The Cleveland Cavaliers decimated the New York Knicks tonight. But wait, that’s not all! We got a throwback to the LeBron James era in Cleveland tonight when Jarrett Allen hit a monstrous windmill dunk. This happened in the fourth quarter after he intercepted a pass intended for Karl-Anthony Towns. And it seems Allen’s efforts caught the eye of Bron himself. And the King took the time to acknowledge Allen despite some recent concerns regarding his health.
At the post-game press conference, Jarrett Allen jokingly dismissed the comparisons to LBJ. “Honestly, I was telling them, I wanted to look like Bron. Trying to bring it back. I looked at the replay, nothing close,” said the Cavs star. Whether the dunk comes close to Bron’s ones is up for debate! The most impressive result? Getting a response from the man himself! After the interview went viral, the former Cavs legend took to his Instagram story to share his thoughts on the imitation.
LeBron encouraged Allen to keep it up. Below a string of laughing emojis, LeBron wrote, “You got it next time J.A.” James then gave Allen his props, acknowledging his light-hearted nature. “Love this dude!!! GREAT ENERGY AND SPIRIT,” wrote LeBron on his IG story. LeBron appears to be impressed by Allen’s attempt at recreating his signature move.
Feb 18, 2024; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Western Conference forward LeBron James (23) of the Los Angeles Lakers dunks the ball during the first half of the 73rd NBA All Star game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
And Jarrett will have many more opportunities to channel his inner LeBron. After all, his team has cruised into the postseason with tonight’s win being their 61st. However, the road still looks a little murky for the man he was trying to emulate tonight.
LeBron James’ mystery illness sparks concerns about the Lakers
We’re used to seeing LeBron James pull off his signature dunks in games. He does it frequently even as a 40-year-old playing in his 22nd NBA season. But if you’ve watched any of his recent games, you may have noticed something. LeBron James’ output is starting to regress slightly.
In the 6 games since his return from injury, LeBron has averaged only 18.6 points. While that’s a respectable tally for any other player, for someone like him who’s used to averaging around 27 ppg every season, this is worrying. His recent performances are starting to make him look human as opposed to the dominant force we know him as. However, there may be a good reason for this.
Sources close to the Lakers have suggested that this sudden decline is down to a mysterious illness that LeBron is suffering. The eagle-eyed among you will have noticed LeBron with tissues and cold medicine before games. However, there aren’t any worries about this being more than a passing illness.
Mar 26, 2025; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) in the first half Indiana Pacers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images
What is concerning, though, is that the Lakers have struggled in this stretch of games. The Lakers are 3-3 since LeBron’s return, and his reduced ability is one of the reasons behind it. Even though he’s been doing a serviceable job since his return, the Lakers will need more to push them over the edge against top contenders like the Oklahoma City Thunder and Jarrett Allen’s team if both the Cavs and Lakers make it to the finals.
The coming week will be very telling of the Lakers’ postseason. We just hope LeBron can go back to being his former self. And there’s no better time for him to do that than in the Lakers’ next game, where they’ll face superstar Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors!
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