Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James in action against the Golden State Warriors in the second half of Game 4 of the NBA Finals Friday at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. Photo by Larry W. Smith/EPA
June 10 (UPI) -- Everybody knows about LeBron James' social media activity during the playoffs. But he talked about his strategy to avoid the platforms on Friday.
James notched another NBA Finals triple-double in the Cleveland Cavaliers' 137-116 win against the Golden State Warriors in Game 4. His Cavaliers looked overmatched in the first three games of the series, prompting social media users to mention James unfavorably, filling up the Twitter-sphere.
But none of it bothers 'King James.'
He was asked about his tactics in Friday's postgame interview session. He said he doesn't talk to teammates after tweets, like the one J.R. Smith said he didn't send after the Cavaliers' Game 3 loss.
"I don't see it. So I can't talk to my teammates about it because I don't see it. Unless one of the guys brings it to me as a joke or something they want me to see," James said. "But it doesn't go across...I don't have notifications on my phone. I don't have none of the apps on my phone right now, so I cant even click on it...I don't accidentally click on it. I don't get involved in that man. Because I know that I am like every other mention when I play. I don't like it man. Because people just be talking like. People talk crazy man, I'm gonna leave it at that. So I know better."
Kyrie Irving, who led all scorers Friday with 40 points, is taking the opposite approach. He used social media critics to fuel his performance.
"I mean, we're in the Finals," Irving told reporters. "Everything is accessible. Social media is everywhere. I mean, social media is just -- it raises the bar, especially the attention that goes on with it. So we see everything. I'll be sitting up here lying saying that I didn't see it."
"But I relish in that challenge. I know my teammates do as well. So it's been going back and forth all season, and now we're in the Finals and everything is just pinpointed. But definitely heard the chatter."
LeBron began his annual social media blackout in April. He said goodbye to millions of his followers from around the world with a simple message: "Zero Dark Thirty-23 Activated." He has repeated the ritual every postseason since 2012.
James scored 31 points and had 11 assists and 10 rebounds in Friday's victory. He also had a ridiculous alley-oop dunk to himself.
Before last year's NBA Finals, no team had ever come back from a 3-1 deficit to win a championship series. The Cavaliers are now tasked with making history again if the franchise wants to comeback from its 3-0 hole. The Cavaliers and Warriors face off again at 9 p.m. Monday at Oracle Arena. If Cleveland wins Game 5, it will force another contest at Quicken Loans Arena in an attempt to tie up a possible seven-game series.
But Cavaliers fans still have faith. Friday night's game ended with the arena chanting "Cavs in seven."