Heading into this first round series against the Portland Trail Blazers, Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James knew that this was going to be a special matchup. In year 17 together, James was facing one of his best friends in the world in Carmelo Anthony.
Now that the series is over, with the Lakers advancing to the second round after taking care of the Blazers in five games, The King showed some love and respect to his good buddy, especially for his redemption campaign with Portland.
FACTS!!!! And proud as hell of my brother @carmeloanthony doing what he did on his return!! šš¾āš¾ https://t.co/D169bP6UFY
ā LeBron James (@KingJames) August 30, 2020
The King certainly empathizes with what his dear friend went through, especially these last couple of years. For over a year, Anthony struggled to find a home in the NBA. Majority of teams turned their heads away toward the former scoring champ and nobody wanted to give him a chance until the Blazers did this season.
Despite contemplating retirement amidst the uncertainty of his career, Anthony stayed ready and continued to work. His dedication paid off as he eventually became a key piece for Portland throughout the season and especially through their inspiring run in the bubble and in the playoffs.
Anthony proved his worth with a vintage performance on Saturday. He filled in for the absence of All-Star guard Damian Lillard as Portland valiantly fought against the mightier Lakers squad. Melo finished with 27 points on 9-of-16 shooting to go along with seven rebounds in 40 minutes.
After the final buzzer sounded, signaling the end of the Blazers' season, the two good friends shared a touching embrace and exchange at the court. Hopefully, this isn't the end of the line for Carmelo Anthony. The future Hall of Famer hinted that he could return next season and he hopes he's still gets to wear a Blazers uniform by then.
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