Bronny James scores the first points of his NBA career, 21 years and one day after LeBron’s first in the league

On November 2, 2024By Littum

CNN
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“We want Bronny! We want Bronny!”

That was the chant from a crowd desperate to see Bronny James take to the floor on Wednesday, but it came mainly from opposition fans.

Specifically, Cleveland Cavaliers fans who wanted to see the son of franchise hero LeBron James get some court time during the visit of the Los Angeles Lakers.

Lakers head coach JJ Reddick finally obliged and inserted Bronny in the fourth quarter to a loud ovation from the Cleveland crowd.

With just over two minutes remaining, the younger James gave the crowd the moment they had been waiting for, scoring his first career NBA points with a putback shot. A huge cheer went up inside the arena.

In the context of the game, the shot didn’t mean much as the Cavaliers eased to a 134-110 victory over the Lakers, but it was a moment the crowd — and Bronny and LeBron — will likely remember forever.

Both men were born in Akron, just outside of Cleveland, and LeBron led his hometown Cavaliers to their first and only NBA championship in 2016, leading to a historic comeback against the Golden State Warriors.

The pair made history on the opening day of the season when they became the first father-son duo to appear together in an NBA game. Ahead of Wednesday’s game, Bronny posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, photos of posters the Cavaliers had put up inside LeBron’s arena and a young Bronny celebrating that title, with the captions “Welcome home Bronny” and “Welcome home LeBron” .”

Bronny called the atmosphere inside the arena “crazy”.

“Much more than I expected, but it’s all love,” he said. “It was a nice moment. The songs really got me. I was right in the face, but I felt it and it felt really good, especially coming from here. It was definitely a special moment for me.”

It was fitting that James' first point came against his hometown team.

Bronny added that he had dreamed of scoring his first NBA basket, which came 21 years and a day after LeBron’s first point in the league, “since I picked up a ball.”

“I’ve seen this guy for a minute playing in the league,” he said, pointing to LeBron. “So I’m just dreaming that I’m in the steps of these players, not just his, but also players that he’s played against and with. So it was just a dream come true for me.”

There was a comical moment when broadcast cameras panned to a completely expressionless – and seemingly emotionless – LeBron on the sideline after Bronny scored his basket, but the 39-year-old wore a proud smile throughout the postgame press conference as he watched his son speaks to reporters.

“He’s better than I would have been in that situation,” LeBron said. “20,000 fans screaming my name to be in the game and wanting me to be in the game and if the role is reversed I don’t know if I would have been able to handle it.

“So I commend him for his composure, the way he approaches not only the game but life in general.

“To see him get his first NBA basket in this arena where he grew up not too far from here, it’s an unbelievable moment. An unbelievable moment for him, first of all for our family. It’s just pretty cool to be a part of it.”

The Pacers hand the Celtics their first loss of the season

The Indiana Pacers survived a huge comeback attempt by the Boston Celtics to hand the defending champions their first loss of the season on Wednesday.

Indiana’s sputtering offense opened up a 24-point lead in the third quarter, but then capitulated down the stretch to allow Boston to tie the game and take it to overtime.

But Indiana, which was swept by the Celtics in the Eastern Conference Finals last season, showed impressive strength to hold off Boston’s surge and earn a 135-132 victory thanks to a Pascal Siakam three-pointer with six seconds left.

Pascal Siakam hit a three-pointer to give the Pacers the win.

Siakam, who lost all nine games he played against the Celtics last season for the Pacers and Toronto Raptors, finished with 29 points – 6-of-8 from deep – 11 rebounds and five assists.

Bennedict Mathurin had a huge night with 30 points and 11 rebounds in one of the best games of his young career, while Tyrese Haliburton added 17 points and 12 assists.

For the Celtics, Jayson Tatum scored 37 points, while Jaylen Brown added 25 and Derrick White 23.

Karl-Anthony Towns scored 44 points as the New York Knicks beat the Miami Heat 116-107 on Wednesday.

In his best performance for his new franchise since being traded from the Minnesota Timberwolves, Towns shot an efficient 68% from the floor, including 4-of-5 from three-point range, to go with 13 rebounds.

The Knicks trailed by 13 points in the third quarter, but went on a rampage to open up a seven-point lead entering the fourth.