“Blocked by James!” is something NBA fans have grown accustomed to hearing, especially after LeBron James’s chase down block on Andre Iguodala to save Game 7 of the 2016 NBA Finals. He replicated the play tonight against Orlando Magic’s Tristan da Silva, only this time, the King added some flair to pay tribute to his 2003 Draft classmate, Carmelo Anthony.
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Much like the block from 2016, this play started with a turnover. James received the ball above the break from Anthony Davis, who set a ghost screen for LeBron before rolling to the rim.
The Brow’s gravity forced three defenders into the paint and LBJ tried to exploit the defense by kicking it out to Dalton Knecht. However, the pass would linger in the air long enough for defensive guard Jalen Suggs to snatch it.
Suggs attacked on the fastbreak and found a cutting da Silva who dribbled past Knecht with full steam. James, who was on the right side of the basket inched towards the paint and patiently waited for the rookie forward to take the first step of his layup.
Just as Tristan had the ball in both hands, ready to dunk, the King exploded off his left foot to block the dunk attempt off the glass. The timing of such chase-down blocks has been mastered by James over the years and he wasn’t a second too late or too early on this either.
The cherry on the cake? James passionately yelling “Gimme that s**t” as he swatted da Silva.
After a turnover, LeBron James pays homage to his buddy Carmelo Anthony with a good ol' fashioned "Gimme that shit"pic.twitter.com/rMPhHTNL1w
— Hot Hand Theory (@HotHandTheory) November 22, 2024
It was reminiscent of Carmelo Anthony’s impassioned battlecries when he grabbed rebounds. “Gimme that s**t” was certainly a staple in his arsenal, but the one fans probably remember more fondly is Melo yelling “I got it, f**k out of here“.
Perhaps the vernacular passed down to LeBron during Anthony’s stint with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2021. But it certainly felt like the #7’s legacy was well preserved at Crypto Arena tonight.
