Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James was at his passive-aggressive best over the weekend after his No. 7 seed Lakers upset the No. 2 seed Memphis Grizzlies in the first round of the playoffs. Bron took to Instagram and Twitter to send a not-so-subtle message to his vanquished foes. This isn’t the first time the four-time Finals MVP has trolled an opponent, who’d he give it to worse?
“If you ever see me fighting in the forest with a Grizzly bear, HELP THE BEAR 👑,” Bron posted to Instagram.
A direct shot at the Grizzlies, courtesy of a recycled Mystikal verse. He could have just said bear or he could’ve picked any other apex predator animal. But he specifically chose a grizzly bear.
Bron’s Twitter message seemed to be directed at one Grizzlies player in particular. The defensive-minded, trash-talking Dillon Brooks, who called Bron and the Lakers out before and during the series.
How Did We Get Here?
Bron and the Grizzlies have been going back and forth at each other since last season. The four-time league MVP didn’t take to kindly to all the trash talk coming from the young upstart Grizzlies during a blowout, and he warned them to “stop talking sh*t.”
Then there was the regular-season game in Los Angeles this year that involved noted LeBron stan Shannon Sharpe. A whole lot of hootin’ and hollerin’.
Then came the first set of comments from Brooks
“I wouldn’t mind playing LeBron in a seven-game series,” Brooks said at the end of the regular season. “The legacy is there. First time back in the playoffs, knock him out right away. They’ll test us good. They got good pieces, good players. That’ll be a good first-round matchup for us.”
Strong words from a player on a team that was only making their third playoff appearance and only won one series.
Still, the Grizzlies remained confident even after losing Game 1 of the series at home and after winning Game 2, Brooks doubled down on his trash talk of Bron.
“I don’t care; he’s old,” Brooks said after Game 2 of the Lakers vs. Grizzlies series. “I poke bears. I don’t respect no one until they come and give me 40 [points].”
Well, we all know what happened next.
Bron is not really the type to trash talk during the series itself, though he’ll say his fair share if things really get heated. He prefers to wait until after the series is done and do some subtle and not so subtle trolling.
Bron Trolled The Warriors In 2016
In 2016, then a member of the Cleveland Cavaliers, Bron led a historic comeback against the 73-win Golden State Warriors in the Finals. With the Warriors leading 3-1, Bron, Kyrie Irving, Kevin Love and the Cavs won three straight to win the title.
The night/early morning after the win while celebrating in Las Vegas, Bron was seen wearing an “Ultimate Warrior” T-shirt. He denied it being a shot at the Warriors, but we all know it was aimed at them.
Later that year at his Halloween party, Bron had tombstone-shaped cookies with Warriors players Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson and cookies that read “3-1 lead.”
When you’re on the losing end to arguably the greatest player of all time, it stings. The fact that he won’t let you forget it hurts worse.
Bron has trolled others as well. But given the magnitude of the 2016 Finals, we’d have to say he gave it to the Warriors worse.
As we move to the conference semifinals, old rivalries will be renewed.
The Warriors defeated the Sacramento Kings on Sunday in a tough seven-game series. Their opponent in the next round? Bron and the Lakers.
