Published 12:04 IST, February 2nd 2021
LeBron James responds to heckler's Instagram rant: 'Courtside Karen was MAD MAD'
Lakers star LeBron James has responded to his heckler's long Instagram rant after a heated altercation during the game vs the Hawks on Monday night.
Defending champions Los Angeles Lakers have been in great form on the road this season, the result was no different when they travelled to Atlanta to face the Hawks. The game also saw a controversial stoppage of play, in the fourth quarter as LeBron James had an exchange with fans in courtside seats. The altercation saw four fans ejected out of the State Farm Arena, but the 35-year-old has remained diplomatic when discussing the ejection of 'courtside Karen'.
LeBron James response: Lakers star says he 'missed the interaction' with fans after heated altercation
Speaking to the reporters after the Lakers vs Hawks game, Lebron James said that he "missed that interaction" with a live audience and felt like their actions was warranted to be kicked out. The reigning NBA Finals MVP said that the exchange was back and forth between the two parties and believes they shouldn't have been kicked out. The Lakers star, however, added that the hecklers might've had a couple of drinks maybe and could've probably kept it going in the game and so the referees did what they had to do. LeBron's teammate Anthony Davis was a touch blunter and said, "It was a crazy little thing, but s--t happens".
The Lakers star's comments come in after Juliana Carlos, who was escorted out of the building after the altercation, revealed her side of the story. The LeBron James heckler took to Instagram and said that she told LeBron “I’m going to f*** you up” because he cursed at her husband. She says that the 35-year-old started fighting with her before saying 'shut your mouth dumb b****'.
Carlos continued her rant on social media and hurled expletives at the Lakers star. LeBron James ultimately laughed off the situation on Twitter, with a tongue-in-cheek remark calling her a 'Courtside Karen'. According to ESPN's Dave McMenamin, four fans were escorted out of the arena.
The heckling seemed to have worked against the Hawks, as LeBron James rallied to help the Lakers to a win. A three-pointer from Trae Young brought Atlanta to within a point of the defending champions with 1:40 on the clock, but James responded with five quick points to eliminate any doubt about the result. LeBron ended the game with 21 points, 9 assists, and 7 rebounds to help Lakers to a 107-99 win at the State Farm Arena.
(Image Courtesy: LeBron James, Juliana Carlos Instagram)
Updated 12:48 IST, February 2nd 2021