ shootaround, Gibson said his support as a fan can be surreal because he hadn’t seen Bronny James since he was a child.

“What makes this game even bigger is that I saw him in this spot when we lifted the Eastern Conference championship trophy (2006-07),” Gibson said. “Seeing LeBron still playing at the highest level and now his son playing in the league doesn’t seem real. I’m just happy to soak it all in.”

Hours before Wednesday’s game, the Cavaliers organization placed several digital posters at the entrance to the visiting locker room. 15-year-old Bronny appeared at the exhibition in the middle of the Cavaliers’ NBA title celebration, with considered one of his fathers holding the championship and MVP trophies.

During the first timeout of the first quarter, the Cavaliers honored the father and son with a tribute video accommodates the most significant moments of the game of LeBron James and photographs of him and elementary-aged Bronny on the basketball court. The jumbotron also showed the father and son survive a split screen as arena host Ahmaad Crump welcomed them back to Cleveland.

“I was a little angry at halftime (because the Lakers were losing), so I didn’t have a chance to really appreciate (the video), but I heard it,” LeBron James said after the game. “When I heard his name too, that’s when I looked up and I think I hit him in the leg. (The video) was pretty cool.”

The Cavaliers, winners of 5 straight games, were hot as they led by double digits for much of the game. LeBron James got his. He had 26 points and 6 rebounds. At the starting of the fourth round, the Lakers led by 20 points.

Later in the quarter, the fans began chanting: “We want Bronny.” With LeBron James on the bench, Lakers coach JJ Reddick sent his son onto the court with 5:16 left. Several thousand fans stood and cheered. One of those fans was Bronny James’ grandmother, who was once a fixture on the scene during her son’s reign.

“I’m so grateful for all the people in the arena who were chanting his name and cheering him on,” Gloria James told Andscape. “It was special. Bronny worked hard to get to this present day and make it to the NBA. He is worthy and deserves it, I’m very comfortable for him and really comfortable for his dad.

Bronny James, a second-round draft pick of USC, gave his grandmother much more reasons to be comfortable when he scored his first NBA points shortly after entering the game in short stepback sweater, 2:03 left. The bucket means LeBron and Bronny James are the first father and son to attain in an NBA game. Bronny James was scoring points almost to the day when his dad scored his first NBA points against the Sacramento Kings on October 29, 2003.

“To see him score his first NBA basket in the arena where he grew up just down the road from here is an unbelievable moment, an unbelievable moment for him, especially for our family,” LeBron James said. “It’s just cool to be a part of it.”

Bronny James finished the game with 2 points, 2 assists and 1 steal. Fans didn’t get to see the father and son on the court like they did last week, but they left with something that was also memorable – especially for local Eric Hales and his 10-year-old son Blake.

“I’m here because it’s my son’s birthday and I wanted him to see LeBron and Bronny play together for the first time here in Cleveland,” Hales said. “LeBron and Bronny together on the same team is a great example of father-son collaboration. There is no greater joy.”