LeBron James vs. Cleveland: Top performances against Cavaliers

LeBron James returns to familiar territory on Wednesday when the Los Angeles Lakers take on the Cleveland Cavaliers on the road.

James is from Akron, Ohio and attended St. Vincent-St. Mary High School in the city, who is emerging as one of the most touted prospects in the country. The Cavaliers selected James No. 1 overall in the 2003 NBA Draft.

James, who spent 11 seasons with the Cavaliers in two different stints with the team, often goes into extra gear when he returns home. With a 9-2 record, he is averaging 31.6 points, 9.2 rebounds and 7.5 assists per game on 54% shooting when facing Cleveland.

Last season, James described returning home as “just special.”

“It's always a pretty cool feeling to come back to that floor, look up there and be a part of pretty much all the banners in that arena,” James said. “And the No. 1 banner that’s in the middle was the championship in ’16, so that’s pretty cool.”

Here's a look back at James' notable games against the Cavaliers in Cleveland.

Date: March 21, 2022

Statistics: 38 points, 12 assists, 10 rebounds, 58.6% shooting

Results: 131-120 Lakers win

In the middle of an offseason in Los Angeles, James dominated on his trip home.

According to the Elias Sports Bureau, he scored 17 points in the second quarter en route to a 38-point triple-double, becoming the sixth player in NBA history with at least three triple-doubles against his former team.

It was also his third triple-double against the Cavaliers, all of whom played on the road. The only other players in NBA history to record three triple-doubles against their former team in their building are Domantas Sabonis and Fat Lever. His 38 points are the second most in a triple-double against a player's former team.

LeBron's performance also included his former Cavaliers teammate Kevin Love being on the receiving end of a memorable highlight. James hit Love emphatically late in the second quarter. The King then joked that he would hopefully still be invited to Love's wedding.

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Date: January 25, 2021

Statistics: 46 points, 8 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 steals, 2 blocks, 73.1% shooting

Results: 115-108 Lakers win

James doesn't need any extra motivation when he returns to Cleveland. But this time it didn't hurt.

Late in the third quarter, he had a back-and-forth with a person on the sideline who James said was a member of the Cavaliers' front office.

“I felt like he was a little too excited because he saw me missing,” he said.

This led to James scoring 21 points in the fourth quarter, single-handedly outscoring Cleveland, which was its highest-scoring fourth quarter since 2017. He became the oldest Lakers player to have 40 points since Kobe Bryant scored 60 in his last game.

After the game, James jokingly quipped, “It's good for him that I only come here once.”

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Date: November 21, 2018

Statistics: 32 points, 14 rebounds, 7 assists, 55% shooting

Results: 109-105 Lakers win

Unlike his first trip back to Cleveland, James received a hero's welcome after his second exit from the franchise.

The Cavaliers showed a video tribute during a timeout in the first quarter that resulted in a loud, standing ovation. James acknowledged the crowd, pointed to all four corners of the building and then played a key role in the Lakers' victory.

James scored or assisted 11 straight points in the fourth quarter to erase an eight-point deficit. After the game he realized the difference in his returns.

“It just felt different since we landed yesterday,” he said. “I am a different person. We are all different than we were eight years ago, both for better and for worse. But more importantly, this experience was great.”

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Date: March 19, 2014

Statistics: 43 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 blocks, 73.7% shooting

Results: 100-96 Miami Heat win

Although James' final appearance in Cleveland as a member of the Heat wasn't as loud as his first, he still made his mark on the court.

James jumped out of the gate early with 25 points in the first quarter on 10 of 11 shooting. It set the stage for a particularly efficient 40-point night with 73.7% shooting, his sixth-highest field goal percentage of the season.

He scored six points in the final two minutes of the game, securing a narrow Miami victory. Four months later, he was back with the Cavaliers.

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Date: December 2, 2010

Statistics: 38 points, 8 assists, 5 rebounds, 60% shooting

Results: 118-90 Miami Heat win

James' first return to Cleveland was a true spectacle. Fans booed constantly, signs were scattered throughout the crowd, and objects were thrown. None of that mattered to LeBron.

He scored 24 of his 38 points in the third quarter, helping the Heat win in a tough environment. He also had a game-high plus-minus of plus-26, the third-highest of his entire season.

James said the crowd's boos were probably the loudest he'd ever heard.

“I felt the hostility. I felt control. But once the ball is tipped, I’m in my safe haven,” he said. “Nothing can stop me from doing my best.”

ESPN Research contributed to this story.