Richard Jefferson and LeBron James, once adversaries on opposing teams, found themselves sharing the same locker room. Jefferson, who played for the Milwaukee Bucks at the time, reminisced about the challenge of guarding James when he was with the Cleveland Cavaliers.
During one memorable game, the Bucks’ defensive strategy revolved around containing Mo Williams, believing that neutralizing him would stifle the Cavaliers’ offense.
However, James, a four-time NBA champion, had an exceptional performance that evening, contributing 55 points, five rebounds, and nine assists to lead the Cavaliers to victory over the Bucks.
Faced with James’s unstoppable dominance on the court, Jefferson could only admire how effortlessly he controlled the game. On the ‘We Might be Drunk’ podcast, the current ESPN analyst humorously recounted the game:
“LeBron James dropped a double nickel on me. Put up 55 points against me. And our coach at the time, Scott Skiles, was like, ‘Whenever the Cavs play well, it’s because Mo Williams goes off for 20 plus,’ which was true. They’re like, ‘LeBron will get his points regardless.’ And our focus was on shutting down Mo Williams, and if LeBron scored, it was my responsibility.”
“Bron scored 15 points in like a minute and a half because it was just one of those days when he decided to hit like five threes in the first quarter. So, he went completely off and had like 30 points in the first half. And my coach is like, ‘We’re doing a good job’ on Mo Williams, and I’m like, ‘Yeah, that’s because I am out here on an island.'”
The game between the Cavaliers and the Bucks was played on the Bucks’ home court. Despite James’s explosive third quarter, the game remained tightly contested until the Cavaliers pulled ahead with an 8-0 run in the final minutes, securing a 111-103 victory.
While James concluded the night with an impressive 55 points, Richard Jefferson contributed 17 points, four rebounds, and three assists for the Bucks.
