LeBron: 'I love playing out on the road' more than at home during playoffs
There's no place like the road.
While athletes typically prefer to play on home court - where they tend to benefit from a routine, familiar facility, and the backing of the crowd - LeBron James obviously isn't your typical NBA player.
The Cleveland Cavaliers superstar prefers playing away from Quicken Loans Arena, even though his club has found considerable success there. The Cavs have a 15-1 playoff record at home versus Eastern Conference opponents since 2015, but some of James' best performances have come in enemy territory.
"I just like the adversity of the road," the 32-year-old said Friday, as quoted by Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com. "Home cooking is great, love the home fans for 14 years. But I love playing out on the road more than I love playing at home. It's just a weird thing."
With the Toronto Raptors' series-clinching victory Thursday over the Milwaukee Bucks, Cleveland is set to face Toronto in the playoffs for the second consecutive year. The Cavs defeated the Raptors in the 2016 East finals, with James' most dominant performance coming at Air Canada Centre. The 13-time All-Star registered 33 points, 11 rebounds, six assists, and three blocks in Game 6 to end Toronto's campaign.
"I love the adversity, I love the, 'Tonight is not the night' LeBron slogans," James said. "I love the 'You're overrated' and all those things. I like all that. I don't know man. It's the bunker mentality of knowing it's 15 guys plus the coaching staff and whoever there that's traveled with us against the whole state and the whole city."
Despite claiming at least one road game in an NBA-record 27 straight series, King James indicated wins north of the border won't come easy.
"No built-in advantage," he said. "Doesn't mean I'm going to be able to win a road game in this series. Just play the game. For me I just go out and try to win every game and do whatever it takes to help our team be successful. Going to a hostile building in Game 3 and Game 4 and we know that. Their fans are unbelievable."
Cavaliers-Raptors begins Monday at The Q.